Tarot-The Tarot and the Decans

8/13/2019 Tarot-The Tarot and the Decans

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The Tarot and the Decans

Following is a comparison o f the decan descriptions f rom Henry Cornelius Agrippa's Three Boo ks o f Occult

Philosophy (2nd volume) and the divinato ry meanings of the minor arcana cards to which they are att ributed

in Book T.

DecanAgrippa's Description of the

Decan Card Book T Meaning of the Card

Aries I A black man, standing andcloathed in a white garment,girdled about, of a great body,with reddish eyes, and greatst rength, and like one that isangry; and this image signif iethand causeth boldness, f ort itude,

lof tiness and shamelesness;

2 of WandsDominion

Strength, domination, harmony o frule and of justice. Boldness ,courage, f ierceness,shamelessness, revenge,resolution, generous, proud,sensitive, ambitious, ref ined,rest less, turbulent, sagacious

withal, yet unf orgiving andobstinate.

Aries II A woman, outwardly cloathed witha red garment, and under it awhite, spreading abroad over herf eet, and this image causethnobleness, height of a Kingdom,and greatness of dominion:

3 of WandsEstablishedStrength

Established f orce, strength,realization of hope. Completion oflabour. Success af ter st ruggle.Pride, nobility, wealth, power,conceit. Rude self -assumption andinsolence. Generosity, obstinacy,etc.

Aries III Figure of a white man, pale, with

reddish hair, and cloathed with ared garment, who carrying on theone hand a golden Bracelet, andholding f orth a wooden staf f , isrest less, and like one in wrath,because he cannot perform thatgood he would. This imagebesto weth wit, meekness, joy andbeauty:

4 of Wands

Perf ected Work

Perf ection or completion of a thing

built up with trouble and labour.Rest af ter labour, subtlety,cleverness, beauty, mirth, successin completion. Reasoning faculty,conclusions drawn f rom previousknowledge. Unreadiness, unreliableand unsteady through over-anxietyand hurriedness of action.Graceful in manner, at timesinsincere, etc.

Taurus I A naked man, an Archer, Harvesteror Husbandman, and goeth forthto sow, plough, build, people, anddivide the earth, according to therules o f Geometry;

5 of PentaclesMaterialTrouble

Loss o f money or pos ition. Troubleabout material things. Labour, toil,land cultivation; building,knowledge and acuteness ofearthly things, poverty,carefulness, kindness; sometimesmoney regainedaf ter severe toiland labour. Unimaginative, harsh,stern, determined, obstinate.

Taurus II A naked man, holding in his hand akey; it giveth power, nobility, anddominion over people:

6 of PentaclesMaterialSuccess

Success and gain in materialundertakings. Power, inf luence,rank, nobility, rule over the people.Fort unate, successf ul, liberal and

just . If ill dignif ied, may be purse-proud, insolent f rom excess, orprodigal.
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Taurus III A man in whose hand is a Serpent,and a dart, and is the image ofnecess ity and prof it, and also ofmisery & slavery.

7 of PentaclesSuccessunfulf illed

Promises of success unfulf illed.Loss o f apparently promisingf ortune. Hopes deceived andcrushed. Disappointment, misery,slavery, necessity and baseness. Acultivator of land, and yet a loserthereby. Sometimes it denotesslight and isolated gains with nof ruits resulting theref rom, and of

no f urther account, thoughseeming to promise well.

Gemini I A man in whose hand is a rod, andhe is, as it were, serving another;it granteth wisdom, and theknowledge of numbers and arts inwhich there is no prof it:

8 of SwordsShortenedForce

Too much force applied to smallthings: too much attention to detailat the expense of the principal andmore important points. When illdignif ied, these qualities producemalice, pett iness, and domineeringcharacteristics. Patience in detailof study; great care in somethings, counterbalanced by equal

disorder in others. Impulsive;equally fo nd of giving or receivingmoney or presents; generous,clever, acute, self ish and withoutstrong f eeling of aff ection.

Admires wisdo m, yet applies it tosmall and unworthy objects.

Gemini II A man in whose hand is a Pipe,and another being bowed down,digging the earth: and they signif ieinfamous and dishonest agility, asthat o f Jesters and Juglers[jugglers]; it also signif ies laboursand painf ul searchings:

9 of SwordsDespair andCruelty

Despair, cruelty, pitilessness,malice, suf f ering, want, loss,misery. Burden, oppress ion, labour,subtlety and craf t, dishonesty,lying and slander. Yet alsoobedience, faithf ulness, patience,unself ishness, etc. According todignity.

Gemini III A man seeking for Arms, and af oo l holding in the right hand aBird, and in his lef t a pipe, andthey are the significations o ff orgetf ulness, wrath, boldness,

jeasts [jest s], scurrilit ies, andunprof itable words:

10 of SwordsRuin

Undisciplined, warring force,complete disruption and f ailure.Ruin of all plans and projects .Disdain, insolence andimpertinence, yet mirth and jo llitytherewith. A marplot , loving tooverthrow the happiness ofothers; a repeater of things; given

to much unprof itable speech, andof many words . Yet clever,eloquent, etc., according to dignity.

Cancer I A young Virgin, adorned with f inecloathes [clothes], and having aCrown on her head; it givethacuteness of senses, subtilty ofwit, and the love of men:

2 of CupsLove

Harmony of masculine andf eminine united. Harmony,pleasure, mirth, subtlety: but if illdignif ied - -- f olly, dissipation,waste, silly actions .

Cancer II A man cloathed in comelyapparrel, or a man and woman

sitting at the table and playing; itbesto weth riches, mirth, gladness,and the love of women:

3 of CupsAbundance

Abundance, plenty, success,pleasure, sensuality, passive

success, good luck and fortune;love, gladness, kindness, liberality.


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Cancer III A man a Hunter with his lance andhorne, bringing out dogs f or t ohunt; the signif ication of this isthe contention of men, thepursuing of those who f ly, thehunting and possessing of thingsby arms and brawlings.

4 of CupsBlendedPleasure

Success or pleasure approachingtheir end. A st ationary period inhappiness, which may, or may not,continue. It does not mean loveand marriage so much as theprevious symbol. It is too passive asymbol to represent perf ectlycomplete happiness. Swif tness ,hunting and pursuing. Acquisition

by content ion: injustice sometimes;some drawbacks to pleasureimplied.

Leo I A man riding on a Lion; it signif iethboldness, violence, cruelty,wickedness, lust and labours tobe sustained.

5 of WandsStrife

Violent st rife and boldness,rashness, cruelty, violence, lust ,desire, prodigality and generos ity;depending on whether the card iswell or ill dignif ied.

Leo II With hands lif ted up, and a manon whose head is a Crown; hehath the appearance of an angryman, and one that threatneth,having in his right hand a Sworddrawn out of the scabbard, & inhis lef t a buckler; it hathsignif ication upon hiddencontent ions, and unknownvicto ries, & upon base men, andupon the occasions of quarrelsand battels [battles]:

6 of WandsVictory

Victory af ter s trif e: Love: pleasuregained by labour: carefulness,sociability and avoiding of st rif e,yet victory therein: also insolence,and pride of riches and success,etc. The whole dependent on t hedignity.

Leo III A young man in whose hand is aWhip, and a man very sad, and o fan ill aspect; they signif ie love andsociety, and the loss o f onesright f or avoiding strif e.

7 of WandsValour

Possible victory, depending on theenergy and courage exercised;valour; opposition, obstacles anddif f iculties, yet courage to meetthem; quarrelling, ignorance,pretence, and wrangling, andthreatening; also victo ry in smalland unimportant things: andinf luence upon subordinates.

Virgo I A good maide, and a man castingseeds; it signif ieth gett ing ofwealth, o rdering of diet, plowing,sowing, and peopling;

8 of PentaclesPrudence

Over-careful in small things at t heexpense of great: "Penny wise andpound foo lish": gain of readymoney in small sums; mean;

avaricious; industrious; cultivationof land; hoarding, lacking inenterprise.

Virgo II A black man cloathed with a skin,and a man having a bush o f hair,holding a bag; they signif ie gain,scraping together of wealth andcovetousness.

9 of PentaclesMaterial Gain

Complete realizat ion of materialgain, good, riches; inheritance;covetous; treasuring of goods;and sometimes thef t and knavery.

Virgo III A white woman and deaf , o r anold man leaning on a staf f ; the

signif ication of this is to shewweakness, inf irmity, loss ofmembers, destruction of trees,and depopulation of lands.

10 of PentaclesWealth

Completion o f material gain andf ortune; but nothing beyond: as it

were, at the very pinnacle ofsuccess. Old age, slothf ulness;great wealth, yet sometimes loss inpart; heaviness; dullness o f mind,yet clever and prosperous inmoney transactions.


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Libra I An angry man, in who se hand is aPipe, and the f orm of a manreading in a book; the operationof this is in justif ying and helpingthe miserable and weak againstthe powerful and wicked:

2 of SwordsPeace resto red

Contradictory characters in thesame nature, strength throughsuf f ering; pleasure aft er pain.Sacrifice and trouble, yet st rengtharising theref rom, ... as though thepain itself had brought f orthbeauty. Arrangement, peacerestored; truce; truth and untruth;sorrow and sympathy. Aid to theweak; arrangement; jus tice,unself ishness; also a tendency torepetition of aff ronts on beingpardoned; injury when meaningwell; given to petitions; also a wantof tact, and asking question o flittle moment; talkative.

Libra II Two men f urio us and wrathful anda man in a comely garment, sit tingin a chair; and the signif ication ofthese is to shew indignation

against the evil, and quietnessand security of life with plenty ofgood t hings.

3 of SwordsSorrow

Disruption, interruption,separation, quarrelling; sowing ofdiscord and st rife, mischief -making, sorrow and tears; yet mirth

in Platonic pleasures; singing,f aithf ulness in promises, honestyin money transactions, self ish anddissipated, yet sometimesgenerous: deceitf ul in words andrepetit ions; ... (Unhappiness,sorrow, and tears).

Libra III A vio lent man ho lding a bow, andbefore him a naked man, and alsoanother man holding bread in onehand, and a cup of wine in the

other; the signif ication of these isto shew wicked lusts , singings,sports and gluttony.

4 of SwordsRest f romStrife

Rest f rom sorrow; yet af ter andthrough it. Peace f rom and af terwar. Relaxation o f anxiety.Quietness, rest , ease and plenty,

yet af ter st ruggle. Goods o f thislif e; abundance; ... (Convalescence,recovery f rom sickness; changef or the better).

Scorpio I A woman of good face and habit ,and two men striking her; theoperations of these are fo rcomliness , beauty, and for strif es,treacheries, deceits,detractations, and perditions;

5 of CupsLoss inPleasure

Death, or end of pleasure:disappointment, sorrow and loss inthose things f rom which pleasureis expected. Sadness, treachery,deceit; ill-will, detraction; charityand kindness ill requited; all kindsof anxieties and troubles f rom

unsuspected and unexpectedso urces. ... (Disappointment in love,marriage broken of f , unkindnessof a friend; loss of f riendship).

Scorpio II A man naked, and a woman naked,and a man sitt ing on the earth,and before him two dogs bitingone another; and their operationis f or impudence, deceit, andf alse dealing, and for to lendmischief and strif e amongst men;

6 of CupsPleasure

Commencement o f steadyincrease, gain and pleasure; butcommencement only. Also af f ront ,detection, knowledge, and in someinstances contention and strifearising f rom unwarranted self -assertion and vanity. Sometimes

thankless and presumptuous;sometimes amiable and patient. ...(Beginning of wish, happiness ,success, or enjoyment)


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Scorpio III A man bowed downward upon hisknees, and a woman st riking himwith a staf f , and it is thesignif ication o f drunkenness,f ornication, wrath, violence, andstrife.

7 of CupsIllusionarySuccess

Poss ible victory, but neutralized bythe supineness o f the person:illusionary success, deception inthe moment o f apparent victory.Lying, error, promises unfulf illed.Drunkenness, wrath, vanity. Lust ,f ornication, violence againstwomen, selfish dissipation,deception in love and f riendship.

Of ten success gained, but notf ollowed up. ... (Lying, promisesunfulf illed; illusion, deception,error; slight success at outset, notretained).

Sagittarius I A man armed with a coat of male[mail], and holding a naked swordin his hand; the operation of thisis f or boldness, malice, andliberty:

8 of WandsSwiftness

Too much fo rce applied toosuddenly. Very rapid rush, butquickly passed and expended.Violent, but not last ing. Swif tness ,rapidity, courage, boldness,conf idence, f reedom, warf are,

violence; love o f open air, f ield-sports , gardens and meadows.Generous, subt le, eloquent, yetsomewhat untrustworthy;rapacious, inso lent, oppressive.Thef t and robbery. ... (Hastycommunications and messages;swiftness).

Sagittarius II A woman weeping, and coveredwith cloathes; the operation ofthis is for sadness and f ear ofhis own body.

9 of WandsGreat Strength

Tremendous and steady force thatcannot be shaken. Herculeanst rength, yet sometimesscientif ically applied. Greatsuccess, but with s trif e and energy.Victory, preceded by apprehensionand fear. Health goo d, andrecovery not in doubt. Generous,questioning and curious; f ond ofexternal appearances: intractable,obs tinate. ... (Strength, power,health, recovery f rom sickness).

Sagittarius III A man like in colour to gold, or anidle man playing with a s taf f ; andthe signification of this is in

f ollowing our own wills, andobstinacy in them, and inactiveness f or evil things,contentions, and horrible matters.

10 of WandsOppresion

Cruel and overbearing f orce andenergy, but applied only to materialand self ish ends. Sometimes

shows f ailure in a matter, and theopposition too strong to becontro lled; arising f rom theperson's too great self ishness atthe beginning. Ill-will, levity, lying,malice, slander, envy, obstinacy;swif tness in evil and deceit, if illdignif ied. Also generosity,disinterestedness and self-sacrif ice, when well dignif ied. ...(Cruelty, malice, revenge, injust ice).


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Capricorn I A woman, and a man carrying f ullbags; and the signif ication ofthese is fo r to go f orth and torejoyce [rejoice], to gain and tolose with weakness andbaseness:

2 of PentaclesHarmoniousChange

The harmony of change,alternation o f gain and loss;weakness and st rength;everchanging occupation;wandering, discontented with anyf ixed condition o f things; nowelated, then melancholy;industrious, yet unreliable;f ortunate through prudence of

management, yet so metimesunaccountably f oo lish; alternativelytalkative and suspicious. Kind, yetwavering and inconsistent.Fortunate in journeying.

Argumentat ive. ... (Pleasant change,visit to f riends).

Capricorn II Two women, and a man lookingto wards a Bird f lying in the Air;and the signif ication of these isf or the requiring those things

which cannot be done, and for t hesearching aft er those thingswhich cannot be known:

3 of PentaclesMaterial Works

Working and constructive force,building up, creation, erection;realization and increase of materialthings; gain in commercial

transactions, rank; increase o fsubstance, inf luence, cleverness inbusiness, self ishness.Commencement of matters to beestablished later. Narrow andprejudiced. Keen in matt ers o f gain;sometimes given to seeking af terimpossibilities. ... (Business, paidemployment, commercialtransaction).

Capricorn III A woman chast [chaste] in body,and wise in her work, and abanker gathering his mony[money] together on the table; thesignif ication of this is to govern inprudence, in covetousness o fmoney, and in avarice.

4 of PentaclesEarthly Power

Assured material gain: success,rank, dominion, earthy power,completed but leading to nothingbeyond. Prejudicial, coveto us,suspicious, caref ul and orderly, butdiscontented. Litt le enterprise ororiginality. ... (Gain o f money orinf luence: a present).

Aquarius I A prudent man, and a womanspinning; and the signif ication ofthese is in the thought and labourf or gain, in poverty and baseness:

5 of SwordsDefeat

Contest f inished and decidedagainst the person; failure, defeat,anxiety, trouble, poverty, avarice,grieving af ter gain, laborious,unresting; loss and vileness o f

nature; malicious, slanderous,lying, spitef ul and tale-bearing. Abusybody and separator o ff riends, hating to see peace andlove between others. Cruel, yetcowardly, thankless and unreliable.Clever and quick in tho ught andspeech. Feelings of pity easilyroused, but unenduring. ... (Def eat,loss, malice, spite, slander, evil-speaking).

Aquarius II A man with a long beard; and thesignif ication of this belongeth tothe understanding, meeknes,modest y, liberty and goodmaners:

6 of SwordsEarnedSuccess

Success af ter anxiety and trouble;self -esteem, beauty, conceit, butsometimes modesty therewith;dominance, patience, labour, etc. ...(Labour, work, journey by water).


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Aquarius III A black and angry man; and thesignif ication of this is inexpressing insolence; andimpudence.

7 of SwordsUnstable Effort

Partial success. Yielding whenvicto ry is within grasp, as if the lastreserves of st rength were used up.Inclination to lose when on thepoint of gaining, through notcontinuing the ef f ort. Love ofabundance, f ascinated by display,given to compliments, af f ronts andinsolences, and to spy upon

others. Inclined to betrayconf idences, not alwaysintent ionally. Rather vacillato ry andunreliable. ... (Journey by land: incharacter untrustworthy).

Pisces I A man carrying burthens [burdens]on his shoulder, and wellcloathed; it hath his s ignif icion in

journeys, change o f place, and incarefulness o f gett ing wealth andcloaths:

8 of CupsAbandonedSuccess

Temporary success, but withoutf urther results. Thing thrown asideas soon as gained. Not lasting,even in the matter in hand.Indolence in success. Journeyingf rom place to place. Misery and

repining without cause. Seekingaf ter riches. Instability. ... (Successabandoned; decline of interest).

Pisces II A woman of a good countenance,and well adorned; and thesignif ication is to desire and putones self o n about high and greatmatters:

9 of CupsMaterialHappiness

Complete and perf ect realizat ionof pleasure and happiness , almos tperfect; self -praise, vanity, conceit,much talking of self , yet kind andlovable, and may be self -denyingtherewith. High-minded, not easilysat isf ied with small and limitedideas. Apt to be maligned throughtoo much self -assumption. A goodand generous, but sometimesf oo lish nature. ... (Completesuccess, pleasure and happiness,wishes f ulf illed).

Pisces III A man naked, or a youth, and nighhim a beautif ul maide, whosehead is adorned with f lowers, andit hath his s ignif ication f or rest ,idleness, delight, f ornication, andf or imbracings of women.

10 of CupsPerf ectedSuccess

Permanent and lasting successand happiness, because inspiredf rom above. Not so sensual as"Lord of Material Happiness," yetalmos t more t ruly happy. Pleasure,dissipation, debauchery, quietness,peacemaking. Kindness, pity,

generos ity, wanto nness, waste,etc. ... (Matter sett led: completegood f ortune).

Thanks Kwaw for assist ing in the comparison.

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Tarot-The Tarot and the Decans