A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

FORTUNE favours the brave
Cf. ENNIUS Annals 257 (Vahlen) fortibus est fortuna viris data, fortune is given to brave men; VIRGIL Aeneid x. 284 audentes fortuna iuvat, fortune aids the bold.

• 
  c 1385 CHAUCER Troilus & Criseyde IV. 600 Thenk ek Fortune, as wel thiselves woost, Helpeth hardy man to his enprise. c 1390 GOWER Confessio Amantis VII. 4902 And seith, ‘Fortune unto the bolde Is favorable forto helpe’. a 1625 BEAUMONT & FLETCHER Prophetess IV. vi. He is the scorn of Fortune: but you’ll say, That she forsook him for his want of courage, But never leaves the bold. 1724 A. RAMSAY Works (1953) II. 288 Fortune aye favours the active and bauld. 1752 in W. Johnson Papers (1939) IX. 86 Make no doubt but Fortune will favour the brave. 1885 TROLLOPE Dr. Thorne II. vii. Fortune, who ever favours the brave, specially favoured Frank Gresham. 2001 Spectator 17 Nov. 25 The luck element has aroused doubts in some quarters, but Lord Guthrie has a standard retort: ‘Fortune favours the brave.’ He has been proved right, so far. ■courage; luck
  

fortune see also EVERY man is the architect of his own fortune; OPPORTUNITY never knocks twice at any man’s door.
forty see a FOOL at forty is a fool indeed; LIFE begins at forty; SAINT Swithun’s day if thou be fair for forty days it will remain.
foul see it’s an ILL bird that fouls its own nest.
FOUR eyes see more than two
Observation by two people is better than by one alone. TWO heads are better than one expresses a similar idea. L. plus vident oculi, quam oculus, eyes see more than one eye.

• 
  1591 A. COLYNET True Hist. Civil Wars France 37 Two eyes doo see more then one. 1592 G. DELAMOTHE French Alphabet II. 45 Foure eyes can see more then two. 1642 T. FULLER Holy State IV. v. Matters of inferiour consequence he will communicate to a fast friend, and crave his advice; for two eyes see more than one. 1898 F. M. MULLER Auld Lang Syne 80 But who has ever examined any translation from any language, without finding signs of.. carelessness or ignorance? Four eyes see more than two. 1962 H. REILLY Day She Died vii. What he wanted was a look at the cars the variegated crowd of people had arrived in. Four eyes were better than two. ■ assistance; observation