Fortune favours the bold

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Fortune favours the bold or fortune favours the brave is a phrase derived from the Latin saying "fortes fortuna adjuvat". The phrase means that luck is likely to be granted by the goddess Fortuna to the side of someone who is willing to take risks. The phrase dates back to Roman times. It appears in a number of Latin texts dating from the first century BC and is often associated with Virgil's Aeneid.

The contentious issue here is whether the phrase should end with "bold" or "brave". Both forms of the phrase are in common use. This problem hinges on the translation of "fortes" which means "strong" in Latin.

The Romans of course were prone to some very bold behaviour, often involving groups of naked Senators, nubian nymphs and the odd grape or three. The reward, or Fortuna, was often swift allowing only brief absences from the Senate for these upstanding pillars of early democracy.

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