Publius Vergilius Maro (Virgil) quotes
70 – 19 BC · Ancient Rome, 1st century BC · Poet
About Publius Vergilius Maro (Virgil)
Born in 70 BC near Mantua and died in 19 BC at Brundisium, Virgil created Rome’s national epic and excelled in pastoral and didactic poetry. His work blends poetic craft, Roman cultural values and mythic imagination, with lasting influence on Western literature.
Works: Aeneid; Eclogues (Bucolics); Georgics
Quotes
“Fortune favors the bold.”
Source: Aeneid, 10.284 (c. 29–19 BC) · Check the source
Verified attribution What we know
- What is documented
- The line appears in Virgil’s Aeneid and is spoken within the poem by the character Turnus.
- What remains uncertain
- The familiar English wording is a translation/normalization of Virgil’s Latin; various Latin phrasings circulate in tradition.
A compact battle cry from Virgil: bold, decisive action invites Fortune’s favor. The line appears in the Aeneid as Turnus’s exhortation during combat, and later escaped its martial scene to become a general proverb about risk and initiative.