Book II
Pliny the Elder
Pliny's assertion about certainty reflects a world steeped in chaos and unpredictable forces. In his era, Fortune was revered and reviled as a deity of chance, embodying the volatile nature of existence. Pliny's observation challenges the reliance on divine determinism, suggesting that life's inherent unpredictability is its only constant. His words emerged in a time when the capriciousness of nature, like volcanic eruptions, underscored humanity's fragile grasp on certainty.