This section is from "The American Cyclopaedia", by George Ripley And Charles A. Dana. Also available from Amazon: The New American Cyclopędia. 16 volumes complete..
Dice (plural of die), small cubes of ivory, bone, stone, or wood, used in gaming. Each of their six faces is marked with a different number of points, from 1 to 6, in such a way that the numbers upon any two opposite sides together count 7. They are shaken and thrown from a box upon a table, and the game depends upon the number of points presented by the upper faces. This is one of the most ancient of games. Plutarch makes it an early invention of the Egyptians. Dice have been discovered in Thebes, made of bone or ivory, and similar to those in use at present. Herodotus ascribes the invention of this, as of all other games of chance, to the Lydians. It is alluded to by AEschylus and Sophocles. The chief distinction between the ancient and the modern game is, that in the former three dice were employed, and in the latter ordinarily but two are used. The Greeks gave to the various throws that were possible the names of their divinities and heroes, the best throw being called Aphrodite. This game was adopted by the Romans, and the example of some of the emperors, especially of Nero, gave it a dangerous popularity. Wealthy Romans during the declining period of the empire frequently staked their entire fortunes upon a single chance.
It was introduced into France in the reign of Philip Augustus, and has continued a favorite game.
Dice (Gr. ikn), in Greek mythology, the goddess of justice, daughter of Zeus and Themis and sister of Eunomia (good rule) and Irene (peace). She appears as one of the Hora3, and as an attendant of the father of the gods, and in the tragedians also as an avenging and rewarding divinity. Her office was not only to punish injustice, but to reward virtue.
 
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