There are four cardinal Virtues who kneel in homage at the feet of Truth. Strength rests on a lion which symbolizes its courage, while justice carries a sword and scales which refer to its power and impartiality. Further on, Temperance carries a pitcher of water which signifies abstinence, and Prudence carries a snake, an allusion to her wisdom. In the upper right corner is a building reminiscent of the Pantheon in Rome. The symbols they hold, such as the sword and lion, represent power and ambition while the snake represents deception and intellect. Troy here suggests that all the vain acts of humanity are a performance in themselves and that the only reality is age and death.,