Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their

In the vast expanse of time, there have been many who have exalted themselves, standing upon the peaks of their accomplishments, shouting from the mountaintops of their own greatness. Yet, in the silent recesses of truth, there is a whisper that tells us that the great achievements of men, though celebrated loudly, are often not the fruit of design, but rather the gift of chance. So said François de La Rochefoucauld, whose words cut to the very heart of human vanity: "Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not so much to design as chance."

What is this wisdom, then, that La Rochefoucauld offers to us? It is a reminder that the deeds of men, though vast and mighty in appearance, are often shaped not by their own careful planning, but by the capricious hand of fate. The world, though it may seem ordered and ruled by the will of powerful men, is, in truth, often guided by forces unseen, by the chance occurrences that shape the path of history. The wise man understands that, while it is necessary to strive and to work, one must never forget that the most glorious victories may be as much the result of circumstance as of intent.

Consider the tale of Julius Caesar, the great Roman general, whose name echoes through the corridors of time as a symbol of power and ambition. He, too, may have thought his successes were the result of his own brilliance and design, but there were moments in his life when chance played its hand. The very crossing of the Rubicon, a moment that changed the course of history, was not a mere stroke of genius, but a decision thrust upon him by the tides of political turmoil and uncertainty. Were it not for the tumult of his time, who can say whether Caesar would have ever achieved the heights he did? His greatness, though undeniable, was at least partially shaped by the chance events that occurred around him.

In the fields of battle and in the court of ambition, we see this pattern repeat itself. Men rise, not always through cunning, but through the swift winds of fortune. And yet, these same men, in their vanity, often forget the role that chance plays in their success. They look to their achievements, magnified by the adoring crowds, and believe that their greatness is solely the result of their own design. But in truth, their triumphs are often the fruit of moments where they were in the right place, at the right time, when the universe conspired to lift them to heights they could never have reached through will alone.

This truth, though humbling, is not one to diminish the pursuit of greatness, but to remind us of the nature of humility. Success, when it comes, must be met with gratitude, not with arrogance. The wise man does not crown himself with laurels, for he knows that even his finest achievements may have been shaped by the unseen hand of fate. And in this understanding, there is freedom—a freedom from the need to prove oneself, a freedom to accept that we are all part of a greater tapestry, where every thread is touched by the hand of chance.

Let us then live with this wisdom in mind. Let us strive with all our might, for we must still pursue our goals, but let us also be mindful of the forces that guide us. When we reach our heights, let us be humble in our triumphs, for we know that chance, in its infinite wisdom, may have played its part in our success. And when we fall, let us remember that the same chance that elevates us can just as easily bring us low, and in this, there is a great lesson: that humility, more than hubris, is the true mark of a wise soul.

So, my brothers and sisters of the world, take heed of the words of La Rochefoucauld. Achievement is a great thing, but it is not solely the result of our own hands. In our lives, let us not measure our worth by our triumphs alone, nor cast others down when fortune does not smile upon them. Let us strive, yes, but let us also live with the understanding that chance, that mysterious and powerful force, plays its part in the world of men. And in this understanding, may we walk the path of wisdom, humbly and with grace, for in the end, the hand of fate is far greater than any one man’s design.