Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

fors, fortis, f. [fero, to bring, whence fortuna, v. Curt. Gr. Etym. p. 300 sq.], chance, hap, luck, hazard.

  1. I. Subst.
    1. A. As an appellative noun (used only in the nom. and abl.; syn.: fortuna, casus, sors): quo saxum impulerit fors, eo cadere Fortunam autumant, Pac. ap. Auct. Her. 2, 23, 36 (Trag. Rel. v. 368 Rib., who regards this verse as spurious); cf.: quibus natura prava magis quam fors aut fortuna obfuit, Att. ap. Non. 425, 13 (Trag. Rel. ed. Rib. v. 110): cui parilem fortuna locum fatumque tulit fors, Lucil. ap. Non. 425, 15; cf. also: casumque timent quem cuique ferat fors, Lucr. 3, 983 Lachm. N. cr.: unum hoc scio: Quod fors feret, feremus aequo animo, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 88: sed haec, ut fors tulerit, Cic. Att. 7, 14 fin.: sed haec fors viderit, id. ib. 14, 13, 3; 4, 10, 1: quam sibi sortem Seu ratio dederit, seu fors objecerit, Hor. S. 1, 1, 2: quia tam incommode illis fors obtulerat adventum meum, Ter. Hec. 3, 3, 10: telum quod cuique fors offerebat, arripuit, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43; Hor. S. 1, 6, 54; 2, 1, 59: forte quadam divinitus super ripas Tiberis effusus lenibus stagnis, Liv. 1, 4, 4: fors fuit, ut, etc., it happened that, Gell. 12, 8, 2: fors fuat pol! so be it! God grant it! Ter. Hec. 4, 3, 4; post-class.: fors fuat, ut his remediis convalescamus, Symm. Ep. 2, 7; Aus. Ep. 16: fors fuat, an, etc., it might so happen that; perchance, i. q. forsitan, Symm. Ep. 1, 39; 4, 28 and 29; cf. also: pretio fors fuat officiove, etc., perhaps, Sid. Ep. 9, 7 (but not in Lucr. 1, 486, v. Lachm. ad h. l.).
    2. B. Personified, Fors, the goddess of chance: dea Fors, Ov. F. 6, 775; also in the connection Fors Fortuna, whose temple was situated on the Tiber, outside of the city: vosne velit an me regnare, era quidve ferat Fors, Virtute experiamur, Enn. ap. Cic. de Off. 1, 12, 38 (Ann. v. 203 ed. Vahl.); so, sit sane Fors domina campi, Cic. Pis. 2, 3: fors, in quo incerti casus significantur magis (different from Fortuna), id. Leg. 2, 11 fin. Mos. N. cr.: sed de illa ambulatione Fors viderit, aut si qui est qui curet deus, id. Att. 4, 10, 1: saeva, Cat. 64, 170: dies Fortis Fortunae appellatus ab Servio Tullio rege, quod is fanum Fortis Fortunae secundum Tiberim extra urbem Romam dedicavit Junio mense, Varr. L. L. 6, § 17 Müll.; cf.; aedis Fortis Fortunae, Liv. 10, 46, 14; Tac. A. 2, 41: Fortunae Fortis honores, Ov. F. 6, 773: o Fortuna! o Fors Fortuna! quantis commoditatibus hunc onerastis diem! Ter. Phorm. 5, 6, 1 (quoted by Varr. ap. Non. 425, 19; for Cic. Div. 2, 7, 18, v. II. B. 1. infra).
  2. II. Adverb., in the nom. and abl.
    1. A. fors, ellipt., for fors sit, it might happen, i. e. perchance, perhaps, peradventure (only poet. and in post-class. prose): similiter fors, cum sit nominativus, accipitur pro adverbio, Prisc. p. 1015 P.: et fors aequatis cepissent praemia rostris, Ni, etc., Verg. A. 5, 232; 6, 535: cesserit Ausonio si fors victoria Turno, if perchance, id. ib. 12, 183; Val. Fl. 3, 665; Tert. ad Uxor. 2, 2.
      Esp. in the connection fors et, i. q. fortasse etiam, perhaps too: iste quod est, ego saepe fui, sed fors et in hora Hoc ipso ejecto carior alter erit, Prop. 2, 9, 1: et nunc ille quidem spe multum captus inani, Fors et vota facit cumulatque altaria donis, Verg. A. 11, 50; 2, 139: fors et Debita jura vicesque superbae Te maneant ipsum, Hor. C. 1, 28, 31; Stat. S. 3, 4, 4.
      Less freq.: fors etiam, Val. Fl. 4, 620.
    2. B. forte, by chance, by accident, casually, accidentally; freq. with casu, temere, fortuna (freq. and class.).
      1. 1. Lit.: quid est tandem, quod casu fieri aut forte fortuna putemus? etc., Cic. Div. 2, 7, 18: forte fortuna per impluvium huc despexi in proximum, Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 16; Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 54; Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 75: aut forte omnino ac fortuna vincere bello: Si forte et temere omnino, quid cursum ad honorem? Lucil. ap. Non. 425, 16 sq.: si forte, temere, casu aut pleraque fierent aut omnia, etc., Cic. Fat. 3, 6; cf.: nisi ista casu nonnumquam, forte, temere concurrerent, id. Div. 2, 68, 141: quam saepe forte temere Eveniunt, quae non audeas optare, Ter. Phorm. 5, 1, 30; cf. Liv. 41, 2, 7: nec quicquam raptim aut forte temere egeritis, id. 23, 3, 3: perpulere, ut forte temere in adversos montes erigeret, 2, 31, 5; 25, 38, 12; 39, 15, 11: quibus forte temere humana negotia volvi persuasum est, Curt. 5, 11, 10: captivi quidam pars forte pars consilio oblati, Liv. 9, 31, 7: dumque hoc vel forte, vel providentia, vel utcumque constitutum rerum naturae corpus, etc., Vell. 2, 66, 5; cf.: mihi haec et talia audienti in incerto judicium est, fatone res mortalium et necessitate immutabili, an forte volvantur, Tac. A, 6, 22: si adhuc dubium fuisset, forte casuque rectores terris, an aliquo numine darentur, Plin. Pan. 1, 4: seu dolo seu forte surrexerit, parum compertum, Tac. H. 2, 42; cf.: seu forte seu tentandi causa, Suet. Aug. 6: donec advertit Tiberius forte an quia audiverat, Tac. A. 4, 54: cum casu diebus iis itineris faciendi causa, Puteolos forte venissem, Cic. Planc. 26, 65: cum cenatum forte apud Vitellios esset, Liv. 2, 4, 5: ibi cum stipendium forte militibus daretur, id. 2, 12, 6: forte aspicio militem, Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 58; cf.: fit forte obviam mihi Phormio, Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 11: rus ut ibat forte, id. ib. 63: forte ut assedi in stega, Plaut. Bacch. 2, 3, 44: lucernam forte oblitus fueram exstinguere, id. Most. 2, 2, 56: forte evenit, ut, etc., Cic. Clu. 51, 141; id. de Or. 2, 55, 224; Liv. 1, 7, 13: Tarenti ludi forte erant, Plaut. Men. prol. 29: erat forte brumae tempus, Liv. 21, 54, 7: et pernox forte luna erat, id. 32, 11, 9: per eos forte dies consul copias Larisam ducere tribunos militum jussit, i. e. it came to pass on one of those days, id. 36, 14, 1: per eosdem forte dies, etc., id. 37, 20, 1; 37, 34, 1; cf. Tac. A. 4, 59: in locum tribuni plebis forte demortui candidatum se ostendit, Suet. Aug. 10.
        So nearly = aliquando (mostly poet. and post-Aug.): forte per angustam tenuis vulpecula rimam repserat in cumeram frumenti, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 29: ibam forte via sacra, id. S. 1, 9, 1; Mart. 1, 54, 7: forte quondam in disponendo mane die praedixerat, etc., Suet. Tib. 11; Aur. Vict. de Caes. 17, 5.
      2. 2. Transf., to denote uncertainty, corresp. to the Gr. ἄν, perhaps, perchance, peradventure.
        1. a. In conditional and causal sentences.
          1. (α) With si: irae si quae forte eveniunt hujusmodi, Plaut. Am. 3, 2, 60: si quis vestrum, judices, aut eorum qui assunt, forte miratur, etc., Cic. Div. in Caecil. 1, 1: hicine vir usquam, nisi in patria, morietur? aut, si forte, pro patria? id. Mil. 38, 104: si forte est domi, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 5, 4; cf. id. Poen. 5, 2, 104; Liv. 1, 7, 6: si forte eos primus aspectus mundi conturbaverat, etc., Cic. N. D. 2, 35, 90: si te Latina forte deficient, id. Ac. 1, 7, 25: si qui me forte locus admonuerit, id. de Or. 3, 12, 47: si quae te forte res aliquando offenderit, id. Fam. 7, 17, 2: quod si forte ceciderint, id. Lael. 15, 53: si quando, si forte, tibi visus es irasci alicui, id. Rep. 1, 38 Mos. N. cr.; cf. id. de Or. 3, 12, 47.
            Rarely forte si: forte si tussire occepsit, ne sic tussiat, ut, etc., Plaut. As. 4, 1, 49: ita demum novatio fit … forte si condicio vel sponsor vel dies adiciatur, Gai. Inst. 3, 177.
            Rarely with ellipsis of si: protinus Aeneas celeri certare sagitta invitat qui forte velint, i. e. si qui forte velint, Verg. A, 5, 485.
          2. (β) With nisi ironically: hoc te monitum, nisi forte ipse non vis, volueram, Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 59: nemo fere saltat sobrius, nisi forte insanit, Cic. Mur. 6, 13: propensior benignitas esse debebit in calamitosos, nisi forte erunt digni calamitate, id. Off. 2, 18, 62; 3, 24, 93: is constantiam teneat; nisi forte se intellexerit errasse, etc., id. ib. 1, 33, 120: negare hoc, nisi forte negare omnia constituisti, nullo modo potes, id. Verr. 2, 3, 64, § 149: accedam ad omnia tua, Torquate; nisi memoria forte defecerit, id. Fin. 2, 14, 44.
            In indirect locution with an inf.: nisi forte clarissimo cuique plures curas, majora pericula subeunda, delenimentis curarum et periculorum carendum esse, Tac. A. 2, 33.
            Ironically, unless indeed, unless to be sure: Erucii criminatio tota, ut arbitror, dissoluta est, nisi forte exspectatis, ut illa diluam, quae, etc., Cic. Rosc. Am. 29, 82; cf.: immo vero te audiamus, nisi forte Manilius interdictum aliquod inter duo soles putat esse componendum, id. Rep. 1, 13: ortum quidem amicitiae videtis nisi quid ad haec forte vultis, id. Lael. 9, 32; id. Mil. 7, 17; 31, 84; id. Verr. 2, 3, 64, § 149; id. Leg. 1, 1, 2; id. N. D. 3, 18, 45; id. Fat. 16, 37; Sall. C. 20, 17; Quint. 10, 1, 70; Tac. H. 4, 74.
          3. (γ) With ne: ne quid animae forte amittat dormiens, Plaut. Aul. 2, 4, 24 and 26; Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 56: pacem ab Aesculapio Petas, ne forte tibi eveniat magnum malum, Plaut. Curc. 2, 2, 21: qui metuo, ne te forte flagitent, Cic. Fam. 9, 8, 1: metuens, ne forte deprehensus retraheretur, Liv. 2, 12, 4: comperisse me non audeo dicere, ne forte id ipsum verbum ponam, quod, etc., Cic. Fam. 5, 5, 2; id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2, § 4: ac ne forte hoc magnum ac mirabile esse videatur, hominem toties irasci, id. de Or. 2, 46, 191; id. Att. 2, 18, 2.
            Rarely with ut non instead of ne, Quint. 1, 3, 1.
        2. b. In relat. clauses (very rare): nisi si quispiamst Amphitruo alius, qui forte te hic absente tamen tuam rem curet, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 195: unus in hoc non est populo, qui forte Latine reddere verba queat, Ov. Tr. 5, 7, 53: nam qui forte Stichum et Erotem emerit, recte videtur ita demonstrare, Gai. Inst. 4, 59; Aur. Vict. Caes. 10, 3; 39, 45.
        3. c. In gen. (rare; not in Cic., for in Off. 2, 20, 70, the true read. is: in uno illo aut, si forte, in liberis ejus manet gratia, B. and K.; and in the corrupt passage, id. Att. 10, 12, 5; Orelli reads: fortiter ac tempestive; Kayser, fortiter vel cum tempestate): quid si apud te veniat de subito prandium aut potatio Forte, aut cena, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 47: neque solum alium pro alio pedem metrorum ratio non recipit, sed ne dactylum quidem aut forte spondeum alterum pro altero, Quint. 9, 4, 49: sive non trino forte nundino promulgata, sive non idoneo die, etc., id. 2, 4, 35: ut sciant, an ad probandum id quod intendimus forte respondeant, id. 5, 10, 122; cf. id. 7, 3, 20: quo casu licet uxori vel in omnes res, vel in unam forte aut duas (optare), Gai Inst. 1, 150; 4, 74: forte quid expediat, communiter aut melior pars Malis carere quaeritis laboribus, what may perhaps be of some use, Hor. Epod. 16, 15: alii nulli rem obligatam esse quam forte Lucio Titio, than for instance, Dig. 20, 1, 15, § 2; 30, 1, 67; 48, 22, 7, § 6; Gai. Inst. 3, 179.

fortis (archaic form FORCTIS, Fragm. XII. Tab. ap. Fest. s. v. sanates, p. 348 Müll.; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 84; and perh. also in the form FORCTUS; v. id. s. v. horctum, p. 102; cf. Müll. ad Fest. p. 320, b), e, adj. [Sanscr. dhar-; v. forma, firmus], strong, powerful.

  1. I. Physically (rare; syn.: firmus, strenuus, incolumis, animosus): ecquid fortis visa est (mulier), powerful, Plaut. Mil. 4, 3, 13: set Bacchis etiam fortis tibi vissast? id. Bacch. 2, 2, 38: sicut fortis equus, spatio qui saepe supremo Vicit Olympia, nunc senio confectus quiescit, a powerful horse, Enn. ap. Cic. de Sen. 5, 14 (Ann. v. 441 ed. Vahl.); so, equus, Lucr. 3, 8; 764; 4, 987; Verg. A. 11, 705.
    Poet. transf.: aquarum, Lucr. 6, 530: terrae pingue solum … Fortes invortant tauri, Verg. G. 1, 65: contingat modo te filiamque tuam fortes invenire, i. e. hearty, well, Plin. Ep. 4, 1 fin.; 4, 21, 4; 6, 4, 3: antecedebat testudo pedum LX., facta item ex fortissimis lignis, Caes. B. C. 2, 2, 4; so, ligna fortissima, Veg. 1, 24 fin.: invalidissimum urso caput, quod leoni fortissimum, Plin. 8, 36, 54, § 130: fortiores stomachi, id. 32, 7, 26, § 80: plantae fortiores fient, Pall. Febr. 24, 7: fortiorem illum (pontem) tueri, Auct. B. Alex. 19, 2: castra, Cic. Div. 1, 33, 72: aratra, Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 10: fortiora remedia, Tac. A. 1, 29: humeri, Val. Fl. 1, 434: vincula, Sen. Hippol. 34: sol (with medius), powerful, i. e. fierce, hot, id. Med. 588: fortiora ad hiemes frumenta, legumina in cibo, Plin. 18, 7, 10, § 60: (vites) contra pruinas fortissimae, id. 14, 2, 4, § 23.
  2. II. Mentally, strong, powerful, vigorous, firm, steadfast, stout, courageous, brave, manly, etc., answering to the Gr. ἀνδρεῖος (very freq. in all periods and sorts of composition).
    1. A. Of human beings: fortis et constantis est, non perturbari in rebus asperis nec tumultuantem de gradu deici, ut dicitur; sed praesenti animo uti et consilio, nec a ratione discedere, Cic. Off. 1, 23, 80: temperantia libidinem (aspernatur), ignaviam fortitudo: itaque videas rebus injustis justos maxime dolere, imbellibus fortes, id. Lael. 13, 47: gladiatores fortes et animosos et se acriter ipsos morti offerentes servare cupimus, id. Mil. 34, 92: rebus angustis animosus atque Fortis appare, Hor. C. 2, 10, 22: viri fortes et magnanimi, Cic. Off. 1, 19, 63: vir fortis et acris animi magnique, id. Sest. 20, 45: boni et fortes et magno animo praediti, id. Rep. 1, 5; 1, 3: sapientissimi et fortissimi, id. ib. 2, 34: vir liber ac fortis, id. ib. 2, 19: horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae, Caes. B. G. 1, 1, 3: fortissimus vir, id. ib. 2, 25, 1; 2, 33, 4; 3, 20, 2: hunc liberta securi Divisit medium, fortissima Tyndaridarum, Hor. S. 1, 1, 100: vis recte vivere? quis non? Si virtus hoc una potest dare, fortis omissis Hoc age deliciis, id. Ep 1, 6, 30: seu quis capit acria fortis Pocula, id. S. 2, 6, 69: cavit, ne umquam infamiae ea res sibi esset, ut virum fortem decet, an honorable or worthy man, Ter. And. 2, 6, 13; cf.: FORCTIS frugi et bonus, sive validus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 84 Müll.; and: HORCTUM et FORCTUM pro bono dicebant, id. p. 102: ego hoc nequeo mirari satis, Eum sororem despondisse suam in tam fortem familiam … Familiam optimam occupavit, so respectable, honorable a family, Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 9; (cf. bonus): vir ad pericula fortis, Cic. Font. 15, 33: nondum erant tam fortes ad sanguinem civilem, Liv. 7, 40, 2: vir contra audaciam fortissimus, Cic. Rosc. Am. 30, 85: vidi in dolore podagrae hospitem meum fortiorem, id. Fragm. ap. Non. 527, 33: imperator in proeliis strenuus et fortis, Quint. 12, 3, 5: virum fortem ac strenuum scio dixisse, etc., Sall. C. 51, 16: si fortes fueritis in eo, quem nemo sit ausus defendere, if you had proceeded with vigor, energy, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 1, § 3.
      Poet., with dat.: fugacibus, Ov. M. 10, 543; and with inf.: fortis et asperas Tractare serpentes, Hor. C. 1, 37, 26: contemnere honores, id. S. 2, 7, 86: aurum spernere fortior Quam cogere, id. C. 3, 3, 50; Stat. Th. 10, 906.
      Prov.: fortes fortuna adjuvat, fortune favors the brave, Ter. Phorm. 1, 4, 26; cf.: fortes enim non modo fortuna adjuvat, ut est in vetere proverbio, sed multo magis ratio, Cic. Tusc. 2, 4, 11: audendum est; fortes adjuvat ipsa Venus, Tib. 1, 2, 16: fortibus est fortuna viris data, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 262 ed. Vahl.; for which: audentes fortuna iuvat, Verg. A. 10, 284; and: audentes deus ipse juvat, Ov. M. 10, 586); cf. also elliptically: sedulo, inquam, faciam: sed fortuna fortes; quare conare, quaeso, Cic. Fin. 3, 4, 16; id. Fam. 7, 25.
    2. B. Of animals (rare): fortes ad opera boves, Col. 6, 1, 2: bestiae et fortiora animalia, Lact. 6, 10, 13.
    3. C. Of inanim. and abstr. things: ex quo fit, ut animosior senectus sit quam adolescentia et fortior, Cic. de Sen. 22, 72: fortibus oculis, with eyes sparkling with courage, id. Att. 15, 11, 1: fortissimo et maximo animo ferre, id. Fam. 6, 13 fin.: animus, Hor. S. 2, 5, 20: pectus, id. Epod. 1, 14; id. S. 2, 2, 136: fortissimo quodam animi impetu, Cic. de Or. 3, 8, 31: acerrima et fortissima populi Romani libertatis recuperandae cupiditas, id. Phil. 12, 3, 7: in re publica forte factum, id. Att. 8, 14, 2: ut nullum paulo fortius factum latere posset, Caes. B. G. 3, 14, 8: fortia facta, Sall. C. 59, 6; id. J. 53, 8; Liv. 26, 39, 3; Curt. 7, 2, 38: opera, service, Liv. 40, 36, 11: consilia, id. 9, 11, 4; 25, 31, 6; Cic. Sest. 23, 57; Tac. H. 3, 67: solatia, id. A. 4, 8: nulla poterat esse fortior contra dolorem et mortem disciplina, Cic. Tusc. 2, 17, 41: acerrimae ac fortissimae sententiae, id. Cat. 3, 6, 13: oratio fortis et virilis, id. de Or. 1, 54, 231; cf.: genus dicendi forte, vehemens, id. ib. 3, 9, 32: non semper fortis oratio quaeritur, sed saepe placida, summissa, lenis, id. ib. 2, 43, 183: placidis miscentem fortia dictis, Ov. M. 4, 652: verba, Prop. 1, 5, 14.
      Hence, adv.: fortĭter.
      1. 1. (Acc. to I.) Strongly, powerfully, vigorously (rare): astringere, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 7, 25: verberare virgis uvas, Pall. Oct. 19.
        Comp.: sublatis fortius manibus, Petr. 9: fortius attrahere lora, Ov. R. Am. 398: ardere, id. M. 6, 708.
        Sup.: fortissime urgentes, Plin. 9, 8, 9, § 32: rigorem fortissime servat ulmus, id. 16, 40, 77, § 210.
      2. 2. (Acc. to II.) Strongly, powerfully, boldly, intrepidly, valiantly, bravely, manfully (very freq. in all periods and kinds of composition): quae (vincla, verbera, etc.) tulisse illum fortiter et patienter ferunt, Cic. Phil. 11, 3, 7; cf.: fortiter et sapienter ferre, id. Att. 14, 13, 3: fortiter excellenterque gesta, id. Off. 1, 18, 61: facere quippiam (with animose), id. Phil. 4, 2, 6: repudiare aliquid (with constanter), id. Prov. Cons. 17, 41: bellum gerere, id. Fl. 39, 98; cf.: sustinere impetum hostium, Caes. B. G. 2, 11, 4: perire, Hor. S. 2, 3, 42: absumptis rebus maternis atque paternis, manfully made away with, id. Ep. 1, 15, 27.
        Comp.: pugnare, Caes. B. G. 2, 26, 2: evellere spinas animo an agro, Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 4: et melius secat res, id. S. 1, 10, 15.
        Sup.: Dolabella injuriam facere fortissime perseverat, Cic. Quint. 8, 31: restitit hosti, Caes. B. G. 4, 12, 5.