batch.motif.greek-roman-berens-myths-legends-gutenberg-l4728-l4751
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-roman-berens-myths-legends-gutenberg-l4728-l4751
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
passage_locator:
label: GRAEAE. / SPHINX. / TYCHE (FORTUNA) AND ANANKE (NECESSITAS). / TYCHE (FORTUNA).;
lines 4728-4751
start: '4728'
end: '4751'
translation: Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: 'The passage describes Tyche/Fortuna as the personification and source
of fortune, luck, and unexpected events in human life, whether beneficial or harmful.
It lists several iconographic representations: rudders for steering human fortunes,
blindfolded stance on a ball or wheel for fortune''s changeability, sceptre, cornucopia,
wings, and holding the infant Plutus at Thebes to signify power over wealth and
prosperity. It also notes her worship in Greece, especially among Athenians.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Tyche personifies luck or fortune and is described as the source of unexpected
events in human life, both good and evil.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Success without special merit is attributed to Tyche smiling on a person's
birth.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Undeserved ill-luck and repeated failure are attributed to Tyche's adverse
influence.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: Tyche is sometimes represented holding two rudders, one steering the bark
of the fortunate and one steering the bark of the unfortunate among mortals.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: In later representations, Tyche appears blindfolded and stands on a ball or
wheel.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: The ball or wheel is stated to indicate the fickleness and ever-revolving
changes of fortune.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: Tyche frequently bears a sceptre and cornucopia or horn of plenty, and is
usually winged.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: In her temple at Thebes, Tyche is represented holding the infant Plutus in
her arms.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: The representation of Tyche holding infant Plutus symbolizes her power over
riches and prosperity.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: Tyche was worshipped in various parts of Greece, especially by the Athenians,
who believed she favored their city.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Tyche / Fortuna
description: Goddess of Fortune; personification of luck or fortune and source of
unexpected events in human life.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Plutus
description: Infant held by Tyche in her temple at Thebes.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Athenians
description: Worshippers who believed in Tyche's special predilection for their
city.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
roles:
- id: role:1
label: personification of fortune
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Tyche personifies luck or fortune.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: dispenser of good and adverse fortune
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Success, ill-luck, and unexpected events are attributed to Tyche's influence.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:3
label: infant symbol of riches and prosperity
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Infant Plutus is held by Tyche to symbolize her power over riches and prosperity.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: devotees of Tyche
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The Athenians are described as especially worshipping Tyche and believing
she favored their city.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: rudders
literal_form: two rudders held by Tyche
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: barks of the fortunate and unfortunate
literal_form: barks steered by Tyche with separate rudders
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: blindfold
literal_form: blindfold worn by Tyche in later representations
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: ball or wheel
literal_form: ball or wheel on which Tyche stands
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:5
label: sceptre
literal_form: sceptre borne by Tyche
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:6
label: cornucopia or horn of plenty
literal_form: cornucopia or horn of plenty borne by Tyche
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:7
label: wings
literal_form: wings of Tyche
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:8
label: infant Plutus
literal_form: infant Plutus held in Tyche's arms
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:9
label: temple at Thebes
literal_form: Tyche's temple at Thebes
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Tyche governs human fortune
summary: Tyche is described as causing or influencing unexpected good and bad events,
success without merit, and undeserved ill-luck.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Iconography of Tyche
summary: Tyche is represented with rudders, blindfolded on a ball or wheel, with
sceptre, cornucopia, wings, and holding infant Plutus in Thebes.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
- sym:6
- sym:7
- sym:8
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:3
label: Worship of Tyche
summary: Tyche is worshipped in parts of Greece, especially by Athenians who believe
she has a special favor for their city.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: personified fortune governing human outcomes
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage explicitly treats Tyche as the personification and source of
luck, fortune, success, ill-luck, and unexpected events in human life.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy family directly names fortune or fate, so no taxonomy
reference is assigned.
- id: motif:2
label: fortune as unstable wheel or ball
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Tyche is later depicted blindfolded standing on a ball or wheel, explained
as indicating fickleness and ever-revolving changes of fortune.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: This is an iconographic motif rather than a narrative episode in the passage.
- id: motif:3
label: divine power over prosperity through child Plutus
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Tyche holding infant Plutus in Thebes is said to symbolize her power over
riches and prosperity.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage describes a symbolic representation, not a narrative action.
- id: motif:4
label: patron fortune of a city
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Athenians are said to worship Tyche especially and to believe in her special
predilection for their city.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not narrate a specific founding, rescue, or civic myth.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 4732-4740
quote_or_summary: Tyche personifies luck or fortune and is the source of unexpected
good or evil events; success without merit and undeserved ill-luck are attributed
to her influence.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary supplied.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 4742-4745
quote_or_summary: Tyche is sometimes depicted holding two rudders, steering the
barks of fortunate and unfortunate mortals.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary supplied.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 4745-4747
quote_or_summary: In later times Tyche appears blindfolded and standing on a ball
or wheel, signifying fortune's fickleness and revolving changes.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary supplied.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 4747-4748
quote_or_summary: Tyche frequently bears a sceptre and cornucopia or horn of plenty
and is usually winged.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary supplied.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 4748-4750
quote_or_summary: In her temple at Thebes, Tyche is represented holding infant Plutus
to symbolize her power over riches and prosperity.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary supplied.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 4750-4751
quote_or_summary: Tyche was worshipped in parts of Greece, especially by Athenians
who believed she favored their city.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary supplied.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: The passage is descriptive and iconographic, with clear evidence for Tyche's
attributes and worship. Motif candidates are straightforward but not aligned to
the supplied taxonomy families.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Only provided passage and metadata were used; no comparison claims were added because the passage does not itself support a specific comparative claim.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-roman-berens-myths-legends-gutenberg__l4728-l4751
passage_sha256=651bd3485abe0fbc81036e584fd58ea4e21f0d7152825bee8969f757dccbc8a3