Fortuna: Roman Goddess of Luck and Good Fortune

Fortuna, the goddess of luck and good fortune in Ancient Rome. Her popularity continued through the Renaissance period and we still love her today. The celebration honoring her, Fors Fortuna, is on June 24.

Her father was Jupiter, Sky God, who oversaw all things on Earth and guided the military. Fortuna’s Greek equivalent is Tyche and she is also linked with the Egyptian goddess Isis.

Fortuna also was connected to the Goddess Mater and helped to oversee the growth of crops. Today we often associate her with gamblers and dice and may refer to her as Lady Luck.

Correspondences

Deities: Jupiter, Tyche, Isis, Spes, Mater.

Symbols: wheel, rudder, fruits, and cornucopia

Color: Green and Blue and Gold

Animals: Cattle, beetles, horses, sheep, and goats

Plants: Oak Tree, Narcissus

Crystals: Carnelian, Citrine, Clear Quartz, Garnet, Green Jade, Smoky Quartz, and Tigers Eye.

Divination: Tarot - In the Major Arcana there is a Fortuna or Wheel of Fortune card.

Foods: Almonds, beef, pineapples, strawberries

Herbs/Spices: Cinnamon, frankincense, nutmeg, rosemary

The Goddess Fortuna, Vatican Museum

What Did Fortuna Look Like?

Often portrayed as a beautiful strong-looking woman. Some writers in Ancient Rome illustrated her as a blind woman, thus the phrase “blind luck”.

Fortuna is portrayed in many forms which relate to the type of luck present.

She was often portrayed in artwork holding a ship’s rudder or gubernaculum; a Wheel of Fortune or Rota Fortunae; and the Horn of Plenty or Cornucopia.

We see the ship’s rudder used in literature. In the Bible’s Book of James he compares a tongue to the rudder of a ship. The tongue is small but has great control of what happens.

She had numerous shrines including in Praeneste and Antium. People enjoyed socializing and playing games in public bath houses where there were often altars for Fortuna. As the Roman Empire grew Fortuna became a well-received goddess across Europe.

Ship’s Rudder

The ship’s rudder represents guidance and control over our lives. Fortuna can change the direction of our lives for good or for bad.

Venus is also shown holding the gubernaculum. The rudder shows a conscious decision to help her people.

The Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel of Fortune is a symbol of fate. We still use this item to illustrate the metaphor and the unpredictable nature of life.

Unlike the rudder, the Wheel of Fortune is more about chance. Fortuna is sometimes portrayed as blind and luck as random.

During the Middle Ages, the Wheel of Fortune was often seen in period literature such as The Canterbury Tales and The Knights of the Round Table.

The reference continues in modern literature and music. The Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead had a song “The Wheel” and Journey sang “wheel in the sky keeps on turnin’, I don’t know where I’ll be tomorrow”.

Horn of Plenty

A symbol of abundance and nourishment the Horn of Plenty is pictured as a horn-shaped basket filled with delicious foods. Traditionally this shaped basket was used for harvesting to carry picked fruit.

Fortuna is a very ancient goddess and perhaps predates Rome as a civilization. She began her “career” as a goddess of agriculture. Farmers prayed to her to bless their fields with abundance.

We use this symbol today at Thanksgiving and the Winter Holidays.

Good Fortune and Morality

Fortuna was associated with the philosophy of virtus or virtue. Virtue was an important concept in ancient Rome and was often connected with rulers and leaders.

People with virtue had strong characters. Men were described as courageous and emperors were even personified as a deity. Women with virtue were modest and generous.

People with these “good” traits were moral persons and would receive good fortune. People with poor morals could expect to be unlucky.

Some of the world’s greatest authors such as Shakespeare, Ovid, and Machiavelli, called upon her representation of characters in their stories.

Modern Concepts of Fortuna

Fortuna may have shifted a bit to relate to modern times, however, the concepts of fate are still strong in society.

During the Hunger Games the expression “May the odds be ever in your favor” was often reiterated.

The game show Wheel of Fortune has been widely popular since 1975.

In Wiccan circles, we speak of the “Law of Attraction”.

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Ways To Honor Fortuna

Leave her offerings in spring while you plant your garden.

The wheel of fortune holds the stars and the zodiac. Learn more about the Zodiac as a divination tool.

Grab your favorite oracle deck. Fortuna may have also given glimpses to the future.

Give to the less fortunate. Fortuna was a popular goddess among slaves and the poor because she could bestow luck and freedom to improve one’s lot in life. Help fate along with a generous donation of time or money.

Getting married? Fortuna was often invoked at wedding ceremonies so the couple would enjoy prosperity.

Pray to Fortuna to protect our young men and women in the armed forces.

Read our blog 5 Good Luck Spells

Fortuna Meditation

Fortuna is associated with the Mighty oak tree which is in turn associated with doors and pathways. This meditation is especially powerful for those times you want to go down a new path of good fortune.

Attach a coin to a green candle during dressing. Light the candle and acknowledge Fortuna. Focus on her by saying “My intention is to connect with Fortuna”.

Concentrate on the powerful oak tree. Envision a door in the trunk of the tree. That door opens and you see a pathway going into the woods.

As you travel down the path invite Fortuna to walk with you and guide you. Ask her questions and express your fears. She will help you to find a new direction.

Bake Fortune Cookies

This is a great way to enjoy Fortuna with children. Write a short phrase on a slip of paper and bake them into a cookie.

Author, Imani Williams, is a college student studying social work. She has been a kitchen/cosmos witch for four years. Imani is very interested in divination and spell casting.