Quotations about:
    inexorability

You may drive out Nature with a pitchfork, yet she will ever hurry back, and, ere you know it, will burst through your foolish contempt in triumph.

[Naturam expellas furca, tamen usque recurret,
Et mala perrumpet furtim fastidia victrix.]

Horace (65–8 BC) Roman poet, satirist, soldier, politician [Quintus Horatius Flaccus]

Epistles [Epistularum, Letters], Book 1, ep. 10 “To Aristius Fuscus,” l. 24ff (1.10.24-25) (20 BC) [tr. Fairclough (Loeb) (1926)]
    (Source)

Horace trying to persuade his citified friend Aristius that a more natural setting in the countryside is better.

Variants of "expellas furca" (driving with a pitchfork) were a common Roman expression.

(Source (Latin)). Other translations:

The citizens thinkes nature base, and arte is their desier.
Tushe, expulse nature with a forke yet she will still retire,
But chefely, if that she be euill she tarries then no space,
The victris hath a swifte recourse by stealthe unto her place.
[tr. Drant (1567)]

Drive Nature with a Pitch-fork out, shee'l back
Victorious (spite of State) by'a secret Track.
[tr. R. F.; ed. Brome (1666)]

Strive to expel strong Nature, 'tis in vain,
With doubled force she will return again,
And conquering rise above the proud disdain.
[tr. Creech (1684)]

For Nature, driven out with proud disdain,
All-powerful goddess, will return again;
Return in silent triumph, to deride
the weak attempts of luxury and pride.
[tr. Francis (1747)]

Thus, chase her out of doors -- do what you will --
Nature renews the charge and triumphs still;
spurs the weak barriers which caprice would lay
Athwart her course, and boldly bursts her way.
[tr. Howes (1845)]

You may drive out nature with a fork, yet still she will return, and, insensibly victorious, will break through [men’s] improper disgusts.
[tr. Smart/Buckley 1853)]

Drive Nature forth by force, she'll turn and rout
The false refinements that would keep her out.
[tr. Conington (1874)]

Turn Nature, neck-and-shoulders, out of door.
She'll find her way to where she was before;
And imperceptibly in time subdue
Wealth's sickly fancies, and her tastes untrue.
[tr. Martin (1881)]

You shall expel nature with a fork, yet will it always return and, by imperceptibly breaking through injurous aversions, show itself the conquerer.
[tr. Elgood (1893)]

Drive Nature out with a pitchfork. She'll be back again.
She'll outwit and break through absurd contempt! She will win!
[tr. Palmer Bovie (1959)]

Thrust nature out with a pitchfork -- she'll come back,
and gradually she'll win, breaking through your fancy fakes.
[tr. Fuchs (1977)]

Push out Nature with a pitchfork, she’ll always come back,
And our stupid contempt somehow falls on its face before her.
[tr. Raffel (1983)]

Drive Nature out with a pitchfork, she'll come right back,
Victorious over your ignorant confident scorn.
[tr. Ferry (2001)]

Expel nature with a fork; she’ll keep on trotting back.
Relax -- and she'll break triumphantly through your silly refinements.
[tr. Rudd (2005 ed.)]

Drive Nature off with a pitchfork, she’ll still press back,
And secretly burst in triumph through your sad disdain.
[tr. Kline (2015)]