Men flourish only for a moment.

Attributed to Homer, this line expresses a central Homeric theme: the brevity of human prosperity and life when set against the larger forces of fate, war, and time. In the epics, moments of glory—especially martial success—are intense but fleeting, and even the greatest heroes are subject to sudden reversal. Read this way, “flourish” suggests not only physical vitality but also honor, reputation, and worldly success, all of which can vanish quickly. The sentiment aligns with the Iliad’s repeated contrasts between human fragility and the enduring, often indifferent, order of the gods and nature.