
“Men do not shape destiny. Destiny produces the man for the hour.”
I Won't Be a Dictator (1959)
Come l'uom né per star né per fuggire,
Al suo fisso destin può contradire.
Canto XXVII, stanza 26 (tr. B. Reynolds)
Orlando Furioso (1532)
Come l'uom né per star né per fuggire, Al suo fisso destin può contradire.
Orlando Furioso (1532)
“Men do not shape destiny. Destiny produces the man for the hour.”
I Won't Be a Dictator (1959)
“Life flees and does not stop an hour.”
La vita fugge, et non s'arresta una hora.
Canzone 272, line 1
Il Canzoniere (c. 1351–1353), To Laura in Death
This statement was attributed to Jones in a 1900 biography by Augustus C. Buell which contains much material now believed to have been fabricated by Buell.
Misattributed
Variant: That flag and I are twins. We were born at the same hour. We cannot be parted in life or death. So long as we float, we shall float together.
“For rarely man escapes his destiny.”
Che l'uomo il suo destin fugge di raro.
Canto XVIII, stanza 58 (tr. W. S. Rose)
Orlando Furioso (1532)