Tyche in the World of Menander

Abstract

The significance of Tyche, the goddess of Chance, is marked in the late fourth century in Athens as one can observe in this unique thesis, Tyche in the World of Menander, where her development is evident from the Homeric period until the beginning and late Hellenistic period. A good example is the Heimarmene vase painter where on that vase, a clear example of Tyche is seen along with Nemesis. This vase dates to about 430B.C. Nemesis was regarded cautiously as a goddess in check against Tyche who used excessive force conferred by Fortune. The genesis of the goddess of Chance begins with vestiges of Fate or Moira. The thesis follows a linear path of development where Tyche culminates in her importance in the plays of Menander in the late fourth century.

The straightforward development of Tyche begins in Homer, in an embryonic form which develops in the latter plays of Euripides and finally to the extant plays of Menander. The Aspis of Menander, of unknown date, depicts Tyche as an important goddess in the post-prologue where she states that she is the goddess of Chance, the goddess who forged the chain of events which began with the apparent death of the Athenian mercenary, Kleostratos. Even though we have seven extant plays of Menander who produced more than one hundred, it is surprising that we have a play such as the Aspis which mentions Tyche so prominently. It is more than act of Fortune that we have such a play.

Thus, the composite nature of the thesis highlights the significance of Tyche in the cultural context of the of the fourth century within the Greek speaking world. This period is dominated by the political effects of Alexander the Great, even after his death, who took Tyche as his symbol of conquest – it was Tyche who was on his side of conquest.