I got the Dante!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 29 Apr 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

amyel	29 Apr 2002
I've fogotten to post here - I received the Dante tarot in the mail a few weeks ago. Haven't had time to read with them yet, but the artwork is beautiful (well, *I* think so!) - very colorful. I'd read some reviews where the reviewer said they found the artwork on some cards rather disturbing, but I didn't find any disturbing images. The LWB that comes with, though, is a bit of a disappointment. Not very detailed on the interpretations of the cards, and as the cards are a little different - especially with the maj. arcana - it might take some time to really be able to use them. So, yesterday, in the waning Full moon, I smudged my Mythic Tarot and I'll try 'em again. However, I have the Llewellyn Tarot calander and my current Tarot lust is for the Shining Tribe. I'll have to order it through Amazon though - even with the exchange rate, it's cheaper then buying it in Canada, eh?

Zhritza	30 Apr 2002
Okay -- I'm glad you brought this up because I've been wondering something. I think there might be two Dante decks, one published by Lo Scarabeo when it was still just putting out limited-edition art decks (the "disturbing" one), and this new one too. Does your Dante feature a bunch of people getting beat up and otherwise injured in the Wands cards? Also, does the Ace of Coins have a really grotesque demon on it?

kayne	30 Apr 2002
I have been considering getting this deck because I like the art too... I just don't know much about Dante's work which has put me off... perhaps I will get it anyway, just because the colours are pretty... :P

Logiatrix	02 May 2002
qolus, now you've got me curious... i'll have to check out my deck at home tonite. i was gifted the dante from a friend's travels in europe (the netherlands). as far as i remember, the dante i have is lo scarabeo, with some elemental affiliations that reminded me of the osho zen (clouds, for example). any-hoo, now i shall look again!

.dc	02 May 2002
i'm glad someone owns this deck as i have been thinking of getting one myself. the one i refer to is the one solandia has on the new decks feature page. it's captured my unique interest and yes the colors, while very vivid, are still rather dark. plus, i love the divine comedy... gotta have a deck representing this. when you start playing with it, please let us know your thoughts as i do want this deck but have the feeling to wait on it first to hear others thoughts. blesesd be, .dc

amyel	03 May 2002
...the deck I have is by Lo Scarabeo. I suppose that "disturbing" is in the eyes of the beholder. .dc. the colors are much more vivid "live" then anything on computer. And the deck I have is the same as reviewed on aeclectic. I'm not really up to learning any new systems at present, as I am still recovering fom my exploratory surgery and just don't have the patience at the moment to focus on anything for too long. However, I suspect this may be the first of a collection... I think what will give me the most trouble trying to use this deck is that I don't agree with the symbols they've used to replace the traditional cups/swords/wands/coins....I look at them and think, for example, that I wouldn't use "bricks" as a replacement for wands. The replacements are: Bricks = wands; Flames = swords; Clouds = pentacles/coins; and Lights = cups/chalices...Do you start to see how confusing this could be? The major arcana have all been replaced. They are, in order: 0 = Need I = Intellect II = Philosphy III = Wisdom IV = Government V = Hope VI= Love VII=Direction VIII=Justice VIIII = Prudence X = Luck XI= Strength XII= Charity XIII = Death XIIII= Moderation XV= Authority XVI= Virtue XVII = Thrones XVIII = Angels XVIIII = Domination XX = Archangels XXI = Principalities So, not exactly intuitive and as I said, the LWB isn't very detailed. I have never read Dante's "Divine Comedy", so I can't say if it would help with interpretations or not.

.dc	03 May 2002
it's been awhile (i'll admit) since ive read the divine comedy... heh. the weekend is upon me, guess it's time to draw out the book and revise in prepairation. if i draw any conclusions, i will definately post for ya and let ya know. but yes, i can see how the suit cards can cause confuzion. heh... i've had the same issue with White Wolf's Mage the Ascension Deck as they have totally rewritten the symbolism and whatnot. hope your knee is better... i know someone at work who just had her knee worked on yesterday. blah ... and she's already back in the office. take care and fare thee well, .dc

Cerulean	03 May 2002
...if you don't mind just getting a flavor of Dante by first reading overviews of his life and work, I recommend Merwin's Dante. I was delighted to find the book started talking about the city of Florence at the time of Dante, then went into a story-bio of his life and interactions...I began to look at the Dante Tarot by Lo Scarabeo this way. I cut up the box to make two extra 'cards' which I place in the first position and the last and sometimes when I'm reading a Dante bio or bits and pieces, I draw a card for reference or perhaps to look up one Dante concept at a time on the web. I really enjoy learning this way. Mari H.

amyel	30 May 2002
Bump!

jema	21 Oct 2002
i got this one today in a trade with catlin. it is beautiful! but i find the suits confusing and the LWB in German don't help me much. and curious thing - there were 2 king of Flames! and they don't look the same either! it is definatly an art deck and i'll put it in between the olympus tarot and the Bosch in my shelf. but when i will reread the divine comedy i will do so with this deck in hand for sure! oh and this is a deck that i would LOVE to have prints to frame.

Zhritza	21 Oct 2002
yah, that yucky Dante I was talking about is a different, older deck, but they're both Lo Scarabeo. I think you can see it on Tarot Garden or wicce's page. The normal one that's in print is terrific to look at, but I don't know whether I'd be able to read with it or not... Has anyone done so?

Myrrha	22 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Mari_Hoshizaki ...if you don't mind just getting a flavor of Dante by first reading overviews of his life and work, I recommend Merwin's Dante. I was delighted to find the book started talking about the city of Florence at the time of Dante, then went into a story-bio of his life and interactions... Mari this sounds like a wonderful book. Can you post the exact title and full name of author please? All I could find was a translation of Paradisio by W. S. Merwin. Thanks! Myrrha

The I got the Dante! thread was originally posted on 29 Apr 2002 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.