Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 1): Zeus god of the bright sky (Cambridge, 1914)

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268 The Solar Wheel in Greece

The wheel as a cult-utensil gave rise to the wheel as a divine
attribute. Fortune's wheel is often mentioned in Latin literature
from the time of Cicero onwards1, but is comparatively seldom
seen on the monuments2. An example or two from imperial
coin-types will serve to illustrate the conception3. Thus a coin of
Elagabalos shows Fortuna with a rudder in her right hand, a
cornu copiae in her left, seated on a throne beneath which is a
four-spoked wheel (fig. 192)4. On another of Gordianus Pius the

Fig. 192. Fig. 193. Fig. 194.

throne has almost vanished and we have Fortuna Redux seated
apparently upon a mere wheel (fig. 193)5. On a third of Gallienus
her attributes have passed by a somewhat cynical transition to
Indulgentia Augusti, who stands leaning on a short column and
holding a rod in her right hand (fig. 194)6.

1 Cic. in Pis. 22, Tib. 1. 5. 70, Tac. dial, de or. 23, Fronto de oral. p. 157 Naber,
Amm. Marc. 26. 8. 13, 31. 1. 1, Boeth. de cons. phil. 2 pr. r, 2 fir. 2, cp. Sen. Agam.
7if. So Hor. od. 3. 10. 10 ne currente retro funis eat rota, according to Acron and
Comm. Cruq. ad loc. ; but see W. Hirschfelder's note on the passage. Later references
are collected by J. Grimm Teutonic Mythology trans. J. S. Stallybrass ii. 866 ff., iv. 1567 f.

2 Fortuna standing—a bronze statuette (K. Friederichs Berlins antike Bildwerke
Diisseldorf 1871 ii. 424 no. 1978 cited in Roscher Lex. Myth. i. 1506). Fortuna, with
rudder in right hand and cornu copiae in left, seated over a wheel—a brown paste at Berlin
(Furtwangler Geschnitt. Steine Berlin p. 87 no. 1510 pi. 16 ; id. Ant. Gemmeni. pi. 27, 61,
ii. 137). Fortuna standing with rudder and cornu copiae in her hands and a wheel at her
feet—two gems (Montfaucon Antiquity Explained trans. D. Humphreys London 1721 i.
197 pi. 89 nos. 16, 17 after A. Gorlay. Modern work?). Cp. Fatum personified as a
female standing with left foot raised on a six-spoked wheel and body inclined in the act
of writing {Fata Scribundd)—a grave-relief (Roscher Lex. Myth. i. 1445 after Zoega
Bassirilievi i pi. 15).

3 The coin-types of Fortuna are most fully listed by Rasche Lex. Num. hi. n35—
1179, Suppl. ii. 1089—ii 10. I figure three specimens from the Cambridge collection.

4 Cohen Mon. etnp. rom.z iv. 338 no. 147. A similar design is found on the reverse of
a bronze medallion of Albinus (W. Kubitschek Ausgewahlte rbmische Medallions der kaiser-
lichen Miinzensammlung in Wien Wien 1909 p. 8 no. 71 pi. 5, Gnecchi Medagl. Rom.
ii. 73 nos. 1, 2 pi. 92, 1—3).

5 Cohen op. cit.2 v. 31 no. 98. Ld. id. no. 96 (the same type in gold) is well figured
in the Sale Catalogue of M. le Vicomte de Ponton d'Amecourt Monnaies d'or romaines
et byzantines Pai"is 1887 p. 71 no. 481 pi. 18. Mr F. W. Lincoln has a fine specimen of
it. A very similar reverse occurs on coppers of the same emperor (Cohen ib. nos. 99, 100).

6 Cohen op. cit.2 v. 337 no. 331. On a bronze medallion of Gallienus Fortuna Redux
is standing with a rudder in her right hand, a cornu copiae in her left, and a wheel at her
feet (Gnecchi Medagl. Rom. ii. 107 no. 8 pi. 113, 9).