Tarot History Forum

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐀𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐚’𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧⁣
⁣
𝟏. 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞-𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫⁣

In the Type 2 (Ferrara–Venetian) trump sequence, Justice is placed unusually high, between the Angel of Judgment and The World.⁣
⁣
This position makes Justice more than a cardinal virtue: it aligns her with Astraea, the returning goddess of Justice, heralding the return of the Golden Age (the Age of Saturn and of Peace).⁣
⁣
The Virgilian prophecy was the touchstone of a common trope:⁣
⁣
“𝘐𝘢𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘵 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘰, 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢”⁣
⁣
Translation: “𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.”

𝟐. 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞⁣
⁣
The Este dynasty cultivated the image of Ferrara as a City of Peace, this was especially promoted under Borso d'Este.⁣
⁣
𝟑. 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧⁣
⁣
Borso d’Este was celebrated as the living embodiment of Justice.⁣
⁣
Court poets eulogized him as the prince under whom Astraea descended from the stars to dwell on earth, restoring the manners of antiquity and the eternal spring of the Golden Age:⁣
⁣
“𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘦, 𝘌𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘴, 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘮 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢, 𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘪;⁣
𝘘𝘶𝘰 𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦, 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘴 𝘈𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘴⁣
𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵, 𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪 𝘳𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘮, 𝘲𝘶𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘦, 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴⁣
𝘈𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘢𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴.” (Matteo Boiardo, Pastoralia, VI.65–70)⁣
⁣
Translation: “𝘏𝘢𝘪𝘭, 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘴𝘵𝘦, 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘰; 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘈𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘦𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩; 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥.”⁣
⁣
In the Palazzo Schifanoia frescoes, six virtues are depicted, but Justice is absent - the explaination according to some scholars (most art historians) was because Borso himself, dispensing Justice in the March panel, is the missing virtue incarnate.

𝟒. 𝐏𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲⁣
⁣
Ercole Strozzi (cousin of Boiardo) extended the theme in his elegy for Eleonora of Aragon, wife of Ercole d’Este:⁣
⁣
“𝘏𝘦𝘶 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘴, 𝘲𝘶𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴, 𝘈𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘢 𝘵𝘶𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘮 𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵, 𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘹𝘦𝘴.” (line 27)⁣
⁣
Translation: “𝘈𝘭𝘢𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯, 𝘏𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘦𝘢, 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩.”⁣
⁣
“𝘔𝘰𝘹 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵, 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢 𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘶𝘴, 𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪.” (lines 113–114)⁣
⁣
Translation: “𝘚𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘦.”⁣
⁣
“…𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘐𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘪, 𝘤𝘶𝘮 𝘴𝘢𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘢: 𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮 𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘦𝘮.” (lines 423–425)⁣
⁣
Translation: “𝘚𝘰𝘯, 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.”
Tito Vespasiano Strozzi in Borsias described Astraea as guardian at Borso’s birth:⁣
⁣
“𝘈𝘵 𝘐𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘪 𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘶𝘣𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘦𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦.”⁣
⁣
Translation: “𝘈𝘵 𝘑𝘰𝘷𝘦’𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, 𝘈𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘦𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘥, 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘺.”⁣
⁣
Ariosto, continuing Boiardo’s poetic legacy, celebrated Alfonso d’Este:⁣
⁣
“𝘈𝘭𝘧𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰 è 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘢 𝘴ì 𝘭𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘵à, 𝘤𝘩’𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘰 𝘭𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘳à 𝘤𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘈𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘶ò 𝘪𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘥𝘰 𝘦 𝘪𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘰.” (Orlando Furioso)⁣
⁣
Translation: “𝘈𝘭𝘧𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘦𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯.”
Isabella d’Este’s medal depicted Nemesis returning as Astraea, symbolizing the Golden Age of Peace.
Several generations later, long after the rule of the d'Este had ended in Ferrara, we still find echoes of the dynastic theme in the motto “Iustitia et Pax osculatae sunt” from Psalm 85:10 explicitly associated with Francesco II d’Este, Duke of Modena and Reggio (1660–1694). It appears on the frontispiece of the Consultationes forenses by Castaldi, printed in Modena in 1681, which was dedicated to him. The engraved emblem shows Justice and Peace embracing, accompanied by that Psalm verse.

𝟓. 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬⁣
⁣
The Ferrara trump order’s elevation of Justice reflects both eschatological theology (Justice conflated with Judgment) and dynastic propaganda (Justice embodied by the Este rulers).⁣
⁣
Justice was not simply one virtue among others, it was a keystone of d'Este identity, symbolizing divine law, civic peace, and dynastic legitimacy.⁣
⁣
Through frescoes, medals, mottos, and poetry, the Este court continually reinforced the image of Ferrara as the model of a Golden Age city of Peace where Astraea had returned to earth.

𝟏. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: “𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐈𝐬 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐞”

Poets flatter. Hyperbolic Golden Age language does not prove structural influence on tarot hierarchy.
The objection is reasonable, if poetry is treated as isolated rhetoric. But in Ferrara, poetry was not isolated. It was part of a coordinated court culture.

1a. 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭⁣
⁣
Under rulers such as:⁣
⁣
𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘰 𝘥'𝘌𝘴𝘵𝘦⁣
𝘌𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘐 𝘥'𝘌𝘴𝘵𝘦⁣
𝘈𝘭𝘧𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰 𝘐 𝘥'𝘌𝘴𝘵𝘦⁣
⁣
the court was saturated with humanists and poets, including:⁣
⁣
𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘰 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘉𝘰𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘰⁣
𝘛𝘪𝘵𝘰 𝘝𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘰 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘻𝘻𝘪⁣
𝘌𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘻𝘻𝘪⁣
𝘓𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘰 𝘈𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘰⁣
⁣
These were not marginal literary figures. They were embedded in governance, ceremony, and dynastic self-representation.⁣
⁣
Humanists designed:⁣
⁣
𝘍𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘴⁣
𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘩𝘴⁣
𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦⁣
𝘌𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴⁣
𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴⁣
𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴⁣
⁣
The court was an integrated symbolic workshop dedicated to promulgating the cause of Ferrara and celebrating and legitimizing the rule of the d'Este.

1b. 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝⁣
⁣
𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘻𝘻𝘰 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘢.⁣
⁣
That cycle was not “artisan improvisation.”⁣
⁣
It was:⁣
⁣
𝘈𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥⁣
𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥⁣
𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦⁣
𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤⁣
⁣
If Borso is depicted dispensing Justice while court poets describe him as Astraea incarnate, that is not random convergence.⁣
⁣
It is ideological coherence.⁣

While court poetry is indeed hyperbolic, in Ferrara such rhetoric formed part of a broader, coordinated program of dynastic representation. Humanists and court scholars were actively involved in designing allegorical cycles, festival iconography, and emblematic devices. The elevation of Justice in the Ferrara trump order coheres with this wider ideological emphasis on Astraea, Golden Age restoration, and princely Justice. Rather than deriving directly from a poem, the ordering reflects the symbolic climate of the Este court.

SteveM wrote: 26 Feb 2026, 11:17 Several generations later, long after the rule of the d'Este had ended in Ferrara, we still find echoes of the dynastic theme in the motto “Iustitia et Pax osculatae sunt” from Psalm 85:10 explicitly associated with Francesco II d’Este, Duke of Modena and Reggio (1660–1694). It appears on the frontispiece of the Consultationes forenses by Castaldi, printed in Modena in 1681, which was dedicated to him. The engraved emblem shows Justice and Peace embracing, accompanied by that Psalm verse.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐤𝐲

𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘵.
𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥.
𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩,
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯

Psalm 85:10–13 imagines a cosmic union: Mercy and Truth meeting, Justice and Peace embracing, heaven and earth reconciled. The psalmist, fresh from exile, dreams of harmony restored, a kiss between attributes once estranged.

Alexander MacLaren called this “the bridal of the earth and sky.” It is not bound to one age, but an ideal always hovering before us: heaven bending low, earth rising in confession, the two joined in fruitfulness. Justice walks before, preparing the way; Peace follows, delighting in the sweetness of renewal.
In the Ferrara–Venetian order of the Tarot, Justice likewise stands at the threshold, occupying the liminal space between the the Angel and the World. She mediates the passage from temporal order into eschatological consummation.

Painting in the Galleria Estense: Jacopo Negretti known as Palma the Younger, Allegory of Justice and Peace, c. 1620. It was originally in the hall of the Doge's Palace in Venice - the subject of Justice embracing Peace is from Psalm 85:10 - the inscription at the bottom left of the painting: "𝘐𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢 𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘹 𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘵", that is: "𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴".

SteveM wrote: 26 Feb 2026, 11:23 Psalm 85:10 - the inscription at the bottom left of the painting: "𝘐𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢 𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘹 𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘵", that is: "𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴".

The verse from the psalm was also used on the reverse of the Lead Bull of Antonio Grimani, Doge of Venice from 1521 to 1523, and also on the Venetian silver osella first minted in 1521.

Malatesti, in his collection of riddle poems "The Sphinx" that refer to the Minchiate cards and order, also refers to Justice as Astrea:

Trumps 7 & 8

Like a woman, I am little valued;
though in truth my worth is seven.
Yet whoever lays Lady Astraea upon me
may take a fortress without cannons.*

I am the Eight, but not the childish sort;*
I am the Eight itself, and Justice.
Yet those who know me well
take little account of my person.

*1. Fortezza - a play on words, Justice takes Fortitude as easily as capturing a fortress without artillery.
VIII beats VII.

*2. Lit. ...not those of the nurse, idiomatic for something trivial or childish (counting rhymes of the nursery).
Balia = wet nurse / nursemaid.

conto di balia
parole di balia
favole di balia

means nursery talk, childish things, or trivialities. Things told by a nurse to children.

So “quei di balia” typically means:
childish / nursery versions of something.
I am the Eight, but not the childish sort.

Original
Come donna ciascun poco m'apprezza,
Perche se bene i ho valor per sette,
Potrà, chi addosso mona Astrea mi mette,
Pigliar senza Cannoni una fortezza.

Son gl'Otto ma non già quei di balia,
Anzi son gl'Otto insieme e la Giustizia;
Con tutto ciò chi ha ben di me notizia,
Conto non tien della persona mia.

SteveM wrote,

I am the Eight, but not the childish sort;*
I am the Eight itself, and Justice.
Yet those who know me well
take little account of my person.


*2. Lit. ...not those of the nurse, idiomatic for something trivial or childish (counting rhymes of the nursery).
Balia = wet nurse / nursemaid.

conto di balia
parole di balia
favole di balia

means nursery talk, childish things, or trivialities. Things told by a nurse to children.

So “quei di balia” typically means:
childish / nursery versions of something.
I am the Eight, but not the childish sort.
...
Son gl'Otto ma non già quei di balia,
Anzi son gl'Otto insieme e la Giustizia;
Con tutto ciò chi ha ben di me notizia,
Conto non tien della persona mia.

It seems to me that "I am the eight, but not those of the nurse" might refer also to an association with baptism, with its eight-sided baptismal font, derived from the rite of circumcision, done on the eighth day after birth, eight so that one sabbath will have intervened.

The non-nursing reference to Justice as eight might be a reference, besides to the number of the card, to the Pythagorean doctrine expressed in Macrobius that eight is the number of justice.

The Pythagoreans, indeed, called the number eight Justice because it is the first number that may be divided into two equal numbers and divided again into two more equal even numbers . . . It is also the product of equals: two times two times two. Since it is the product of equal even numbers and may be divided equally, even down to the unit, which does not admit of division to mathematical computation, it deserves to receive the name Justice. (Commentary on the Dream of Scipio, trans. Stahl, p. 98)

The same thing is in Agrippa, book II, section on the number 8.

I am skeptical of the idea that Justice was elevated in order to portray d'Este Ferrara as a new Golden Age. Elevating it to the time of the Last Judgment in one way removes it from the human sphere altogether, temporally, referring it to God after the call to Judgment - unless, to be sure, Borso is God himself, installing the reign of Saturn, i.e. the "new Jerusalem" on a "new earth." This is not to say that Justice is out of place in the 20th position. But poets flatter, and lots of places compare their city to the New Jerusalem. Take the Visconti-Sforza World card. Wherever it was made, and whatever position it might have had, it still looks like an idealized Milan. But whether the high position of Justice in the B region is to present Ferrara as a place of justice and peace through its ruler is different from showing Borso dispensing justice. Placed after the Last Judgment, it is close to sacrilege. I think it is just as likely that Justice was second-highest before, or at least independently of, any of that poetry comparing Ferrara to the Golden Age where Astraea reigns. This is not to deny that a high valuation of Justice by the Estense may have had something to do with it. But it may have been in that position before Borso, for all we know, and had something to do with Niccolò or Leonello. Niccolò had his oldest son executed for adultery (with Niccolò's wife), and Leonello had to go to some trouble to be recognized as the legitimate successor, even though he was his father's designee, since unlike his younger brothers he was born illegitimate (Wikipedia).

mikeh wrote: 08 Mar 2026, 10:45 SteveM wrote,

I am the Eight, but not the childish sort;*
I am the Eight itself, and Justice.
Yet those who know me well
take little account of my person.

It seems to me that "I am the eight, but not those of the nurse" might refer also to an association with baptism, with its eight-sided baptismal font, derived from the rite of circumcision, done on the eighth day after birth, eight so that one sabbath will have intervened.

I took a wander down that side-alley too but rejected it as it seems to much of a stretch, I see no lexical cue in the verse pointing toward circumcision or baptism & I think this type of poetic riddle of the period usually rely on direct linguistic triggers, not multi-step symbolic chains

The non-nursing reference to Justice as eight might be a reference, besides to the number of the card, to the Pythagorean doctrine expressed in Macrobius that eight is the number of justice...

I find that more plausible, the case would be strengthened if it can be shown such number symbolism is a regular device through the poems.

I am the Eight, but not the nursery eight,
Rather, I am Eight itself: Justice.

...not the simple counting 8 (as taught to infants), but the allegorically symbolic 8, Justice.

While I think I am the eight, but not that of the wetnurse is the literal and primary meaning, there is a slight possible secondary meaning with a faintly punning reference to the Council of Eight (Gli Otto di Balia)* - I am the eight, but not those of the Balia - not those of the magistrates, but Justice itself.

The next line defines the meaning explicitly

Anzi son gl’Otto insieme e la Giustizia

This strongly anchors the verse in:

numerology ?

Tarot & Minchiate trump VIII !

*https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_di_Guardia_e_Balia

A plaque of the Lords Otto di Guardia and Balia, dated 1669, in which the Signi Otto prohibits the game of bullets (bowls), ball and "pelota" in the Alley and Piazza dei Cavallari and in the nearby Piazza dell'Olio.