An Ode To Atheism

This poem was written by an ancient Roman poet named Titus Lucretius praising the Greek philosopher Epicurus as the savior of the human race. But if it is read more generally it could be interpreted as praise for any one of the champions of disbelief and doubt from the past all the way to the present day. The last two lines are particularly strong. The poem is as followed :

“When before our eyes man’s life lay groveling, prostrate, Crushed to the dust under the burden of religion ( Which thrust its head from heaven, its horrible face Glowering over mankind born to die ), One man a Greek was the first mortal who dared Oppose his eyes, the first to stand firm in defiance.
Not the fables of gods, nor lightening, nor the menacing Rumble of heaven could daunt him, but all the more They whetted his keen mind with longing to be First to smash open the tight barred gates of Nature. His vigor of mind prevailed, and he strode Beyond the fiery battlements of the unmeasured world. Raiding the fields of the unmeasured All.
Our victor returns with knowledge of what can arise, What cannot, what laws grant each thing its own Deep-driven boundary stone and finite scope. Religion now lies trampled beneath our feet, And we are made gods by the victory.”