The Suit of Swords
This is the tale of the Hous of Atreus. One of the most powerful Greek myths. It is the conflict between 'Mother-right' and 'Father-right' which makes this tale so full of conflict and bloodshed.
It begins with the crim of King Tantalos of Lydia who was so arrogant that
in his madness he mocked the gods. He killed his son and cut him into pieces,
cooking these then seving them at a banquet to which he had invited all the
olympians, to test their wisdom. For this the gods cursed Tantalos' line.
Orestes is the young prince of Argos who found the family curse passed onto
him in the form of a terrible choice. He was the son of King Agamemnon and Queen
Clytemnestra of Argos. The curse had passed down through Agamemnon's father
and grandfather. When the great war began between the Greeks and Trojans Agamemnon
was one of the Greek warlords who was elected to lead the armies by sea to Troy.
Because of his arrogance he offended the goddess Hecate (Artemis) by boasting
in one of her sacred groves. Hecate, through anger, sent a terrible storm which
pinned the Greek fleet in the harbour. The goddess oracle informed Agamemnon
that he would have to make a dreadful preparation to the goddess before she
would lift the storm.
He had to sacrifice his own daughter 'Iphigenia' on the goddess' altar at Aulis
or else he wouldn't be able to lead the Greek armies to Troy. Agamemnon thought
his glory and status was far more important than a daughter, he had another
anyway and daughters were less valuable than sons. So he deceived his wife Clytemnestra
by annoyncing that Iphigenia would be married at Aulis. The girl was sent from
her home at Argos to war camp at Aulis and was slaughtered. By the time Clytemnestra
found out the truth Agamemnon had already sailed to Troy.
The Greek armies were successful and Troy was sacked. Agamemnon returned home
as a hero. What he didn't know was during his absence Clytemnestra had plotted
revenge for the death of their daughter. She found a lover 'Aegisthus', and
together they planned Agamemnon's murder. When Agamemnon finally arrived home
surrounded by cheering troops, Clytemnestra greeted him sweetly and led him
to his bath. There she and her lover cut him to pieces. She had sent Orestes,
his son away to the city of Phocis so he would know nothing of the murder and
would not try to save his father.
Unfortunately the god Apollo appeared before Orestes in Phocis and told him
he must take revenge for the murder of his father. Orestes protested, scared
becasue this meant he must become a matricide. Apollo threatened him with madness
and fightful punishments if Orestes refused the god's command. The young prince
gave in at last. He had to kill his own mother although Apollo thought it to
be right Orestes didn't. He didn't want to be hounded into madness and death
by the Furies, the terrifying goddesses of vengeance, to whom the mother was
the worst of all human crimes according to their matriarchal law. Orestes thus
accepted his fate and went back to Argos in secret.
When he finally arrived at the palace he saw his sister Electra who too wanted
to avenge her father's death. Orestes, with the help if his sister, killed Aegisthus
first then his mother. Immediately following Furies appeared with their snake-locks,
leather wings and horrible faces. They drove him mad with terrible nightmares
and visions. They hounded him all over Greeze until eventually in despair and
exhaustion he sought sanctuary at the shrine of the goddess Athene. Athene took
pity on the yojng prince who was so caught between two such powerful and destructive
forces. She set up a jury of 12 human judges who might assess the case. Six
sided with Apollo and thought that a father was the most important life, and
the other six sided with the Furies and thought that the mother was the most
important life. Athene cast the final vote in favour of Orestes just as he was
at the point of expiring. The goddess made peace witht eh Furies by offering
them their own shrine and honourable worship. And so Orestes was freed and the
ancient curse of the House of Atreus was lifted at last.
Ace of Swords
In the spread the Ace of Swords resembles that out of a conflict some new creative
viewpiont will emerge. The mental powers are awakening and this means a change
in one's life. The old order is threatened and conflicts are bound to arise.
A resolution will be possible but there is an inevitability of collision and
struggle before such a peace is insight.
Two of Swords
This card usually resembles denial of an issue. A problem needs to be faced
up too rather than trying to work around it. Putting it off will only worsen
things and it will not get one past the problem.
Three of Swords
This card implies a painfull state of seperation after conflict. There is
a realization that self-delusions and blindness has to stop. It's like breaking
of an abcess so the body can begin to heal. You have to get rid of the things
making the problem before you can solve the problem.
Four of Swords
Finally a time of quiet recuperation. The individual can build up strenght and
energy in preparation for further efforts coming up. If appearing in the spread
it might be saying that the individual has to accept solitute or withdrawal
and not fill the time with activities. Some rest is needed to think clear and
straight.
Five of Swords
This is the card showing that it is necessary for one to know their own
limits. They have to recognize that life needs to be lived within those limits.
Sometimes there is a situation where the individual has taken on too much and
has to swallow the pride and back off, facing what's possible before moving
on.
Six of Swords
This card suggests the time when the minds understanding helps clear a difficult
and anqiety-provoking time into a more peacefull passage. Insight smooths the
storm-clouds and one can keep one's dignity and self-respect.
Seven of Swords
Time has come when it is necessary to use common sense, diplomacy, wit and
forward thinking rather than bullying tacticts to acheive ones ends or goals.
It might leave an uncomfortable feeling of falseness but life may require it
for further knowledge.
Eight of Swords
The situation has come when the individual is too scared of the consequences
that one cannot act. Decisions have to be made but both decisions will lead
to some trouble or other. The realization has come when one has created the
problem oneself because there is usually a time of denyal, avoidancy, blindness,
and fear of confrontation, usually to avoid hurting someone. It is important
to face one's own part in the problem honestly.
Nine of Swords
Anxiety has over come the individual. The future is no longer in sight by
anxiety and fear lying in the way. Guilt of past mistakes or upsets flow through
ones life. To have the future back insight all these things must be overcome.
Ten of Swords
The final ending of a difficult situation has been reached. It may be painfull
but the situation has been faced truthfully and a new future with less conflicts
can begin. Guilt will not be flowing through ones mind anymore since the past
problem was faced with honesty.
Page of Swords
It is time for one to meet oneself's childlike curiosity and potential for
spiteful gossip which the Page embodies. It marks the beginning of the use of
mental powers. Maybe oneself was the victim of others' gossip or there can be
a tendency to start petty quarrels and to be irritable and difficult. These
things reflect the emergence of new ideas and true independent thinking, usually
in one who has been used to being open minded and accepting ideas of others.
Knight of Swords
Be prepared for sudden changes in life which affect or even break up the
ordinary patterns of life. These changes could be brought up by another individual
coming into one's life who possesses fascinating and disruptive qualities of
the Dioscuri. It could also take the form of a new idea or vision which erupts
from within oneself and breaks up ordinary life into disorder for a while. This
can all result into a broader vision of life.
Queen of Swords
The individual might meet the side of themself which clings tightly to an
immovable faith in high ideals. They may be noble and lofty and help improve
consciousness and the quality of life but they may also reject life and be a
defence against the frear of being human and therefore vulnerable to hurt. The
individual needs to see where they might create problems through demanding superhuman
perfection of others or oneself.
King of Swords
Ambivalent gifts of intellectual leadership and strategy need to be found
within oneself. Inspired ideas about how to develop things in the future are
qualities which he possesses in abundance. Sometimes this figure can appear
in one's life in the form of an individual who is striking by virtue of his
mental gifts and his capacity to make changes in the world. But if such an individual
enters one's life it may be seen as a catalyst through whom one can contact
this dimension of oneself.
The Cups
The Wands
The Pentacles
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