Lot divination was ubiquitous in the Mediterranean regions throughout the Roman Empire. It is mentioned in the Bible, and numerous classical sources also take note of it. In modern times, lot divination is largely forgotten. Even in modern divinatory circles, other techniques such as astrology, palmistry, and tarot overshadow lot divination. One might be hard pressed to find a single lot diviner offering their services in places where alternative spiritual services advertise. Lot divination is largely forgotten. If it is offered today, especially as a divinatory art of the classical period, the Roman Empire, or Late Antiquity, it is reconstructed. Most reconstructions are likely to include the research of scholars and the experience of practical application. In order to show the process of lot divination, which is offered on this website, the facts around three cases are shared. The cases are those of three clients who sought lot divination for issues they were dealing with. The methods used were pioneered by Kostas Dervenis and John Opsopaus. Dervenis helped to reconstruct the Dice Oracle. Opsopaus did the same with the Alphabet Oracle, and improvised to create the Seven Sages Oracle. The work of scholars was instrumental in reconstructing these methods of divination. In the three cases that are mentioned here, the questions were posed by the clients. All of the facts of the divination cases are true. Each case is broken up into categories, with background, the process, and the conclusion. The name of the client or querent is not mentioned, and is called Querent 1, Querent 2, and Querent 3. Some personal details have been left out and the writing has strived for anonymity for those involved. The information is also presented with permission of the querents. In the conclusion section of each case, any extra information that was relayed afterwards is shared along with any other interpretive suggestions. If I receive further updates, I will update the article with relevant information. Hopefully, the cases presented here can give an idea of what one example of lot divination looks like. It also might be educational for those interested in learning how to do it on their own, or to try it as a querent or client.
Case 1: Three Questions about a Trip Home
Background: Querent 1 contacted me about doing divination for an upcoming trip he and his daughter were taking to America. He explained that he was anxious about his trip. He provided three questions.
Questions:
First question: How will my upcoming trip to America work out?
Second question: Is it a good move for my daughter to go to school in the US?
Third question: Is there any danger lurking there for either of us?
Divination process:
The three questions were divided up, with the Alphabet and Seven Sages Oracles for the first two questions, and the Dice Oracle for the third question. I chose the oracles for the questions based on a normal order I use, with the Alphabet and Seven Sages accompanying each other for the first questions.
First question: How will my upcoming trip to America work out?
The Alphabet Oracle was done first. Stones were cast. The two stones have light and dark stickers on each side. The dark sticker fell upright, so it meant the second quadrant of the board was chosen. The dark sticker side was cast again. Then a die was rolled, producing the number 4. The alphabet board was referred to. The latter row had been selected and the fourth letter was the Greek letter Pi. The letter’s corresponding quote was then referred to. It is shared below.
“Passing many tests, you will win the crown.”
Interpretation notes: Perseverance through adversity.
The Seven Sages Oracle was done next. I use coins for the Seven Sages Oracle. There are 3 coins, one that is big, a second that is medium, and a third that is small. The coins were flipped on a scarf. The number of coin tosses was 2 times with the big coins and 6 times with the smaller two coins. If a coin was heads, it was marked down. The results of the coin tosses were:
Coin tosses that were heads:
Big coin flipped 2 times, 2 were heads
medium coin flipped 6 times, 1 was heads
small coin flipped 6 times, 3 were heads
1 should be added to each number.
The final numbers were 3, 2, 4.
After tossing the coins, counting the heads tosses, and adding 1 to each set, the numbers were 3, 2, 4. I then referred to the Seven Sage line that had these corresponding numbers. It said:
“Fear being mighty.”
Interpretation notes: Be careful of hubris, beware ego.
Second question: Is it a good move for my daughter to go to school in the US?
I rolled the stone for the Alphabet Oracle. The stone fell on its side, so there was no answer. In cases like this, I usually see it as a sign the question won’t be answered. I casted again, and again it happened. So, I decided there wouldn’t be an answer from the Alphabet Oracle. Then I had to determine if I would answer the question with the other oracle. I asked the question: Should I do the Seven Sages Oracle for the second question? I said out loud, “If the die roll is odd, the answer is yes. If it’s even, the answer is no. The answer was 2, which is even, so the answer was no.
Third question: Is there any danger lurking there for either of us?
For the third question, I consulted the Dice Oracle. With this oracle, I would use a sheep knuckle bone, an astragaloi. The bone has four positions. Two are broad, and two are narrow. There are hyption, which is broad and concave, pranes, which is broad and convex, the convex narrow side is called chion, and the concave narrow side is called koon. The sides have these numeric values:
Chion 1
Hyption 3
Pranes 4
Koon 6
I rolled the astragaloi 5 times, noting each roll’s side. The rolls were:
Pranes, pranes, hyption, chion, and pranes.
The rolls equaled the numbers 44431.
I then referred to the corresponding quote and deity for the numbers 44431. It corresponded with Prometheus and some lines of text.
Prometheus
“A single one, one three, the rest are fours:
The circumstances promise great reward.
If you act wisely on what the divination tells you, stranger, you will succeed;
From the gods, you have just approval for that which you seek.”
Interpretation notes: The move will be successful.
Conclusion: The querent was visiting the United States after living abroad for almost 20 years. The trip was to meet the individual’s mother, who was estranged. It was also to get the daughter enrolled in a US high school and to get her a home stay. The mother wanted to help the daughter, but was probably doing it for power and control over the granddaughter and son. None of this was revealed in the initial questions or told as background prior to the divination. The querent was dealing with family issues, memories of an abusive mother, and worries that his daughter may be manipulated by his mother. The querent went on the trip and returned. Though there were many challenging moments, the trip went fine and the daughter began the semester at an American high school.
Case 2: Four Questions About Happiness, Love, Business, and Destiny
Background: Querent 2 wanted to know the answers to these pressing life questions. The querent hadn’t had a chance to get answers for them, and when discussing lot divination with me jumped at the chance to provide questions.
Questions:
First Question: When will I become happy and content? How can I be happy?
Second Question: Will I have a new partner?
Third Question: If I will continue on my plan to start a new business, will it be successful?
Fourth Question: I want to meet my soulmate, is there a chance? Or did I meet him already?
Divination Process:
The four questions were allotted oracles from intuition. The Alphabet Oracle and Seven Sages Oracle as a combination were decided for the first question about happiness. For the second question about having a new partner, a combination of dice and coins was used to come up with a number that indicated a favorable, middling, or unfavorable answer. The lot divination book the Sortes Astrampsychi was used. Also, the Seven Sages Oracle was consulted. For the third question about a new business, the Dice Oracle was consulted. For the last question, the Alphabet Oracle and Seven Sages Oracle were consulted.
First Question: When will I become happy and content? How can I be happy?
I consulted the Alphabet Oracle first. I cast the stone with a dark sticker, then a stone with a light sticker. This referred to the second quadrant of the board and the first row. I rolled the die and got 5. It was the letter Tau. The letter came with corresponding text.
Tau
“Take release from present circumstance. You will have release from the present circumstances.”
Next, the Seven Sages Oracle was consulted for the same question. The big coin was cast 2 times, and heads didn’t come up. The medium coin was cast 6 times, and heads came up four times. The small coin was thrown 6 times, and heads came up twice.
Big coin 0
Medium coin 4
Small coin 2
1 should be added to each number.
The final numbers are 1, 5, 3.
The numbers were 1, 5, 3 and the corresponding line from the oracle stated:
“Shun vice.”
Interpretation notes: Don’t do something bad, dishonorable, or evil. If you are engaged in anything of this kind, stop.
Second Question: Will I have a new partner?
After that, the Numbers Oracle was used. In order to use this system, I rolled a die 3 times, noting each number rolled. The same was done again. A coin was flipped 3 times, with heads being worth 2 and tails 1. The coin was flipped again the same number of times. A die was rolled again for two more sets of 3. The numbers rolled and thrown are written down below. Each set is either odd or even based on the rolls or throws.
2, 4, 1, even
5, 1, 6, odd
1, 2, 1, odd
2, 2, 2, even
6, 2, 6, odd
6, 4, 6, even
There were 6 lines, and 3 were odd and 3 were even. 3 and 3 are tied, so it was a tiebreaker for a middling chance. Because it was a tie, the coin was thrown two more times. Both rolls were odd. The final verdict was:
It was a tie overall, so it’s a middling chance. But the last throws were both odd, pointing to a favorable ending. The throws indicated that it was likely to happen. In conclusion, it is a middling chance but likely to happen.
I consulted the Sortes Astrampsychi, a lot divination book. The first step is to find the question listed in the book that most closely matches the question of Querent 2. The question I found was: “Will I get the girl I desire?” Using dice and coins, a number should be selected out of the digits 1 through 10. The number I got with the dice and coins was 5. In the divination book’s ancient method, after selecting a number from 1 to 10, the number should be added to the number of the question. After that, one should look at the table of numbers in the book, which has numbered sets of ten answers. With the new number ready, I found the correct decade, or list of ten answers. I then found the 5th answer in the list of ten answers. It read:
“You won’t get the woman you desire.”
Interpretation notes: The answer is unfavorable and the partner won’t come.
Afterwards, the Seven Sages Oracle was consulted for the same question. The big coin was thrown 2 times, and heads came up twice. For the medium coin, it was thrown 6 times, and heads came up 3 times. A small coin was tossed 6 times and heads came up 4 times.
Big coin flipped 2 times, 2 were heads
Medium coin flipped 6 times, 3 were heads
Small coin 6 flipped times, 4 were heads
1 should be added to each number.
The final numbers are 3, 4, 5.
The corresponding maxim from the Seven Sages Oracle stated:
“Be fond of those you have reared.”
Interpretation notes: Think of your children when contemplating this question or situation. If Querent 2 has children, then having a new partner might not be good for them, or on the other hand, could be good for them as well. Children or those nurtured by the querent are an important consideration, nonetheless.
Third Question: If I continue on my plan to start a new business, will it be successful?
The Dice Oracle was consulted. The astragaloi was rolled 5 times. The sides that were rolled were hyption, koon, hyption, pranes, and hyption.The sides and numeric values were:
Hyption 1
Koon 6
Hyption 1
Pranes 4
Hyption 1
The astragaloi rolls came up with the numbers 16141.
The numbers 16141 correspond to Hermes of the Games, with the accompanying text:
Hermes of the Games
“One six, three ones, the fifth is a four:
Stranger, your business in foreign lands will go well.
Do not seek for opportunity; the god will arrange for your happiness.
For it is not difficult for this situation to bring you gains.”
Fourth Question: I want to meet my soulmate, is there a chance? Or did I meet him already?
Stones were cast for the Alphabet Oracle. The dark sticker stone was first, and the dark sticker stone was second. The number 2 was rolled with the die. This led to the last row and second letter, Theta. The text that comes with the letter says:
Theta
“Thou hast gods as comrades and as aides. You have the gods as assistants and defenders.”
Interpretation notes: Call on the gods for aid, and they will help you. Have confidence.
The Seven Sages Oracle was next. The big coin was tossed 2 times, with 1 heads. Next, the medium coin was tossed 6 times for 4 heads. The small coin was tossed 6 times with 5 heads.
Big coin flipped 2 times, 1 was heads
Medium coin flipped 6 times, 4 were heads
Small coin flipped 6 times, 5 were heads
1 should be added to each number.
The final numbers were 2, 5, 6.
The numbers 2, 5, 6, corresponded to the maxim:
“Ward off hubris.”
Interpretation notes: The querent may be hubristic in considering this issue. It may be very far from the reality of the querent’s life. Or, in order to find the querent’s soulmate, it is important to ward off hubris.
Conclusion: Querent 2 presented 4 questions about happiness, a new partner, a new business, and a soulmate. The first question is about happiness. The Alphabet Oracle suggested current unhappy conditions will change soon, or the situation will transform. The Seven Sages Oracle suggested to shun vice, or to embrace good and virtuous behavior. To be happy, it would be good to exert discipline and make sure not to engage in bad behavior, especially if it is unjust. The second question about having a new partner had three answers. The Numbers Oracle gave the answer that it was a middling chance but more likely than not to occur. The Sortes Astrampsychi said it wouldn’t happen. The Seven Sages Oracle suggested that the querent’s children were an important consideration. The third question was answered with the Dice Oracle. It was about a new business. The oracle’s answer was favorable, and to continue with the business. The fourth question was about the querent’s soulmate. The Alphabet Oracle and Seven Sages Oracle were consulted, respectively. The Alphabet Oracle said that the gods are aides and comrades, in regard to the situation. The gods can be asked for help, or there can be faith that the issue of a soulmate is being guided by higher beings. The Seven Sages Oracle suggest to ward off hubris, possibly saying that the whole question itself came from pride or an irrational take on the whole situation.
Case 3: Three Questions About Children, Love, and Moving a Business
Background: Querent 3 had a lot of stress and worries. The querent’s children had schooling issues, and the querent was concerned about the future of one of the children. The querent also was lonely and waiting for a life partner. Third, the querent wanted to move their business to a new location, but wasn’t sure about it.
Questions:
First Question: My son will study to get into a university. He developed a study plan. Is it possible for him to succeed and go to a good university?
Second Question: I want to move my business by moving to a new location. Will it be good for me if I do it?
Third Question: Can I make a stable relationship next year?
Divination Process: I decided the oracles to use for the questions. For the first question, the Dice Oracle was used. The second question is about moving the place of work, and for this question the Dice Oracle, the Seven Sages Oracle, and the Sortes Astrampsychi were used. If the answer was still unclear, I would use layers of dice and coins to get an odd or even number. For the third question, the Sortes Astrampsychi, Dice Oracle, Seven Sages Oracle, and Alphabet Oracle were consulted.
First Question: My son will study to get into a university. He developed a study plan. Is it possible for him to succeed and go to a good university?
The Dice Oracle was consulted with 5 rolls of the sheep knuckle bone. The sides that were rolled(and their numeric values) were:
Hyption 3
Koon 6
Hyption 3
Chion 1
Chion 1
The final numbers from the rolls were 36311.
The numbers 36311 corresponded to Hermes the Guide and its text:
Hermes the Guide
“One six, two ones, and two threes;
Do not reflect upon evil, nor go against the god,
Planning calamities, for there
Is nothing useful in this.
Neither on the path you are taking, will you uncover gain in the end.”
Interpretation notes: The education path planned for the querent’s son probably won’t be successful in the way imagined. Also, fearing the future and having a lot of negativity in planning the future for the child isn’t helpful for the situation as a whole.
Second Question: I want to move my business by moving to a new location. Will it be good for me if I do it?
The Sortes Astrampsychi was consulted. The idea is to find the question from a series of questions in the book that best fits the original question. The question that fits the initial question is: “Will I be successful?” Using dice and coins, out of 10 numbers, the outcome was the number 3. Then the rules of the Sortes Astrampsychi were followed. 3 is added to the number that came with the question. Then looking at the table of numbers, the new number corresponds to a decade, or list of 10 answers. Referring to that decade, I look at the third answer there, out of ten of them. The answer is:
“You’ll succeed as a consequence of your own labors.”
Next, the Numbers Oracle was consulted. As stated in the second case for Querent 2, a die was rolled 3 times, a coin was tossed 3 times, with a die rolled again, then more coin tosses, then the die rolled in two more sets. However, out of 5 sets, 4 were even. So, the last set was skipped and the answer was no. The results are listed below.
2, 2, 6, Even
1, 1, 2, Odd
5, 4, 6, Even
1, 2, 2, Even
2, 4, 2, Even
The last set was skipped.
The answer is negative, or unfavorable. It is a firm no.
Third Question: Can I make a stable relationship next year?
With the Sortes Astrampsychi, the question has to be chosen that matches the original question. The best question in the book for the original question is: “Will I get the girl I desire?” The next step is to choose a number from 1 to 10. After rolling dice and tossing coins the answer is 4. The answer is:
“You’ll get the woman you desire.”
The Dice Oracle was consulted using an astragaloi. It is supposed to be rolled 5 times, and the sides that resulted after casting the bone were hyption, hyption, pranes, pranes, and pranes. The answers and numeric values are listed below:
Hyption 1
Hyption 1
Pranes 4
Pranes 4
Pranes 4
The final numbers were 11444.
The numbers 11444 refer to the Benevolent Spirit. The text that comes with it states:
The Benevolent Spirit
“Should three fours fall and two ones:
The god will lead you down the path he imposes.
Smiling Aphrodite will guide you with benevolence;
Your path will be productive, and no clouds hang over your fate.”
The Alphabet Oracle was next. The stones were cast, and both light sticker stones were upright. This meant the letter was in the first row of the alphabet board. Then the die was thrown, resulting in the number 3. The third letter in the row was iota.
Iota
“In all things thou shalt excel-with sweat!”
“There is sweat, but you will surpass everything.”
Interpretation notes: It will be toilsome and challenging, but you can achieve your goal.
Last, the Seven Sages was utilized for the third question. The big coin was tossed 2 times, and there was 1 heads side tossed. The medium coin was thrown 6 times, with 5 heads resulting. The small coin was tossed 6 times, and there were 2 heads.
Big coin tossed 2 times, 1 was heads
Medium coin tossed 6 times, 5 were heads
Small coin tossed 6 times, 2 were heads
1 should be added to each number.
The final numbers were 2, 6, 3.
The corresponding maxim for the numbers 2, 6, 3 is:
“Censure the present.”
Interpretation notes: “If you must censure someone, do it to their face.” Be willing to realize the source of a problem is close to home. Criticize our culture or society. Censure present circumstances or what is near at hand.
Conclusion: For Querent 3, the first question was about the current plan for the education of the querent’s son. The answer from the Dice Oracle seems to be that the thinking around the issue, as well as the plan itself, won’t be helpful or lead to success. The second question is about moving the place of work and a business to a new location. The answer from the Sortes Astrampsychi is that with hard work there will be success, while the Numbers Oracle’s answer is that it is unfavorable. The two answers are conflicting, unless one sees the first one as suggesting more that success will come based on the attitude. Or, the two differing messages might suggest that it could go either way, and there is no definite answer. The third question is about finding a new partner. The Sortes Astrampsychi suggests that it will occur, that there will be a partner the querent finds suitable. The Dice Oracle suggests that there will be success and gives some tips and hints around the matter. The Alphabet Oracle also answers that there will be success, but it will be challenging. Last, the Seven Sages Oracle cryptically states to censure the present, possibly suggesting something in the querent’s current life or attitude towards this issue is a hindrance.
Final Comments: The three cases presented here along with the accompanying questions, the means of choosing which oracles should be used for each question, the methodologies of the oracles, and the answers presented for each question hopefully give insight into the phenomenon of lot divination.
Photo Credits
- An ancient die in the Met Museum. Photo by Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Dice in the Museum of Delos. Photo by Zde.
David has studied traditional astrology since 2014. The Bay Area native completed Chris Brennan’s Introduction to Hellenistic Astrology course, and attended courses taught by Austin Coppock, Nina Gryphon, and Ryhan Butler. He is interested in exploring the less well known aspects of astrology, divination, and spirituality.