Original text (Latin)
You have taken from me the one privilege of civil war – the power of granting life to the defeated.
Men are ignorant that the purpose of the sword is to save every man from slavery.
I have a wife, I have sons; all these hostages have I given to fortune.
In the fields of observation chance favors only the prepared mind.
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em.
O Fortune, cruellest of heavenly powers,
Why make such game of this poor life of ours?
Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Lucan (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.