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Its Occult Significance, Use in Fortune-Telling,
and Method of Play, Etc.
by S.L. MacGregor Mathers
To enter, within the limits of this short treatise, upon
any long inquiry into the History of Cards is utterly out of the question;
and I shall therefore confine myself to examining briefly into what relates
to their most ancient form, the Tarot, or Tarocchi Cards, and to giving,
as clearly and concisely as possible, instructions which will enable my
readers to utilise them for fortune-telling, to which they are far better
adapted, from the greater number and variety of their combinations, than
the ordinary cards. I shall also enter somewhat into their occult and
Qabalistical significations.
The term “Tarot”, or “Tarocchi”,
is applied to a pack of 78 cards, consisting of four suits of 14 cards
each (there being one more court card than in the ordinary packs —
the Cavalier, Knight, or Horseman), and 22 symbolical picture-cards answering
for trumps. These latter are numbered from 1 to 21 inclusive, the 22nd
card being marked Zero, 0. The designs of these trumps are extremely singular,
among them being such representations as Death, the Devil, the Last Judgment,
&c.
The idea that cards were first “invented’
to amuse Charles VI of France is now exploded; and it is worthy of note
in this connection that their supposititious “inventor” was
Jacques Gringonneur, an Astrologer and Qabalist. Furthermore, cards were
known prior to this period among the Indians and the Chinese. Etteilla,
indeed, gives in one of his tracts on the Tarot a representation of the
mystical arrangement of these cards in the Temple of Ptah at Memphis,
and he further says:
“Upon a table or altar, at the height of the breast
of the Egyptian Magus (or Hierophant), were on one side a book or assemblage
of cards or plates of gold (the Tarot), and on the other a vase, etc.”
This idea is further dilated upon by P. Christian (the disciple of Eliphas
Levi), in his “Histoire de la Magie,” to which I shall have
occasion to refer later. The great exponents of the Tarot, Court de Gèbelin,
Levi, and Etteilla, have always assigned to the Tarot a Qabalistico- Egyptian
origin, and this I have found confirmed in my own researches into this
subject, which have extended over several years.
W. Hughes Willshire, in his remarks on the General History
of Playing-Cards, says: “The most ancient cards which have come
down to us are of the Tarot’s character. These are the four cards
of the Musée Correr at Venice; the seventeen pieces of the Paris
Cabinet (erroneously often called the Gringonneur, or Charles VI cards
of 1392), five Venetian Tarots of the fifteenth century, in the opinion
of some not of an earlier date than 1425; and the series of cards belonging
to a Minchiate set, in the possession of the Countess Aurelia Visconti
Gonzaga at Milan, when Cicognara wrote.”
W. A. Chatto, in his “History of Playing-Cards,”
says that cards were invented in China as early as A.D. 1120, in the reign
of Seun-Ho, for the amusement of his numerous concubines.
J. F. Vaillant, in “Les Romes, histoire vraie des
vraies Bohémiens,” Paris, 1857, says that the Chinese have
a drawing divided into compartments or series, based on combinations of
the number 7. “It so closely resembles the Tarot, that the four
suits of the latter occupy its first four columns; of the twenty-one atouts
fourteen occupy the fifth column, and the seven other atouts the sixth
column. This sixth column of seven atouts is that of the six days of the
week of creation. Now, according to the Chinese, this representation belongs
to the first ages of their empire, to the drying up of the waters of the
deluge by lAO; it may be concluded, therefore, that it is an original,
or a copy of the Tarot, and, under any circumstances, that the latter
is of an origin anterior to Moses, that it belongs to the beginning of
our time, to the epoch of the preparation of the Zodiac, and consequently
that it must own 6600 years of existence.”
But, notwithstanding the apparent audacity of this latter
statement, it must be evident on reflection that the Tarot, consisting,
as it does, of the ten numbers of the decimal scale counter-changed with
the tetrad, and of a hieroglyphic alphabet of twenty-two mystic symbols,
must be relegated to far earlier period in the history of the world than
that usually assigned to the introduction of cards into Europe; and we
may take the fact of the Tarot being the origin of the modern card as
being now pretty well established by general consensus of Opinion.
It was Court de Gèbelin who, in his “Monde
Primitif” (Paris 1781), wrote: “Were we to hear that there
exists in our day Work of the Ancient Egyptians, one of their books which
had escaped the flames which devoured their superb libraries, and which
contains their purest doctrine on most interesting subjects, every one
would doubtless be anxious to acquire the knowledge of so valuable and
extraordinary a work. Were we to add that this book is widely spread through
a large part of Europe, and that for several centuries it has been accessible
to every one, would not it be still more surprising? And would not that
surprise be at its height were it asserted that people have never suspected
that it was Egyptian, that they possess it in such a manner that they
can hardly be said to possess it at all, that no one has ever attempted
to decipher a single leaf, and that the outcome of a recondite wisdom
is regarded as a mass of extravagant designs which mean nothing in themselves?
Would not people think that one was trying to amuse oneself with, and
to play upon the credulity of one’s hearers?
“Yet this is a true fact. This Egyptian book, the
sole remains of their superb libraries, exists to our day; it is even
so common that no savant has designed to trouble himself about it, no
one before myself having suspected its illustrious origin. This book is
composed of seventy-seven leaves or illustrations, or rather of seventy-eight,
divided into five classes, which each present objects as various as they
are amusing and instructive. In one word, this book is the PACK OF TAROT
CARDS.”
Let us now examine the word TAROT, or TARO, and discover,
if we can, its true derivation and meaning. Court de Gèbelin states
that there are three words of Oriental origin preserved in the nomenclature
of the Pack. These are TARO, MAT, and PAGAD. Taro, he says, is pure Egyptian;
from TAR, Path, and RO, ROS, or ROG, Royal—the Royal Path of Life.
MAT is Oriental, and means overpowered, murdered, crack-brained; while
PAGAD, he adds, is also Oriental, form PAG, chief, or master, and GAD,
Fortune. Vailant says: “The great divinity Ashtaroth, As-taroth,
is no other than the Indo-Tartar Tan-tara, the Tarot, the Zodiac.”
My derivation of the word, which I have never found given by any author,
is from the ancient hieroglyphical Egyptian word “târu”,
to require an answer, or to consult; ergo, that which is consulted, or
from which an answer is required. This appears to me to be the correct
origin of the word, while the second t is an Egyptian hieroglyphic final,
which is added to denote the feminine gender. The following are interesting
metatheses of the letters of TARO: TORA (Hebrew) = Law; TROA (Hebrew)
= Gate; ROTA (Latin) = wheel; ORAT (Latin) = it speaks, argues, or entreats;
TAOR (Egyptian) = Täur, the Goddess of Darkness; ATOR (Egyptian)
= Athor, the Egyptian Venus. A Mr. Lumley tells me that there is a Zend
word “tarisk”, meaning “to require an answer”.
There are Italian, Spanish, and German Tarot packs, and
since the time of Etteilla French also, but these latter are not so well
adapted for occult study owing to Etteilla’s attempted “corrections”
of the symbolism. The Italian are decidedly the best for divination and
practical occult purposes, and I shall, therefore, use them as the basis
of the present treatise. Unfortunately the old-fashioned single-headed
cards are obsolete now, and the only ones made are double-headed, which
circumstance alters the symbolism in a few instances. I shall, therefore,
wherever necessary, describe the omitted portion of the design, enclosing
it within brackets to mark the same.
As I before observed, the Tarot pack consists of seventy-eight
cards — namely, four suits of fourteen cards each, and twenty-two
symbolic numbered trumps. The four suits are—
Italian |
French |
English |
Answering to |
Bastoni |
Bâtons |
Wands, Sceptres, or Clubs |
Diamonds |
Coppé |
Coupes |
Cups, Chalices, or Goblets |
Hearts |
Spadé |
Épées |
Swords |
Spades |
Denari |
Deniers |
Money, Circles, or Pentacles |
Clubs |
Each suit consists of Ace, Deuce, Three, Four, Five,
Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten; Fanti or Valet = Knave; Cavallo = Knight
or Horseman; Dama or Reine = Queen; Re = King.
The Kings, in each instance, wear a cap-of-maintenance
beneath the crown; the Queens wear the crown only. The Queen of Pentacles
and the Knave of Sceptres are the only ones represented in profile. In
the suit of Sceptres the King bears a wand akin to that represented on
the small cards of the suit, while the other three honours bear a bludgeon
similar to that which is shown for the ace. In the suit of cups, that
only which is held by the Queen is covered, thus showing the essentially
feminine properties of this suit, while the sceptre held by the King of
the preceding suit shows its more masculine character.
If we examine the small cards carefully we shall be struck
a once by the comparative similarities of pattern of the Sceptres and
the Swords, which are only distinguished from each other by the former
being straight and the latter being curved. We shall also notice that
the Deuces have peculiarities of their own, which distinguish them from
the rest of the suit. The Deuce of Sceptres forms a cross with two roses
and two lilies in the opposite angles; the Cross between the Rose of Sharon
and the Lily of the Valley. The Deuce of Cups shows a tesselated pavement
or cloth whereon the cups stand; between them is a species of Caduceus,
whose serpents are replaced by Lion-headed foliations, which recall the
Chnuphis Serpent of the Gnostics, and certain familiar forms of the Elemental
Spirits; practical occultists will know to what I allude. The Deuce of
Swords forms a species of Vesica piscis enclosing a mystic rose of the
primary colours. The Deuce of Pentacles is bound together by a continuous
band in such a manner as to form a figure 8, and represents the one as
being the reflection of the other, as the Universe is that of the Divine
Idea.
The four Aces stand out by themselves from the rest of
the pack, each forming, as it were, the Key of its respective suit. The
Ace of Sceptres recalls the Club of Hercules; it is surrounded by eight
detached leaves, whose shape recalls that of the Hebrew Letter Yod, or
I, and is crowned with the Symbol of the Triad represented by the three
lopped branches; it is the Symbol of Almighty Strength within the cube
of the Universe, which latter is shown by the eight leaves, for eight
is the first cubical number. The Ace of Cups is of Egyptian origin, which
can be more easily seen in the Spanish Tarot. The figure, like an inverted
M on its front, is all that remains of the Egyptian twin Serpents which
originally decorated it. It represents the Waters of Creation in the first
chapter of Genesis. It is the Symbol of the Power which receives and modifies.
The Ace of Swords is a Sword surmounted by a Crown, from which depend
on either side an olive and a palm branch, symbolic of mercy and severity;
around it are Six Hebrew Yods, recalling the Six days of the Mosaic Creation.
It is the Symbol of that Justice which maintains the World in order, the
equilibrium of Mercy and Severity. The Ace of Pentacles represents Eternal
Synthesis, the great whole of the visible Universe, the Realisation of
counterbalanced power.
The 22 trumps are the hieroglyphic symbols of the occult
meanings of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. They are numbered from
0 to 21 inclusive. (See Table…).
No. |
Italian |
French |
English |
Hebrew Letter |
1. |
Il Bagatto (PAGAD) |
Le Bateleur |
The Juggler or Magician |
Aleph |
A |
2. |
La Papessa |
La Papesse |
The High Priestess, or Female Pope |
Beth |
B |
3. |
L’Imperatrice |
L’Impératrice |
The Empress |
Gimel |
G |
4. |
L’Imperatore |
L’Empereur |
The Emperor |
Daleth |
D |
5. |
Il Papa |
Le Pape |
The Hierophant or Pope |
He |
H |
6. |
Gli Amanti |
L’Amoureux |
The Lovers |
Vau |
V |
7. |
Il Carro |
Le Chariot |
The Chariot |
Zain |
Z |
8. |
La Giustizia |
La Justice |
Justice |
Cheth |
CH |
9. |
L’Eremita |
L’Ermite |
The Hermit |
Teth |
T |
10. |
Rota Di Fortuna |
La Roue de Fortune |
The Wheel of Fortune |
Yod |
I |
11. |
La Forza |
La Force |
Strength, Fortitude |
Kaph |
K |
12. |
Il Penduto |
Le Pendu |
The Hanged Man |
Lamed |
L |
13. |
Il Morte |
La Mort |
Death |
Mem |
M |
14. |
La Temperanza |
La Temperance |
Temperance |
Nun |
N |
15. |
Il Diavolo |
Le Diable |
The Devil |
Samech |
S |
16. |
La Torre |
Le Maison-Dieu |
The Lightning-struck Tower |
Ayin |
O |
17. |
Le Stelle |
L’Etoile |
The Star |
Pe |
P |
18. |
La Luna |
La Lune |
The Moon |
Tzaddi |
Tz |
19. |
Il Sole |
Le Soleil |
The Sun |
Qoph |
Q |
20. |
L’Angelo |
Le Jugement |
The Last Judgment |
Resh |
R |
0. |
Il Matto (MAT) |
Le Fou |
The Foolish Man |
Shin |
Sh |
21. |
Il Mondo |
Le Monde |
The Universe |
Tau |
Th |
I will now describe carefully the symbolism of each of
these hieroglyphical keys.
1. The Juggler or Magician. Before a
table covered with the appliances of his art stands the figure of a juggler,
one hand upraised holding a wand (in some packs, a cup), the other pointing
downwards. He wears a cap of maintenance like that of the kings, whose
wide brim forms a sort of aureole round his head. His body and arms form
the shape of the Hebrew letter Aleph, to which this card corresponds.
He symbolises Will.
2. The High Priestess, or Female Pope.
A woman crowned with a high mitre or tiara (her head encircled by a veil),
a stole (or a solar cross) upon her breast, and the Book of Science open
in her hand. She represents Science, Wisdom, or Knowledge.
3. The Empress. A winged and crowned
woman seated upon a throne, having in one hand a sceptre bearing a globe
surmounted by a cross, while she rests the other upon a shield with an
eagle blazoned therein on whose breast is the cross. She is the Symbol
of Action, the result of the union of Science and Will.
4. The Emperor. He is crowned (and leaning
against a throne, his legs form a cross, and beside him, beneath his left
hand, is a shield blazoned with an eagle). In his right hand he bears
a sceptre similar to that of the Empress. His body and arms form a triangle,
of which his head is the apex, so that the whole figure represents a triangle
above a cross. He represents Realisation.
5. The Hierophant or Pope. He is crowned
with the papal tiara, and seated between the two pillars of Hermes and
of Solomon, with his right hand he makes the sign of esoterism, and with
his left he leans upon a staff surmounted by a triple cross. (Before him
kneel two ministers.) He is the symbol of Mercy and Beneficence.
6. The Lovers. This is usually described
as representing Man between Vice and Virtue, while a winged genius threatens
Vice with his dart. But I am rather inclined to the opinion that it represents
the Qabalistical Microprosopus between Binah and Malkuth (see my Kabbalah
Unveiled), while the figure above shows the Influence descending from
Kether. It is usually considered to mean Proof or Trial; but I am inclined
to suggest Wise Disposition as its signification.
7. The Chariot. This is a most complicated
and important symbol, which has been restored by Eliphas Levi. It represents
a Conqueror crowned and bearing a sceptre, riding in a cubical chariot,
surmounted by four columns and a canopy, and drawn by two horses, one
of which looks straight forward, while the other turns his head towards
him. (Two wheels are shown in the complete single-headed figure.) It represents
Triumph, arid Victory of Justice and Judgment.
8. Justice. A woman crowned and seated
on a throne (between two columns), holding in her right hand an upright
sword, and in her left the scales. She symbolises Equilibrium and Justice.
9. The Hermit. An old and bearded man
wrapped in a mantle, and with his head covered with a cowl, bearing in
his right hand the lantern of occult science, while in his left he holds
his magic wand half hidden beneath his cloak. He is Prudence.
10. The Wheel of Fortune. A wheel of
seven spokes (the two halves of the double-headed cards make it eight
spokes, which is incorrect) revolving (between two uprights), On the ascending
side is an animal ascending, and on the descending side is a sort of monkey
descending; both forms are bound to the wheel. Above it is the form of
an angel (or a sphinx in some) holding a sword in one hand and a crown
in the other. This very complicated symbol is much disfigured, and has
been well restored by Levi. It symbolises Fortune, good or bad.
11. Strength or Fortitude. A woman crowned
with crown and cap of maintenance, who calmly, and Without effort, closes
the jaws of a furious lion. She represents Strength.
12. The Hanged Man. This extraordinary
symbol is almost unintelligible in the double-headed cards. Properly,
it represents a man hung head downwards from a sort of gibbet by
one foot (his hands are bound behind his back in such a manner that his
body forms a triangle with the point downwards), and his legs a cross
above it. (Two sacks or weights are attached to his armpits.) He symbolises
Sacrifice.
13. Death. A skeleton armed with a Scythe
(wherewith he mows down heads in a meadow like grass). He signifies Transformation,
or Change.
14. Temperance. An angel with the sign
of the Sun on her brow Pouring liquid from one vessel into another. She
represents Combination.
15. The Devil. A horned and winged demon
with eagle’s claws (standing on an altar to which two smaller devils
are bound by a collar and cord). In his left hand he bears a flame-headed
sceptre. He is the image of Fate or Fatality, good or evil.
16. The Lightning-struck Tower. A Tower
whose Upper part is like a crown, struck by a lightning-flash. (Two men
fall headlong from it, One of whom is in such an attitude as to form a
Hebrew letter Ayin.) Sparks and debris are falling. It shows Ruin, Disruption.
17. The Star. A nude female figure pours
water upon the earth from two vases. In the heavens above her shines the
Blazing Star of the Magi (surrounded by seven others), trees and plants
grow beneath her magic influence (and on one the butterfly of Psyche alights).
She is the star of Hope.
18. The Moon. The moon shining in the
heavens, drops of dew falling, a wolf and a dog howling at the Moon, and
halted at the foot of two towers, a path which loses itself in the horizon
(and is sprinkled with drops of blood, a crayfish emblematic of the sign
Cancer, ruled over by the Moon, crawls through water in the foreground
towards the land). It symbolises Twilight, Deception, and Error.
19. The Sun. The Sun sending down his
rays upon two children, who suggest the sign Gemini. (Behind them is a
low wall.) It signifies Earthly Happiness.
20. The Last Judgment. An Angel in the
heavens blowing a trumpet, to which a standard with a cross thereon is
attached. The Dead rise from their tombs. It signifies Renewal, Result.
0. The Foolish Man. A man with a fool’s
cap, dressed like a jester, with a stick and bundle over his shoulder.
Before him is the butterfly of pleasure luring him on (while in some packs
a tiger, in others a dog, attacks him from behind). It signifies Folly,
Expiation.
21. The Universe. Within a flowery wreath
is a female figure nude save for a light scarf. She represents Nature
and the Divine Presence therein. In each hand she should bear a wand.
At the four angles of the card are the four cherubic animals of the Apocalypse.
Above, the Eagle and the Man; below, the Lion and the Bull. It represents
Completion, Reward.
Thus the whole series of the twenty-two trumps will give
a connected sentence which is capable of being read thus:—The Human
Will (1) enlightened by Science (2) and manifested by
Action (3) should find its Realisation (4) in deeds of
Mercy and Beneficence (5). The Wise Disposition (6) of this will give
him Victory (7) through Equilibrium (8) and Prudence (9), over the fluctuations
of Fortune (10). Fortitude (11), sanctified by Sacrifice of Self (12),
will triumph over Death itself (13), and thus a Wise Combination (14)
will enable him to defy Fate (15). In each Misfortune (16) he will see
the Star of Hope (17) shine through the twilight of Deception (18); and
ultimate Happiness (19) will be the Result (20). Folly (0), on the other
hand, will bring about an evil Reward (21).
To prepare the pack for Fortune-telling, write at the
top of each card its number and signification when in its proper position,
and at the bottom its meaning when reversed. To facilitate this, and to
assist in reading them I here append a list of the cards with the meanings,
which, I think, will be found to answer all practical purposes R. means
Reversed.
MEANINGS OF THE CARDS
1. The Juggler.—Will, Will-Power,
Dexterity; R. Will applied to evil ends, Weakness of Will, Cunning, Knavishness.
2. The High Priestess.— Science,
Wisdom, Knowledge, Education; R. Conceit, Ignorance, Unskilfulness, Superficial
Knowledge.
3. The Empress.— Action, Plan,
Undertaking Movement in a matter, Initiative; R. Inaction, Frittering
away of power, Want of Concentration Vacillation.
4. The Emperor.— Realisation,
Effect, Development; R. Stoppage, Check, Immature, Unripe.
5. The Hierophant or Pope. Mercy, Beneficence
Kindness, Goodness; R. Over-kindness, weakness, Foolish exercise of generosity.
6. The Lovers.— Wise Dispositions,
Proof, Trials Surmounted; R. Unwise Plans, Failure when put to the test.
7. The Chariot.— Triumph, Victory,
Overcoming obstacles; R. Overthrown, Conquered by Obstacles at the last
moment.
8. Themis, or Justice. Equilibrium,
Balance, Justice; R. Bigotry, Want of Balance, Abuse of Justice, Over-severity,
Inequality, Bias.
9. The Hermit.— Prudence, Caution,
Deliberation; R. Over-prudence, Timorousness, Fear.
10. The Wheel of Fortune.— Good
Fortune, Success, Unexpected Luck; R. Ill-Fortune, Failure, Unexpected
Ill-Luck.
11. Strength, or Fortitude.— Power,
Might, Force, Strength, Fortitude; R. Abuse of Power, Overbearingness,
Want of Fortitude.
12. The Hanged Man.— Self-sacrifice,
Sacrifice, Devotion, Bound; R. Selfishness, Unbound, Partial sacrifice.
13. Death.— Death, Change, Transformation,
Alteration for the worse; R. Death just escaped, Partial change, Alteration
for the better.
14. Temperance.— Combination,
Conformation, Uniting; R. Ill-advised combinations, Disunion, Clashing
interests, &c.
15. The Devil.— Fatality for Good;
R. Fatality for Evil.
16. The Lightning-struck Tower. Ruin,
Disruption, Over-throw, Loss, Bankruptcy; R. These in a more or less partial
degree.
17. The Star.— Hope, Expectation,
Bright promises; R. Hopes not fulfilled, Expectations disappointed or
fulfilled in a minor degree.
18. The Moon.— Twilight, Deception,
Error; R. Fluctuation, slight Deceptions, Trifling Mistakes.
19. The Sun.— Happiness, Content,
Joy; R. These in a minor degree.
20. The Last Judgment.— Renewal,
Result, Determination of a Matter; R. Postponement of Result, Delay, Matter
re-opened later.
0. The Foolish Man.— Folly, Expiation,
Wavering; R. Hesitation, Instability, Trouble arising herefrom.
21. The Universe.— Completion,
Good Reward; R. Evil Reward, or Recompense.
22. King of Sceptres.— Man living
in the country, Country Gentleman, Knowledge, Education; R. A naturally
good but severe man, Counsel, Advice, Deliberation.
23. Queen of Sceptres.— Woman
living in the country, Lady of the Manor, Love of Money, Avarice, Usury;
R. A good a virtuous Woman, but strict and economical, Obstacles, Resistance,
Opposition.
24. Knight of Sceptres.— Departure,
Separation, Disunion; R. Rupture, Discord, Quarrel.
25. Knave of Sceptres.— A Good
Stranger, Good News, Pleasure, Satisfaction; R. Ill News, Displeasure,
Chagrin, Worry.
26. Ten of Sceptres.— Confidence,
Security, Honour, Good Faith; R. Treachery, Subterfuge, Duplicity, Bar.
27. Nine of Sceptres.— Order,
Discipline, Good Arrangement, Disposition; R. Obstacles, Crosses, Delay,
Displeasure.
28. Eight of Sceptres.— Understanding,
Observation, Direction; R. Quarrels, Intestine disputes, Discord.
29. Seven of Sceptres.— Success,
Gain, Advantage, Profit, Victory; R. Indecision, Doubt, Hesitation, Embarrassment,
Anxiety.
30. Six of Sceptres.— Attempt,
Hope, Desire, Wish, Expectation; R. Infidelity, Treachery, Disloyalty,
Perfidy.
31. Five of Sceptres.— Gold, Opulence,
Gain, Heritage, Riches, Fortune, Money; R. Legal proceedings, Judgment,
Law, Lawyer, Tribunal.
32. Four of Sceptres.— Society,
Union, Association, Concord, Harmony; R. Prosperity, Success, Happiness,
Advantage.
33. Three of Sceptres.— Enterprise,
Undertaking, Commerce, Trade, Negotiation; R. Hope, Desire, Attempt, Wish.
34. Deuce of Sceptres.— Riches,
Fortune, Opulence, Magnificence, Grandeur; R. Surprise, Astonishment,
Event, Extraordinary Occurrence.
35. Ace of Sceptres.— Birth, Commencement,
Beginning, Origin, Source; R. Persecution, Pursuits Voilence, Vexation,
Cruelty, Tyranny.
36. King of Cups.— A fair Man,
Goodness, Kindness, Liberality, Generosity; R. A Man of good position,
but shifty in his Dealings, Distrust, Doubt, Suspicion.
37. Queen of Cups.— A fair Woman,
Success, Happiness, Advantage, Pleasure; R. A Woman in good position,
but intermeddling, and to be distrusted; Success, but with some attendant
trouble.
38. Knight of Cups.— Arrival,
Approach, Advance; R. Duplicity, Abuse of Confidence, Fraud, Cunning.
39. Knave of Cups.— A fair Youth,
Confidence, Probity, Discretion, Integrity; R. A Flatterer, Deception,
Artifice.
40. Ten of Cups.— The Town wherein
one resides, Honour, Consideration, Esteem, Virtue, Glory, Reputation;
R. Combat, Strife, Opposition, Differences, Dispute.
41. Nine of Cups.— Victory, Advantage,
Success, Triumph, Difficulties surmounted; R. Faults, Errors, Mistakes,
Imperfections.
42. Eight of Cups.— A fair Girl,
Friendship, Attachment, Tenderness; R. Gaiety, Feasting, Joy, Pleasure.
43. Seven of Cups.— Idea, Sentiment,
Reflection, Project; R. Plan, Design, Resolution, Decision.
44. Six of Cups.— The Past, passed
by, Faded, Vanished, Disappeared; R. The Future, that which is to come,
Shortly, Soon.
45. Five of Cups.— Union, Junction,
Marriage, Inheritance; R. Arrival, Return, News, Surprise, False projects.
46. Four of Cups.— Ennui, Displeasure,
Discontent, Dissatisfaction; R. New Acquaintance, Conjecture, Sign, Presentiment.
47. Three of Cups.— Success, Triumph,
Victory, Favourable issue; R. Expedition of business, Quickness, Celerity,
Vigilance.
48. Deuce of Cups.— Love, Attachment,
Friendship, Sincerity, Affection; R. Crossed desires, Obstacles, Opposition,
Hindrance.
49. Ace of Cups.— Feasting, Banquet,
Good Cheer; R. Change, Novelty, Metamorphosis, Inconstancy.
50. King of Swords.— A Lawyer,
a Man of Law, Power, Command, Superiority, Authority; R. A Wicked Man,
Chagrin, Worry, Grief, Fear, Disturbance.
51. Queen of Swords.— Widowhood,
Loss, Privation, Absence, Separation; R. A Bad Woman, ill-tempered and
bigoted, Riches and Discord, Abundance together with Worry, Joy with Grief.
52. Knight of Swords.— A Soldier,
a man whose profession is arms, Skilfulness, Capacity, Address, Promptitude;
R. A conceited fool, Ingenuousness, Simplicity.
53. Knave of Swords.— A Spy, Overlooking,
Authority; R. That which is unforeseen, Vigilance, Support.
54. Ten of Swords.— Tears, Affliction,
Grief, Sorrow; R. Passing Success, Momentary Advantage.
55. Nine of Swords.— An Ecclesiastic,
a Priest, Conscience. Probity, Good Faith, Integrity; R. Wise distrust,
Suspicion, Fear, Doubt, Shady character.
56. Eight of Swords.— Sickness,
Calumny, Criticism, Blame; R. Treachery in the Past, Event, Accident,
Remarkable Incident.
57. Seven of Swords.— Hope, Confidence,
Desire, Attempt, Wish; R. Wise Advice, Good Counsel, Wisdom, Prudence,
Circumspection.
58. Six of Swords.— Envoy, Messenger,
Voyage, Travel; R. Declaration, Love proposed, Revelation, Surprise.
59. Five of Swords.— Mourning,
Sadness, Affliction; R. Losses Trouble (same signification, whether reversed
or not.)
60. Four of Swords.— Solitude,
Retreat, Abandonment, Solitary, Hermit; R. Economy, Precaution, Regulation
of Expenditure.
61. Three of Swords.— A Nun, Separation,
Removal, Rupture, Quarrel; R. Error, Confusion, Misrule, Disorder.
62. Deuce of Swords.— Friendship,
Valour, Firmness, Courage; R. False Friends, Treachery, Lies.
63. Ace of Swords.— Triumph, Fecundity,
Fertility, Prosperity; R. Embarrassment, Foolish and Hopeless Love, Obstacle,
Hindrance.
64. King of Pentacles.— A dark
Man, Victory, Bravery, Courage, Success; R. An old and vicious Man, a
Dangerous Man, Doubt, Fear, Peril, Danger.
65. Queen of Pentacles.— A dark
Woman, a generous Woman, Liberality, Greatness of Soul, Generosity; R.
Certain Evil, a suspicious Woman, a Woman justly regarded with Suspicion,
Doubt, Mistrust.
66. Knight of Pentacles.— A useful
Man, Trustworthy, Wisdom, Economy, Order, Regulation; R. A brave Man,
but out of Employment, Idle, Unemployed, Negligent.
67. Knave of Pentacles.— A dark
Youth, Economy, Order, Rule, Management; R. Prodigality, Profusion, Waste,
Dissipation.
68. Ten of Pentacles.— House,
Dwelling, Habitation, Family; R. Gambling, Dissipation, Robbery, Loss.
69. Nine of Pentacles.— Discretion,
Circumspection, Prudence, Discernment; R. Deceit, Bad faith, Artifices,
Deception.
70. Eight of Pentacles.— A dark
Girl, Beauty, Candour, Chastity, Innocence, Modesty; R. Flattery, Usury,
Hypocrisy, Shifty.
71. Seven of Pentacles.— Money,
Finance, Treasure, Gain, Profit; R. Disturbance, Worry, Anxiety, Melancholy.
72. Six of Pentacles.— Presents,
Gifts, Gratification: R. Ambition, Desire, Passion, Aim, Longing.
73. Five of Pentacles.— Lover
or Mistress, Love, Sweetness, Affection, Pure and Chaste Love; R. Disgraceful
Love, Imprudence, License, Profligacy.
74. Four of Pentacles.— Pleasure,
Gaiety, Enjoyment, Satisfaction; R. Obstacles, Hindrances.
75. Three of Pentacles.— Nobility,
Elevation, Dignity, Rank, Power; R. Children, Sons, Daughters, Youths,
Commencement.
76. Deuce of Pentacles.— Embarrassment,
Worry, Difficulties; R. Letter, Missive, Epistle, Message.
77. Ace of Pentacles.— Perfect
Contentment, Felicity, Prosperity, Triumph; R. Purse of Gold, Money, Gain,
Help, Profit, Riches.
The following additional remarks may be serviceable to
the to the inexperienced Cartomancer. They are chiefly taken from Etteilla.
24. Knight of Sceptres.— This
card is not to be read singly; it means the Departure of the card which
follows it. R. Again, notice the card which follows it; if a Woman, Quarrel
with a Woman; if Money, then Loss of Money, &c.
25. Knave of Sceptres.— R. Notice
between what cards the News falls, which will show whence it comes, and
of what nature it is.
34. Deuce of Sceptres.— R. If
the cards fall 49 R., 34 R., you will be surprised by a change. If 47,
49 R., 34 R., it will be happy; but the reverse if they fall 54, 49 R.,
34 R.
38. The Knight of Cups.— This
shows the arrival of the card which follows it, as 38, 54, the arrival
of affliction or grief; 38, 39, the visit of a fair young man, etc.
43. Seven of Cups.— Explains the
card which follows; thus, 43, 30, 33, The idea of attempting some undertaking.
This will again be modified by the following cards.
44. Six of Cups.— Shows either
that what precedes it is past, has occurred already; or if R., what is
going to happen.
46. Four of Cups.— The following
cards might show what the displeasure or anxiety was about; the preceding
cards, whence it originated.
51. Queen of Swords.— This is
not necessarily to be taken by itself; it may signify that the person
symbolised by the cards near it has just lost, or is likely soon to lose,
wife or husband. In some instances it may merely signify that if two people
are married, the one will die some time before the other, but not necessarily
that the event will occur immediately.
53. Knave of Swords.— R. If 72,
53 R. An unexpected present. If 53 R., 54, unexpected grief, etc.
55. Nine of Swords.— R. The card
following will show whom or what to distrust, &c..
56. Eight of Swords.— R. Shows
Treachery or Deceit in the past, and will be explained by the neighbouring
cards.
57. Seven of Swords.— R. The cards
which come next will show whether it will be good to follow the advice
given or not. Also, the preceding cards will show from whom, and why,
the advice comes.
60. Four of Swords.— R. The cards
near will show whether it is health or money that requires care.
61. Three of Swords.— R. May show
simply that something is lost, or mislaid for a time.
62. Deuce of Swords.— R. If confirmed
by the other cards may simply mean that the friends are not of much use
to the inquirer in the matter under consideration.
65. Queen of Pentacles.— R. (If
this card does not signify any particular person). If 65 R., 31 R., It
is not said that there will be a Lawsuit. If 31 R., 65 R., If you gain
your case you won’t be much the better for it.
67. Knave of Pentacles.— R. Consult
the following cards to see in what the person is prodigal. If 67 R., 57
R., it may simply mean that the person is too fond of giving advice, intermeddles
too much with other people’s business.
71. Seven of Pentacles.— R. The
next card will show the reason of the anxiety, and so on.
73. Five of Pentacles.— Shows
simply that there is some one whom the person loves.
The Court-Cards, and especially the Kings and Queens,
may be taken to represent persons; in this case their additional meaning
should not be read. The Swords represent very dark people; Pentacles,
those not so dark; Cups, rather fair people; Wands or Sceptres, those
much fairer, and so on. Many Wands together might signify feasting, many
Cups lovemaking, Swords quarrelling and trouble, Coins or Pentacles
money.
Where the mode of reading the cards requires that the
person consulting should be represented, he should take one of the Kings
to represent himself, according to his complexion. If a lady consults
the cards, let her take one of the Queens; if she be rather fair, the
Queen of Cups; if she be very fair, the Queen of Wands or Sceptres. If
the inquirer be quite a youth or a boy, let him take one of the Knights;
if a very young girl, let her take the Knave, etc. Etteilla’s plan
was to take two of the Keys for Significators, that answering to the Pope
for a man, that answering to the High Priestess for a woman; but I do
not think this is so well. The worst of Etteilla’s system is that
he so completely destroys the meanings of the Keys in his attempted rearrangement
of them, as to make them practically useless for higher occult purposes.
I shall now give several modes of laying out the cards
for divination. The reader can adopt whichever he prefers, or he can combine
them.
Whatever mode of laying out be adopted, it is necessary
that the person inquiring should carefully shuffle the cards, with two
objects in view; firstly, that of turning some of the cards upside down;
secondly, that of thoroughly altering their position and sequence in the
pack. They should then be cut. During the shuffling and cutting the inquirer
should think earnestly of the matter concerning which he is anxious for
information; for unless he does this the cards will rarely read correctly.
This shuffling and cutting should be thrice repeated. The backs of
the cards should be towards the person shuffling.
FIRST METHOD.— The full pack of
seventy-eight cards having been first duly shuffled and cut, deal the
top card on a part of the table which we will call B, the second card
on another place which we will call A. (These will form the commencement
of two heaps, A and B, into which the whole pack is to be dealt.) Then
deal the third and fourth cards on B, and the fifth on A; the sixth and
seventh on B, and the eighth on A; the ninth and tenth on B, and the eleventh
on A. Continue this operation of dealing two cards on B, and one on A,
till you come to the end of the pack. A will then consist of twenty-six
cards, and B of fifty-two.
Now take up the B heap of fifty-two cards. Deal the top
card on a fresh place which we will call D, and the second card on another
place C. (This will form the beginning of two fresh
heaps, C and D.) Then deal the third and fourth cards
on D, and the fifth on C; the sixth and seventh on D, and the eighth on
C, and so on as before through these fifty-two cards. There will now be
three heaps: A = 26 cards, C = 17 cards, and D = 35 cards.
Again take up the heap D of 35 cards, and deal the top
card on a fresh spot F, and the second card on another place E (so as
to make two fresh heaps E and F). Now deal the third and fourth cards
on F and the fifth on E, and so on as before, through these 35 cards.
There will now be four heaps altogether. A = 26 cards,
C= 17 cards, E = 11, and F = 24. Put F aside altogether, as these cards
are not to be used in the reading, and are Supposed to have no bearing
on the question. There will now remain A, C, and E.
Take A and arrange the 26 cards face upwards from right
to left (being careful not to alter the order), so that they are in the
form of a horseshoe, the top card being at the lowest right-hand corner,
and the 26th at the lowest left-hand corner. Read their meanings from
right to left as before explained. When this is done so as to make a Connected
answer, take the 1st and 26th and read their combined meaning, then that
of the 2nd and 25th, and so on till you come to the last pair, which will
be the 13th and 14th. Put A aside, and take C and read it in exactly the
same way, then E last.
This is a very ancient mode of reading the Tarot, and
will be found reliable.
SECOND METHOD.— Withdraw the King
or Queen, selected for the Inquirer’s Significator, from the pack.
Then shuffle and cut the same as before. Place the Significator on the
table face upwards, leaving plenty of room for the selected cards on the
left-hand side of it. Now go carefully through the pack, taking the top
card first, then the seventh card from it; and so on through the pack,
re-commencing if necessary, until you have drawn 21 cards by taking every
seventh. Arrange these 21 cards in three rows of seven each, from right
to left, on the left-hand side of the Significator, thus:
7, |
6, |
5, |
4, |
3, |
2, |
|
14, |
13, |
12, |
11, |
10, |
9, |
|
21, |
20, |
19, |
18, |
17, |
16, |
|
Read the meaning of each row from right to left, beginning
with the Significator; then combine the 1st and 2 1st, the 2nd and 20th,
and so on, as in the previous method.
THIRD METHOD.— This mode of laying
out the cards is rather more complicated than the preceding. Withdraw
the Significator, and shuffle, and cut as before. Then deal them as in
this diagram, face upwards:
|
33, |
32, |
31, |
30, |
29, |
28, |
27, |
26, |
25, |
24, |
23, |
|
|
66, |
65, |
64, |
63, |
62, |
61, |
60, |
59, |
58, |
57, |
56, |
|
22 |
|
11 |
21 |
|
10 |
20 |
|
9 |
19 |
|
8 |
18 |
|
7 |
17 |
|
6 |
16 |
|
5 |
15 |
|
4 |
14 |
|
3 |
13 |
|
2 |
12 |
|
1 |
The cards will thus form a triangle within a species
of arch; and the Significator of the Inquirer is to be placed in the centre
of the triangle face upwards. The top card is to be dealt on number 1,
the second card on number 2, the twelfth card on number 12, and so on
up to number 66, when the remaining 11 cards are to be put aside and not
used in the reading.
Then 1 to 11 and 34 to 44 inclusive will show the past;
23 to 33 and 56 to 66 inclusive will show the present; and 12 to 22 and
45 to 55 inclusive will show the future.
Now read them simply in order from 1 to 44 for the past,
from 23 to 66 for the present, and from 12 to 55 for the future.
Then combine the Significator with every two cards, thus—S.
34 1; S. 33 2; S. 34 3; and so on up to S. 44 11, for the past. Then take
S. 56 23; S. 57 24; and so on for the present. And then take S. 4512;
S. 46 13; up to S. 55 22, for the future.
Again vary the combinations by taking S. 44 1; 5. 43
2; up to S. 34 11, for the past; S. 66 23; 5. 65 24; up to S. 56 33, for
the present; and 5. 55 12; S. 54 13; up to S. 45 22, for the future.
Finally, combine them all together, thus—66 1;
65 2; 64 3; and so on up to 34 33; placing them in a single packet one
on the other as you do so; and when this is finished, deal the whole 66
cards in one large circle, placing the Significator as a starting-point,
when 33 will be the first card and 66 the last card on either side of
the Significator. Now gather them up thus in pairs for the last reading,
S. 66; 33 1; 34 2; and so on up to the last card, which will be a single
one. Draw two other fresh cards at random from the 11 cards which have
not been used in the reading, and place them face upwards one on either
side to form a surprise. Read these three from right to left as conclusion.
This mode is rather difficult at first, but practice
will give facility.
These Tarot Cards may be used like the ordinary packs
for games, as well as for divination; and it may be as well to give the
general rules and mode of play. The Game of Tarot may be played by either
two or three persons. The full pack of 78 cards is shuffled and cut in
the ordinary manner. The dealer dears them out in three hands by five
cards at a time, and places the remaining three cards at his own right-hand
side. There will thus be three hands of 25 cards each, and three cards
besides. The players sort their hands, and the dealer discards the three
most useless cards in his own hand and exchanges them for the before-mentioned
three cards. The deal is taken in rotation by each player. The method
of dealing is the same, whether two or three players participate, three
hands being dealt out in each instance, but if only two players contend
with each other, the third hand is untouched by either party.
The points constituting the game are 100, which may be
marked on a cribbage board, on paper, or by an ordinary bezique-marker.
Before the hands are played out their score is reckoned
in the following way:
The 22 trumps are not all of the same value. |
21, 20, 19, 18, 17, are called the Five Greater Trumps. |
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, are called the Five Lesser Trumps. |
Whoever has three of the Greater or three of the Lesser
Trumps in his hand, scores 5 points for the same; 10 points if he has
four; and 15 points if he have all five. If the player has any ten trumps
in his hand they will score 10 points, any thirteen trumps 15 points.
It does not matter if Greater or Lesser Trumps, which have been already
scored, form part of such ten or thirteen; all scores are independent
of other combinations. Furthermore, for any cards to be scored they must
be shown to the adversary at the time of scoring; this rule holds good
in all cases. The non-dealer scores and leads first. If three play, the
player on the dealer’s left hand begins.
Seven cards bear the distinguishing title of Tarot Trumps;
they are:
The Universe, 21; the Mat, or Foolish Man, 0; the Pagad,
Juggler, or Magician, 1; the King of Sceptres; the King of Cups; the King
of Swords; and the King of Pentacles.
If the player has any two of these Tarot Trumps, he can
ask his opponent for a third; if the latter cannot reply by showing a
third Tarot Trump, the former can score 5 points; but if he has the third
it must be given up to the asker, who then does not score, but gives him
some card of small value in exchange. For every three Tarot Trumps actually
held in the hand, the holder marks 15 points.
Sequences of trumps or of cards of the same suit count;
for every four cards in sequence, 5 points; for every seven cards, 10
points; for ten cards, 15 points. All cards forming these scores must
be shown to the adversary.
0, The Foolish Man, is the lowest card in the pack in
playing the hand; can take no card of any suit, and may be played to a
card of any suit. For instance, if the adversary leads a King, and you
have only the Queen of that suit remaining in your hand, but have also
the 0, you can play this instead of the Queen, and thus save her from
being taken. A King cut counts 5 points to whosoever cuts it. In each
suit King is highest, then come Queen, Knight, Knave, Ten, Nine, etc.,
down to Ace, which is lowest, and can only take the 0. The Trumps reckon
from 21, which is highest, to 1, which is lowest. You must follow suit
if you can; if not, you may trump. Each trick should be kept separate
for counting afterwards. Of course, the principal care of the player should
be directed towards saving his own important cards, and taking those of
the adversary. The player who takes a trick leads next. When all the hand
is played out, the tricks on either side are counted as follows:—
For every trick in which there is a Tarot Trump, 5 points
(the 0 counts to its original possessor, while the Pagad, 1, counts to
the player who takes it). For every trick with a
Queen, 4 points; with a Knight, 3 points; with a Knave,
2 points; for every other trick, 1 point.
At the end of each hand the points made by each player
are added up separately, then the lesser is taken from the greater, and
only the excess points of the more fortunate player are scored. The same
is done in each hand, and the player who, in this way, first reaches 100
points (or over in the final hand) wins the game.
For my reader’s convenience I append a table of
the points which can be scored:
Scored in Hand |
|
Points |
For any 3 of the Greater Trumps held in hand |
= |
5 |
For any 4 of the Greater Trumps held in hand |
= |
10 |
For all 5 of the Greater Trumps held in hand |
= |
15 |
For any 3 of the Lesser Trumps held in hand |
= |
5 |
For any 4 of the Lesser Trumps held in hand |
= |
10 |
For all 5 of the Lesser Trumps held in hand |
= |
15 |
For any 10 Trumps held in hand |
= |
10 |
For any 13 Trumps held in hand |
= |
15 |
For any 2 Tarot-Trumps called unanswered |
= |
5 |
For any 3 Tarot-Trumps actually held in hand |
= |
15 |
For every Sequence of 4 Cards |
= |
5 |
For every Sequence of 7 Cards |
= |
10 |
For every Sequence of 10 Cards |
= |
15 |
Scored in Play |
|
Points |
For a King, cut |
= |
5 |
For each Trick containing a Tarot Trump |
= |
5 |
The each Trick containing a Queen |
= |
4 |
For each Trick containing a Knight |
= |
3 |
For each Trick containing a Knave |
= |
2 |
For every Trick of two plain Cards |
= |
1 |
If three players contend, of course the third player
will form an additional factor in the game. Then, when the three compare
their various scores in the same hand, only he who has most should score,
and then only the amount by which he exceeds the player who comes second.
The other players do not score at all.
Before concluding this short treatise, I will say a few
words on the occult and Qabalistical signification of these wonderful
Tarot Cards. It has been long known that the ordinary 52 card pack was
susceptible of some peculiar numerical significations, e.g.:
52 Cards in the pack, suggest 52 weeks in the year. |
13 Cards in each suit, suggest 13 lunar months in the year, 13 weeks
in the quarter. |
4 suits in the pack, suggest 4 seasons in the year. |
12 Picture Cards in the pack, suggest 12 months in the year, 12
signs of the Zodiac. |
Furthermore, if we add together:
The pips on the plain cards of the four suits |
= |
220 |
The pips on the 12 Picture Cards |
= |
12 |
Twelve Picture Cards reckoned as 10 each |
= |
120 |
The number of cards in each suit |
= |
13 |
We shall obtain the number of days in the year |
= |
365 |
But concealed behind their apparently arbitrary and bizarre
designs, the Tarot Cards contain a far more complicated system of recondite
symbolism. We fmd the number ten multiplied by the mystical number four,
and combined with a primitive hieroglyphic alphabet of twenty-two letters.
Eliphas Lèvi says in his “Histoire de la
Magie”: “The absolute hieroglyphical science had for its basis
an alphabet of which all the gods were letters, all the letters ideas,
all the ideas numbers, and all the numbers perfect signs.
“This hieroglyphical alphabet of which Moses made
the great secret of his Cabala, and which he retook from the Egyptians;
for, according to the Sepher Yetzirah, it came from Abraham; this alphabet,
we say, is the famous Book of Thoth, suspected by Court de Gèbelin
to be preserved to the present time under the form of that peculiar pack
of cards, which is called the Tarot. . . The ten numbers and twenty-two
letters are what are called in the Cabala the thirty-two paths of science,
and their philosophical description is the subject of that primitive and
revered work known as the Sepher Yetzirah, which is still to be found
in the collection of Pistorius and others. The Alphabet of Thoth is the
original of our Tarot, only in an altered form. The Tarot which we have
is of Jewish origin, and the types of the figures cannot be traced back
further than the reign of Charles VI.”
The Sepher Yetzirah referred to in the above quotation
has been recently translated by my friend Dr. Wynn Westcott, who is a
skilful and erudite Qabalistical student, so that it can now be read in
English. It certainly gives, in my opinion, the Qabalistical Key of the
Tarot; and shows at once, by evident analogy, the ancient and religious
origin of its bizarre symbolism. It consists of thirty-three short sections
(the thirty-third being merely recapitulatory) divided into five chapters,
and elucidated by thirty-two occult paragraphs called the “Paths”.
In fact, it may be called a treatise on the ten and the twenty-two. The
numbers from one to ten are said to symbolise the Spirit, Air, Water,
Fire, Height, Depth, East, West, North, South. The twenty-two letters
are divided into three Mother Letters, A, M, SH, referring to Air, Water,
and Fire; seven double letters, B, G, D, K, P, R, TH, referring to the
seven planets, etc.; and twelve simple letters, H, V, Z, CH, T, I, L,
N, S, O, Tz, Q, referring to the twelve signs of the Zodiac, etc.
Christian, the disciple of Lèvi, in his recent
work on Magic, has made the explanation of the twenty-two hieroglyphics
of the Tarot form part of the initiatory ceremonies of the Egyptian mysteries
of Crata Repoa.
The symbols of three of the twenty-two Trumps of the
Tarot were thus restored by Eliphas Lèvi.
7. The Chariot.— A cubical chariot
with four columns, surmounted by an azure and star-decked canopy. Within
the chariot and between the four columns stands a Conqueror crowned with
a circlet, from which rise and shine three pentagrams of gold. On his
cuirass are three right angles; and on his shoulders the Urim and Thummim
symbolised by the two crescents of the Moon in increase and decrease.
In his hand is a sceptre surmounted by a globe, a square, and a triangle.
His attitude is proud and tranquil. To the Chariot is attached a double
sphinx, or rather two sphinxes joined together; one of them turns its
head, and they both look in the same direction. The sphinx which turns
its head towards the other is black and menacing, the other is white and
calm. On the square which forms the front of the Chariot we see the Indian
lingam surmounted by the flying globe of the Egyptians.
10. The Wheel of Fortune.— A wheel
of seven spokes, the cosmogonical wheel of Ezekiel, with a dog-headed
figure ascending on one side (Anubis, the Egyptian Mercury); and a demon
descending on the other (the Egyptian evil deity, Typhon); the former
of these bears a caduceus, the latter a trident; both figures are bound
to the wheel. Above them is a sphinx at the balance-point of the wheel,
holding a drawn sword between its lion’s claws.
12. The Devil.— Throned on a cube
above the Universe is a goat-headed, satyr-like figure, bearing on its
brow the pentagram, apex upward, so as to make it a symbol of Light. With
one hand it points upwards to the symbol of the Moon in increase, with
the other downwards to that of the Moon in decrease, thus symbolising
the eternal equilibrium of Mercy and Justice; the first two fingers and
thumb of each hand are extended as in giving the sign of benediction.
One arm is feminine, the other masculine. The torch of intelligence is
placed between its horns, as the Magical Light of the Universal Equilibrium.
The caduceus which holds the place of the generative organs signifies
the eternity of life; the belly is covered with scales to represent Water;
the circle above it is the atmosphere; the Wings are the emblem of the
Volatile; and the deformed and goat-like feet rest upon the earth.
Space does not allow me to enter further into the subject,
on which, indeed, several volumes might be written without exhausting
it. I can only hope that this short treatise will suffice to give my readers
some idea of the recondite meaning of the Tarot Cards, and how to employ
them in divination.
This is partly taken by Vaillant from Court de Gèbelin’s
“Monde Primitif” vol. 8, p. 387.
|