--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whom Fortune wishes to destroy she first…" description: "\"Whom Fortune wishes to destroy she first makes mad.\" — Publilius Syrus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/publilius-syrus-594_firsts_whom-fortune-wishes-to-destroy-she-first_1761728.png" --- # Whom Fortune wishes to destroy she first makes mad. ![“Whom Fortune wishes to destroy she first makes mad.” quote by Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/publilius-syrus-594_firsts_whom-fortune-wishes-to-destroy-she-first_1761728.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/publilius-syrus-594_firsts_whom-fortune-wishes-to-destroy-she-first_1761728.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/publilius-syrus-594_firsts_whom-fortune-wishes-to-destroy-she-first_1761728.png) > “Whom Fortune wishes to destroy she first makes mad.” [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fortune’s ruin begins with madness before the fall. **In simple terms:** Madness precedes destruction. Key Takeaway Guard against reckless behavior. Themes fate madness destruction Mood cautionary reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - financial speculation - personal crises - political overreach Key Concepts stoic philosophy tragic flaw Questions to Reflect On - What signs of madness precede your setbacks? - How can you maintain rationality under pressure? A Different Perspective Not all misfortune follows this pattern. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Destroy Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy-makes-1697905/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Fortune Wishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune-wishes-706972/) [Mad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad/) [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) [Makes Mad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-mad-256180/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Wishes Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishes-destroy-1697904/) ## Related quotes > [Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/those-whom-god-wishes-to-destroy-he-first-makes-mad/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Whom God wishes to destroy, He first makes successful in show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/whom-god-wishes-to-destroy-he-first-makes-successful-in-show-business/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/those-whom-god-wishes-to-destroy-he-first-makes-angry/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [If fortune wishes to make a man estimable, she gives him virtues; if she wishes to make him esteemed, she gives him success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/if-fortune-wishes-to-make-a-man-estimable-she-gives-him-virtues-if/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [Whenever fortune wishes to joke, she lifts people from what is humble to the highest extremity of affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/whenever-fortune-wishes-to-joke-she-lifts-people-from-what-is-humble/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [When fortune wishes to bring mighty events to a successful conclusion, she selects some man of spirit and ability who knows how to seize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/when-fortune-wishes-to-bring-mighty-events-to-a-successful-conclusion/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Those whom God wishes to destroy he drives mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/those-whom-god-wishes-to-destroy-he-drives-mad/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [What does not destroy me, makes me stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/what-does-not-destroy-me-makes-me-stronger/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The whole Hollywood thing where people want to put me into this 'quirky-fashionista, daughter of' category makes me mad because it's promoting something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kravitz/the-whole-hollywood-thing-where-people-want-to-put-me-into-this/) [Zoe Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kravitz/) > [You can tell the size of a man by the size of the thing that makes him mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-e-stevenson/you-can-tell-the-size-of-a-man-by-the-size-of-the-thing-that-makes/) [Adlai E. 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You never ever realize, It's you that makes me mad. 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Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. 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