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, &c.
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, &c.: 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.