At first I should add that during this stage of the project nearly any classical and/or historical Tarot de Marseille could be used because most of them contain the details referred to in the topic.
Some DON'T though – and that should get you thinking …
„C“ uses the „Ancien Tarot de Marseille“ by Paul Marteau for Grimaud because it holds some very special details that all other historical decks do NOT bear in totality.
Where those details are touched he refers to them and their meaning and purpose quite extensively!
Paul Marteau himself dedicates his „Ancien Tarot de Marseille“ to a deck from 1748 on his 2 of coins:
… which IS the SAID « ARNOULT 1748 » that you can compare here:
http://tarot-de-marseille-millennium.co ... llery.html
(the last - down at the bottom of the page)
The site owner Wilfried Houdouin has done some extensive studies to prove that.
When you compare the Popess for example from this and Paul Marteau's deck you will see that this special depiction of that item which „grows“ above the black frame is a most unique feature that is only found in these 2 decks.
In the ADDENDUM (page 223 in TRUE TAROT) and from there onward „C“ shows what this feature is about and what can be done with it so that you can understand a MASTER-PLAN is behind the composition of the Tarot de Marseille in the whole that was never transmitted by the authors – but can still be found in and replicated from the correct cards ...
Furthermore „C“ uses 2 different versions of the „Ancien Tarot de Marseille“ by Paul Marteau for Grimaud for different purposes.
He uses most of the time a bi-lingual version (German/Spanish) for his illustrations on a dark background to which he refers to as the real life situation „on the table“ - as he calls it.
The 2nd version is the original French version that holds the untouched graphics of the cards which were altered in different and special ways for the bi-lingual decks Grimaud made from the original French version.
In the Taroteé topic I made a bunch of JPGs to show you these differences in several cards as examples of that Grimaud technique.
„C“ states that those illustrations that hold the French version and come on a light background portray what goes on in the mind of the „player“.
At first I didn't understand why he would use a compromised deck (the bi-lingual Grimaud edition) for illustrations at all – but with time I got so used to the cards in this context that I could have done the layouts only with 22 pieces of cardboard with 21 numerals on them and 1 blanc for Le MAT …
… and I figured that he tried to communicate that a person with the knowledge he passes along doesn't NEED the CORRECT deck to do the layout(s) because the cards in the whole are only blancs that get filled with the content from your/my mind … was that understandable?
Now to the task at hand here:
TRUE TAROT page 6:
1 - This SECRET “mimics” “The Bigger Picture" in a similar manner as A MAP stages the real landscape and this kind of “mimicry" is a construction principle to most of these cards and the actual purpose for their appearance.
Now ONE must search for details that may help further on ...
Every SECRET must be examined very closely and most meticulously to catch - finally – a hint …
Mr. Monk's explanation:
„C“ is obviously talking about The WORLD with her numeral XXI here and he advises to look at her as if she is a map because in the 18th century when most of the Tarot de Marseille decks came into existence with their strikingly similar pictures of the 22 Great Secrets cartography had become quite common and people had begun to enter a more abstract view of the real world that surrounded them.
They were now able to identify their own place (city – land – location) when they did look at a piece of paper that depicted the world in a Mercator projection.
“C” now takes it a step further and uses that mindset in an allegorical sense.
The WORLD XXI is looked at and taken for a map in the sense of a game plan so that he advises to examine the other 21 Tarot cards whether anyone holds a clue to what location on this game plan it might be connected ...
TRUE TAROT page 7:
2 - “Le BATELEUR" of The FIRST SECRET holds in his left hand a similar/the same SCEPTER as The Dancing Goddess is depicted with
- also in her left hand
- but No I is The BEARER
- he HOLDS the key.
Mr. Monk's explanation:
The card with the numeral I is called Le BATELEUR and the person depicted on it holds a short stave with a round knob at each end in his left raised hand what resembles closely the short stave with a round knob at each end in the left hand of the monochrome nak*d dancing women on The WORLD XXI card (in contrast to some other editions of the Tarot de Marseille where this woman holds 2 of those staves – one in each hand).
This is a similarity not found again between the remaining 20 cards here.
„C“ calls this short stave a „SCEPTER“ and a „key“ and refers to the BATELEUR as „The BEARER“ what makes HIM the ACTUAL owner/holder as if he was presented with this item of reign by HER – the nak*d women on The WORLD XXI card – in some past event.
This again puts The WORLD XXI in a different „time frame“ as if she presented (and presents still) an account of a context that should be taken as „lore“ - as if she holds information for the current actual situation where someone (you – me – Mr. Monk) wants to know what to do … (with the cards … )
TRUE TAROT page 8:
3 - So place No I
where HER “BATON" is
- because The FIRST GOD is born from her EGG.
Mr. Monk's explanation:
Here „C“ adds a new expression for the short stave to the mix – BATON - what has several connotations in different layers of our world: conductor's baton – a nightstick – a staff of command – a rod (with his s*xual meaning too – so remember the Jean Noblet version of this card) - a relay baton in sports (that passes from one runner to the next).
The staff of command alias fits quite nicely with the scepter he mentioned before and whoever has the autority which comes with those items should hold the KEY to important doors etc.
Then „C“ mentions „The FIRST GOD [who] is born from her EGG“.
THAT holds a very unique significance that is found in antiquity.
When all the other hints that were given all along (and further on … ) are summed up only one lore passes the test with flying colors: Eurynome
My addition:
Eurynome who is (like you said) sadly alive today only in Robert von Ranke-Graves recreation of it ...
In the beginning, Eurynome, the Goddess of All Things, rose naked from Chaos, but found nothing substantial for her feet to rest upon, and therefore divided the sea from the sky, dancing lonely upon its waves. She danced towards the south, and the wind set in motion behind her seemed something new and apart with which to begin a work of creation. Wheeling about, she caught hold of this north wind, rubbed it between her hands, and behold! the great serpent Ophion. Eurynome danced to warm herself, wildly and more wildly, until Ophion, grown lustful, coiled about those divine limbs and was moved to couple with her. Now, the North Wind, who is also called Boreas, fertilizes; which is why mares often turn their hind-quarters to the wind and breed foals without aid of a stallion. So Eurynome was likewise got with child.
Next, she assumed the form of a dove, brooding on the waves and, in due process of time, laid the Universal Egg. At her bidding, Ophion coiled seven times about this egg, until it hatched and split in two. out tumbled all things that exist, her children: sun, moon, planets, stars, the earth with its mountains and rivers, its trees, herbs, and living creatures.
Eurynome and Ophion made their home upon Mount Olympus, where he vexed her by claiming to be the author of the Universe. Forthwith she bruised his head with her heel, kicked out his teeth, and banished him to the dark caves below the earth.
Next, the goddess created the seven planetary powers, setting a Titaness and a Titan over each. Theia and Hyperion for the Sun; Phoebe and Atlas for the Moon; Dione and Crius for the planet Mars; Metis and Coeus for the planet Mercury; Themis and Eurynmedon for the planet Jupiter; Tethys and Oceanus for Venus; Rhea and Cronus for the planet Saturn. But the first man was Pelasgus, ancestor of the Pelasgians; he sprang from the soil of Arcadia, followed by certain others, whom he taught to make huts and feed upon acorns and sew pig-skin tunics such as poor folk still wear in Euboea and Phocis.
"The Pelasgian Creation Myth," from Robert Graves' The Greek Myths, v.I, p. 27: Penguin Books, England, 1955.
http://www.eurynome.com
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1108&start=10#p17167
Now it should be mentioned that other sources like the several Gnostic reports should be taken into account here too because the EURYNOME myth is a RECREATION by R. v. R. Graves and the sources for it are very scarce: so the story that is possibly depicted here on the Tarot de Marseille cards might be conceived as such:
After The GODDESS had passed her power and the symbol of it (the short stave) to Ophion (who is HER creation and another name for The OUROBOROS AND the 1st GOD) he forgot that he was HER child and posed as the CREATOR ( > Gnostic accounts) - he took human-like form and was conceived and worshiped by the peoples of the world afterwards in history.
Some time (aeons perhaps ... ) later the GODDESS returns from her vacation and becomes aware that Ophion has betrayed her trust because she only meant Ophion to be her representative while she was away - so he must be punished and exiled (what could destroy him ... )
All other things were born from her EGG that he sheltered for some time on HER command and that is in principle the story The WORLD XXI holds in store at THIS instant – as we will see below.
Mr. Monk's explanation:
The heavily enlarged WORLD XXI in the background that is depicted with 10% opacity only serves in 2 ways:
a reminder that She is existing in another realm (not on the table! - you can imagine holding that card in the palm of your hand though) and you could place Le BATELEUR anywhere you like - because everywhere on the table he would meet the same conditions.
Second: if you imagine Her enlarged in this way ON the table - THIS is the ONLY correct size that is taken from later illustrations in "C"'s PDF where he shows the Master-Plan that includes ALL 22 Great Secrets.
Also the size of the tiny Le BATELEUR here is not accidental - there is a defined ratio that binds both measurements together in exactly this way.
If you would read further on your own through TRUE TAROT you would see that.
So it is also not by chance that HER HUGE BATON comes to rest in the right hand of the tiny Le BATELEUR with only 25% opacity here. It is the first tiny baby step to make readers familiar with the Master-Plan without further ado ...
Mr.Monk's explanation:
The first card with the numeral I Le BATELEUR has found it's location following the hints "C" gave - and all other 21 Great Secrets will too I'm convinced - but it should be interesting how exactly this happens ...
Thank you for this eloquent discourse Mr. Monk!
Now let's have a look at the historical competitors. How would THEY have done in advising the 1st card (I) the correct location? Were The WORLDs treated differently? And IF - HOW and WHY perhaps? Could there be something gleaned from possible "mistakes"?
These beauties are all sheltered here:
http://tarot-de-marseille-millennium.co ... llery.html
You see that I've "reddened" some XXIs - because the women holds 2 batons what would be hazardous for the I: He couldn't start.
And that there IS something up with the baton in her LEFT hand shows the faulty card from J.-B. Madenié 1739 because he DECORATED only this left baton with 2 red dots - so in this case only a 1/2 mistake and so: not sooo red.
Another interesting thing is the SCARF that "flatters" her naked body which ALL authors paint RED.
Keep that in mind because we will get to the SCARF soon!
And Paul Marteau dismissed any color in her apparition - so that you COULD note the DIFFERENCE.
AND you can see here in comparison what I mentioned already in the Taroteé thread: NO author cared to paint the garland green - what would be the normal thing to do - right?
I mean: AEW DID it because he thought he had to CORRECT something.
Didn't HE know about the cause of this item? Obviously he didn't.
The historical authors instead KNEW that the garland wasn't about greenery - it was about WISDOM - and so they tried to make it look OUTSTANDING!
Like I mentioned and presented before in the Taroteé thread.
I hope that you dear readers did enjoy this ride as much as me?
Anyway: if there should questions remain – just ask.
See you next time with more ...
Adrian