jmd said:
Wonderful link and reflections (again), kenji.
And as you say, Minerva (as Athena Minerva) is very likely, in the case of the linked image, also that fourth cardinal virtue: Wisdom.
If this is the case, then another consideration for the 'missing' virtue of wisdom is, in addition to the Papess, the Empress, who has, after all, possible correlations with Athena Minerva.
If one makes Kabalistic reflections on the same, then the equivalent consideration are the instances in which Hockmah may be used in the Old Testament, especially in relation to the other virtues.
Here, for me at least, it seems to be more closely connected with the light of the Sun... yet, there is also another appelation that St Thomas also reminds us about this virtue: as the charioteer of the virtues.
And Minerva is associated with the number 7, number of the Chariot in the TdM pattern.
In seven we have the conjunction of body [4] and soul [3], and was thus termed by the pythagoreans 'the vehicle of life'; of which the 'chariot' would seem a suitable hieroglyph. Here again we another example of an apparent match between image and numerological symbolism of the period.
Seven is attributed to the Moon, as it "doeth dispense the motion, and light of the Moon" [Agrippa]. That is the 28 day cycle of the Moon is apportioned into 4 phases of 7 days each, new moon, waxing quarter, full moon and waning quarter. Seven is the base of the triangular [and 'perfect'] number 28, that is the sum of the numbers 1-7 = 28, the full cycle. It is probable that it is in the lunar cycle that the seven day week originated.
However the seventh day is also the day of rest, and thus Agrippa mentions it also has correspondence with the planet Saturn. In Hebrew the seventh day is named after Saturn; and both the Moon and Saturn are connected in that on the eve of the sabbath, the day of rest, the Shekinah as 'bride' is drawn down, and the symbol of the Shekinah is the Moon. But they are also connected in that as the Moon has a 28 day cycle, Saturn has a 28 year cycle also having four periods of seven year periods [thus the 'seven year itch']. The Moon and Saturn are the two ends in the order of the seven planets, to which are attributed the 'seven stages' in the life of man. The Moon is attributed to infancy, and Saturn to old age; thus the two represent the journey of the 'vehicle of life' [body and soul] from infancy to old age.
Agrippa also states: "It is assigned to Minerva, because it proceeds of nothing; also to Pallas the Virago because it consists of numbers male and female." I find this interesting in relation to the Chariot in that I have always considered that the charioteer to me appears androgynous, and could certainly in my eyes perhaps be a warrior maiden such as Minerva or Pallas Athena the virago. Indeed in the early painted decks the charioteer is clearly a woman. The epithets of Minerva include Hippias, that is Goddes of Horses, and in the battle of the gods and giants she rode her chariot against Enceladus. She is also the Goddes of Bridling [Chalinitidos], and it was she who broke in and bridled the winged horse Pegasus. As Goddes of Wisdom having mastery over horses she represents reasons or wisdoms controll of the passions or appetitive soul. She is also Goddess of Victory in battle with attributes of prudence, that is practical wisdom, and valour.
Seven is also connected with wisdom [the seven pillars of wisdom] and purity [7 pairs of the clean or 'kosher' animals went into the arc, as opposed to only two of each 'unclean']; this too would fit in with the Virgin Goddess of Wisdom, Pallas Minerva. Wisdom as
auriga virtutum, 'the charioteer of the virtues', a metaphore to be found originally in Plato, is to be found with great frequency in Christian texts. Plato described the soul as threefold, the appetitive, the spirited and the reasoning. The appetitive and spirited aspects he described as two horses, with reason [whose virtue is wisdom] as the charioteer. Alanus Magnus de Insulis, in his Anticlaudianus, provides another link with the number 7 in that he describes the chariot as being formed by wisdom out of the seven arts, grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, music, geometry and astronomy.
Aquinas somewhat differs from Plato however, in that he follows Augustine in describing wisdom as the virtue of
will rather than
reason.
Kwaw
