page_title: Cardinal virtues
section_title: Allegory
hierarchical_section_title: Cardinal virtues / Allegory
caption_attribution_description: English: The Tomb of Sir John Hotham in St Mary's Church, South Dalton, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Digital Photoraph, hand held in low light conditions. Taken by Austen Redman, 7 May 2007.
context_page_description: Four cardinal virtues were recognized by Plato, and in traditional Christian theology:
  Prudence, the ability to discern the appropriate course of action to be taken in a given situation at the appropriate time.
  Fortitude: also termed courage, forbearance, strength, endurance, and the ability to confront fear, uncertainty, and intimidation
  Temperance: also known as restraint, the practice of self-control, abstention, discretion, and moderation tempering the appetition. Plato considered Sōphrosynē, which may also be translated as sound-mindedness, to be the most important virtue.
  Justice: also considered as fairness; the Greek word also having the meaning righteousness
  These principles derive initially from Plato in Republic Book IV, 426–435. Cicero expanded on them, and Ambrose, Augustine of Hippo, and Thomas Aquinas adapted them while expanding on the theological virtues.
  The term cardinal comes from the Latin cardo; virtues are so called because they are regarded as the basic virtues required for a virtuous life. They also relate to the Quadrivium.
context_section_description: The Cardinal Virtues are often depicted as female allegorical figures and were a popular subject for funerary sculpture. The attributes and names of these figures may vary according to local tradition.
  In many churches and artwork the Cardinal Virtues are depicted with symbolic items:
  Justice – sword, balance and scales, and a crown
  Temperance – wheel, bridle and reins, vegetables and fish, cup, water and wine in two jugs
  Fortitude – armor, club, with a lion, palm, tower, yoke, broken column
  Prudence – book, scroll, mirror (occasionally attacked by a serpent)
  Notable depictions include sculptures on the tomb of Francis II, Duke of Brittany and the tomb of John Hotham. They were also depicted in the garden at Edzell Castle.
  Allegories of the virtues on the facade of the Gesuati church in Venice (1737)
  Allegories of the virtues on the facade of La Rochelle city hall
caption: The Tomb of Sir John Hotham, supported by figures of the cardinal virtues.
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