SPECIAL INSIGHTS INTO SELECTED CARD
COMBINATIONS BY MATHERS(a)SCEPTRES (i.e. CLUBS or WANDS) 24. Knight of Sceptres. This card is not be read singly; it means the departure of the card which follows it.
Reversed: Again, notice the card which follows it; if a woman, quarrel with a woman; if money, then loss of money, etc.25. Knave [Page] of Sceptres. Reversed: Notice between what cards the news falls, which will show whence it comes, and of what nature it is.
34. Deuce of Sceptres. Reversed: If the cards fall 49 [Ace of Cups] reversed, 34 [Two of Wands] reversed, you will be surprised by a change. If 47 [Three of Cups], 49 [Ace of Cups] reversed, 34 [Two of Sceptres] reversed, you will be happy; but the reverse if they fall 54 [10 of Swords], 49 [Ace of Cups] reversed, 34 [Two of Sceptres] reversed.
CUPS 38. Knight of Cups. This shows the arrival of the card which follows it, as 38 [Knight of Cups], 54 [Ten of Swords], the arrival of affliction or grief; 38 [Knight of Cups], 39 [Page of Cups], the visit of a fair young man, etc.
43. Seven of Cups.Explains the card which follows; thus, 43 [Seven of Cups], 30 [Six of Wands], 33 [Three of Wands]. 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 reversed, what is going to happen.
46 Four of Cups. The following cards might show what the dispelasure or anxiety was about, the preceding cards, whence it originated.
SWORDS 51. Queen of Swords. This is not necessarily to be taken by itself; it may signify that the person symbolized 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 [Page] of Swords. Reversed: If 72 [Six of Pentacles], 53 [Page of Swords] reversed, an unexpected present. If 53 [Page of Swords] reversed, 54 [Ten of Swords], unexpected grief, etc.
55. Nine of Swords. Reversed: The card following will show whom or what to distrust, etc.
56. Eight of Swords.Reversed: Shows treachery or deceit in the past, and will be explained by the neighboring cards.
57. Seven of Swords. Reversed: 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. Reversed: The cards near will show whether it is health or money that requires care.
61. Deuce of Swords. Reversed: If confirmed by other cards may simply mean that the friends are not of much use to the inquirer in the matter under consideration.
PENTACLES or COINS 65. Queen of Pentacles. Reversed: (If this card does not signify any particular person): If 65 [Queen of Pentacles] reversed, 31[Five of Wands] reversed, it is not said that there will be a lawsuit. If 31[Five of Wands] reversed, 65 [Queen of Pentacles] reversed, if you gain your case you won't be much the better for it.
67. Knave [Page] of Pentacles. Reversed: Consult the following cards to see in what the person is prodigal. If 67 [Page of Pentacles] reversed, 57 [Seven of Swords] reversed, 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. Reversed: 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.
Notes.
(a) Mathers reported that these meanings were “chiefly taken from Etteilla”. However, they were not found in Papus’ Le Tarot divinatore, which is the source for the SE’s DMs for this compendium. Therefore, although they may indeed depend from the SE, the editor was unable to confirm this. Additionally, Waite does not present these meanings in PKT. The numbers assigned to specific cards are those which were assigned by Etteilla. For further details concerning the presentation and sources of this material, see the Introduction.
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