Justitia (Latin : Iustitia) is the Roman goddess of justice, an allegorical personification of moral force in judicial systems. She is equivalent to the Greek goddess Dike and/or Astraea. Due to this she is often called with the epithet Virgo.
Mythology & Sources[]
Ovid[]
Ovid's Metamorphoses Book 1. line 155 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.):
"[During the Iron Age of Mankind :] Honor and love lay vanquished, and from earth, with slaughter soaked, Justitia (Justice), virgin divine, the last of the immortals fled away."
Ovid's Metamorphoses Book 5 line 43 ff:
"[When Cepheus' brother Phineus tried to kill Perseus, jealous that the hero had won his fiancé Andromeda:] Cepheus left the hall, calling Fides (Faith), Jus (Justice) [Justitia] and the Gods of Hospitality (Di Hospitii) to bear him witness that what was done defied his word and will."
Ovid's Fasti Book 1. [1] line 248 ff (trans. Boyle) (Roman poetry C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.):
"I [Saturn] reigned at the time when earth could endure the gods and human places were crammed with deities. The crimes of man had not yet banished Justitia (Justice) (the last divinity to leave the earth)."
Statue of Justice at the Gate of Justice, one of the gates of the Dublin Castle. The statue was sculpted by John van Nost the Younger and erected in 1750
Virgil[]
Virgil's Georgics Book 2.[2] line 473 ff (trans. Fairclough) (Roman bucolic C1st B.C.):
"Among them [the countryfolk], as she departed from the earth, Justitia (Justice) left the last imprint of her feet."
Statius[]
Statius' Thebaid Book 2. line 360[3] ff (trans. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.):
"[Polynices addresses his wife before the War of the Seven Against Thebes:] Should one day the Saturnian father [Jove] take knowledge of my fate, and Justitia (Justice), if she think at all to glance down from heaven and defend the right on earth: then perchance that day shall dawn for thee, when thou shalt see thy husband's walls, and go in queenly pomp through two cities.”
Flaccus[]
Valerius Flaccus' Argonautica Book 1. line 730[4] ff (trans. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.):
"[Aeson and Alcimede summon a Fury to avenge themselves on King Pelias:] ‘Thou, O maid [Justicia (Justice)], that dost report guilty deeds to Jove, who lookest down upon earth with unerring eyes, ye avenging goddesses [the Erinyes], thou Divine Law, and thou Poena (Retribution), aged mother of the Furiai (Fures), enter into the sinful palace of the king [Pelias], and bring upon him your fierce torches. Let accursed fear ravish his maddened heart; nor let him deem that my son alone will come with grim weapons in his bark [and take vengeance on the king].’"
Hyginus[]
| “ | Virgo, Hanc Hesiodus Iovis et Themidis filiam dicit; Aratus autem Astraei et Aurorae filiam existimari, quae eodem tempore fuerit cum aurea saecula hominum, et eorum principem fuisse demonstrat. Quam propter diligentiam et aequitatem Iustitiam appellatam; neque illo tempore ab hominibus exteras nationes bello lacessitas esse, neque navigio quemquam usum, sed agris colendis vitam agere consuesse. Sed post eorum obitum qui sint nati, eos minus officiosos, magis avaros coepisse fieri, quare minus Iustitiam inter homines fuisse conversatam. Denique causam pervenisse usque eo, dum diceretur aeneum genus hominum natum. Itaque iam non potuisse pati amplius et ad sidera evolasse. | ” |
–Hyginus, Astronomica, Book II, Verse 25 | ||
In English[6], it states: "Virgo: Hesiod calls her the daughter of Jove and Themis. Aratus says that she is thought to be daughter of Astraeus and Aurora, who lived at the time of the Golden Age of men and was their leader. On account of her carefulness and fairness she was called Justice, and at that time no foreign nations were attacked in war, nor did anyone sail over the seas, but they were wont to live their lives caring for their fields. But those born after their death began to be less observant of duty and more greedy, so that Justice associated more rarely with men. Finally the disease became so extreme that it was said the Brazen Race was born; then she could not endure more, and flew away to the stars."
External Link[]
Justitia at Theoi