The Suit of Swords
The Numbered Cards of the Suit of Swords tells the tale of Orestes, his trials and tribulations. His ordeals had their roots in his ancestory, caused by one of his ancestors, Tantaluas.
Tantaluas was a friend of the Gods but abused his privilages. He went as far as to slay his son and served his flesh to the Gods to test if they were really all knowing. The Gods were instantly aware, of course, and as punishment, Zeus cursed his line.
The Curse was triggered when one of his descendents, Agamemnon, offended Artemis by boasting in one of her groves. She demanded the sacrifice of his daughter, Iphigenia, before she would send a fair wind so that he could sail off to the Trojian War. Agamemnon did as he was told but the moment before the flames of the pyre touched Iphigenia, she was snatched away by Artemis herself and carried away. Nonetheless, nobody knew of Artemis rescue and Agamemno's wife, Clytemnestra, began to hate him. This hate festered for a good many years. When Agamemnon returned from the War, she and Agamemnon's cousin, Aegisthus, murdered him and siezed the throne.
Orestes, Agamemnon's son, had been sent away by Clytemnestra so that he would not know of his father's murder nor would he try to stop it. Unfortunately, despite his absence, he came involved in the affair and it was here, his trials began. He was ordered by Apollo, to avenge his slain father for that was the honourable thing to do. This he did by slaying his mother and her lover. Unfortunately, slaying one's mother, no matter what she had done, was the worst possible crime. The Furies, spirits of vengence, came to haunt Orestes and soon drove him very nearly mad. He wandered through Greece, trying to avoid the Furies.
At Athens, Orestes, was put on trial. Athene was the judge and Apollo defended Orestes. Athene decided that Orestes had suffered enough and ordered the Furies to leave him alone, some did but the rest continued to pursue him.
He was told to make amends for his crime by fetching back a Statue of Artemis from Taurians, barbairans who sacrified strangers. Orestes set of with his cousin, Pylades. They found Iphigenia with the Taurians, a high priestess of Artemis, and the Statue was in her keeping. With her help, Orestes and Pylades managed to bring the Statue and Iphigenia back to Greece.
In successfully completing his quest, Orestes ended the ancient curse on his family and he married Hermione, daughter of Helen (the most beautiful woman in the world) and Menelaus (her husband).
The Suit of Swords is the Suit of suffering, sorrow and activity. It is also the Suit of Air, storms and Winter, thoughts and ideas. Hence, dark clouds and bleak scenery (or backgrounds) are found on every card (and on this page as well).
It must be noted though, some of the meanings of the cards have been changed, probably by the creator so that the cards could be adapted to the legend. An example would be in the Two of Swords, where Agamemnon and Clytemnestra are seen at odds with each other and Orestes was around to see it. In most versions of the legend, this did not happen.
Each of the numbered cards shows a portion of the story while the Court Cards each show a mortal. Please refer to the relavent card for a description.
The information on this page is complied and re-written by Lysander.
Ace of Swords
The Ace of Swords portrays Athene, the Goddess of War and Wisdom whom we have already met in the card Justice. An Ace always denotes a beginning though Athene was not the cause of Orestes problems, she ended them with her anylatic nature, representing by the sword she wields. The Sword she wields also represents the mind, that which can generate great suffering or solutions to suffering.
Description: This card shows Athene, on a rocky plain. She is dressed in her full battle armour and is wielding a large Sword, which for some reason, seems disportionately large as compared to the rest of the figure. Behind her are snow capped mountains and a grey sky dotted with clouds. As with all Aces, creation and beginnings are suggested but here, it is the creation of new ideas. Like a sword, the mind, from which all ideas spring from, can be used to cause suffering or reliefing suffering, hence, the Sword of Athene cuts both ways, for the better or worse.
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Two of Swords
Trouble starts brewing in this scene. Clytemnestra and Agamemnon begin their quarrel on the return of Agamemnon. Orestes stands between them, not knowning whose side to take
Description: In this card, Orestes is seen standing in the centre of the card with his hands to his head, as if trying to shut out some noise. The noise would be the quarrels of his parents, Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. One stands on each side of him, both wield a sword pointing downwards. The swords meet and cross before Orestes. Like the first card, dark skies and mountains can be seen in the back ground. The Two of Swords in the Mythic Tarot a stalemate of affairs and a period of indecision for Orestes knows not whom to side.
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Three of Swords
This card shows the scene where the plot of Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus, culmulates in the murder of Agamemnon.
Description: Agamemnon is seen here, lying in a stone bath, in which the waters are starting to turn red with his blood. Clytemnestra is seen holding a sword which she has stabbed in his heart. Aegisthus holds another sword which he has driven through Agamemnon's heart as well. Lastly, a third sword stands upright, held by no one, and it too, is driven through Agamemnon's heart. The divinatory meaning of the Three of Swords in the Mythic Tarot is one of tragic sorrow and consequence. Sorrow due to the murder and death and the consequence for Agamemnon's choice of sacrificing his daugher revealed. Tensions are no longer hidden (unlike in the Two of Swords) but are brought out into the open.
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Four of Swords
The scene shifts to Orestes who sits in quiet meditation, away from the strife of his mother and his father, quite unaware of the dreadful incident that took place in his home.
Description: A peaceful and serene scene. Orestes is at peace for the moment, away from the problems at home. He sits quitely, at meditation. Before him, four swords are arranged in such a manner that they resemble they resemble the spokes of a wheel. Behind him are mountains, but reflecting the serene nature of this card, the dark clouds are missing. The Four of Swords signifies a time of retreat, meditation, a time of rest and solitude.
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Five of Swords
This is a dramatic scene for Apollo has appeared before Orestes, ordering him to avenge his father's murder.
Description: The Five of Swords shows Orestes kneeling before Apollo who bears five Swords. Apollo appears on the right of the card while Orestes kneels on the left. In his right hand, Apollo holds five Swords and points to them with his left hand. As befitting the omnimous nature of the card, dark clouds roll in the skies in the background. The Five of Swords in the Mythic Tarot indicates a need to recognize one's own limits and one's fate.
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Six of Swords
Orestes return to his homeland is depicted here in which he travels in a ship.
Description: The Six of Swords shows Orestes standing in a boat in which Six Swords are embedded. Orestes stands in a diginfied posture, his cloak blowing behind him, gazing at the shoreline in the right background of the card. In the foreground, the waters in the sea appear turbulant but waters near the shore, in the background, appear calmer. This is a card of temporary reprieve, a journey away from sorrows, sometimes, this card hints of a journey by sea.
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Seven of Swords
Orestes is shown here in his homeland. He has arrived and beings to plot his deed, the assination of his mother.
Description: This card shows Orestes in the middle of the night, dressed in a cloak with a cowl that covers his face, creeping under the cover of a shadow of a wall towards a door. Behind him, a full Moon illuminates the scene partially. The Seven of Swords augurs a time of planning, stealth, guile and perhaps treachery. It speaks of unfairness in undertakings and perhaps underhandedness in attempting matters.
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Eight of Swords
This card show the indecision of Orestes before he performs the fateful act of avenging his father by slaying his mother, unable to choose between obeying Apollo or fear of the consequence if he should obey.
Description: Orestes stands in a circle made by eight Swords with their points embedded in the ground. To his left hover three Furies while to his right, Apollo stands sternly. Orestes wrings his hands in despair, being unable to make a choice and come to a decision. This card signifies a situation of indecision and immbolisiation as a result there of, illustrated here by Orestes inability to choose and as a result of which, an inability to move on.
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Nine of Swords
The deed is done and Orestes has chosen. He has slain his mother, obeying the order of Lord Apollo and avenged his father. Unfortunately, this also provoked the wrath of the Furies who starts to haunt him.
Description: This is a dark card, almost completely black save for the figures. Orestes stands near the bottom left in the foreground, his hands clasped to his head once again, as if trying to shut out some noise. However, covering his ears will not shut out the shrieks and screams of the Furies who hover in a dark cloud in the top left of the card. There are three Furies, each wield three Swords, all of which are pointed at Orestes. This card is a card of haunting, suffering, perhaps illness and nightmares. It is also a card of anxiety and pessmistic future.
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Ten of Swords
The Conclusion of the Numbered Cards in the Suit of Swords shows that Orestes' Judgement at Athens. Athene judges in his favour, freeing Orestes from his burden.
Description: The tenth card of any of the numbered Minor Arcanna shows the conclusion of Orestes trials, at least for this portion of it. Orestes lies near the right foreground of the card, curled up and nearly spent. Seperating the Furies, who hover to the left, from Orestes are nine Swords. Athene stands to the middleground on the right, wielding a sword. Behind Athene, the dawn of a new day, signifying hope, can be seen. Traditonally, this card is the culmulation of sorrows and suffering but all is not loss for there is hope, just like every cloud has a silver lining.
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The Page of Swords
The Page of Swords is Zephyrus. Zephyrus was the lord of the West Wind which he blew from his mouth. Zephyrus, like his brethen, Boreas, the North Wind, Euras, the East Wind and Notus, the South Wind, were children of Eos, the Goddess of Dawn and Astraeus, the Lord of the Night Skies. Orginally of a wild, spiteful and malicious nature, Zephyrus disposition softened when he was given the sweet and gentle Iris, messanger of the Gods to Men, as his wife. No longer was the wind he blew cold, wild and chilly, it became a warm, sweet scented breeze welcomed by mortals every where.
Description: This card potrays a youth, sitting comfortably on dark cloud. Despite being high up in the sky, he does not appear to be cold and wears a sleveless tunic and a short cloak. He wields a and blows out a cloud from his mouth. Beneath, snow capped mountains can be seen. The Page of Swords signifies a messanger, or a young person that may come into the Querent's life. This card also hints at the possibiltiy of gossip, possibly about the Querent.
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The Knight of Swords
The Knight (or rather, Knights) of Swords brings us to the tale of the Discouri, the Divine Twins. Their history is an interesting one. Their mother was Leda, who was pursued by Zeus who armorous intent. When she refused his advances, he changed himself into a beautiful swan and in this guise, ravnished her. Leda was gravid at that time and when the time came for her to give birth, she gave birth to two eggs. From one egg, emarged the mortal children, Castor and Clytemnestra and from the other egg emarged Polydeuces and Helen, the children of Zeus and were divine in nature. Despite the fact that one was a mortal and the other divine, Polydeuces and Castor were close. When Castor was slain in a duel, Polydeuces prayed to his father that he would never outlive his brother. Zeus could not bring Castor back to life and they settled on a compromise. Polydeuces and Castor were allowed to spend their days alternately in the Realms of the Dead and in the World of the Living. In their memory, Zeus placed their image in the stars.
Description: The Knight of Swords shows two young men, wearing armour astride a horse, facing the right. Each of them wields a single Sword. The horse is rearing, with its forelegs raised, as if about to take to the air. In the middle ground, a barren plain can be seen. Mountains and turbulant skies with dark clouds fill the background. A Knight always brings about movement and change, perhaps a change of residence, or a matter that comes and goes quickly that involves the Querent.
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The Queen of Swords
The Queen of Swords is Atalanta, daughter of King Iasus. Iasus wished passionately for a male heir and so abandoned her to die on a hill side. She was found and rescued by hunters and was brought up as one of them. She proved to be brave and resourceful and performed many famous deeds of arms. It was only after a long time when spread so far and wide that her father aknowledged her as his daughter. However, proud Atlanta would not marry an ordinary man. She allowed any man to race her and if he won, she would marry him, otherwise, she slew the suitor. This was rather unfortunate as she was the swiftest mortal alive and many princes lost their lives in racing with her. A man named Melanion called on Aphrodite for aid. Aphrodite gave Melanion three Golden Apples which he dropped during the race when Atalanta gained on him. This he did and each time he did so, she stopped to pick them up, as a result, she lost the race and he married her. Alas, Melanion and she performed a sacrilegious act in Zeus' sacred temple and he turned them into lions. Greeks at that time believed the lions mated with lepords, hence, both of them were forever denied of each other's presence.
Description: The Queen of Swords is a cold aloof woman of icy beauty. She wears a golden crown and bears a stern visage. She is clothed in a blue robe. In her left hand, she holds a silver sword and in the other hand, a jug from which water spills onto the barren plain around her silver throne. In the background is a range of mountains and above it is a clear blue sky. The Queen of Swords is a woman who is can be cool and aloof, and rather of a perfectionist at times.
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The King of Swords
The King of Swords is Odysseus. It was he that suggested to King Tyndareos, father of Helen, that King Tyndareous bind all of Helen's Suitors to an Oath. This Oath was that if Helen should ever be stolen away by anyone, all would be required to raise an army to rescue her. As a result of this Oath, numerous Princes were bonded and when Helen was abducted by Paris, all of them went to her rescue, precipitating the Trojan War. It was also him that thought of the idea of the Trojan Horse, in a way, he single handedly ended the Trojan War.
Description: The King of Swords portrays a handsome man with long hair and beard. He is dressed in a grey robe and wears a golden crown. He is seated on a silver throne on which a triangle is embelmed on each of the arms. In one hand, he holds a silver sword and in the other hand, he holds a pair of scales. Behind him is a range of mountain peaks beneath a cloudy sky. The King of Swords stands for a man who usually hence ties to the millitary, though not neccessarily so. He could also be a man who could offer counsel and advise to the Seeker.
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