Cult of Tarot Forum

This deck is neither Mantegna nor tarot. Instead, it’s a series of 50 engravings that likely served as Renaissance flash cards, which had been attributed to Mantegna, but are no longer.

It is very regularly ordered, with 10 cards each for 5 categories:
10 estates of man (they’re all male!) (earth),
the 9 muses plus Apollo (water),
the 7 liberal arts plus 3 “sciences” (air),
the 7 virtues plus 3 “geniuses” (fire), and
10 celestial spheres (from moon to “first cause”) (spirit).

I have assigned the classical elements to make it easier to distinguish between similar cards (Apollo and Sol, or Urania and Astrologia, for example).

Attached are my notes, which I originally put together back in 2010. (I know more about planets and virtues now, so I left those kind of blank here. I remember searching everywhere for info on the liberal arts and the muses, and it turned out Wikipedia was my most informative source! The out-of-order numbering of 29 is intentional. Somehow, in the original, Astrologia got a little separated from its fellows in the quadrivium of the liberal arts, so I grouped it back in.)

The deck I’m using is a colorized and silvered edition by Lo Scarabeo. It has some keywords I diverge from, but I don’t think that will distract me. There are other editions that are more faithful to the original line art engravings. And at one time, the images were available around on the internet. But I like color and bling! So let’s give it a good shuffle and an interview!




Most important characteristic: Temperancia
It’s both cut-and-dried old fashioned learning AND a window to something unexpected, the happy medium of mainstream and esoteric, useful for learning and teaching.

Strength: Forteza
Ok, its strength is Strength! To be meta, this is definitely the best card in the deck. I love the lion armor, and it has all three attributes of Fortitude: armor, a lion, a broken column, oh, and also a wand or small club! Its strength is that it is faithful to conventional (of its time) symbolism, and so is helpful for us today to work with and learn from.

Weakness: Saturno
The deck is limited (Saturn) because it’s old (Saturn), showing us ideas from another time. Father Time eats his children and/or cuts them off, making the deck difficult to understand, and maybe not as applicable to today’s life as we want it to be.

What I can learn from it: Charita
I can learn to be generous with my learning and my reading. Will the deck have a message of universal love for me? I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

How I can learn it: Cosmico
Its message of universal love comes from an understanding that everything and everyone is connected. If this is an organized, predictable universe, the organization is that, love and connection.

Outcome of our work together: Apollo
There will be light. The deck will help me see things better, especially emotional things, oddly for such an airy, organized, learning-based deck. I look forward to it! I really like the gold sun symbol in the corner. I think I’ll research that. Not sure what swans have to do with Apollo. Might have to research that, too! So really the outcome will be more research so more information coming to light!

No human estates or liberal arts, so I look forward to seeing them later this week.

Have a happy Sunday! See you tomorrow for more cosmology!

Monday
What do I need to know about this week in preparation for the following week?
Elemental star with a card of the correct element filled in each position.




Earth: Chavalier
I need to be active in preparing. Nobody is going to tell me what to do. But I will be confident that I can do it well.

Water: Talia, the muse of Comedy
Well, that’s good! I’ll keep a positive attitude and work toward happiness!

Air: Theologia
I need to be mentally sharp, but about higher things, not just making lists etc. I will be sensible about relationships and important issues.

Fire: Fede
And I believe that everything will go well. I will act for the best for everyone involved. Like a faithful pet!

Spirit: Sol
I’m going to take this as a positive card, even though it shows Phaethon falling . . . Maybe it’s a warning. In the things that matter, all will be well if I keep a positive attitude. And be myself. Don’t try to be someone I’m not. That would definitely be heading for a fall.

Ok, then! Interesting reading. But I think with the sun and Talia, it can’t be bad! Have a very happy Monday, everyone!

Tuesday
Opportunity, Challenge, Resolution




Opportunity: Erato, muse of love poetry
Uhhh??? I have an opportunity to communicate to people how much I care about them. (Definitely not romantically though! Unless something really strange happens!) She holds the new moon in the old moon’s arms, and the full moon is at her feet. I’m thinking romance is all a matter of smoke and mirrors . . .

Challenge: Rhetorica
The challenge is to really express myself correctly. So it doesn’t turn into a debate, but people will just understand me and go with it. She is dressed for battle, with armor, sword, helmet crown, and red cloak. And cherubs blowing the horns of fame! Let the debates begin, and may the best woman win!

Resolution: Mercurio
The resolution is again true communication. It’s not a seduction or a battle, it’s a two-sided activity of sending and receiving so that the message gets across correctly. I’m seeing the intertwining of sender, receiver, and message in the very strange, dragon-y caduceus. And there’s a rooster for announcements. Is the broken statue head to show that communication is all well and good, but there is more to us than the head? Which takes us around to the body and Erato again!

Feeling very philosophical and symbolical today, I guess! Have a beautiful Tuesday!

Wednesday
How will the happy hour go today?
All-Purpose Spread




Me: Imperator
I will be helping people stick to the rules and manners, but it a nice way. I’m old and I have grey hair. But I won’t be falling asleep at the party!

Issue: Doxe
I have a problem with this card: Doxe or duke means a war lord or active chief, but the illustrations for me seem to switch that meaning with Re, king. The Doxe is wearing dignified robes, maybe of a judge, and the Re, while seated on a throne, is wearing short clothes and seems more a man of action and defender of the realm. So, the party will be calm, staid, by the book. Because bosses, our leaders, will also be there.

Outcome: Polimnia, muse of sacred poetry
Strange outcome for a party . . . It will be a true celebration but a calm, proper one.

Advice: Terpsicore, muse of dance
I should enjoy it, and enjoy the physical aspects of it: Showing off my weight loss and eating the snacks! And it will be my first time in the office for over a year, so I should enjoy that, too!

Interesting reading. Now seeing how it’s difficult to fit some of these meanings into a useful reading. But I’m up for the challenge, as you see!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, all!

Thursday
Opportunity, Challenge, Resolution




Opportunity: Chronico
I have time now to do whatever I want. I should take advantage of that before things get back to “normal.”

Challenge: Terpsicore, muse of dance
And I should use the time for exercise. I’ve lost the weight, now to get in shape and tone up. And general health, cardio, etc., of course.

Resolution: Prudence
But everything sensibly. I should do a little research and come up with an organized, sensible plan and then stick with it. That’s the resolution of time on my hands and the need to get in shape!

Well, this is a very mundane reading with these rather general cards. I knew I could use them for real readings! And today they came through for me!

Enjoy your Thursday, everyone!

Friday
The day has come: Yesterday the rule for my work switched from “work at home if you can” to “strongly encouraged to work in the office.” A complicating factor is my closest metro station will be closed from May 29 until September 6. So now I’m stressing! What do I need to know about returning to the office?
Elemental star (random this time)




Physical: Euterpe, muse of music
Listening to music and dancing/stepping will help calm me so I can deal with the issue rationally.

Emotional: Fameio
Remember that I’m an employee and I need to do what’s best for the people I work for. Nobody is going to come out and say “show some loyalty,” but that’s what they want and what I should feel.

Intellectual: Iliaco
I need to get the light of intellectual understanding of what is being said and what is being meant. I keep asking other people what they think it means, but it hasn’t gelled into a true understanding in my mind.

Energetic: Doxe
I need to do what’s right and what’s fair. Yes, the firm is the ruler and arbiter of where we work. And I need to buy into the idea that they are doing what’s right and fair for us.

Spiritual: Primo Mobile
The spiritual lesson is impermanence. Things never stay the same. We always have to change and adapt to changing circumstances. This is one of those times. It can be a learning experience if I let it.

Well, this kind of makes sense. It’s giving me the right ideas, I just need to understand and use them. Have a very happy Friday, everyone!

Saturday
Last day for Mantegna
The cards are numbered consecutively 1 to 50, so I’m going to try my numerological Arrowhead Spread.
How do I reconcile my ever-increasing skepticism with my always-remaining love of tarot?




Basic answer: A, B, C = 29. Astrologia, 6. Chavalier, 31. Iliaco
Like astrology, everything is a combination of fact and interpretation. The Renaissance study of astrology was a mathematical science, circular geometry and geometry in motion, based on observed celestial phenomena. But in included divinatory interpretation too. There are facts I know and facts I don’t. And scientific interpretations of facts probably aren’t the only valid ones. And, to go with my “air” interpretation of this card, science itself, especially physics of the very large and very small, can be completely counterintuitive, and we just have to take the word of the scientists. Not to mention that the essence of science is that its interpretations are always changing when more is learned. Astrologia says I need to keep an open mind.

And Chavalier says I need to active in creating my own world view. It’s lazy and sometimes dangerous to trust anyone else’s.

Iliaco: And this is just where my energy is at this time. I’m creating this dilemma, and I can live with it. Maybe it will bring me light in the long run.




Cause: A+C = 29+31=60=6. Chavalier again!
I’m causing this dilemma because I’m going through a phase of actively questioning everything. That’s a good thing!

Receiving: A+B = 29+6=35. Prudentia
It’s wise and practical to question everything. I received this wisdom from a random YouTube video I watched about someone’s conversion from fundy to atheism.

Doing: B+C = 6+31=37. Iusticia
I’m weighing the evidence and thoughtfully considering all sides.

Outcome: A+B+C = 29+6+31=66=12. Urania, muse of astrology!
My love of tarot and divination will be validated. I will be inspired to consciously include intuition and empathy as important parts of my worldview.

Advice: Sum of all 7 = 6+29+6+31+35+37+12=156=12. Urania again!
The outcome is the advice. I shouldn’t cut myself off from divination and all the joy it gives me just because I have doubts about what random people and organizations teach. I should stay the active Chavalier and decide for myself what I value. Astrologia (math/science) and Urania are not opposites, they are complementary. THAT’s what I need to work on.

Well, what a great reading! I really enjoyed it, and the repetitions and correspondences were quite revealing and fun. Have a wonderful weekend! I’ll see you tomorrow with a new deck!