Aequitas
Aequitas is the Roman concept and personification of equity - fairness, even measure, the honest scale - and Cicero gives a tripartite account of it, dividing it into pietas toward the gods, sanctitas toward the dead and iustitia toward other people.
Aequitas is a civic personification of a concept, not a mythic person, and unlike Fides, Virtus, Honos or Salus she has no attested temple or festival: her evidence is coinage (Aequitas Augusti with scales and cornucopia), juristic usage, and Cicero's philosophical account. The Roman scales mean honest measure more often than they mean justice, which is worth keeping distinct from Justitia. The planetary, zodiacal, tarot and sabbat values here are modern Western overlays with no Roman basis, and the tradition's own account is primary.
Correspondences
- Planetary Correspondence
- Jupiter
Offerings
- Offerings
- An honest accountA debt paidIncenseWineA measure checked
Sacred timing
Symbols and forms
- Alternate Names
- Aequitas AugustiEquityFairnessEven Measure
- Gender Expression
- Feminine
- Titles
- EquityThe Fair MeasureAequitas AugustiThe Even BalanceThe Honest Scale
- Symbols
- The scalesThe cornucopiaThe measuring rodThe coin
Practice
- Invocation Approach
- TonePrecise and coolAddressAequitasEquityThe Fair MeasureRelationshipThe scale that is the same for both partiesWarningShe is equity and not leniencyResonanceThose making an account settling a debt or judging between two
- Modern Practice
Aequitas is invoked when something has to be divided or accounted for: a settlement, a bill, a shared house, a judgement between two people. Her practice is the honest measure - the same scale for both sides - and it is not the same thing as being kind.
Nature and meaning
- Domain
- EquityFairnessEven measureThe honest scalesLegal equityProportionalityThe thing that is due
- Mythology Summary
Aequitas is the Roman concept and personification of equity - fairness, even measure, the honest scale - and Cicero gives a tripartite account of it, dividing it into pietas toward the gods, sanctitas toward the dead and iustitia toward other people. As a divine personification she belongs to the vocabulary of the imperial cult, appearing as Aequitas Augusti on coins with scales and cornucopia, and aequitas was also a working principle of Roman law and of the mint's honest measure. She has no temple and no festival that we know of, and no mythology at all.
Details
- Correspondences
- ColorsWhiteGoldGreyScentsFrankincense boswellia sacraCedarMetalsBronzeGoldAnimalsOwlEagle
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