Fortune favours the bold
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Fortune favors the bold, Fortune favors the brave, Fortune helps the brave, and Fortune favors the strong are common translations of the Latin proverb "Fortes fortuna adiuvat" (or "Fortuna audaces iuvat").
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Origins
The phrase means that Fortuna, the Goddess of luck, is more likely to help those who take risks or action. Its earliest recorded use is by the second century BC playwright Terence, in his play "Phormio" (fortes fortuna adiuuat) and by Ennius in Ann. 257: (fortibus est fortuna uiris data) The phrase was shouted by Turnus in Virgil's Aeneid just before he was utterly destroyed by Aeneas' Trojans.
Historical examples
Ancient history
The Roman dictator and consul Lucius Cornelius Sulla was said to believe in the influence of the goddess Fortune in his life. He was a consummate risk-taker, achieving martial distinction by taking risks on the battlefield such as wearing disguises and living among the enemy. He was also the first of the great Republican Romans to march upon Rome — a great taboo, but one which cemented his power and influence. Sulla so believed in his favor with Fortuna that he took the agnomen Felix which means "lucky" and gave his twin son and daughter the antiquated praenomens Faustus and Fausta because those names were also associated with luck.
Julius Caesar also transformed his fortunes when he marched on Rome, with the famous words alea jacta est (the die is cast) as he crossed the Rubicon river. The utterance was a commitment of his fate to Fortune. While Caesar was a thorough and professional soldier, many of his greatest victories were achieved by taking bold risks which often exposed him and his troops to great danger, but often resulted in memorable victories. His last gamble, attending the Senate on the Ides of March without his lictors (bodyguards), exposed him to successful assassination.
Pliny the Younger quotes his uncle Pliny the Elder as saying 'fortune favors the bold!' ('fortes' inquit 'fortuna iuvat') when commanding his ship to sail closer to Vesuvius in AD 79, an action that was to lead to his death in the eruption.
See also
- Audentis fortuna iuvat from Virgil's Aeneid
- A rolling stone gathers no moss
- Chien de Jean de Nivelle
- It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings
- God helps those who help themselves
