DoctorArcanus
The first poem from the Ace of Coins and Two of Cups of the Vieville Tarot. I think it dates to about 1650. The translation is based on that provided by Ross
The second poem is the 1527 sonnet by Teofilo Folengo that contains a reference to each one of the Trumps. It was translated with a joint effort on this thread
I don't have a Vieville deck, so I don't feel much competent to comment on the first poem. One fact is that a few Trumps are missing: Death and the Wheel for sure. And possibly Temperance and the Chariot. I was wondering if the two cards on which the poem is printed could stand for the Wheel (Ace of Coins) and Temperance (Two of Cups)....
The style of the two poems is very different. A common trait is that they are both difficult to translate and to understand. My impression is that Folengo's is sophisticated and deeply symbolic. Frank Hall has provided an insightful comment on this aspect:
The Vieville text is different. It doesn't have a definite metric....at least I could not see it. The subject is less symbolic: it seems to be the prayer of a man who is upset by his lady's lover
Many of trumps are quoted in a single, unstructured list, starting from The Pope and ending with "La Foudre" (the tower's lightning). Death is missing, possibly for superstition, from the Vieville poem, while it is one of the main Characters in Folengo's sonnet.
I think a comparison between this two texts gives an idea of how Tarot which originally was an high society game for the rich became a popular game, maybe losing some of its original elegance, but gaining a strong and healthy connection to everyday life.
Dummet quotes three verses from a 1550 Italian poem:
It seems that, one hundred years later, things were very different!
Marco
Code:
PERE SAINCT FAIT Holy Father, grant
MOY YUSTICE DE CE me Justice (7) against this
VIELART MA E BAGA Old Man (11), Fool (0) and Juggler (1),
AMOREVX DE the Lover (6) of
CESTE DAME QVY this Lady (14). Let it
SOIT CRYE A SON DE be shout by the sound of
TROMPE PAR TOVT the Trumpet (20) in all
LE MONDE DE PAR the World (21), by
LE PAPE LA PAPESSE the Pope (5), the Papesse (2),
L ANPEREVR L INPERATRYCE the Emperor (4), the Empress (3),
LE SOLEIL the Sun (19),
LA LUNE LES ETOILLES the Moon (18), the Stars (17),
LA FOVDRE PRINS the Lightning (16). Taken
A FORCE QVY SOIT by Force (9), let him be
PENDV E TRANNAY Hanged (12) and drawn (8)
AV DIABLE to the Devil (15).The second poem is the 1527 sonnet by Teofilo Folengo that contains a reference to each one of the Trumps. It was translated with a joint effort on this thread
Code:
Amor, sotto 'l cui impero molte imprese Love (6), under whose Empire (4) many deeds
van senza tempo sciolte da Fortuna, go without Time (9) and without Fortune (10),
vide Morte su 'l carro orrenda e bruna saw ugly and dark Death (13) on a Chariot (7),
volger fra quanta gente al mondo prese. going between the people it took away from the World (21).
Per qual giustizia, disse, a te si rese She asked: no Pope (5) nor Papesse (2) was ever won
nè Papa mai, nè s' è papessa alcuna? by you. Do you call this Justice (8)?
Rispose: chi col sol fece la luna Love answered: Him who made the Sun (19) and the Moon (18)
tolse contra mie forze lor diffese. defended them from my Strength (11).
Sciocco, qual sei, quel foco, disse Amore, What a Fool (0) I am, said Love, my Fire (16),
ch' or angiol or demonio appare, come that can appear as an Angel (20) or as a Devil (15),
temprar sannosi altrui sotto mia stella. can be Tempered (14) by others who live under my Star (17).
Tu imperatrice ai corpi sei, ma un cuore You are the Empress (3) of bodies. But you cannot kill
benchè sospendi, non uccidi, e un nome hearts, you only Suspend (12) them. You have a name
sol d' alta Fama tienti un bagatella. of high Fame, but you are nothing but a Trickster (1).I don't have a Vieville deck, so I don't feel much competent to comment on the first poem. One fact is that a few Trumps are missing: Death and the Wheel for sure. And possibly Temperance and the Chariot. I was wondering if the two cards on which the poem is printed could stand for the Wheel (Ace of Coins) and Temperance (Two of Cups)....
The style of the two poems is very different. A common trait is that they are both difficult to translate and to understand. My impression is that Folengo's is sophisticated and deeply symbolic. Frank Hall has provided an insightful comment on this aspect:
Frank Hall said:
The Vieville text is different. It doesn't have a definite metric....at least I could not see it. The subject is less symbolic: it seems to be the prayer of a man who is upset by his lady's lover
Many of trumps are quoted in a single, unstructured list, starting from The Pope and ending with "La Foudre" (the tower's lightning). Death is missing, possibly for superstition, from the Vieville poem, while it is one of the main Characters in Folengo's sonnet.
I think a comparison between this two texts gives an idea of how Tarot which originally was an high society game for the rich became a popular game, maybe losing some of its original elegance, but gaining a strong and healthy connection to everyday life.
Dummet quotes three verses from a 1550 Italian poem:
Code:
Ma 'l giuoco del Tarocco e' da Signori, But the game of Tarot is for Lords,
Principi, Re, Baroni, et Cavalieri, Princes, Kings, Barons and Knights,
Per questo e' detto il giuco degli honori. that's why it is called the game of honours.It seems that, one hundred years later, things were very different!
Marco
