I.chance, hap, luck, hazard.
I. Subst.
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.).—
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).
II. Adverb., in the nom. and abl.
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.—
B. forte , by chance, by accident, casually, accidentally; freq. with casu, temere, fortuna (freq. and class.).
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. Transf., to denote uncertainty, corresp. to the Gr. ἄν, perhaps, perchance, peradventure.
a. In conditional and causal sentences.
(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.—
(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,” Cic. 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; Cic. 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.—
(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.—
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.—
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.
