“Fortune favors the bold!”
These words were uttered before the time of Christ, but also by Captain Benjamin Sisko in his attempt to take back a Federation space station from alien invaders. The odds were deeply against him, but it was the “do or do not” time for him, and he chose do. In the end, Sisko made it back to Deep Space Nine and was the eventual victor with the help of some very special allies. Captain Sisko was bold and it paid off thanks to the words of a Roman playwright and a Roman poet.
In about 19 B.C., Roman poet Virgil penned audentis fortuna adiuvat in the poem Aeneid. Fortune favors the bold. Fortuna, in Latin, means fortune, or it can refer to the Goddess Fortuna when the “F” is capitalized. Audentis is dare or be bold. Adiuvat is the word for “helps.”
In 161 B.C., Roman playwright Publius Terentius Afer used the proverb fortis fortuna adiuvat in the play Phormio. The difference here is the word fortis, which is the Latin word for brave. Fortune favors the brave.
The definitions of “fortune favors the bold” and “fortune favors the brave” are virtually the same. They mean that those who take risks often reap great rewards; those who are courageous tend to be the most successful. The expressions are phrases that encourage taking a chance in order to get what one wants.
I would say that past and current Olympians and Paralympians fit into these words – courageous, taking risks (have you watched the half-pipe snowboarders and ski jumpers?) and reaping rewards when they make it to the podium for a medal. Actually, all of these athletes are both brave and bold as it takes a competitive and determined spirit to make it to the Olympics and Paralympics. I admire each and every one of them.
Being brave and bold can be the heart of an NFL Superbowl Team, standing up to bigotry, or the response from a civilian who runs into a burning building to save a child. Fortune is the positive outcome, whether it is financial, notoriety or physical and mental well-being.
I truly believe that each and every one of us are brave or bold at some point in our lives. We survive and push forward through illness, a loved one’s death, divorce, natural disasters, financial hardships, and coping through the intricacies of life. If we did not, there would be about eight billion people in the world huddled in a corner of their home, sobbing and threatening to never go out and play again.
So, the encouragement for today, my blogging friends, is go out in the next day, week, month or whenever the opportunity arises, and be bold or brave. Don’t hold back. Be courageous in whatever you need to do and whatever happens. Remember your Latin proverbs in good times and bad. Act as though you have thrown the winning touchdown or taken back your space station.
Be the Sisko, find your fortune.
Stream of Consciousness Saturday is the brainchild of author Linda G. Hill. Every Friday, Linda provides her followers with an inspiring blogger’s prompt. It can be a word or words and sometimes bonus points are involved (my favorite). Linda asks us to write without editing, other than correcting spelling errors.
Just go with the flow.
Like a babbling brook or rain drops. Click HERE if this type of writing floats your boat or helps with your decision-making. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “fortune.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
Mary J Melange 
This could be a Ted Talk, Mary. Very inspiring!
Thanks Maggie! I’m glad you enjoyed the post. 🙂
Love this 💜💜💜💜 well done!
Thank you, Willow! Have a bold Saturday. 🙂
Yes let be brave !
For a moment, as I read this, I thought, I’m not very bold, like on Star Trek. But you brought me to our reality with your examples of how we go boldly through challenges of life. Going to work as a single mom, going through my parents’ stuff after dad died, setting boundaries. those things took courage. Every now and then, when I have to be brave or bold, I think of a Star Trek character and ask myself, How would Captain Janeway handle this? How would counselor Troi handle this? Be Janeway. Be Troi. And if I have to be very, very brave, how would Belana Torres handle this?
I never thought I was brave or bold either, JoAnna, until I went through the “week of hell” in separating from my husband, moving my parents, having to put a kitty down, and holding it together at work. We all find our courage when we need it most and in my case, fortune came with my freedom and a great circle of friends. Going forward, I’ll have to remember your method of putting myself in the shoes of a Star Trek character and drive through the difficult times. Thanks for your lovely comment and have a wonderful weekend!
Divorce AND putting a kitty down while holding it together at work is hell. I remember having to put my dog down a few months after my husband left. There was a lot of teeth gritting. We are very brave and strong when we have to be. We not only survived, but we have learned to thrive. Happy Weekend, Mary! Go boldly! 🙂
Thanks JoAnna, I will!
As a Star Trek fan I really appreciated your analogy. It is true that when placed in a situation of stress, we have to decide to act or not. Too often I’ve wondered what the difference was that some chose to act boldly and others to retreat and accept their fate… The choice is individual but as I got older I began to be able to discern what was in my best interests – thus I was able to pick my battles and won much more often than I lost….
That’s a well thought-out plan, to pick the battles that will benefit you most. Too often, we get stuck or fail when we don’t choose the right ones to fight. I was trying to decide if I should be brave and walk in single digits today, but my common sense says to wait for another time when I don’t have to fight ice and frigidity. I’ll be brave today in other ways!
Well said. And thank you for a very interesting post.
Thank you and you are welcome, Lakshmi!
This is a very inspiring post, Mary. I do love the expression. I remembered it from Star Trek and then looked it up. 1,000 bonus points for showing Captain Sisko, perhaps my fav after Picard.
I have been watching the half pipe boarders and I was amazed when they added the graphic showing that, if you fell, it would be like falling off the roof of a four-story house. I had a hard enough time after falling from the side of a one-story roof.
Sometimes, the boldest/bravest things for us to do are the simple things that we keep putting off. I’m going to try to follow your advice this week. I hope you have a nice easy weekend.
The half-pipe snow boarders are amazing and a bit crazy. I can’t imagine what would happen if any of those athletes fell from a high point, other than it would severely hurt. The ski jump and SuperG athletes are also mind boggling – the risk they take. I admire that spirit, but choose to stay planted with my feet on the ground.
My brave action this weekend will be taking down the tree (finally) and rooting for the Bengals, who I hope have fortune in bold play.
Ah, then we are at odds in the SB. I hope Matt Stafford gets a chance to show what ha can do. The Bengals are in our conference. It would be like you rooting for the Bears.
Oh boy, sorry. I have friends who are Bengals fans and I tend to root for the underdog in these instances. I will be okay with whoever wins, actually, because neither team was expected to be there.
It’s ok. But if they win, I’m rooting for the Bears next year 🙂
I couldn’t actually do that.
Lol, I might have to unfollow you if that were really the case. 😄
Message received 😏
I love that: “Be the Sisko! Encouraging words!
I wonder if it’s similar to “be the ball” in Caddyshack. Either way, Pam, I hope you have an encouraging week. 🙂
I am sure I will!
I have to support the team of Joe Burrow. LSU could never have done what they did without him. Okay, now boldly go where no man has gone before! ❤️
Ha, Cheryl! I have you on my cheerleading team! (Don’t tell Dan.)
Oh no I won’t. But I think he’d understand. 😉
Just give him another Corona. 😉
Done! 😀
Well said, Mary J. Thank you for the encouragement. I hope you have a great weekend.
Thanks Natalie. You have a good weekend as well.
Well said, Mary! Very inspiring. You make me want to go out and brave the cold……………. sort of ;-)!
Ha! Stay warm, Shelley. Be brave on your couch. 🙂
Ditto to you!
We’ve started watching DS-9 at night. One episode at a time. Now I’m going to wait to see if I hear Benjamin utter those words!
I think that comes in season 6, Ally, so whenever you get there.