King of Swords
Swords
How This Card Is Derived
Papus gives no separate description of this card. It is derived from his system: Swords is Vau (ו), the equilibrating principle, the link between the two, acting in Yetzirah, the formative world; the King is Yod, the suit's active principle embodied — it originates. The meaning below is that combination read out, not a quotation from him.
Upright
The active term inside the suit of conflict: judgement that commands. Where the Queen receives a conflict accurately, the King originates the terms on which it will be decided, and he is the only figure in the suit with the standing to enforce them. Papus's Yod begins things; a King of Swords begins by defining what will count as an answer. Authority exercised through language, and binding precisely because of it.
Reversed
The rule stated by someone who will not be bound by it — judgement as a position rather than a discipline. Or intellect used to prevail rather than to decide, which produces rulings that are unanswerable and wrong.
Correspondences
- Suit
- Swords — Vau (ו), Yetzirah, the formative world
- Suit principle
- the equilibrating principle, the link between the two
- Rank
- King — Yod
- Rank role
- the suit's active principle embodied — it originates
In a Spread
At the commencement, the matter begins with a ruling. In opposition, an authority who has already framed the question so the querent cannot win it. At equilibrium he is what holds the terms in place. As the result: the matter is decided, by someone entitled to decide it, and the decision will hold.