A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

FORTUNA,

Fortune, a Goddess which the Heathens esteem'd the Ruler of all Events both good and bad. For they distin∣guish'd two kinds of Fortune, one good and the other bad.

The Greeks had many Temples dedicated to Fortune, recorded by Pausanias in several places of his Books, called the Fortune of the Gods 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and observes that Homer has spoken well of Fortune or Tyche; and has placed her among the Nymphs, the Daugh∣ters of the Ocean; but never allowed her a great power over humane things; tho' he has in other places of his works described the Functions proper to every particular God∣dess.

Pausanias has also observed, that the imagi∣nary omnipotency ascribed to Fortune, and so much extoll'd by vain Men in following Ages, did not prevail over the mind of Men, (at least of the Greeks) before the Age of Homer. Pausanias observes still in many places, that Pindarus hath often spoke of For∣tune, and ranked her at the head of the Parca. Facilè enim mihi Pindarus in suis Canticis persua∣det, tum alia multa, tum vero unam esse Parcarum Fortunam, & eam quidem potestate sororibus ante∣cellere. The common Idea of a blind and in∣constant Fortune, can't be represented by making her one of the Parcae; and yet this representation comes near to the truth, for it gives to understand, that all things are go∣vern'd by a wise and absolute power, whose actions seem sometimes casual to Men, be∣cause they can't find out the secret and invisi∣ble ways of his proceedings.

Pindar prays to Fortune as the Daughter of Jupiter, who has at her command the order∣ing, motions and success in War both by Sea and Land, and presides at publick delibe∣rations.

Horace places the management of all things in the hands of Jupiter, whose secret and just designs are unknown to Men; and in general all things that the vulgar ascribe to Fortune, is performed by Providence. Od. 34. l. 1.

Valet ima summis Mutare, & insignem attenuat Deus, Obscura p••omens. Hinc apicem rapax Fortuna cum stridore acuto Sustulit, hic posuisse gaudet.

'Tis plain by these Verses, that God and Fortune are two names that signifie the same thing; for commonly Men ascribe to For∣tune the Events that don't depend upon them, and are perform'd by a superior cause un∣known to them. The following Ode is de∣dicated to Fortune; and 'tis most certain, that under that name, he understands the su∣pream Dignity, not only because of the infi∣nite power he ascribes her, but also because he confounds Fortune with Necessity and Fate, which is quite opposite to the Idea of Fortune.

Horace had doubtless read what Homer said, that at the entry of Jupiter's Palace, there are two great Vessels, out of one runs upon us all good, and of the other all evil, to shew us that God is the dispenser of all good and evil; favouring men with his good things, and punishing them, when he sends or per∣mits evil.

Ancus Martius, the fourth King of the Ro∣mans, was the first Man who built a Temple at Rome to Fortune, with this Title Fortune virili, To the Viril and couragious Fortune; be∣cause Courage is not less required than good Fortune to obtain Victories Servius Tulli••s built her a Temple at the Capitol under the Title of Primogenia.

There was a Statue of Fortune at Athens, holding betwixt her arms Plutus the God of Riches. She is represented in Medals like a Goddess, holding with one hand a Horn of Plenty, with the other the Helm or Rudder of a Ship, set upon a Globe, to shew that she governs the World. Fortune is still repre∣sented lying or sitting, and holds under her left Arm her Horn of Plenty, and lays her right hand upon a wheel, to denote her in∣stability and inconstancy, with these words Fortunae Reduci. Apeller drew her in that po∣sture, and when he was asked the reason why he had drawn her sitting, he answered, because she had never been at rest.

We have still other Emblems of Fortune; in some whereof she is represented with a Beard, Fortunae Barbata and in others carry∣ing a Branch of Laurel with her Horn of Plenty.

We read in Histories, that the Fortune of Gold commonly attended the Beds of the Caesars, and that when the Emperor was dy∣ing she was carried to his Successors.

There was a brazen Statue of Fortune, in a Temple built to her by Sylla at Praeneste, so well gilt over, that to express any thing that was well gilt, 'tis said that it had been gilt at Praeneste.

The Ancients represented Fortune of both Sexes, Male and Female, as several other Di∣vinities.

The Pagans, says St Austin, esteem'd so much the Goddess Fortune, that they have left in Writing, that the Statue that Women had consecrated by the name of feminine Fortune had spoken, and said more than one time, that they had done well to render her that Honour.

There was a Temple built upon Mount Esquilinus consecrated to Fortune, St Au∣stin speaks of it in raillery, in the 4th Book of the City of God, c. 18.

How can Goddess Fortune be sometimes good, and sometimes bad? May be when she is bad, she is not then a Goddess, but is changed on a sudden into a pernicious Devil; Then there must be as many several Fortunes good and bad, as there are men happy and unhappy. May be the Goddess is always good, and if it be so, she is the same thing as Felicity. Why have then Men consecrated them several Temples, Altars and Ceremonies? Because, say they, Felicity is that which Men enjoy according to their deserts, but good For∣tune befals by chance both good and bad Men, without any respect to personal Me∣rit, wherefore she is called Fortune. But how can she be good, if she befals with∣out distinction both good and bad Men? And why Men should serve her, seeing she is blind, and offers herself indifferently all Men, and leaves often those Men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 serve her, to stick to those who despise her; or if they say, that she sees and loves Men who worship her, she has then regard to the deserts of Men, and does not happen out of a meer chance? what will become then of the definition of Fortune? and how can they say that she derives her name from Fors, be∣cause she is casual.

The Romans gave several Names to For∣tune, and built her Temples and Aedicula, by these several Names.

They called her FORTUNA LIBE∣RA, REDUX, PUBLICA, PRI∣MIGENIA, EQUESTRIS; PAR∣VA FORTUNA; FORS or FOR∣TIS FORTUNA; FORTUNA VIRILIS & FEMINEA.