Such is the life of man, nor wholly blest,
Nor wholly wretched; on her votaries Fortune
now smiles, then frowns. Since our prosperity
Is thus unstable, is not an exemption
From grief the greatest pleasure life can yield?[τοιόσδε ϑνητῶν τῶν ταλαιπώρων βίος’
οὔτ᾽ εὐτυχεῖ τὸ πάμπαν οὔτε δυστυχεῖ,
εὐδαιμονεῖ δὲ καύϑις οὐκ εὐδαιμονεῖ.
τί δῆτ᾽ ἐν ὄλβω μὴ σαφεῖ βεβηκότες
οὐ ξῶμεν ὡς ἥδιστα μὴ λυπούμενοι;]Euripides (485?-406? BC) Greek tragic dramatist
Antiope [Αντιοπη], frag. 196 (TGF, Kannicht) (c. 410 BC) (Amphion?) [tr. Wodhall (1809)]
(Source)
(Source (Greek)). Alternate translation:
Such is the life of wretched mortals;
a man is neither wholly fortunate nor unfortunate;
why then, on entering prosperity which may be insecure,
do we not live as pleasantly as possible, without distress?
[Source]
Such it is, the life of miserable mortals:
neither wholly fortunate nor unfortunate.
He is prosperous and then he is not prosperous.
Why then, when we stand in uncertain happiness,
do we not live as pleasurably as possible, without distress.
[tr. Will (2015)]
Quotations about:
good luck
Note not all quotations have been tagged, so Search may find additional quotes on this topic.
Every time it rains, it rains
Pennies from heaven.
Don’t you know each cloud contains
Pennies from heaven?You’ll find your fortune falling
All over town
Be sure that your umbrella
Is upside down.Johnny Burke (1908-1964) American lyricist [John Francis Burke]
“Pennies from Heaven” (1936)
(Source)
Good luck is another name for tenacity of purpose.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
“Wealth,” The Conduct of Life, ch. 3 (1860)
(Source)
Here’s a man who’s wangled millions;
Yet the parasite’s not done.
Fortune gives too much to many,
Yet, strange to say, enough to none.[Habet Africanus miliens, tamen captat.
Fortuna multis dat nimis, satis nulli.]Martial (AD c.39-c.103) Spanish Roman poet, satirist, epigrammatist [Marcus Valerius Martialis]
Epigrams [Epigrammata], Book 12, epigram 10 (12.10) [tr. Marcellino (1968)]
(Source)
"On Africanus." Africanus is identified in some sources as a captator, one who sucked up to a childless millionaire in order to inherit part or all of their estate.
(Source (Latin)). Alternate translations:
As riche as Cresus Afric is:
for more yet hunts the chuffe:
To muche to many, fortune gives,
and yet to none inuffe.
[tr. Kendall (1577)]
Fortune, some say, doth give too much to many:
And yet she never gave enough to any.
[tr. Harington (fl. c. 1600); Book 4, ep. 56; overall ep. 310]
African has a thousand pounds in store,
Yet he desires, and hunts, and rakes for more:
Fortune hath overmuch bestow'd on some;
But plenary content doth give to none.
[tr. Fletcher (1656)]
He fawns for more, though he his thousands touch:
Fortune gives one enough, but some too much.
[tr. Hay (1755)]
Millions has Africa; yet grasps at more:
Too much have many, none sufficient store.
[tr. Elphinston (1782), 12.65]
Africanus possesses a hundred thousand sesterces, but is always striving by servility to acquire more. Fortune gives too much to many, enough to none.
[tr. Amos (1858), ch. 3, ep. 92, "Sufficient Fortune"]
Africanus possesses a hundred thousand sesterces, and yet covets more. Fortune gives too much to many, enough to none.
[tr. Bohn's Classical (1859)]
Fortune to many gives too much, enough to none.
[ed. Harbottle (1897)]
African us possesses a hundred millions, yet he angles for more. Fortune to many gives too much, enough to none.
[tr. Ker (1919)]
Although he is a millionaire,
He courts the rich who lack an heir;
Fortune gives much to many a one,
But just enough she grants to none.
[tr. Pott & Wright (1921)]
Africanus has a hundred million, but still he fishes for legacies. Fortune gives too much to many, to none enough.
[tr. Shackleton Bailey (1993)]
Africanus is a tireless legacy-hunter
though he's a wealthy man.
Fortune gives too much to many,
enough to none
[tr. Kennelly (2008)]
Although worth millions, Africanus hunts a legacy.
To many Fortune gives too much, enough to nobody.
[tr. McLean (2014)]
Africanus has a hundred million, and still he's hunting legacies. Fortune gives too much to many, but "enough" to none.
[tr. Nisbet (2015)]
“Well?” said Greycat. “Does fortune smile upon us?”
“She smiles,” said Dunaan. “And she frowns.”
“How, at the same time?”
“Yes.”
“Fortune has a very flexible countenance.”
“That is well known.”Steven Brust (b. 1955) American writer, systems programmer
Five Hundred Years After (1994)
When I contemplate the common lot of mortality, I must acknowledge that I have drawn a high prize in the lottery of life … the double fortune of my birth in a free and enlightened country, in an honourable and wealthy family, is the lucky chance of an unit against millions.
Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) English historian
Memoirs of My Life and Writings (1796)
Calamities are of two kinds: misfortune to ourselves, and good fortune to others.
Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
The Cynic’s Word Book (1906)
Fortune favors the bold.
[Audentis Fortuna iuvat]
Virgil (70-19 BC) Roman poet [b. Publius Vergilius Maro; also Vergil]
The Aeneid [Ænē̆is], Book 10, l. 284 (10.284) [Turnus] (29-19 BC) [tr. West (1990)]
(Source)
Not a sentiment invented by Virgil. See also Terence.
The Rutulian prince exhorting his men to meet Aeneas' Trojans on the beach as they land. (Source (Latin)). Alternate translations:
Fortune befriends the bold.
[tr. Dryden (1697)]
Fortune assists the daring.
[tr. Davidson/Buckley (1854)]
Fair fortune aids the bold.
[tr. Conington (1866)]
Fortune assists the bold.
[tr. Cranch (1872), l. 380]
Fortune aids daring.
[tr. Mackail (1885)]
For Fortune helpeth them that dare.
[tr. Morris (1900)]
Fair Fortune aids the bold.
[tr. Taylor (1907), st. 37, l. 342]
Fortune will help the brave.
[tr. Williams (1910)]
Fortune aids the daring.
[tr. Fairclough (1918)]
And luck helps men who dare.
[tr. Humphries (1951)]
Fortune always fights for the bold.
[tr. Day-Lewis (1952)]
For fortune
helps those who dare.
[tr. Mandelbaum (1971), ll. 395-96]
Fortune
favors men who dare!
[tr. Fitzgerald (1981), ll. 392-93]
Fortune favours the brave.
[tr. Kline (2002)]
Fortune speeds the bold!
[tr. Fagles (2006), l. 341]
A wise man turns Chance into good Fortune.
Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English writer, physician
Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs, # 475 (1732)
(Source)
