SORTES

lots. It was a frequent practice among the Italian nations to endeavour to ascertain a knowledge of future events by drawing lots ( sortes ): in many of the ancient Italian temples the will of the gods was consulted in this way, as at Praeneste, Caere, . These sortes or lots were usually little tablets or counters, made of wood or other materials, and were commonly thrown into a sitella or urn, filled with water, as is explained under Situla . The lots were sometimes thrown like dice. The name of sortes was in fact given to anything used to determine chances, and was also applied to any verbal response of an oracle. Various things were written upon the lots according to circumstances, as for instance the names of the persons using them, .: it seems to have been a favourite practice in later times to write the verses of illustrious poets upon little tablets, and to draw them out of the urn like other lots, the verses which a person thus obtained being supposed to be applicable to him.