The above is the pen and ink drawing for Cancer decan 3, the Four of Cups, aka Luxury but more formally, the Lord of Blended Pleasure. The word Blended is significant, as it implies that it isn’t total pleasure, but is somehow hindered.
Cadent Decan of Cancer: A swift-footed person, with a viper in his hand, leading dogs.
This is an excerpt from the “Artist Notes” section of the book I am working on. This section of the book describes what inspired the image, or provided a figure model for the image.
“Though the figure is male, it was inspired by and modelled on various statues by Paul Manship, who did various similar looking Art Deco bronze sculptures of running figures such as Atalanta. Atalanta was a swift-footed virgin who eschewed men and devoted herself to the huntress Artemis. He also did a sculpture of the lunar goddess Artemis, that I saw at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts. The statue is of a nude Artemis with her bow, running with her hunting dog in pursuit of the unfortunate Actaeon. In the tale Actaeon the hunter stumbled upon Artemis bathing, and was transformed into a stag for his transgression, becoming the hunted.
Atalanta, Artemis, and, of necessity, Actaeon, were all “swift-footed persons.” The model for the male runner here was Artemis herself, who has lunar associations most suitable for this doubly Moon-ruled sign and decan. The statue provided the anatomical posture, but was made male, and given clothing, the viper, and the horn.”
- Cancer: the sign ruled by the Moon
- Chaldean decan ruler: also the Moon
- Fours: ruled by Jupiter
This combination is fortunate, as the sign ruler and decan ruler align, with the additional expansive and fortunate influence of Jupiter. Thus the title, “Luxury.” Yet it is blended pleasure. It is a Cadent decan, and as a Four, subject to some “full stop” type of expression. Fours are the first expression of a suit below the supernals, or realm of deity, on the Tree of Life, first below the “Abyss.” It is where the suit starts to leave the ideal. They are generally a plateau of sorts, where one has gotten to a resting point but cannot progress without some form of disruption (the approaching Fives). Thus the feeling of, “this is good, but I’m restless” feeling of the card. Fours want to be stable, but any stability in them is only temporary,
The cards of Cancer decan 3, the Four of Cups, in order, above: RWS, Thoth, Tabula Mundi, Rosetta, Telos Tarot of 777.
Hellenistic god per the 36 Airs fragment: Hecate
Ptolemaic god per 777: Mercophta
Most are familiar with the lunar goddess Hecate, and her triune form is even seen in the image. Mercophta on the other hand is much more obscure. I’m going to have to conceal my speculations and musings about this god until the publication of my book.
Talismanic use of the image:
“The Picatrix applications use the triplicity ruler Jupiter, and use the image for assuring protection from perils on sea journeys. But the general significations for the decan reference acquisition by means of war and conflict. An excess of resources should be satisfying, even shared, yet those who have want more. It could be used for hunting and gathering, pursuing that which flees, and acquiring goods through war and contention.”
The RWS image seems especially resonant with the idea of Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha after his revelation under the Bodhi Tree. He was a wealthy prince, raised in Luxury, who, after escaping his luxurious and sheltered upbringing due to boredom and dissatisfaction, saw for the first time how the common people lived and died. He saw the truth of human suffering in the world, which had previously been purposely hidden from him in his life of luxury. He became disillusioned with his wealth, renounced pleasure, and thereafter lived life as a mendicant. Eventually, during a meditation beneath the Bodhi tree, he discovered the Buddhist “Four Noble Truths” and the “Middle Path.”
The Thoth image emphasizes the golden glow yet he cups are both stable with square bases, and seemingly still unstable due the flow of the waters, which have not quite yet overfilled the lower cups. The Tabula Mundi image shows the luxury of a beautiful pearl, yet pearls are created by an irritation. The large wave shows she encroaching disruption of what is otherwise quite balanced and beautiful.
As far as having the luxury of excess, yes that is playing out already. But that’s all for now. As I am a day or so late on this I wanted to get it out there.