stultitia

Stultitia is the Latin noun for folly or foolishness, derived from stultus “foolish.” The term denotes a state or quality of lacking good sense, judgment, or prudence, and is commonly contrasted with prudentia (prudence) and virtus (virtue). In classical literature, stultitia is treated as a vice arising from credulity, misjudgment, or ignorance of the true good. Philosophers and satirists used the concept to discuss errors in reasoning, moral weakness, or the consequences of imprudence in public and private life.

Historically, stultitia was often personified in allegory and emblematic literature as a figure representing foolishness. In medieval and Renaissance works, Stultitia appears as a female allegory and is depicted in emblematic verse and art as a warning against vanity, distraction, or credulity. Such personifications served didactic purposes, illustrating how folly could impede virtue and sound judgment.

In modern scholarship, the term is primarily encountered in studies of Latin language, rhetoric, and moral psychology. It is used to analyze how ancient writers distinguished folly from wisdom, and how prudence and practical judgment were framed within ethical discourse. While the Latin term itself is largely archaic outside classical studies, the concept of folly continues to influence discussions of human error, decision-making, and moral evaluation in historical and comparative contexts.