What Is That Quote?

In Michael Wilmington’s review, “Ironies Course Through ‘Hearts of Darkness’ ” (Jan. 17), he refers to a “saying” but states in quotation marks: “Whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first make happy.”

I recall that historian Charles Beard wrote about the great lessons of history, one of which was, according to him: “Whom the Gods would destroy, they first make angry.” There is quite a difference.

DOROTHY ROBERTS

Los Angeles

Editor’s note: John Bartlett’s “Familiar Quotations” lists a Euripides fragment: “Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad.”