For Lucretius, as with all Epicureans, pleasure is conceived of primarily in intellectual terms. Contrary to popular belief, Epicureans did not advocate a life of gluttony and hedonistic excess. Instead, they argued that the pleasures of this world should be enjoyed in moderation. This would allow them to be sustained over time.

And it's the same with intellectual pleasure. If what Lucretius regards as the correct mental attitude can be sustained, then the individual will experience the pleasure that comes from being freed from the fear of death. Here as elsewhere, true pleasure transcends the fleeting moment. Anyone can enjoy the pleasures of the here and now; it certainly doesn't require much in the way of intellectual effort to eat or drink to excess. But...

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