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Iusticia - XXXVII of Mantegna Tarot

Iusticia - XXXVII

The Virtue of Justice

Iusticia ia another virtue prominently present in Tarot, as Justice or in the Thoth deck, as Adjustment. Her symbols are the scales to balance wrong and right, and the sword to depict the power of justice. The bird at her side is a crane, symbolizing vigilance and alertness. We can see that the crane holds a stone in his claw, hinting at a tale from Pliny's Natural History, according to which Plutarch stated that cranes stand their watch like Hercules, who leaned with his head and hand upon his club. The crane would stand on one leg and hold a stone in the claws of the other foot, so that if it fell asleep, it would drop the stone and awaken itself.



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