Fortune favours the bold
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Fortune favours the bold, Fortune favours the brave, Fortune helps the brave, and Fortune favours the strong are common translations of the Latin proverb "Fortes fortuna adiuvat".
Origins
The phrase means that Fortuna, the Goddess of luck, is more likely to help those who take risks or action. Its first recorded use is by the second century BC playwright Terence, in his play "Phormio".[1] Also the Iron-work half-circle that read "FROM THESE GATES EMERGE THE FINEST SOLDIERS THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN FOLLOW ME FORTES FORTUNA JAVAT". Army Infantry Soldiers pass through it upon completion of training. "The Practice" is continued today 2010.
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. Obviously, 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 favours 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.
Modern examples
- The great conquistador Hernán Cortés writes in his second letter to Emperor Charles V that Fortune always favours the bold, he uses it as one of the arguments to recommit himself to the conquest of Tenochtitlan. [2]
- It was the motto of Bear Island, Canada.
- It is the motto of the U.S. 3rd Marine Regiment.[3]
- It is the motto of the McKinnon family in Scotland.
- It is the motto of the U.K. Yorkshire Regiment.[4]
- It is the motto of the Danish Jydske Dragonregiment.[5]
- It was the motto of airbase RAF East Fortune in Scotland, the English football team KAG FC, the Scottish clan Dickson/Dixon, and the O'Flaherty family.
- This phrase was referenced in the title of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Favor the Bold", and quoted in the episode before a battle against an enemy with superior numbers and firepower.
- The phrase is the name of a Boston, Massachusetts clothing company, called "Fortune Favours The Bold" and "FFTB."
- The phrase is used as the motto of IFA Premiership football club Linfield, in the Latin form 'Audaces Fortuna Juvat'.
- It's been used in some trailers for the Playstation 3 game, Uncharted 2, to show the bravery and courage of the protagonist, Nathan Drake.
- "Fortune favours the brave" is quoted directly in the track "Lights" from the debut album of British rock band Editors.
- Used in the KMFDM song 'Tohuvabohu'.
- The phrase is proudly worn on the patch ensignia of the legendary Bronx Group Drill Team, a former unit of Civil Air Patrol (the Civilian Auxiliary of the United States Air Force). The Bronx Group Drill Team was the most successful cadet drill competition team in the 1980s, with six national championships.
- The phrase "Fortune favors the brave" is the title of the second number of the popular musical Aida.
- It has been featured in television commercials for Guinness Beer.
- It was printed on the cover of the Galileo spacecraft Tour Guide document.[6]
- Phrase was used in literary work 'Kane & Abel" [Jeffrey Archer],C.1979, P.26.
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
References
- ^ http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/ter.phormio.html
- ^ Hernán Cortés, Hernán Cortés: Letters from Mexico, 145.
- ^ http://www.mcbh.usmc.mil/3mar/index.htm
- ^ http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/regiments/3474.aspx
- ^ http://forsvaret.dk/jdr/Pages/default.aspx
- ^ http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/tour/tourtoc.html