"A shoe that is too large is apt to trip one, and when too small, to pinch the feet. So it is with those whose fortune does not suit them"
- Horace
About this Quote
This quote by Horace is a metaphor for life. It is saying that if your fortune, or life circumstances, do not fit you, it can be simply as uncomfortable as using a shoe that is either too big or too small. If your fortune is too big, it can be overwhelming and trigger you to stumble and journey. If it is too small, it can be restrictive and pinch you. In either case, it is not comfortable. This quote is a tip to be grateful for the fortune we have, and to reconcile it. It is also a suggestion to be simple and not take our fortune for granted. Life is a journey, and it is very important to be mindful of the fortune we have been provided and reconcile it.
"There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures"
"Though nature be ever so generous, yet can she not make a hero alone. Fortune must contribute her part too; and till both concur, the work cannot be perfected"
