The History of the Temperance Card

Three of the classical virtues are depicted in the standard tarot: Justice, Fortitude (or Strength), and Temperance. Temperance is universally depicted as pouring water from one jug to another. (She's watering the wine.) The jugs identify her, just as surely as sword and scales identify Justice. Sometimes she is standing, other times seated. An interesting variation occurs in the Belgian Tarot, in which Temperance has not only two jugs, but a staff as well and the motto "Fama Sol". For the ancient Greeks, Temperance was the central virtue of civic life. It represented the restraint of appetite, whether for food, drink, or sex. In classical philosophy, therefore, it stands for the subordination of the physical desires to higher, rational ideals. (This is an idea modern tarot interpreters often associate with the Strength card.) The Victorian understanding of temperance as abstinence from alcohol is sadly narrow.

On one level, this is all there is to be said about the historical Temperance. Like her accompanying virtues, she was a standard emblem for a well-known abstraction. Yet peculiar questions arise in connection with the tarot virtues. Their placement among the trumps varied more than any of the other cards of the deck. The tarot designers apparently felt that the virtues could "logically" belong in a number of different spots in the trump sequence. Part of the reason for the virtues' mobility had to do with the placement of the Death card. Death, obviously, had to be assigned number 13. But if that is done, there is not room for all three virtues to fit together among the lower numbers. In the southern tradition (Bologna, Florence, Sicily), the lower cards are deliberately misnumbered or reduced, so that the virtues can stay together! In the eastern tradition (Ferrara and Venice), Justice is promoted to accompany the Angel (Judgment) and the World as one of the highest trumps. The logic here was probably that Justice belongs at the Second Coming, weighing souls and vanquishing the evil. Indeed, the archangel Michael is conventionally depicted in just such a scene, complete with sword and scales.

In the western tradition (Milan and Marseilles, and virtually all modern decks), it is Temperance who is "promoted" above Death. In fact, she lands just above Death, at number 14. The symbolism of this placement, if there is any, is not at all clear. Yet there is reason to believe it was carefully thought out. In this ordering (now ubiquitous), the virtues are placed at positions 8, 11, and 14 - evenly spaced at every third card. This invites us to consider each in connection with the adjacent cards, rather than seeing them simply as a cluster of virtues. There is some logic to Justice prevailing over both Love and War (Chariot), and perhaps to Fortitude prevailing over Fortune and Old Age (Hermit), but what are we to make of Temperance following The Traitor (Hanged Man) and Death? Furthermore, in the southern and eastern traditions, the "dark cards" (Hanged Man, Death, the Devil, the Tower) form an uninterrupted sequence that seems very natural and never suffers any rearrangement. So by what right is Temperance permitted to intrude on this somber parade? The very oddness of it seems to suggest that there must be some deliberate reason.

Another piece of evidence is that Temperance, alone among the virtues of the Tarot de Marseille, is depicted consistently with angel wings. (Justice sports wings occasionally, a fact that can be attributed to woodcarvers misinterpreting the strange shape of the back of her throne, which also sometimes happened with the Empress.) Temperance was thus "promoted" not only in rank, but in physical form. It would be nice if there were some familiar jug-bearing angel from Christian iconography, as we found with the similarly promoted Justice-as-Michael. But there doesn't seem to be one.

One very appealing explanation of the appearance of an angelic figure between Death and the Devil is to be found in a common theme of medieval art: the souls of the dead being quickly snatched up by hosts of angels or devils and delivered to their ordained abode in Heaven or Hell, as the case may be. Perhaps the Tarot de Marseille designer was able to rationalize the promotion of Temperance by giving her wings and having her follow Death, in juxtaposition with the Devil. But, if so, there is still the even spacing 8-11-14, to remind us that she still carried her identity as one of the virtues. And of course she keeps her jugs, and her name.

We may never know just what was on the mind of those early designers who decided to elevate Temperance above the other virtues, and even above Death itself, but there is certainly something psychologically profound in this intrusion of divine composure amid the turmoil of death and punishment.There is a striking 16th-century painting of "Lot and his Daughters" illustrating the Biblical story of the destruction of Sodom and Gommorah, by Lucas van Leyden. In the background, fire streams down from heaven setting the city ablaze, reminiscent of the Tower. In the foreground, Lot's youngest daughter stands serenely pouring water from one jug to another. The moral of the painting is plain: Temperance, resisting the temptations of the flesh, saved the godly family from the terrible divine punishment.

Perhaps, then, we can catch a glimpse of some rationale for the distinctive treatment of Temperance in the Tarot de Marseille. While her sisters Justice and Fortitude are entrusted with keeping us responsible and strong in our worldly affairs, to Temperance is assigned the protection of our immortal soul--by resisting self-indulgence and instant gratification in this life, we may escape the Devil after Death, and be spirited upward by an angelic guide. Perhaps that meaning is a bit too moralistic for the modern age, but we can still appreciate the symmetry that is being set up. If there are devils about, it is comforting to have some angels close at hand as well.

Next time you pull Temperance from a historic tarot deck, look for the wings.

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