Lleminawc said:
Not sure which if either of the Marseille Swords threads this would be appropriate for, but anyway: the Page of Swords came up in a reading the other day and I noticed that he holds the sword in his left hand. I saw this as a sign of awkwardness and inexperience, as the Marseille Pages tend to look somewhat callow and unsure of themselves, but then found that the Knight also uses his left hand.
Now, wouldn't left-handed people have been regarded in medieval and early modern times as gauche, if not sinister (hence the etymology of these words)? The only other left-handers I found are the Knight of Batons and, interestingly, the Devil.
"Therefore the fourth name is El whose numeration is Hesed, which is Clemence or goodness, and signifieth grace, mercy, piety, magnificence, the scepter and right hand,
"and hath his influx by the order of the Dominations, which the Hebrews call Hasmalim, and so through the sphere of Iupiter [Jupiter] fashioning the Images of bodyes [bodies], bestowing clemency and pacifying justice on all; his particular intelligence is Zadkiell the ruler of Abraham:
"The fifth name is Elohim Gibor, that is, the mighty God, punishing the sins of the wicked; and his numeration is called Geburach [Geburah], which is to say, power, gravity, fortitude, security, judgement, punishing by slaughter and war: and it is applyed [applied] to the Tribunall of God, The girdle, the sword and left hand of God;
"it is also called Pachad, which is fear, and hath his influence throw [through] the order of powers which the Hebrews call Seraphim, and from thence through the sphere of Mars, to whom belongs fortitude, war, affliction, it draweth forth the Elements; and his particular intelligence is Camael, the ruler of Samson;
Chap X Book III of Agrippa’s Occult Philosophy.
"Moreover, God has endowed man with a divine character, through the number Phahad — the left-hand sword of God, through which man be*comes a curse to all creatures. And then again he has another character in the number of God, Hesed — the right and scepter of God, through which he finds favor in the sight of God and all his creatures.84 An evil conscience is the judge of men, but a good conscience is his happiness. Therefore, through the other divine numbers, and through the angels and stars a man becomes impressed with signs and characters of conscience, which causes him to be happy at one time and unhappy at another.
Sixth and seventh books of Moses
"Therefore this Character is imprinted on man from the divine Idea which the Cabalists of the Hebrew call Pahad [PHD] and the left hand, or sword, of God: furthermore man hath not only a seal by which he is feared, but also by the which he is beloved, the Idea of which in the divine numerations is called Hesed [ChSD] which signifieth Clemency, and the right hand and Scepter of God."
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa:
Of Occult Philosophy, Book III (Chapter XL).
So right hand/sceptre/chesed/water;
and left hand/sword/geburah/fire:
Coins = the holy shekel of the sanctuary = vau/tifareth/air the seed of the Sun/Son bridegroom; cups the vessel of the bride final heh/malkuth/lower waters (earth).
Kwaw