In "The Cask of Amontillado," what do the images and motto on the Montresor coat of arms suggest?

The
reader should not assume that the coat of arms Montresor describes is anything but Montresor's
spontaneous invention. He hasn't been telling Fortunato the truth up to this point; why should
he be telling him the truth now? Montresor has been acting in a zany fashion since he got his
victim down the stairs. He has had a drink of wine and is vastly relieved that the worst part of
his task is over. He pretends to be a Mason and shows Fortunato the trowel with which he intends
to wall him up. Montresor may not even have a family coat of arms. Fortunato may suspect that
and is just being disingenuous when he inquires. Most of the "thousand injuries" have
probably been the spiteful jibes of a rich Italian insider reminding a poor French outsider of
his inferior status. Montresor may be inventing the kind of coat of arms he would like to
have--a huge foot crushing a snake. The Latin motto is probably an invention too, since it is so
appropriate. Montresor probably knows that his intended victim is an ignoramus who doesn't even
understand Latin and therefore can't sense that he is being subtly threatened with
murder.