Is dénti áil d’éicin.

Is dénti áil d’éicin.

(is * to be made * wish * of necessity)

Make a virtue of necessity.

This maxim is almost certainly borrowed from St. Jerome’s “Facis de necessitate virtutem.” Our version is found in “In Cath Catharda” (lines 2702-05 of the text in “Irische Texte” 4, pt. 2), which is the Irish retelling of Lucan’s “Pharsalia”, where it is called a “senbriathar” or old saying:

“Dano is [s]enbriathar la cach ’is denta ail d’egin’. Is eigin daibsi bas d’fagbail amarach gen cob ail daib, air ni fil conair teichidh nó asrus eloda agaib.”

The related expression “Rinne sé áil den éigean” is found in Modern Irish.

Topics: Maxims & Wise Counsel