Summary
Montaigne explores the curious ways that Fortune—what we might call luck, chance, or fate—sometimes seems to operate with its own sense of justice and timing. He shares a collection of historical anecdotes that demonstrate how random events can produce outcomes that feel almost intentionally crafted. The most striking example involves Caesar Borgia, who accidentally poisoned his own father the Pope when a mix-up with wine bottles caused their assassination plot to backfire spectacularly. Other stories include a bridegroom captured on his wedding day by his romantic rival, walls that collapse at precisely the right moment during sieges, and accidental medical cures that save lives. Montaigne presents these tales not to argue that fate is controlling everything, but to show how life's randomness can sometimes produce results that seem more reasonable than human planning. The essay suggests that what we call coincidence might actually reveal deeper patterns in how events unfold. Rather than dismissing these moments as mere luck, Montaigne invites us to consider whether Fortune operates by rules we don't fully understand. This perspective offers comfort to anyone who has experienced life's unpredictability—sometimes the chaos works in ways that feel surprisingly fair, even when we can't see the logic behind it.
Coming Up in Chapter 34
Having explored how Fortune creates its own justice, Montaigne turns his attention to human institutions and examines a fundamental flaw in how societies organize themselves. He'll reveal why even our best-intentioned systems contain the seeds of their own problems.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
THAT FORTUNE IS OFTENTIMES OBSERVED TO ACT BY THE RULE OF REASON The inconstancy and various motions of Fortune [The term Fortune, so often employed by Montaigne, and in passages where he might have used Providence, was censured by the doctors who examined his Essays when he was at Rome in 1581. See his Travels, i. 35 and 76.] may reasonably make us expect she should present us with all sorts of faces. Can there be a more express act of justice than this? The Duc de Valentinois,--[Caesar Borgia.]--having resolved to poison Adrian, Cardinal of Corneto, with whom Pope Alexander VI., his father and himself, were to sup in the Vatican, he sent before a bottle of poisoned wine, and withal, strict order to the butler to keep it very safe. The Pope being come before his son, and calling for drink, the butler supposing this wine had not been so strictly recommended to his care, but only upon the account of its excellency, presented it forthwith to the Pope, and the duke himself coming in presently after, and being confident they had not meddled with his bottle, took also his cup; so that the father died immediately upon the spot--[Other historians assign the Pope several days of misery prior to death. D.W.]--, and the son, after having been long tormented with sickness, was reserved to another and a worse fortune. Sometimes she seems to play upon us, just in the nick of an affair; Monsieur d’Estrees, at that time ensign to Monsieur de Vendome, and Monsieur de Licques, lieutenant in the company of the Duc d’Ascot, being both pretenders to the Sieur de Fougueselles’ sister, though of several parties (as it oft falls out amongst frontier neighbours), the Sieur de Licques carried her; but on the same day he was married, and which was worse, before he went to bed to his wife, the bridegroom having a mind to break a lance in honour of his new bride, went out to skirmish near St. Omer, where the Sieur d’Estrees proving the stronger, took him prisoner, and the more to illustrate his victory, the lady was fain-- “Conjugis ante coacta novi dimittere collum, Quam veniens una atque altera rursus hyems Noctibus in longis avidum saturasset amorem,” [“Compelled to abstain from embracing her new spouse in her arms before two winters pass in succession, during their long nights had satiated her eager love.”--Catullus, lxviii. 81.] --to request him of courtesy, to deliver up his prisoner to her, as he accordingly did, the gentlemen of France never denying anything to ladies. Does she not seem to be an artist here? Constantine, son of Helena, founded the empire of Constantinople, and so many ages after, Constantine, the son of Helen, put an end to it. Sometimes she is pleased to emulate our miracles we are told, that King Clovis besieging Angouleme, the walls fell down of themselves by divine favour and Bouchet has it from some author, that King Robert having sat down...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Invisible Justice - When Chaos Serves Balance
Random events often produce outcomes that restore balance or deliver consequences more fairly than human planning could achieve.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches you to spot when complex systems naturally push back against artificial manipulation through seemingly random events.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when elaborate schemes or heavy-handed control create unexpected problems for the people using them—you'll start seeing the pattern everywhere.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Fortune
In Montaigne's time, Fortune represented the unpredictable forces that shape human events - not quite fate, not quite random chance, but something in between. It was personified as a goddess who could be cruel or kind, but often seemed to have her own mysterious logic.
Modern Usage:
We see this concept when we talk about 'karma' or say 'what goes around comes around' - the idea that life has a way of balancing things out, even when we can't see how.
Poetic Justice
When wrongdoers receive punishment that seems perfectly fitted to their crimes, often through ironic circumstances rather than legal consequences. Montaigne shows how Fortune sometimes delivers this kind of fitting punishment.
Modern Usage:
Like when a cheating spouse gets caught because they accidentally send a text to the wrong person, or a corrupt politician gets exposed by their own security cameras.
Irony of Circumstance
When events unfold in ways that are opposite to what was intended or expected, often with dramatic results. Montaigne uses this to show how human plans can backfire spectacularly.
Modern Usage:
When someone tries to frame a coworker but accidentally sends the evidence to their boss instead of their accomplice.
The Borgia Family
A powerful and notoriously corrupt Italian family during the Renaissance, led by Pope Alexander VI and his son Caesar Borgia. They were famous for using poison, murder, and political manipulation to gain power.
Modern Usage:
They're like a combination of a political dynasty and organized crime family - think of powerful families who use their connections to get away with anything.
Vatican Politics
The complex web of power struggles, alliances, and corruption within the Catholic Church's leadership during Montaigne's era. The Pope wasn't just a religious figure but a political ruler with armies and territories.
Modern Usage:
Similar to how we see corruption in any powerful institution today - whether it's corporate boardrooms, political parties, or even HOAs where power corrupts.
Divine Retribution
The belief that wrongdoing will eventually be punished by higher powers, even if human justice fails. Montaigne presents examples where this seems to happen through 'coincidence.'
Modern Usage:
When people say 'God don't like ugly' or believe that bad people eventually get what's coming to them, even if it takes time.
Characters in This Chapter
Caesar Borgia (Duc de Valentinois)
Tragic schemer
The ambitious son who plots to poison a cardinal but accidentally kills his own father instead when the wine bottles get mixed up. His careful planning becomes his downfall through a simple mistake.
Modern Equivalent:
The corporate climber who tries to sabotage a colleague but ends up destroying their own career
Pope Alexander VI
Unwitting victim
Caesar's father who dies from drinking the poisoned wine meant for someone else. His death shows how even the most powerful people can fall victim to circumstances beyond their control.
Modern Equivalent:
The mob boss who gets taken down by his own family's schemes
Adrian, Cardinal of Corneto
Intended victim
The original target of the poisoning plot who survives because the scheme went wrong. He represents how sometimes being the target of evil can actually save you.
Modern Equivalent:
The whistleblower who stays safe because the people trying to silence them mess up their own plan
The Butler
Unwitting agent of fate
The servant who causes the mix-up by serving the poisoned wine to the wrong person. He shows how small actions by ordinary people can change history.
Modern Equivalent:
The administrative assistant whose simple mistake exposes a major scandal
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Can there be a more express act of justice than this?"
Context: Montaigne introduces the Borgia poisoning story as an example of Fortune acting justly
This question sets up Montaigne's central argument that what looks like random chance might actually be a form of cosmic justice. He's asking us to consider whether the ironic punishment fits the crime perfectly.
In Today's Words:
Could karma have worked out any better than this?
"Sometimes she seems to play upon us, just in the nick of an affair"
Context: Describing how Fortune intervenes at crucial moments
Montaigne personifies Fortune as someone who has a sense of timing and drama, intervening precisely when it will have the most impact. This suggests there might be intelligence behind seemingly random events.
In Today's Words:
Sometimes life has perfect timing for messing with us
"The father died immediately upon the spot, and the son, after having been long tormented with sickness, was reserved to another and a worse fortune"
Context: Describing the aftermath of the poisoning incident
This shows how Fortune doesn't just deliver immediate justice but seems to have long-term plans. Caesar survives only to face worse punishment later, suggesting that escape from consequences might be temporary.
In Today's Words:
Dad dropped dead right away, but the son got sick and lived just long enough to face something even worse
Thematic Threads
Justice
In This Chapter
Random events delivering consequences that seem proportional to actions, like Borgia's plot backfiring
Development
Introduced here as a counterpoint to earlier themes about life's unfairness
In Your Life:
When someone who wronged you faces unexpected consequences without your intervention
Control
In This Chapter
Human attempts to control outcomes through elaborate schemes creating their own vulnerabilities
Development
Builds on earlier discussions of human limitations and the illusion of control
In Your Life:
When your careful plans fall apart but the random result works better than expected
Patterns
In This Chapter
Montaigne collecting examples to show that apparent randomness might follow hidden rules
Development
Extends his method of using anecdotes to reveal universal human experiences
In Your Life:
When you notice that 'coincidences' in your life seem to follow certain themes or timing
Acceptance
In This Chapter
Finding comfort in the idea that chaos sometimes serves fairness better than human judgment
Development
Continues Montaigne's theme of finding peace with uncertainty and human limitations
In Your Life:
When you stop trying to control every outcome and trust that things often work out fairly
Observation
In This Chapter
Studying historical examples to understand how fortune operates in human affairs
Development
Reinforces Montaigne's approach of learning from stories rather than abstract theories
In Your Life:
When you start noticing patterns in how events unfold around you rather than dismissing them as random
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What happened when Caesar Borgia's assassination plot went wrong, and why was this considered an example of Fortune's justice?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does Montaigne suggest that elaborate schemes and manipulation might actually make people more vulnerable to random accidents?
analysis • medium - 3
Can you think of a recent news story where someone's unfair actions seemed to backfire in an almost perfectly timed way?
application • medium - 4
When you've been treated unfairly at work or in relationships, how might understanding this pattern change your response strategy?
application • deep - 5
What does this essay suggest about the difference between building success through honest effort versus manipulation and shortcuts?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Vulnerability Points
Think of a time when you tried to control an outcome through manipulation, shortcuts, or deception - even small ones like exaggerating on a resume or gossiping to gain advantage. Map out all the ways this strategy could have backfired through random events or accidents. Then compare this to a time you achieved something through straightforward effort.
Consider:
- •How many failure points did the manipulative approach create versus the honest approach?
- •What random events or timing issues could have exposed your deception?
- •Which approach would you feel more confident defending if everything went public?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a situation where you're currently tempted to take shortcuts or manipulate outcomes. What would the honest, sustainable approach look like instead?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 34: Simple Solutions to Complex Problems
Moving forward, we'll examine basic communication systems can solve everyday problems, and understand keeping records of daily life creates unexpected value. These insights bridge the gap between classic literature and modern experience.