Here’s another one in our series Monthly Latin. This phrase is just as eternal as any other Latin phrase, and probably known by many of you. But do you know where it originates from? The history behind it is quite interesting.

Audentes fortuna iuvat

meaning of course Fortune favors the bold. The phrase is from Aeneid, a Latin epic poem written by the Roman poet Virgil between 29 and 19 B.C. These are said to have been the last words of fleet commander Pliny the Elder before he left the docks at Pompeii in order to rescue people from the eruption of Vesuvius in the year 79.

Pliny had received a message from his friend Rectina to come and rescue her and the Roman senator Pomponianus. As they where approaching the site, cinders and purnice started falling on their light vessel. Pliny’s helmsman advised turning back, to which Pliny replied, “Fortune favors the brave; steer to where Pomponianus is.”

Well, we all know what happened that day. And we all know that getting things done requires at times a degree of boldness. Not always, but often just having the boldness to try, will get things rolling and moving towards the desired objective.

We can easily differentiate between two types of boldness. On one hand the kind that is required for immediate action to handle a situation in the best possible way. This is the stuff that heroes are made of. That’s bravery. Or the boldness of just holding one’s ground and not let others run you over.

On the other hand we can all be heroes in our own lives by taking bold decisions in different situations and thus perhaps opening doors that might otherwise stay closed or unnoticed. Daring to try, even when things are not going our way. Listening to one’s own heart and acting upon it, no matter what others say. Being brave and true to oneself. Audentes fortuna iuvat.

  https://www.quora.com/What-does-audentes-fortuna-iuvat-mean-in-English