The lucky person passes for a genius.
–Euripides (Ancient Greek Playwright)
God’s dice always have a lucky roll.
–Sophocles (Ancient Greek Playwright)
You gotta try your luck at least once a day because you could be going around lucky all day and not even know it.
–James Dean (American Actor & Cultural Icon)
Luck be a lady tonight
Luck be a lady tonight
Luck if youve been a lady to begin with
Luck be a lady tonight…
Little that he knew, Frank Sinatra, when he sang this song that Luck was not just a lady but the eternal and Divine Goddess Tyche.
Tyche represented in Greek Mythology something everybody has always been searching or wishing for: fortune. This is the Goddess that I wish to encounter more although, I am so grateful for her gifts already. After all, if it was not for the divine Tyche’s graces, I wouldn’t have been able to design my jewelry so effortlessly and claim that “I am inspired by the Gods.” She is, and has always been besides me, [well, most of the time] ever since the day I was born back in my birthplace Macedon, Northern Greece. Was she there specifically for me on my birthday, or it was just my lucky day that she was around? I wonder. I tend to think that she made a very special trip just so I can receive all her blessings. Fortunate me. As it was, my grandfather Dimitrios and my grandmother Alexandra both gifted me with a gold coin as soon as I arrived for “Good Luck” thus, my love affair with ancient Greek coins began right there and then. Efharisto Thea Tyche (much gratitude), my beautiful Greek Goddess!
As she is today, Goddess Tyche was the personification of Hope, Luck and Wealth. She was a labile, yet virtuous spirit, mediating between gods and mortals and leading human lives. She was therefore extraordinarily worshipped by the ancient Greeks.
The main symbol of goddess Tyche was a huge horn, inside of which she was keeping all wealth and richness; the horn once belonged to Amalthea, the goat who fostered Greek god Zeus during his infancy. Tyche was carrying the horn with her constantly, occasionally turning it upside down to spread all its goods to anyone who would meet her on his way.
Tyche – A Deity in Greek Mythology In Greek, Tyche means “luck” and sometimes refers to the destiny and fate.
Although not a goddess in Greek Mythology, Tyche was often seen as goddess and/or a patron-deity of luck, fortune, success, even prosperity in many cities of ancient Greece. Some gave her even power over chance and fate.
During the Hellenistic period, cities that had her as their patron, presented the specific icons of Tyche, on which she was wearing a mural crown.
During the same period, Tyche appeared in many coins used by inhabitants in various cities and villages in the Aegean Sea.
Additional skills attributed to Tyche came probably from the other personification attached to her name. She also represented the “concept”. That’s how she became both an inspiration and intrigue for poets, writers, philosophers, all kind of artists in ancient Greece.
The two most famous works of art celebrating her power are: the statue ofAgathe Tyche by Praxiteles and Tyche of Antioch by Eutychides, which became the prototype for the images of the goddess.
Tyche simply became a symbol of fortune, luck, chance… The turns of fortune, that she carried, were often used in famous romances such as Clitophon and Leucippe or Daphnis and Chloe.
Empedocles On the Nature of Things, notes that “…all things are conceived in the will of Tyche” 
Tyche described by Greek historians
Tyche lived through times and changes, always equally unpredicted and embraced or held responsible for several events and incidents. As the Greek historian Polybius wrote, whenever there was no tangible reason found for some disasters, like floods or frosts, Tyche was considered as a force behind them.
According to Hesiod’s Theogony, Tyche was one of the eldest of many Oceanides, daughters of Oceanus and Tethys. She had various attributes attached to her name. She was given the power of conducting the world’s affairs while holding a rudder.
With Ploutos she symbolized the plentiful gifts of fortune. And with a ball, Tyche was fully herself – nor steady nor capable of rolling in any direction, as the fortune is.
Tyche and Ploutos
The Romans were inspired by the myths related to deity Tyche of the Greeks and created the Goddess Fortuna, who also represented luck, fortune and “concept” in life.
Be grateful for luck. Pay the thunder no mind – listen to the birds. And don’t hate nobody.
Eubie Blake quotes
And now you know why, like all my beautiful and divine ancestors, I worship with much gratitude the eternal Goddess of fortune Tyche. My two beautiful nephews George and Angelo have surprised me on my recent birthday (May 25th) with a statue of the Goddess which has been placed right front and center on my studio desk for continuous good luck and blessings. Lucky me ! Both George and Angelo are my good luck charms and I am so fortunate to have them 🙂
xoxoSusanna
Susanna Galanis Classical Education - refine your spirit 