Quotes
Quotes about Fortune
This world is run with far too tight a rein for luck to interfere. Fortune sells her wares; she never gives them. In some form or other, we pay for her favors; or we go empty away.
When we are in competition with ourselves, and match our todays against our yesterdays, we derive encouragement from past misfortunes and blemishes. Moreover, the competition with ourselves leaves unimpaired our benevolence toward our fellow men.
Every individual is the architect of his own fortune.
The fortune which nobody sees makes a person happy and unenvied.
Each man is the smith of his own fortune.
People don't have fortunes left them in that style nowadays; men have to work and women to marry for money. It's a dreadfully unjust world.
When Fortune flatters, she does it to betray.
The folly of one man is the fortune of another.
This is the excellent foppery of the world, that when we are sick in fortune, often the surfeits of our own behavior, we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and stars; as if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion; knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers by an enforced obedience of planetary influence; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrusting on. An admirable evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish disposition on the charge of a star.
Whenever fortune wishes to joke, she lifts people from what is humble to the highest extremity of affairs. [Lat., Ex humili magna ad fastigia rerum Extollit, quoties voluit fortuna jocari.]
Any one who is prosperous may by the turn of fortune's wheel become most wretched before evening. [Lat., Quivis beatus, versa rota fortunae, ante vesperum potest esse miserrimus.]
If fortune favors you do not be elated; if she frowns do not despond. [Lat., Si fortuna juvat, caveto tolli; Si fortuna tonat, caveto mergi.]
That conceit, elegantly expressed by the Emperor Charles V., in his instructions to the King, his son, "that fortune hath somewhat the nature of a woman, that if she be too much wooed she is the farther off."
Therefore if a man look sharply and attentively, he shall see Fortune: for though she be blind, yet she is not invisible.
Behind every great fortune there is a crime.
Fortune, now see, now proudly Pluck off thy veil, and view thy triumph; look, Look what thou hast brought this land to!--
Just for a handful of silver he left us, Just for a ribbon to stick in his coat; Found the one gift of which Fortune bereft us, Lost all the others she lets us devote.
You carry Caesar and Caesar's fortune. [Lat., Caesarem vehis, Caesarisque fortunam.] - Julius Caesar (Caius Julius Caesar),
Fortune, the great commandress of the world, Hath divers ways to advance her followers: To some she gives honor without deserving; To other some, deserving without honor; Some wit, some wealth,--and some, wit without wealth; Some wealth without wit; some nor wit nor wealth.
It is fortune, not wisdom, that rules man's life. [Lat., Vitam regit fortuna, non sapientia.]
Fortune favors the brave. [Lat., Fors juvat audentes.]
If hindrances obstruct the way, Thy magnanimity display. And let thy strength be seen: But O, if Fortune fill thy sail With more than a propitious gale, Take half thy canvas in.
Ill fortune seldom comes alone.
Let fortune empty her whole quiver on me. I have a soul that, like an ample shield, Can take in all, and verge enough for more.
Neuer thinke you fortune can beare the sway, Where Virtue's force, can cause her to obay.
