THERE IS A TALE ABOUT JULIUS CAESAR, WHO, WHILE ON THE HIGH SEAS IN A BOAT BEING TOSSED ABOUT IN A GREAT STORM, REPORTEDLY TOLD THE PILOT THAT HE SHOULD NOT WORRY, THAT THE SHIP CARRIED CAESAR'S FORTUNA. IN FACT, FORTUNA WAS REVERED BY THE SAILORS WHO PRAYED TO HER FOR HER AID IN AVOIDING STORMS, RETURNING ALIVE, AND HAVING PROFITABLE COMMERCE FROM THEIR JOURNEY. HENCE, SHE WAS ALSO HAILED AS A WEATHER GODDESS, FORTUNA COULD BRING SUNNY SKIES OR THROW THUNDERBOLTS. ONE OF HER SYMBOLS IS A SHIP'S RUDDER WHICH SUGGESTED KEEPING TO THE PATH. THE OTHER WAS A CORNUCOPIA. SHE WAS A BRINGER OF STORMS WHO WAS OFTEN SEE WHIRLING IN MIDAIR OR SPINNING IN THE CENTER OF HER GREAT WHEEL. IT IS SAID THAT SHE COULD EASILY BRING A MAN UP WITH ONE HAND AND TOSS HIM DOWN WITH THE OTHER.
SOME SAY SHE MAY HAVE BEEN THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD AT ONE TIME, BUT SHE WAS NEVER A LADY. SADLY, IN PATRIARCHAL TIMES, ONE OF THE MOST COMMON WAYS FOR HER TO BE PORTRAYED IN WAS THAT OF A WHORE. THIS WAS PARTLY TO SYMBOLIZE THE CARICIOUS WAYS SHE GAVE OUT HER FAVORS AND PARTLY BECAUSE THE WHORE WAS THE LOWEST WOMAN IN SOCIETY AT THAT TIME. ELABORATE RITUALS WERE SET UP BY HER PETITIONERS...WITH FOUR MEN REPRESENTING HER WHEEL...AND FORTUNA HERSELF WAS ALWAYS PLAYED BY A SEX WORKER OR A WOMAN 'OF LOOSE MORALS'.
"ROMANS OFTEN ASKED FORTUNA ABOUT THEIR FATE AND DIFFICULT PROBLEMS...AND TRADITIONALLY THEIR ANSWERS CAME ON SLIPS OF PAPER...OFTEN BAKED IN BREAD BALLS SIMILAR TO TODAY'S FORTUNE COOKIE. NEXT TIME YOU PLAN A PARTY, PLAN TO MAKE SOME HOMEMADE FORTUNE COOKIES AND THEN HAVE SOME FUN WITH YOUR GUESTS AS EACH TAKES THEIR TURN REACHING INTO THE BOWL TO SEE WHAT FORTUNA HAS TO SAY."
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