Ing. Fortune assists the braveIng. Nothing ventured, nothing gainedEsp. Quien no se aventura, no ha venturaEsp. La fortuna ayuda a los osadosIt. [La fortuna aiuta gli audaci]Fr. La Fortune aide aux audacieuxFortune assists the brave, «sed multo majus ratio», Cicero adds, but reason or consideration, is still more to be depended on; therefore, «antequam incipias consulto, et ubi consulueris, facto opus est», that is, think before you act, but having well considered, and formed your plan, go on resolutely to the end. To design well, and to persevere with vigour in the road we have chalked out for ourselves, is the almost certain way to attain our object. «At in rebus arduis», but in great and sudden difficulties, a bold and courageous effort will frequently succeed, where reason or deliberation could give no assistance, for «non est apud aram consultandum», when the enemy is within the walls, it is too late for consultation. When dangers urge he that is slow, Takes from himself, and adds to his foe. And, Quien no se aventura, no ha ventura, nothing venture nothing have. The proverb has been pretty generally adopted. A los osados ayuda la fortuna, the Spaniards say; and the French La Fortune aide aux audacieux. Which being the same as the Latin, need not to be explained.
Fuente: Erasmo, 145.