§4τῆς δὲ Τύχης ὀξὺ μὲν τὸ κίνημα καὶ θρασὺ τὸ φρόνημα καὶ μεγάλαυχος ἡ ἐλπίς, φθάνουσα δὲ τὴν Ἀρετὴν ἐγγύς ἐστιν, οὐ πτεροῖς ἐλαφρίζουσα κούφοις ἑαυτὴν οὐδʼ ἀκρώνυχον ὑπὲρ σφαίρας τινὸς ἴχνος καθεῖσα περισφαλὴς καὶ ἀμφίβολος πρόσεισιν, εἶτʼ ἄπεισιν ἀιδής·
But the movement of Fortune is swift, her spirit bold, and her hope boasting grandly; she outstrips Virtue and is near at hand, not lightening herself with swift wings, nor approaching on tiptoe upon some sphere, precarious and doubtful, only to depart unseen.
ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ οἱ Σπαρτιᾶται τὴν Ἀφροδίτην λέγουσι διαβαίνουσαν τὸν Εὐρώταν τὰ μὲν ἔσοπτρα καὶ τοὺς χλιδῶνας καὶ τὸν κεστὸν ἀποθέσθαι, δόρυ δὲ καὶ ἀσπίδα λαβεῖν κοσμουμένην τῷ Λυκούργῳ· οὕτως ἡ Τύχη καταλιποῦσα Πέρσας καὶ Ἀσσυρίους Μακεδονίαν μὲν ἐλαφρὰ διέπτη καὶ ἀπεσείσατο ταχέως Ἀλέξανδρον, καὶ διʼ Αἰγύπτου καὶ Συρίας περιφέρουσα βασιλείας διώδευσε, καὶ Καρχηδονίους στρεφομένη πολλάκις ἐβάστασε·
Instead, just as the Spartans say that Aphrodite, when crossing the Eurotas, laid aside her mirrors, ornaments, and girdle, and took up a spear and shield to adorn herself for Lycurgus; so Fortune, leaving the Persians and Assyrians, flew lightly over Macedonia and quickly shook off Alexander, and passing through Egypt and Syria she traversed kingdoms, and turning many times she sustained the Carthaginians.
τῷ δὲ Παλατίῳ προσερχομένη καὶ διαβαίνουσα τὸν Θύμβριν ὡς ἔοικεν ἔθηκε τὰς πτέρυγας, ἐξέβη τῶν πεδίλων, ἀπέλιπε τὴν ἄπιστον καὶ παλίμβολον σφαῖραν.
But approaching the Palatine and crossing the Tiber, she apparently laid aside her wings, stepped out of her sandals, and left behind her untrustworthy and unstable sphere.
οὕτως εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Ῥώμην ὡς μενοῦσα καὶ τοιαύτη πάρεστιν ὡς ἐπὶ τὴν δίκην.
Thus she entered Rome with the intention of staying, and is present in such a guise as if she were coming to a trial.
"οὐ μὲν γὰρἀπειθὴς,"
κατὰ Πίνδαρον,
"οὐδὲ δίδυμον στρέφουσα πηδάλιον,"
ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον
"
εὐνομίας καὶ Πειθοῦς ἀδελφὰ
καὶ Προμαθείας θυγάτηρ,
"
ὡς γενεαλογεῖ Ἀλκμάν.
"For she is not disobedient," according to Pindar, "nor does she turn a double rudder," but rather "sister of Good Order and Persuasion, and daughter of Forethought," as Alcman traces her genealogy.
τὸ δʼ ὑμνούμενον ἐκεῖνο τοῦ πλούτου κέρας ἔχει διὰ χειρός, οὐκ ὀπώρας ἀεὶ θαλλούσης μεστόν, ἀλλʼ ὅσα φέρει πᾶσα γῆ πᾶσα δὲ θάλαττα καὶ ποταμοὶ καὶ μέταλλα καὶ λιμένες, ἄφθονα καὶ ῥύδην ἐπιχεαμένη.
And she holds in her hand that celebrated horn of plenty, not filled with ever-blooming seasonal fruits, but pouring out in abundance and stream all that the entire land, the entire sea, rivers, mines, and harbors bring.
λαμπροὶ δὲ καὶ διαπρεπεῖς ἄνδρες οὐκ ὀλίγοι μετʼ αὐτῆς ὁρῶνται, Πομπίλιος Νομᾶς ἐκ Σαβίνων καὶ Πρῖσκος ἐκ Ταρκυνίων, οὓς ἐπήλυδας βασιλεῖς καὶ ξένους ἐνιδρύσατο τοῖς Ῥωμύλου θρόνοις·
And not a few brilliant and distinguished men are seen with her: Numa Pompilius from the Sabines and Priscus from the Tarquinii, whom she established as immigrant kings and strangers upon the thrones of Romulus.
καὶ Παῦλος Αἰμίλιος ἀπὸ Περσέως καὶ Μακεδόνων ἄτρωτον στρατὸν ἄγων καὶ νίκην ἄδακρυν θριαμβεύων μεγαλύνει τὴν Τύχην μεγαλύνει δὲ καὶ Καικίλιος Μέτελλος ὁ Μακεδονικός γέρων, ὑπὸ τεττάρων παίδων εον ὑπατικῶν ἐκκομιζόμενος, Κοΐντου Βαλεαρικοῦ καὶ Λευκίου Διαδημάτα καὶ Μάρκου Μετέλλου καὶ Γαΐου Καπραρίου, καὶ δυοῖν γαμβρῶν ὑπατικῶν καὶ θυγατριδῶν κοσμουμένων ἐπιφανέσιν ἀριστείαις καὶ πολιτείαις.
And Aemilius Paulus, leading an unharmed army from Perseus and the Macedonians and celebrating a tearless victory in triumph, magnifies Fortune. Old Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus also magnifies her, being carried out to his grave by his four sons of consular rank, Quintus Balearicus, Lucius Diadematus, Marcus Metellus, and Gaius Caprarius, and by two sons-in-law of consular rank and grandsons adorned with conspicuous exploits and public offices.
Αἰμίλιος δὲ Σκαῦρος ἐκ ταπεινοῦ βίου καὶ ταπεινοτέρου γένους καινὸς ἄνθρωπος ἀρθεὶς ὑπʼ αὐτῆς προγράφεται τοῦ μεγάλου συνεδρίου.
And Aemilius Scaurus, raised by her as a new man from a humble life and an even humbler family, is registered as the chief of the great senate.
Κορνήλιον δὲ Σύλλαν ἐκ τῶν Νικοπόλεως τῆς ἑταίρας ἀναλαβοῦσα καὶ βαστάσασα κόλπων ὑψηλότερον τῶν Κιμβρικῶν Μαρίου θριάμβων καὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ ὑπατειῶν ἐπιτίθησι μοναρχίαις καὶ δικτατωρίαις.
As for Cornelius Sulla, raising him and lifting him up from the bosom of the courtesan Nicopolis, she placed him in monarchies and dictatorships higher than the Cimbrian triumphs of Marius and his seven consulships.
ἄντικρυς οὗτος τῇ Τύχῃ μετὰ τῶν πράξεων ἑαυτὸν εἰσεποίει βοῶν κατὰ τὸν Οἰδίποδα τὸν Σοφοκλέους
"ἐγὼ δʼ ἐμαυτὸν παῖδα τῆς Τύχης νέμω. "
καὶ Ῥωμαϊστὶ μὲν Φήλιξ ὠνομάζετο, τοῖς δʼ Ἕλλησιν οὕτως ἔγραφε
Λούκιος Κορνήλιος Σύλλας Ἐπαφρόδιτος. καὶ τὰ παρʼ ἡμῖν ἐν Χαιρωνείᾳ τρόπαια καὶ τὰ τῶν Μιθριδατικῶν οὕτως ἐπιγέγραπται,, καὶ εἰκότως· πλεῖστον γὰρ Ἀφροδίτης οὐ
νύξ,
κατὰ Μένανδρον, ἀλλὰ τύχη μετέσχηκεν.
He outright associated himself with Fortune along with his deeds, crying out in the words of Sophocles' Oedipus, "But I account myself a child of Fortune." And in Latin indeed he was named Felix, but to the Greeks he wrote thus: "Lucius Cornelius Sulla Epaphroditus." And our trophies in Chaeronea and those of the Mithridatic wars are inscribed in this way, and reasonably so; for, according to Menander, not night, but fortune has the greatest share in Aphrodite.
§5ἆρʼ οὖν ταύτην τις ἀρχὴν ποιησάμενος οἰ - κείαν ἂν ὑπὲρ τῆς Τύχης ἐπάγοιτο μάρτυρας αὖ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους, ὡς τῇ Τύχῃ πλέον ἢ τῇ Ἀρετῇ νέμοντας;
Would anyone, then, making this start, bring forward the Romans themselves as appropriate witnesses on behalf of Fortune, as attributing more to Fortune than to Virtue?
ἀρετῆς μέν γε παρʼ αὐτοῖς ὀψὲ καὶ μετὰ πολλοὺς χρόνους ἱερὸν ἱδρύσατο Σκιπίων ὁ Νομαντῖνος, εἶτα Μάρκελλος τὸ Οὐιρτοῦτίς τε καὶ Ὀνῶρις προσαγορευόμενον, καὶ τὸ τῆς Μέντις καλουμένης Γνώμης ἂν νομίζοιτο Σκαῦρος Αἰμίλιος, περὶ τὰ Κιμβρικὰ τοῖς χρόνοις γεγονώς·
For, indeed, Scipio Numantinus established a temple to Virtue late and after many years, and then Marcellus established the one called Virtus and Honor, and that of the one called Mens might be thought to have been built by Aemilius Scaurus, who lived about the time of the Cimbrian wars.
ἤδη τότε λόγων καὶ σοφισμάτων καὶ στωμυλίας παρεισρυείσης εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἤρχοντο σεμνύνειν τὰ τοιαῦτα.
Already at that time, since arguments, sophistries, and talkativeness had crept into the city, they were beginning to solemnize such things.
σοφίας δὲ μέχρι καὶ νῦν ἱερὸν οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲ Σωφροσύνης ἢ μεγαλοψυχίας ἢ καρτερίας ἢ ἐγκρατείας·
But of Wisdom there is no temple up to now, nor of Temperance, Magnanimity, Endurance, or Self-control.
ἀλλὰ τά γε τῆς Τύχης ἱερὰ λαμπρὰ καὶ παλαιά, καὶ ὁμοῦ τι τοῖς πρώτοις καταμεμειγμένα τῆς πόλεως θεμελίοις γέγονε.
But the temples of Fortune are splendid and ancient, and have been mingled almost with the first foundations of the city.
πρῶτος μὲν γὰρ ἱδρύσατο Τύχης ἱερὸν Μάρκιος Ἄγκος, ὁ Νομᾶ θυγατριδοῦς καὶ τέταρτος ἀπὸ Ῥωμύλου βασιλεὺς γενόμενος· καὶ τάχα που τῇ τύχῃ τὴν ἀνδρείαν παρωνόμασεν, ᾗ πλεῖστον εἰς τὸ νικᾶν τύχης μέτεστι.
For Ancus Marcius first established a temple of Fortune, who was Numa's grandson by his daughter and became the fourth king after Romulus; and perhaps he named bravery after fortune, in which fortune has the greatest share for victory.
τὸ δὲ τῆς Γυναικείας Τύχης κατεσκευάσαντο πρὸ Καμίλλου ὅτε Μάρκιον Κοριόλανον ἐπάγοντα τῇ πόλει Οὐολούσκους ἀπεστρέψαντο διὰ τῶν γυναικῶν.
And they built the temple of Women's Fortune before the time of Camillus, when they turned back Marcius Coriolanus who was leading the Volscians against the city, through the intervention of the women.
πρεσβευσάμεναι γὰρ αὗται πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς γυναικός, ἐξελιπάρησαν καὶ κατειργάσαντο φείσασθαι τῆς πόλεως καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν τῶν βαρβάρων ἀπαγαγεῖν.
For these women, going as envoys to the man along with his mother and his wife, entreated and compelled him to spare the city and lead away the army of the barbarians.
τότε λέγεται τὸ ἄγαλμα τῆς Τύχης ἅμα τῷ καθιερωθῆναι φωνὴν ἀφεῖναι καὶ εἰπεῖν,
ὁσίῳ με πόλεως νόμῳ, γυναῖκες ἀσταί, καθιδρύσασθε. καὶ μὴν καὶ Φούριος Κάμιλλος, ὅτε τὸ Κελτικὸν ἔσβεσε πῦρ, καὶ τὴν Ῥώμην ἀντίρροπον χρυσῷ κεκλιμένην ἀπὸ τοῦ ζυγοῦ καὶ τῆς πλάστιγγος καθεῖλεν, οὔτʼ εὐβουλίας οὔτʼ ἀνδρείας, ἀλλὰ Φήμης ἱδρύσατο καὶ Κληδόνος ἱερὸν παρὰ τὴν Καινὴν ὁδόν, ὅπου φασὶ πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου Μάρκῳ Καιδικίῳ βαδίζοντι νύκτωρ φωνὴν γενέσθαι κελεύουσαν ὀλίγῳ χρόνῳ Γαλατικὸν πόλεμον προσδέχεσθαι.
Then it is said that the statue of Fortune, as soon as it was dedicated, uttered a voice and said: "By the holy law of the city, women citizens, dedicate me." Moreover, Furius Camillus, when he quenched the Celtic fire and delivered Rome, which had been poised in the balance against gold, from the yoke and the scale, established a temple not of Prudence or Bravery, but of Fama and Cledon by the New Road, where they say that before the war, as Marcus Caedicius was walking at night, a voice came commanding him to expect a Gallic war in a short time.
τὴν δὲ πρὸς τῷ ποταμῷ Τύχην
φόρτιν
ιν καλοῦσιν ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἰσχυρὰν ἢ ἀριστευτικὴν ἢ ἀνδρείαν, ὡς τὸ νικητικὸν ἁπάντων κράτος ἔχουσαν.
And the Fortune by the river they call Fortis, which means strong, victorious, or brave, as holding the victorious power over all.
καὶ τόν γε ναὸν αὐτῆς ἐν τοῖς ὑπὸ Καίσαρος τῷ δήμῳ καταλειφθεῖσι κήποις ᾠκοδόμησαν, ἡγούμενοι κἀκεῖνον εὐτυχίᾳ γενέσθαι μέγιστον, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐμαρτύρησε.
And they built her temple in the gardens left to the people by Caesar, believing that he also became greatest through good fortune, as he himself witnessed.