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VII. La Forza - Fortitude


fire cat pickles

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fire cat pickles

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File:Minchiate card deck - Florence - Trumps - 07 - La Forza.jpg

A. Baragioli (editor) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

 

The 7th trump in the Minchiate is Force. She holds the column in most versions. In this one she sits next to it and almost looks exhausted, angry. At least she has an appearance that she could pick it up and throw it. Maybe she's about to. Although I have this deck, I don't think I would read with it. I prefer the Williams version:

 

Card09.jpg.fe4eefc85de0083bcb052196586fc572.jpg

 

She exudes Strength. Judging by the serene expression on her masculine face, she has no problem lifting the column and shows that she is one not to be trifled with. In the face, if it weren't for the bare breasts, we may have a difficult time telling if this were a man or a woman in the first place.

 

Strength, of course, is another of the cardinal/pagan virtues, and we do have all four of them in our deck, as we know. There is at least one deck, the Mantegna (1470), with a similar card to this  this one, so it not without a precedent:

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_(Tarot_card)#/media/File:MantegnaForteza.jpg

 

We know that the Minchiate is contemporaneous with the Mantegna from the Rosenwald Sheet (c. 1500). Though incomplete, it has too many similarities in its remaining sheets with the Minchiate not to be its predecessor. 

 

What does the Strength card with the column mean for us in a reading? What about the numbering of 7 instead of 8 or 11? 

 

Since I like using elements it thrown me off a bit not using the the astrological association. Notice that the lion is gone. (It's the the Mantegna but not the Minchi.) The 8th month (August) is out of the question, which would correspond with the 8th Key. My work around is a bit convoluted and would go off-topic here, but it involves using the element card sequence (20. Fire-21. Water-22. Earth-23. Air). I'll post about it in another topic.

 

 

 

Edited by fire cat pickles
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Hi :animated-smileys-waving-065:,

 

I'm so excited about this study group.  To me I see this as a "Pillar" not column as in "pillar of strength".  It becomes more clear (the particular use of "pillar"), to me when we look at this in the bible:

 

1 Timothy 3:15 KJV

 

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

or

 

15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. ESV

 

At its most basic level, a pillar means strength and security of foundation; trustworthiness. They’re often used in the facades of banks for that reason.  The minchi I use is the Etruria, I am not sure how to put  an image of it here, but it shows a lady sat on a cornerstone holding a pillar which looks as if it is about to fall over. I believe the cornerstone depicted is the "buttress" or foundation referred to in the bible.  Basically what St Paul is saying in Timothy, is that the church is meant to be the "support" connecting the foundation of Christ to the fallen world.

 

In a reading I would interpret the strength card as a need to be strong oneself rather than relying on outward assistance, within ones own belief.  I think that a lot of people think that the woman is breaking the pillar in strength cards, but I actually think the opposite, I think that she is supporting it, stopping it from falling over.  I also don't necessarily see it as spiritual rather than physical strength, but more of ones own inner strength, the need to rely on yourself as opposed to outward things when everything appears to be falling apart (fallen world).  The trustworthiness aspect I would use in a reading to gauge the likely success of a business venture, future partner etc. 

 

As a side, a broken pillar is said to represent death and mortality, although that does not appear to be represented in any minchi decks that I am aware of.

 

Enough of me, I hope someone else chimes in.

 

Love Fluffy

xx

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