Re: Anyone knows where to find the images of Mamluk Cards?

5
Here it is - Kenji quoting the LWB that came with the reproduction of the pack:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=14201
(post 38)

2. THE APHORISMS OF THE PACK

The calligraphic texts were deciphered by an expert on the subject. Prof.TANGI of the University of Istanbul. The translation proved difficult; the aphorisms consits of rhyming stanzas which obey the very intricate laws of Arabic poetry. To give them sense a literary process was used which respected their contents and their scope.

The texts are often very enchanting, sometimes strange, but always interesting. Here they are:

2.1. Sticks

The King of Sticks says: <<Rejoice in the pleasant things and the success of the objects>>.

The Lieutenant says: <<I am as a flower, a string of pearls is my soil?>>.

The second Lieutenant says: <<The alif rejoices and fullfils your whishes[sic](+)>>

The Boy says: <<Whosoever will call me to his happiness, he will only see joyful looks>>.

(+)What this alif means is not quite clear. As a letter it is equal to the number 1000; in this case it could be the thousand that fullfils the wishes; in mysticism and pseudo-mysticism the alif sometimes means <<Allah>> (KRISS 1962: 72). But would one dare to invoke the name of God in a game of cards?

2.2. [Nothing written: Cups?]
The King of Cups says: <<With the sword of happiness I shall redeem a beloved who will afterwards take my life>>.

The Lieutenant says: <<O thou who hast possesions, remain happy and thou salt have a pleasant life>>.

The second Lieutenant says: <<Let it come to me, because acquired good is durable; it rejoices me with all its utility>>.

The Boy says: <<Pleasures for the soul and agreeable things, in my colours there are all kinds>>.

2.3. Coins

The King of Coins says: <<Look how wonderful my game is and my dress extraordinarily beautiful>>.

The Lieutenant says: <<I am as a garden, the like of which will never exist>>.

The Second Lieutenant says: << O my heart, for thee the good news that rejoices>>.

The Boy says: <<Rejoice in the happiness that returns, as a bird that sings its joy>>.

2.4. Swords

The King of Swords says: <<As for the present that rejoices, (thy) heart will soon (open up).

The Lieutenant says: <<I will, as pearls on a string, be lifted in the hands of kings>>.

The Second Lieutenant says: <<May God give thee prosperity; then thou will already have achieved thy aim>>.

The Boy says: <<Rejoice for thy lasting happiness>>.

(edited by Ross to make clear that there are sixteen inscriptions)
Image

Re: Anyone knows where to find the images of Mamluk Cards?

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Court cards grouped like this I mean:

The King of Sticks says: <<Rejoice in the pleasant things and the success of the objects>>.
The King of Cups says: <<With the sword of happiness I shall redeem a beloved who will afterwards take my life>>.
The King of Coins says: <<Look how wonderful my game is and my dress extraordinarily beautiful>>.
The King of Swords says: <<As for the present that rejoices, (thy) heart will soon (open up).

The Lieutenant says: <<I am as a flower, a string of pearls is my soil?>>.
The Lieutenant says: <<O thou who hast possesions, remain happy and thou salt have a pleasant life>>.
The Lieutenant says: <<I am as a garden, the like of which will never exist>>.
The Lieutenant says: <<I will, as pearls on a string, be lifted in the hands of kings>>.

The second Lieutenant says: <<The alif rejoices and fullfils your whishes[sic](+)>>
The second Lieutenant says: <<Let it come to me, because acquired good is durable; it rejoices me with all its utility>>.
The Second Lieutenant says: << O my heart, for thee the good news that rejoices>>.
The Second Lieutenant says: <<May God give thee prosperity; then thou will already have achieved thy aim>>.

The Boy says: <<Whosoever will call me to his happiness, he will only see joyful looks>>.
The Boy says: <<Pleasures for the soul and agreeable things, in my colours there are all kinds>>.
The Boy says: <<Rejoice in the happiness that returns, as a bird that sings its joy>>.
The Boy says: <<Rejoice for thy lasting happiness>>.

(naturally I sense something deeply erotic in these verses, and read them as if through a fog of bad translation...)
Image

Re: Anyone knows where to find the images of Mamluk Cards?

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Ross G. R. Caldwell wrote: The second Lieutenant says: <<The alif rejoices and fullfils your whishes[sic](+)>>
...
(+)What this alif means is not quite clear. As a letter it is equal to the number 1000; in this case it could be the thousand that fullfils the wishes; in mysticism and pseudo-mysticism the alif sometimes means <<Allah>> (KRISS 1962: 72). But would one dare to invoke the name of God in a game of cards?
I would not be surprised if the intended translation were "The caliph rejoices and fulfils your wishes".

These verses are lovely indeed!

Marco