In the various discussions, that take place about Tarot, you find little gems that stay with you, or ring a bell.
Such was “Plato and the Virtues”. It opened many doors in my mind and one was the talk about 5x14 Theory. So as there seems to be some consensus that Tarot is about the newly discovered study of Plato, I wondered what might be that the 14 Cards were about in the first place? What could they have been about before the sequence was extended.
So I took out the 14 cards from the Visconti PMB and studied them without the prejudice of a whole 22.
The Visconti PMB has been considered a Marriage deck. There is not extant in the PMB the Tower and the Devil. So for this purpose
the 14 cards are (What they are called now- even though there was no title or card number)…
Fool/Juggler/Popesse/Empress/Emperor/Pope/Lovers/Chariot/Justice/
Hermit/Wheel/Hanged Man/Death/Judgement.
So here is my story about a Marriage Contract told in 14 cards.
Marriage Contracts in the time and place of Tarot’s beginning had four different stages. They were the Impalmamento, the Sponsalia, the Matrimonium, and the Nozze
The Marriage contract was a civil matter- not a religious matter. These stages were not
in absolute order- for example the Sponsalia was often part of Impalmamento.
In the Nobility these four stages were very spread out- sometimes over years. By the end of the 15th Century that had reduced considerably.
Originally, the Impalmamento referred to the handshake with which a marriage contract was sealed. Before this could occur, the initial negotiations were opened by a marriage broker (sensale or Matchmaker) These negotiations were completed through family associations or parents. If not parents then influential contacts- like Church and State. If the negotiations were successful, the contacts would seal the alliance, and a document was signed called ferme il parentado.
Sensale=The Juggler
Parentado= Popesse/Empress/Emperor/Pope (there had to be 4)
The second stage Sponsalia was an all male affair. Not even the bride was included in this stage. It was all about negotiations about money and property- the Dowry- the Groomprice-where they would live- what would happen if either died- who would be the inheritors- what advantage there would be of the marriage- did the Bride to be want this (her consent was needed). Mind you often she did not have a choice really. So there were legal things to take care of. If the marriage was an elevation of status for the bride- the Dowry was a higher proportion. It was important and Just that the marriage was a match of somewhat equal social standing to prevent indebtedness between the families. So there were legal things like Premortem and Postmortem that is Dowry and Inheritance or the return of the Dowry if Husband dies or where the dowry goes if wife dies.
Just Sponsalia= Justice
Dowry Balance (verba de futuro) =WOF
Premortem (Dowry /money before death)= Hanged Man
Postmortem(after death return of Dowry or inheritance)=Death.
Now we have the Marriage (Matrimonium) day and the words are much the same as today. Do you take this……..etc and all my worldly goods……..and until Death separates us…etc etc. What happened back then that does not much happen these days. The Groom gives a counter trousseau that includes jewellery, furniture, clothing for her and has what is a ”best man” today(an Elder known to the groom), who has the couple face each other and he gives the bride on behalf of the groom the gifts .This is called ‘Con el tempo’ (‘With time’) and is the motto quite often on Cassione or Marriage chests.
On that day of Marriage or in a church after the blessing you have a Epithamia
Which is Poetry sung or recited sometimes solemn, sometimes a farce, on the civic Virtues of marriage. The Nozze comes the same day, or the next, or in a years time.
It is the consummation of the marriage and the groom will not get his hands on the premortum -the Dowry, until the bride has been bedded. The Bride wearing a crown, leaves for the Grooms home riding a white horse, where she will stay until her death.
Marriage = The Lovers
Trousseau = The Hermit
Going to the grooms house=The Chariot
The length of the Marriage Contract= The Judgement
Epithalamia= The Fool
Now it is not a stretch to imagine if you added 6/8 cards with Plato’s Virtues that you have a series of images that depict a Social Contract like described in his Republic.
The Marriage Contract
1The Universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.
Eden Phillpotts
Eden Phillpotts