fortis Fortuna adiuvat

Latin

Alternative forms

• fortēs Fortūna adiuvat (Pliny Epistles 6 16)
• audentīs Fortūna iuvat (Virgil Aeneid 10 284)
• audentēs deus epse iuvat (Ovid Metamorphoses 10 586)

Etymology

Literally "(the) strong (ones), Fortune helps." From Terence's comedy play Phormio, line 203. Cited by Cicero in the 1st century B.C.E. as a vetus prōverbium (“old proverb”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈfor.tiːs forˈtuː.na ˈad.i̯u.u̯at/, [ˈfɔrt̪iːs̠ fɔrˈt̪uːnä ˈäd̪i̯uː̯ät̪]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈfor.tis forˈtu.na ˈad.ju.vat/, [ˈfɔrt̪is forˈt̪uːnä ˈäd̪juvät̪]

Proverb

fortīs Fortūna adiuvat

1. fortune favors the bold
   • 161 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Phormio 203:

     Ergo istaec quom ita sint, Antipho,
     Tanto magis te advigilare aequomst: fortis fortuna adiuvat

Usage notes

Often misquoted in English texts as fortēs Fortūna adiuvat, which uses the accusative plural ending -ēs instead of the "Republican" accusative ending -īs. Although grammatically correct, the form ending in -ēs is not the one used in Terence's play.

Descendants

• English: fortune favors the bold (calque)