Plutarch, De fortuna Romanorum, Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator), 5

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[5] Might one, then, after proffering this as a suitable introduction, bring on the Romans once more as witnesses in behalf, of Fortune, on the ground that they assigned more to Fortune than to Virtue? At least, it was only recently and after many years that Scipio Numantinus built a shrine of Virtue in Rome; later Marcellus¹ built what is called the Temple of Virtue and Honour²; and Aemilius Scaurus,³ who lived in the time of the Cimbrian Wars, built the shrine of Mens (Mind) so-called, which might be considered a Temple of Reason. For at this time rhetoric, sophistry, and argumentation had already found their way into the City; and people were beginning to magnify such pursuits. But even to this day they have no shrine of Wisdom or Prudence or Magnanimity or Constancy or Moderation. But of Fortune there are splendid and ancient shrines,⁴ all but coeval with the first foundations of the City. For the first to build a temple of Fortune was Ancus Marcius, the grandson of Numa⁵ and king fourth in line from Romulus. He, perchance, it was who added the title of Fortis to Fortuna⁶; for in Fortune Manly Fortitude shares most largely in the winning of victory. They erected a temple of Fortuna Muliebris⁷ before the time of Camillus, when, through the offices of their women, they had turned back Marcius Coriolano, who was leading the Volsci against the City. For a delegation of women, together with his mother and his wife, went to the hero and besought him and gained their request that he spare the City and lead away the foreign army. It is said that at this time, when the statue of Fortune was consecrated, it spoke and said, Women of the city, you have dedicated me by the holy law of Rome.

And it is a fact that Furius Camillus likewise, when he had quenched the Gallic conflagration and had removed Rome from the balance and scales when her price was being weighed in gold,⁸ founded no shrine of Good Counsel or of Valour, but a shrine of Report and Rumour⁹ by New Street, where, as they assert, before the war there carne to Marcus Caedicius, as he was walking by night, a voice which told him to expect in a short time a Gallic war.

The Fortune whose temple is by the river they call Fortis,¹⁰ that is, strong or valiant or manly, as having the power to conquer everything. And her temple they have built in the Gardens bequeathed by Caesar to the People,¹¹ since they believed that he also reached his most exalted position through good fortune, as he himself has testified.

De fortuna Romanorum. Plutarch. Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1936.

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Current edition Perseus

On the Fortunes of the Romans (English) (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. IV. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1936 (printing).)

Editions (2)

Περὶ τῆς Ῥωμαίων τύχης Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. IV. Babbitt, Frank Cole, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1936 (printing).) — 5 focus

[5] ἆρʼ οὖν ταύτην τις ἀρχὴν ποιησάμενος οἰ - κείαν ἂν ὑπὲρ τῆς Τύχης ἐπάγοιτο μάρτυρας αὖ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους, ὡς τῇ Τύχῃ πλέον ἢ τῇ Ἀρετῇ νέμοντας; ἀρετῆς μέν γε παρʼ αὐτοῖς ὀψὲ καὶ μετὰ πολλοὺς χρόνους ἱερὸν ἱδρύσατο Σκιπίων ὁ 318e 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· ἤδη τότε λόγων καὶ σοφισμάτων καὶ στωμυλίας παρεισρυείσης εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἤρχοντο σεμνύνειν τὰ τοιαῦτα. σοφίας δὲ μέχρι καὶ νῦν ἱερὸν οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲ Σωφροσύνης ἢ μεγαλοψυχίας ἢ καρτερίας ἢ ἐγκρατείας· ἀλλὰ τά γε τῆς Τύχης ἱερὰ λαμπρὰ καὶ παλαιά, καὶ ὁμοῦ τι τοῖς πρώτοις καταμεμειγμένα τῆς πόλεως θεμελίοις γέγονε. πρῶτος μὲν γὰρ ἱδρύσατο Τύχης ἱερὸν Μάρκιος Ἄγκος, ὁ Νομᾶ 318f θυγατριδοῦς καὶ τέταρτος ἀπὸ Ῥωμύλου βασιλεὺς γενόμενος· καὶ τάχα που τῇ τύχῃ τὴν ἀνδρείαν παρωνόμασεν, ᾗ πλεῖστον εἰς τὸ νικᾶν τύχης μέτεστι. τὸ δὲ τῆς Γυναικείας Τύχης κατεσκευάσαντο πρὸ Καμίλλου ὅτε Μάρκιον Κοριόλανον ἐπάγοντα τῇ πόλει Οὐολούσκους ἀπεστρέψαντο διὰ τῶν γυναικῶν. 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. 319a 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.

τὴν δὲ πρὸς τῷ ποταμῷ Τύχην φόρτιν ιν 319b καλοῦσιν ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἰσχυρὰν ἢ ἀριστευτικὴν ἢ ἀνδρείαν, ὡς τὸ νικητικὸν ἁπάντων κράτος ἔχουσαν. καὶ τόν γε ναὸν αὐτῆς ἐν τοῖς ὑπὸ Καίσαρος τῷ δήμῳ καταλειφθεῖσι κήποις ᾠκοδόμησαν, ἡγούμενοι κἀκεῖνον εὐτυχίᾳ γενέσθαι μέγιστον, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐμαρτύρησε.

Περὶ τῆς Ῥωμαίων τύχης Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol 2. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1889.) — 5 focus

[5] ἆρʼ οὖν ¹ ταύτην τις ἀρχὴν ποιησάμενος οἰκείαν ὑπὲρ τῆς Τύχης ἐπάγοιτο μάρτυρας αὐτοὺς Ῥωμαίους, 5 ὡς, τῇ Τύχῃ πλέον ἢ τῇ Ἀρετῇ νέμοντας; Ἀρετῆς μέν γε ² παρʼ αὐτοῖς ὀψὲ καὶ μετὰ πολλοὺς χρόνους ἱερὸν ἱδρύσατο Σκιπίων ὁ Νομαντῖνος, εἶτα Μάρκελλος 318e τὸ Οὐιρτοῦτίς τε καὶ Ὀνῶρις προσαγορευόμενον· καὶ τὸ τῆς Μέντις καλουμένης ( Γνώμης ἂν 10 νομίζοιτο) ³ Σκαῦρος Αἰμίλιος, περὶ τὰ Κιμβρικὰ τοῖς χρόνοις γεγονώς· ἤδη ⁴ τότε λόγων καὶ σοφισμάτων ⁵ καὶ στωμυλίας παρεισρυείσης εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ἤρχοντο σεμνύνειν τὰ τοιαῦτα. σοφίας δὲ μέχρι καὶ νῦν ἱερὸν οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲ σωφροσύνης ἢ καρτερίας ἢ 15 μεγαλοψυχίας ἢ ἐγκρατείας· ἀλλὰ τά γε τῆς Τύχης ἱερὰ λαμπρὰ καὶ παλαιά, καὶ ὁμοῦ τι τοῖς πρώτοις καταμεμιγμένα τῆς πόλεως θεμελίοις γέγονε. πρῶτος μὲν γὰρ ἱδρύσατο Τύχης ἱερὸν Μάρκιος Ἄγκος, ὁ 318f Νομᾶ ⁶ θυγατριδοῦς καὶ τέταρτος ἀπὸ Ῥωμύλου βασιλεὺς 20 γενόμενος· καὶ τάχα που τῇ τύχῃ τὴν ἀνδρείαν παρωνόμασεν, ⁷ ᾗ πλεῖστον εἰς τὸ νικᾶν τύχης μέτεστι. τὸ δὲ τῆς γυναικείας Τύχης κατεσκευάσαντο, ὅτε ⁸ Μάρκιον Κοριολᾶνον ἐπάγοντα τῇ πόλει Οὐολούσκους ἀπετρέψαντο ⁹ διὰ τῶν γυναικῶν. πρεσβευσάμεναι γὰρ αὗται πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς γυναικός, ἐξελιπάρησαν καὶ κατειργάσαντο φείσασθαι τῆς πόλεως καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν τῶν βαρβάρων 319a ἀπαγαγεῖν. τότε λέγεται τὸ ἄγαλμα τῆς Τύχης ἅμα 5 τῷ καθιερωθῆναι φωνὴν ἀφεῖναι καὶ εἰπεῖν ὁσίως ¹⁰ 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 10 οὔτʼ ἀνδρείας, ἀλλὰ Φήμης ἱδρύσατο καὶ Κληδόνος ἕδη ¹¹ παρὰ τὴν Καινὴν ὁδόν, ὅπου φασὶ πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου Μάρκῳ Καιδικίῳ ¹² βαδίζοντι νύκτωρ φωνὴν γενέσθαι κελεύουσαν ὀλίγῳ χρόνῳ Γαλατικὸν πόλεμον προσδέχεσθαι. ¹³ τὴν δὲ πρὸς τῷ ποταμῷ Τύχην φόρτιν ¹⁴ 15 319b καλοῦσιν ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἰσχυρὰν ἢ ἀριστευτικὴν ἢ ἀνδρείαν, ὡς τὸ νικητικὸν ἁπάντων κράτος ἔχουσαν. καὶ τόν γε ναὸν αὐτῆς ἐν τοῖς ὑπὸ Καίσαρος τῷ δήμῳ καταλειφθεῖσι κήποις ᾠκοδόμησαν, ἡγούμενοι κἀκεῖνον εὐτυχίᾳ γενέσθαι μέγιστον, ὡς αὐτὸς 20 ἐμαρτύρησε.

Translations (1)

Concerning the fortune of the Romans Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. IV. Goodwin, William W., editor; Oswald, John, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 5 focus

[5] And thus, having made a seasonable beginning in defence of Fortune, we may now call in, for witnesses in this cause, the Romans themselves, who attributed more to Fortune than to Virtue. For the temple of Virtue was but lately built by Scipio Numantinus, a long time after the building of the city. And after that, Marcellus dedicated a temple to Virtue and Honor; and Aemilius Scaurus, who lived in the time of the Cimbrian war, founded another to the Mind, when now, by the subtilties of sophisters and encomiastics of orators, these things began to be mightily extolled. And to this very day there is no temple built to Wisdom, nor to Temperance, Patience, Magnanimity, or Continence. On the contrary, the temples dedicated to Fortune are splendid and ancient, almost as old as the first foundations of Rome itself. The first that built her a temple was Ancus Marcius, born of the sister of Numa, being the third king from Romulus; and he seems to have made Fortune surname to Fortitude, to which she contributes very much for obtaining victory. The Romans built the temple of Feminine Fortune before the time of Camillus, when by the help of the women they turned back Marcius Coriolanus, leading up the Volsci against the city of Rome; for the women being sent ambassadors to him, together with his mother and wife, prevailed with the man to spare the city at that time and to draw off the army of the barbarians. It is said that this statue of Fortune, when it was consecrated, uttered these words: It was piously done, O ye city matrons, to dedicate me by the law of your state. But (which is more remarkable) Furius Camillus, having quenched the flame of the Gallic war, and rescued Rome from the balance and scales in which her price was weighed to them in gold, did not upon this occasion found a temple to Prudence and Fortitude, but to Fame and Presage; which he built hard by the New Way, in that very place where (it is said) Marcus Caedicius walking in the night-time heard a prophetical voice, commanding him shortly to expect a war from the Gauls. And the Fortune whose temple is near the river they call Fortis (that is, stout, or valiant, or manly), as having the power of conquering all things.¹ And her temple is built in those very gardens which were left by Caesar as a legacy to the people, because they thought that he also was raised to the height of power by the favor of Fortune.

Notes on the current edition

On the Fortune of the Romans

1. Life of Marcellus, chap. xxviii. (314 c); Livy, xxvii. 25, xxix. 11; Valerius Maximus, i. 1. 8; Cicero, Verrine Orations, iv. 54 (121); De Natura Deorum, ii. 23 (61).

2. The following passage is repeated in the mss. with some changes infra, 322 c-e, where see the note.

3. Cicero, De Natura Deorum, ii. 23 (61).

4. Cf. 281 e, supra.

5. Cf. Life of Numa, chap. xxi. (74 b).

6. Contrast Life of Coriolanus, chap. i. (214 b). W. W. Goodwin’s suggestion, that Plutarch misunderstood Fors Fortuna in an oblique case ( e.g. Fortis Fortunae), is not unlikely; see e.g. Tacitus, Annals, ii. 41, where the mistake would be easy for a foreigner.

7. The Women’s Fortune: cf. Life of Coriolanus, chap. xxxvii. (231 f ff.); Livy, ii. 40. 12; Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities, viii. 56. 2; Valerius Maximus, i. 8. 4; 5. 2.

8. Cf. Life of Camillus, chap. xxix. (143 e).

9. Perhaps an attempted translation of Aius Locutius; cf. Livy, v. 32. 6; 50. 5; Life of Camillus, chap. xxx.

10. See note c on p. 337.

11. Cf. Suetonius, Divus Julius, 83; Dio Cassius, xliv. 35. 3.

Plutarch De fortuna Romanorum 5

Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator)

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