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138.1 Fortūna fortune caeca blind est is
138.2 Bonā with good fortūnā fortune vir man ad to urbem city pervēnit arrived
138.3 Mīlitēs soldiers fortūnam fortune bellī of war expectant await
138.4 Nēmō no one fortūnae to fortune crēdere to trust dēbet ought
138.5 Magna great erat was fortūna fortune rēgis of king
138.6 Fortūnae of fortune lūdus game vītam life nostram our regit rules
138.7 Sapientēs wise men contrā against fortūnam fortune stant stand
138.8 Rōmānī Romans fortūnā by fortune et and virtūte by courage vincunt conquer
138.9 Multī many hominēs men fortūnās fortunes suās their perdidērunt lost
138.10 Dea goddess Fortūna Fortune templum temple in in forō forum habet has
138.11 Fortūnam fortune adversam adverse fortiter bravely ferre to bear dēbēmus we ought
138.12 Mercātor merchant novās new fortūnās fortunes quaerit seeks
138.13 Variā changeable est is fortūna fortune mortālium of mortals
138.14 Fortūnae to fortune grātiās thanks prō for victōriā victory ēgērunt they gave
138.15 Nūlla no fortūna fortune perpetua perpetual manet remains
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138.1 Fortūna caeca est. Fortune is blind.
138.2 Vir bonā fortūnā ad urbem pervēnit. The man arrived at the city with good fortune.
138.3 Mīlitēs fortūnam bellī expectant. The soldiers await the fortune of war.
138.4 Nēmō fortūnae crēdere dēbet. No one ought to trust fortune.
138.5 Magna fortūna rēgis erat. The king's fortune was great.
138.6 Fortūnae lūdus vītam nostram regit. Fortune's game governs our life.
138.7 Sapientēs contrā fortūnam stant. Wise men stand against fortune.
138.8 Rōmānī fortūnā et virtūte vincunt. The Romans conquer by fortune and courage.
138.9 Multī hominēs fortūnās suās perdidērunt. Many men have lost their fortunes.
138.10 Dea Fortūna templum in forō habet. The goddess Fortune has a temple in the forum.
138.11 Fortūnam adversam fortiter ferre dēbēmus. We ought to bear adverse fortune bravely.
138.12 Mercātor novās fortūnās quaerit. The merchant seeks new fortunes.
138.13 Varia est fortūna mortālium. The fortune of mortals is changeable.
138.14 Fortūnae grātiās prō victōriā ēgērunt. They gave thanks to Fortune for the victory.
138.15 Nūlla fortūna perpetua manet. No fortune remains perpetual.
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138.1 Fortūna caeca est.
138.2 Vir bonā fortūnā ad urbem pervēnit.
138.3 Mīlitēs fortūnam bellī expectant.
138.4 Nēmō fortūnae crēdere dēbet.
138.5 Magna fortūna rēgis erat.
138.6 Fortūnae lūdus vītam nostram regit.
138.7 Sapientēs contrā fortūnam stant.
138.8 Rōmānī fortūnā et virtūte vincunt.
138.9 Multī hominēs fortūnās suās perdidērunt.
138.10 Dea Fortūna templum in forō habet.
138.11 Fortūnam adversam fortiter ferre dēbēmus.
138.12 Mercātor novās fortūnās quaerit.
138.13 Varia est fortūna mortālium.
138.14 Fortūnae grātiās prō victōriā ēgērunt.
138.15 Nūlla fortūna perpetua manet.
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For English speakers learning Latin, understanding "fortūna" requires attention to several key points: -
First Declension Pattern: -
Nominative: fortūna (subject) -
Genitive: fortūnae (possession) -
Dative: fortūnae (indirect object) -
Accusative: fortūnam (direct object) -
Ablative: fortūnā (by/with/from) -
Plural forms: fortūnae, fortūnārum, fortūnīs, fortūnās, fortūnīs -
Case Usage Examples: -
Nominative: "Fortūna caeca est" (Fortune is blind) -
Genitive: "fortūnae lūdus" (fortune's game) -
Dative: "fortūnae crēdere" (to trust fortune) -
Accusative: "fortūnam expectant" (they await fortune) -
Ablative: "bonā fortūnā" (with good fortune) -
Common Adjectives with fortūna: -
bona fortūna (good fortune) -
mala fortūna (bad fortune) -
adversa fortūna (adverse fortune) -
varia fortūna (changeable fortune) -
Idiomatic Expressions: -
fortūnam temptāre (to tempt fortune) -
fortūnā ūtī (to use one's fortune/luck) -
fortūnam ferre (to bear fortune)
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For English speakers, understanding "fortūna" in Roman culture requires several insights: -
Divine Personification: -
Fortuna was worshipped as a goddess -
Had multiple temples in Rome -
Often depicted with a wheel (rota Fortūnae) -
Shown blindfolded to indicate randomness -
Philosophical Attitudes: -
Stoics taught resistance to fortune's power -
Epicureans saw fortune as random chance -
Roman generals attributed victories to both virtūs (courage) and fortūna -
Social Implications: -
"Fortūnae fīlius" (son of fortune) meant someone lucky -
Wealthy Romans were called "fortūnātī" -
Loss of fortune (wealth) meant social disgrace -
Modern English Derivatives: -
Fortune (luck and wealth) -
Fortunate/unfortunate -
Fortune-teller -
Misfortune
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From Publilius Syrus, Sententiae (1st century BCE):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Fortūna Fortune cum when blanditur flatters, captātum to be captured venit comes. Fortūna Fortune nūllī to no one perpetuō perpetually est is bona good. Fortūna Fortune obesse to harm nūllī no one contenta content est is semel once. Fortūnam Fortune citius more quickly reperiās you may find quam than retineās you may retain.
Fortūna cum blanditur, captātum venit. Fortūna nūllī perpetuō est bona. Fortūna obesse nūllī contenta est semel. Fortūnam citius reperiās quam retineās.
When Fortune flatters, she comes to ensnare. Fortune is good to no one perpetually. Fortune is not content to harm anyone just once. You may find Fortune more quickly than you can keep her.
Fortūna cum blanditur, captātum venit. Fortūna nūllī perpetuō est bona. Fortūna obesse nūllī contenta est semel. Fortūnam citius reperiās quam retineās.
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"blanditur" - 3rd person deponent verb (flatters) -
"captātum" - supine expressing purpose -
"nūllī" - dative of reference (to no one) -
"perpetuō" - adverb (perpetually) -
"obesse" - infinitive with "contenta" -
"semel" - adverb (once) -
"citius...quam" - comparative construction -
"reperiās/retineās" - potential subjunctives
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138.16 Philosophus philosopher discipulum student dē about fortūnā fortune interrogat questions
138.17 Discipulus student respondet replies fortūnam fortune omnibus to all imperāre to command
138.18 At but philosophus philosopher negat denies fortūnam fortune sapientibus to wise men nocēre to harm posse to be able
138.19 Quīs who igitur therefore fortūnae fortune's potestātem power effugit escapes rogat asks discipulus student
138.20 Quī who virtūtem virtue colit cultivates fortūnam fortune nōn not timet fears respondet replies magister teacher
138.21 Sed but cūr why bonī good men virī men saepe often malā bad fortūnā fortune premuntur are oppressed
138.22 Fortūna fortune virtūtem virtue probat tests nōn not vincit conquers sapiēns wise man docet teaches
138.23 Discipulus student quaerit asks num whether fortūnam fortune mūtāre to change possīmus we can
138.24 Fortūnam fortune ipsam itself nōn not sed but animum mind nostrum our mūtāre to change possumus we can
138.25 Beātus blessed est is quī who fortūnae fortune's lūdōs games intellegit understands
138.26 Stultī fools fortūnam fortune deam goddess putant think sapientēs wise men cāsum chance sciunt know
138.27 Fortūnae to fortune grātiās thanks numquam never age give sed but virtūtī to virtue tuae your
138.28 Discipulus student tandem finally intellegit understands fortūnam fortune servam servant esse to be nōn not dominam mistress
138.29 Vēra true fortūna fortune in in animō mind nōn not in in rēbus things externīs external est is
138.30 Philosophus philosopher concludit concludes fortūnam fortune timēre to fear stultitiam foolishness esse to be
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138.16 Philosophus discipulum dē fortūnā interrogat. The philosopher questions the student about fortune.
138.17 Discipulus respondet fortūnam omnibus imperāre. The student replies that fortune commands everyone.
138.18 At philosophus negat fortūnam sapientibus nocēre posse. But the philosopher denies that fortune can harm the wise.
138.19 "Quīs igitur fortūnae potestātem effugit?" rogat discipulus. "Who therefore escapes fortune's power?" asks the student.
138.20 "Quī virtūtem colit, fortūnam nōn timet," respondet magister. "He who cultivates virtue does not fear fortune," replies the teacher.
138.21 "Sed cūr bonī virī saepe malā fortūnā premuntur?" "But why are good men often oppressed by bad fortune?"
138.22 "Fortūna virtūtem probat, nōn vincit," sapiēns docet. "Fortune tests virtue, it does not conquer it," the wise man teaches.
138.23 Discipulus quaerit num fortūnam mūtāre possīmus. The student asks whether we can change fortune.
138.24 "Fortūnam ipsam nōn, sed animum nostrum mūtāre possumus." "We cannot change fortune itself, but we can change our mind."
138.25 Beātus est quī fortūnae lūdōs intellegit. Blessed is he who understands fortune's games.
138.26 Stultī fortūnam deam putant; sapientēs cāsum sciunt. Fools think fortune a goddess; wise men know it as chance.
138.27 "Fortūnae grātiās numquam age, sed virtūtī tuae." "Never give thanks to fortune, but to your virtue."
138.28 Discipulus tandem intellegit fortūnam servam esse, nōn dominam. The student finally understands that fortune is a servant, not a mistress.
138.29 Vēra fortūna in animō, nōn in rēbus externīs est. True fortune is in the mind, not in external things.
138.30 Philosophus concludit fortūnam timēre stultitiam esse. The philosopher concludes that fearing fortune is foolishness.
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138.16 Philosophus discipulum dē fortūnā interrogat.
138.17 Discipulus respondet fortūnam omnibus imperāre.
138.18 At philosophus negat fortūnam sapientibus nocēre posse.
138.19 "Quīs igitur fortūnae potestātem effugit?" rogat discipulus.
138.20 "Quī virtūtem colit, fortūnam nōn timet," respondet magister.
138.21 "Sed cūr bonī virī saepe malā fortūnā premuntur?"
138.22 "Fortūna virtūtem probat, nōn vincit," sapiēns docet.
138.23 Discipulus quaerit num fortūnam mūtāre possīmus.
138.24 "Fortūnam ipsam nōn, sed animum nostrum mūtāre possumus."
138.25 Beātus est quī fortūnae lūdōs intellegit.
138.26 Stultī fortūnam deam putant; sapientēs cāsum sciunt.
138.27 "Fortūnae grātiās numquam age, sed virtūtī tuae."
138.28 Discipulus tandem intellegit fortūnam servam esse, nōn dominam.
138.29 Vēra fortūna in animō, nōn in rēbus externīs est.
138.30 Philosophus concludit fortūnam timēre stultitiam esse.
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The philosophical dialogue introduces several advanced constructions: -
Indirect Statement: -
"fortūnam omnibus imperāre" (that fortune commands all) -
"fortūnam servam esse" (that fortune is a servant) -
Structure: accusative + infinitive -
Indirect Question: -
"num fortūnam mūtāre possīmus" (whether we can change fortune) -
Uses subjunctive mood (possīmus) -
Relative Clauses: -
"Quī virtūtem colit" (He who cultivates virtue) -
"quī fortūnae lūdōs intellegit" (who understands fortune's games) -
Direct Speech Integration: -
Questions in quotation marks -
Maintains Latin word order in dialogue -
Philosophical Vocabulary: -
virtūs, virtūtis f. (virtue, courage) -
sapiēns, sapientis (wise person) -
stultus, -a, -um (foolish) -
beātus, -a, -um (blessed, happy) -
Contrast Structures: -
"nōn...sed" (not...but) -
Shows philosophical distinctions
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