Nature
This is a Medieval text so don’t go in expecting to find a Captain Marvel. Nature is the leading the character and she is, like the rest, allegorical. On the other hand, she is somewhat modern in the fact that in this text she is actually a character in a sequel. Anticlaudianus is the author’s follow-up to De Planctu naturae in which Nature is celebrated for her arrival but immediately proceeds to argue that human is irrational, illogical and violates the natural order of things. In the sequel, Nature creates a man whose purpose is to renew that natural order while also fulfilling the destiny of the human race.
Prudence
Nature calls upon the Virtues for assistance in creating a new man who does not prove a total disappointment. Prudence facilitates the process by being unusually wise with her advice and guidance: the powers at work here great, but limited. While the construction of a body is certainly doable, it is important to remember there is a key flaw in the blueprints: creating a soul is beyond capacity.
Reason
It is Reason who builds up the recognition of the design law spotted by Prudence. If the Virtues cannot work with Nature to create a soul, logic dictates they must outsource this element of design. And who better for the job than God?
Concordia
Still, a problem remains. While outsourcing the construction of the soul to God gets Virtues around the problem of their own lack of capacity, they first have to get to God. To Prudence falls the job of designing a chariot which can take both her and Reason to God. But while Prudence has the big-picture logic to solve the problem of how to get there, she is herself no engineer. And so the task of actually constructing the chariot falls to Concordia.
Theologia
Only it turns out the chariot cannot make it past the stars which border heaven. Theologia appears and rides a single horse to guide them part of the way. She, however, is prohibited past the point at which the wonders of heaven can be seen. At the appearance of Jesus and Mary, she faints and can lead the sisters no further.
Faith
Faith is the sister of Theologia, and she appears to revive her and give her a mirror which allows Theologia to see into heaven as a reflection. Faith takes over as guide and manages to transport the chariot into the highest realm of heaven.
God
God sits in that realm and agrees not only to meet with Prudence, but to fulfill her request. An archtype of God’s own image is created and from that a soul which is take back to earth to be bound to the body created by Nature. The result is the New Man, overlord of earth.
