MoonOwl Observations

Fortuna

                Fortuna is a Roman goddess of luck, fortune, prosperity and fate who was at one time very popular.  With Greek influence, Fortuna became Tykhe and was also a very popular deity there.  She was even popular in Italy and she had more temples than any other God in that time.  She was always afforded the most luxurious kinds of worship since people hoped it would bring them good fortune.

She is usually depicted holding a cornucopia in one hand, and a ship’s rudder in the other.  Sometimes she is blindfolded or veiled and most of the time she is standing on or near a globe or wheel.  The cornucopia is all about value, abundance and infinite supply.  It symbolizes lush bounty that she can provide. The ship’s rudder stands for her guiding mankind through the ups and downs, twists and turns of life.   The globe shows her ability to oversee the world’s activities and the wheel is symbolic of the many cycles of life and her ability to keep alive a fluid motion in the business of living it.

Fortuna was worshipped by soldiers and royalty.  She is also a patron of sailors as the overseer of all lucks facets. She is on the wheel of fortune tarot card and to this day many mention her without realizing who she is when they ask for help from ‘lady luck’. Obviously gamblers are fans of asking for her help.

She favors the brave, but also the foolish and she rewards those who embrace life and go with the flow rather than fight it.  Of course, she can also hand out bad luck, fortune and chance.  A good, modern way to invoke Fortuna’s help is to put almond oil or pineapple juice on the wheels of your vehicle (even if it’s just a bicycle) as this will keep fortune ‘rolling in’. There is a hymn for Fortuna, although it focused more on her Greek name Tykhe.  She was part of the Moirai (Fates) which is also mentioned in this hymn.

 

Turrent- crowned Queen, I sing

Immortal Agathe Tykhe, Fortuna to the Romans

Elder sidter of the Moiroi

Goddesses three, who weave the threads of mortal lives

Friend of all mankind

Who bears the cornucopia and metes good and evil

Rich and poor alike must deal with

Your decrees, O Goddess.

O primal One without parent, I pray

Allow me to accept

The twists and turns that Fate deals

To see the opportunity in the tragedy

And to understand what I am meant to do.

Help me to make the right choices,

Where my Fate depends on it.

And to accept my lack of control,

Where it does not

Let me always act with honour

Whatever you set before me

Send me only hardships I can endure,

And that will make me a better person

This I pray, O Glorious Tykhe