Fortune and Destiny
The central theme woven through the tapestry of Fortune's Favorites is the capricious dance of fate and destiny — leading some to the heights of greatness, others to the depths of disaster, and some into the shadows of obscurity. The narrative unfolds around prominent figures such as Caesar, Sulla, Pompey, Spartacus, and Sertorius, each portrayed as either blessed or forsaken by the whims of fortune.
Sulla, who once proudly donned the moniker Felix, or lucky, finds his fortune slipping through his fingers. His decline is marked by the tragic death of his beloved son, the ominous demise of his wife amidst sinister portents, and his own lonely end as a deformed, largely forgotten alcoholic. Sertorius, cousin to the notable Gaius Marius, who governs a rebellious semi-kingdom in the Spanish territories, sees his fortune dwindle when confronted by the rising star of Pompey, whose fortunes, alongside Caesar's, blaze brightly in the ascendant skies.
Caesar stands as the most vivid embodiment of Fortune's Favorites within the story. Though it may be hyperbolic to claim he is infallible, his star unquestionably rises throughout the narrative. Beloved by many, intellectually unmatched, and particularly adored by women, Caesar's fortune shines the brightest in this vivid portrayal of destiny's fickle nature.
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