Domesticate the Vagabond

     People who achieve greatness and succeed in making their goals and dreams reality are often admired for their demonstrated determination while being scorned for their treatment of others and their disregard for social rules and laws. Obvious examples include the conquests of great generals like Cyrus, Alexander, Julius Ceasar, the Khans, and Saladin. These men took over large swathes of land and many peoples from a tiny center of power with innovative military techniques and tactics. The second most evident success stories of impassioned achievement are commercial. Rockefeller gradually absorbed all of the American oil industry from drilling to refining to selling and established an untouchable monopoly. John Pemberton, the inventor of Coca Cola, also achieved remarkable success of a simple product through excellent marketing. Henry Ford dominated the automotive industry, DuPont controlled engineering and chemistry, Carnegie consolidated steel and railroads, and modern innovators of the computer age like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zucherberg continue in those traditions.
     What makes these individuals stand apart from the competition and achieve their goals despite opposition? Passion. Conviction. An internal belief and desire to do something purposeful with their lifelong dreams. Few people have dreams worth pursuing. Of the few that dream, fewer strive to achieve those ideas. Of the few that dream and strive, fewer succeed. That is why we remember them: their names and their deeds.

      In Dante's Inferno, Canto IV, " [In] the foremost circle that surrounds the abyss, there as it seemed to me from listening, were lamentations none, but only sighs, that tremble made the everlasting air. And this arose from sorrow without torment, which the crowds had, that many were and great, of infants and of women and of men." Taken slightly out of context, it is clear that a huge host of people suffered in the outermost circle of hell, Limbo, because they did not commit to anything during life. Because of their aimless life, they were punished to an aimless eternity.
     Most people live without focus or purpose. The poor are distracted by the needs of basic survival while the wealthy are distracted by worthless trinkets. If humanity is to overcome the challenges, fears, and antagonism that it suffers from now, we must collectively put aside the baggage of localized pettiness and place our efforts toward what we hope to accomplish.


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Agatha Tyche

Tyche to Fortuna: Shifting Luck

Throughout her Grecian history, the goddess of luck, Tyche had adjusted well to the changing religious beliefs of the Greek and Hellenistic worlds. By the second century BC with a decline of the city-state in Greece and the formation of a large Greek-like culture throughout most of the known world, individualism philosophies undermined traditional religion but encouraged an increase in fate-altering religious beliefs. The focus on individualism aided the religious shift away from traditional Greecian religion since the Olympic gods chose cities, not people, to sponsor. Alternatively, mystery cults provided possibilities for individuals to interact with their chosen deity. By allowing people to interact personally and specifically to petition for gods’ assistance in problems, fate ceased its finality and became opened ended. Mystery cults added to traditional worship eventually weakening Tyche’s grasp on fate and undermining her power just as she had undermined the Olympic gods at the start of the Hellenistic Age.                                                       
The Classical Greek religious views began to change swiftly with the Macedonian invasion in the 330s BC as Fate gave way to the whims of shifting and unpredictable Chance. Fate (moira) characterizes unchangeable destiny while Chance personifies inexpiable inconsistencies in life. Fate went from being an unalterable future to being controlled by an unpredictable, blind deity that distributed rewards and punishments without cause. Comparing the Hellenistic view of Chance with Homer’s writings of traditional religion shows a stark contrast in the power of the Olympian gods. However, this shift occurred gradually with the earliest ideas of Fate expressed as “unswerving direction.” Over time, fate became god-administered because the outcome was not determined by the gods, merely the path of arrival. Aside from the gods, Tyche ruled a “separate but complementary sphere of influence.” Tyche’s popularity rose at the expense of the traditional Greek gods.                                
In addition to successfully competing with Greek gods, Tyche favorably interacted with other cultures’ religions such as Isis in the Selukidian and Ptolemaic kingdoms. With Fortune’s vast powers, Hellenistic writers called her a “tyrant over the gods” since she could dictate everyone's destiny. In efforts to break free from this tyrannical reign of Fate, mystery cults offered ways for people to unshackle from Tyche’s oppressive control. This movement introduced conflicts between providence and free will. A notable example from Polybius mentions the Romans, hopelessly outnumbered, overcoming a mighty Fortune-favored enemy through their own determination and courage. Resisting and changing this seemingly assigned fate encouraged the Hellenistic view that fate and destiny were malleable. 
However, merely resisting Fate did not alter destiny. Tyche still had a significant effects which caused people to seek out and petition her. A historic demonstration of the unpredictability of Fortune references the fall of Thebes. Polybius states, “the commander did everything a good general ought to do, and that Epaminondas got the better of his opponents, but was himself defeated by Fortune.” Another example of unfavorable Fortune is the Carthaginian general Hannibal in the Second Punic War. Although he had successfully defeated the Roman armies in Italy itself, through a sudden turn in events, Hannibal, through no fault of his own command, fell to Scipio.                                                                                     
Although the Greeks and Romans shared a similar god that affected fate, each culture held distinct beliefs. Throughout the Hellenistic kingdoms, the definition of Fortune ranged from blind chance to the goddess actively intervening on various occasions. While Greeks considered Tyche blind or malignant, Fortuna, the Roman goddess equivalent, expressed favorable chance and decisive judgment on wrong-doers.

         With Roman expansion into Hellenistic culture, Fortuna rose in popularity especially when Roman good fortune continued and brought ever-expanding prosperity. Cults worshipping Fortuna grew to prominence in cities and attracted large numbers of politicians, soldiers, and women who sought Fortuna’s favor. The Roman Senate and emperors used specific definitions of “fortune” to bring favor to their causes, most notably wars. Unlike traditional Greek views, Romans did not give Fate unlimited, universal power over other gods. For the Romans, Fortuna behaved only beneficiarily. In The Rise of the Roman Empire, Polybius examined the traditional Greek view that the whims of chance are unfavorable and had significant impacts on events while considering the Roman belief that Fortune is only favorable. The Greek and Roman contrast comes from the different origin histories. The Greeks had experienced foreign rule and detested it while the Romans had continually experienced nearly continuous, uninterrupted success. The Greeks’ cynicism is reflected in their alternative belief.
          One of the largest impacts Fortuna had on the Roman population affected the Stoics. Since heimarmen retained absolute control of fate, Stoics continued to accept the destiny prescribed, instead of attempting to petition gods to alter their fate. Although similar to Fortuna, hermarmen, like moira, could not be altered from its course. Man’s own control of a situation warrants chance instead of divine intervention, but it is useful to turn to a god for salvation if it is within his power or desire to do so. Extraordinary events should be viewed as “an infatuation sent from heaven” which does not happen often. Stoics resisted the view that fate can be altered, but neither did they continue the worship of traditional religions. 
          Roman beliefs of the fickleness of fortune aligned closely with Hellenistic beliefs. Fortune could and did randomly change circumstances and situations without warning. Polybius wrote The Rise of the Roman Empire to reflect on Fortune’s dealings with Rome and to teach how to bear one’s own fortune in life. Considering his evident respect for Fortuna’s hand in events, Polybius flippantly uses the term “fortune” by pointedly implying mere chance instead of a goddess’s intervention. Polybius explained that since man has no consistent way of foretelling what is to come, he must prepare for unexpected elements of life, especially in time of war. The belief that chance randomly determines everything pervaded the entire Hellenistic world and affected Roman philosophical and religious views as well. The Carthaginians and Hannibal knew that “[Fortune] sports with mankind as if her victims were little children.” Fortuna favors some men by giving unnaturally good fortune in every circumstance while others must overcome each obstacle before them through their own strength and ability. Polybius defends Scipio’s achievements as personal, praiseworthy accomplishments and not a merely gift from Fortuna.
          Tyche, the goddess of chance, luck, and fortune, originated around the time of Homer but developed into a goddess which set men’s unalterable destiny. Once Greeks recognized the power of unavoidable fate, Tyche overcame the Olympic gods. By the time Greek culture pervaded the world, Tyche neatly controlled the power of nearly every other god, unless favorable petitions to Fortuna permitted the evasion of destiny. Once other religions and mystery cults clipped Tyche’s control by allowing individuals to change their fate, she became merely a wrinkle to consider when studying major inconsistencies in world history. Roman religious similarities with Greeks allowed Tyche to gain a foothold in the new empire and expand in several philosophies such as Stoism. The goddess’s power can be interpreted from aiding an assassin’s attempt at a king’s life to which side a flipped coin will land on, but each interpretation of the extent of Tyche’s control forced inconsistencies into her doctrine. However, Tyche’s cultural and religious influences retain some strength even today with superstitious beliefs in lucky charms, numbers, and phrases. Although now far from the forefront of military considerations or the pinnacle of intervention, Lady Luck influenced religion and philosophy in Greece and Rome, the two foundational empires of the modern Western world.

Luck be with you.
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Agatha Tyche