The massive gates of circumstance
Are turned upon the smallest hinge,
And thus some seeming pettiest chance
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The massive gates of circumstance
Are turned upon the smallest hinge,
And thus some seeming pettiest chance
Oft gives our life its after-tinge.
The trifles of our daily lives,
The common things, scarce worth recall,
Whereof no visible trace survives,
These are the mainsprings after all.

And I endeavour to subdue circumstances to myself, and not myself
to circumstances.
[Lat., Et mihi res, non read more

And I endeavour to subdue circumstances to myself, and not myself
to circumstances.
[Lat., Et mihi res, non me rebus, subjungere conor.]

Circumstances alter cases.

Circumstances alter cases.

And grasps the skirts of happy chance,
And breasts the blows of circumstance.

And grasps the skirts of happy chance,
And breasts the blows of circumstance.

So runs the round of life from hour to hour.

So runs the round of life from hour to hour.

The long arm of coincidence.

The long arm of coincidence.

Man is the creature of circumstances.

Man is the creature of circumstances.

The changeful change of circumstances.
[Lat., Varia sors rerum.]

The changeful change of circumstances.
[Lat., Varia sors rerum.]

This fearful concatenation of circumstances.

This fearful concatenation of circumstances.