Fortuna is the Roman Goddess of fortune, and the personification of luck. This was not necessarily good luck, for she might bring good luck or bad luck. As such, she was also associated with the fickleness of life or 'chance events', and how quickly our fortunes can change, and thus was also considered a Goddess of fate. She was often depicted as blindfolded; in fact, 'luck is blind' is still a phrase often used today, from the Latin 'La fortuna e cieca'.
Other depictions show her with a wheel of fortune, a cornucopia (for as the daughter of Jupiter she was also said to bring abundance, as he did), or a gubernaculum (a ships rudder).
Her festival, Fors Fortuna, was held on the 24th of June annually. It is believed that this was the date two of the earliest temples dedicated to her were built on the banks of the river Tiber, and participants would float down the river to the temples to celebrate her. In another of her temples, the Temple of Fortuna Primigena in Praeneste, it was said that an oracle would divine the future by having a boy pick out one of the various features that were engraved into oak rods.
As the personification of luck, she was often called upon by the common people, and amulets and gems have been found with her figure engraved upon them, along with that of her counterpart Bonus Eventus, presumably that people would carry with them to invoke good fortune.
Other depictions show her with a wheel of fortune, a cornucopia (for as the daughter of Jupiter she was also said to bring abundance, as he did), or a gubernaculum (a ships rudder).
Her festival, Fors Fortuna, was held on the 24th of June annually. It is believed that this was the date two of the earliest temples dedicated to her were built on the banks of the river Tiber, and participants would float down the river to the temples to celebrate her. In another of her temples, the Temple of Fortuna Primigena in Praeneste, it was said that an oracle would divine the future by having a boy pick out one of the various features that were engraved into oak rods.
As the personification of luck, she was often called upon by the common people, and amulets and gems have been found with her figure engraved upon them, along with that of her counterpart Bonus Eventus, presumably that people would carry with them to invoke good fortune.
Worship of Fortuna spread across the Roman Empire, with evidence of her being found in Castlecary in Scotland, UK. Even during the rise of Christianity, Fortuna persevered. In the 6th Century, the statesman and philosopher Boethius wrote 'Consolation of Philosophy' whilst he was waiting to be executed, in which he states that it is his belief that the consequences of the turn of Fortuna's wheel are unavoidable. All is a part of God's master plan, and as such, Fortuna is a servant of God. This book popularised the motif of the wheel of fortune, , and she continued to be featured in art and literature throughout the medieval period.
As the personification of luck, she had many different aspects, and different epithets to go with those aspects. These included:
As the personification of luck, she had many different aspects, and different epithets to go with those aspects. These included:
- Fortuna Annonaria: Luck of the harvest
- Fortuna Virilis: Luck in marriage
- Fortuna Muliebris: Luck of a person
- Fortuna Equestris: Luck of Knights
- Fortuna Publica: Luck of the people
- Fortuna Romana: Luck of Rome
- Fortuna Faitrix: Fortune of life
