Knight of Cups
I drew this card in my daily draw today and have just studied it for the first time and blogged about it. This is what I wrote... forgive any random order! I just take it as it comes
The first detail I noticed on the card was the horned devil character carved into the stone of the castle wall. At first I thought it was a Green Man effigy, but when I took out my magnifying glass (a Crimbo gift!!!), I saw the horns and also it looks like his tongue is in two, ie forked. So this dude could be escaping from the devil in order to bring something precious, back to its rightful place. He could indeed be a good guy like the traditional knight of cups.
To me he looks like he is not quite hurrying away, but there is some haste, he holds his arm up as if to show victory....showing off his trophy (which could represent the Holy Grail, as it is a kind of Chalice but has a devil on top by the looks of it), maybe he is holding it up to someone out of the card.. a crowd even?
The portcullis is raised so they haven't resisted his escape, unless they had no time. Looks like he entered the castle courtyard by nightfall, but surely the hooves of his horse would have been heard. He looks sinister and a bit sneaky, but he has no weapon I can see except this chalice. I think it has great power.
I originally connected the red crosses with those of the crusades and the Templars but their red cross was always on a white background.... that this is on a dark background makes me wonder if he is on the side of the shadows.
There is the Redcrosse Knight in the Faerie Queen poem... written by Spenser in 16th Century... He was also called the knight of holiness. Like St George (who also had a red cross) he fought a dragon like monster and killed it. He had a lady who was in love with him called Una which means truth, but I am thinking maybe he fought for love of the Faerie Queen... Elizabeth. He was a Christian, Una means truth, and I think she was the symbol of the true faith in the poem. At one point an adversary of the redcrosse knight uses faerie magic to change a sprite into a false Una and so try to lead the knight astray. Whe the real Una found he was gone she was bereft. I wonder if this is mean't to be Spensers knight? It seems to cross a bit with Lancelot and Guinevere and Arthur in some places too.
The horse has a Fleur de Lys on its collar, usually associated with the French but also popular in much heraldry and royal coats of arms throughout Europe. Both are horse and rider are covered in armour, only the eyes show, but maybe that is all we need to see.
I think though he knows noone will come after him, he may have sold his soul to the devil in order to get that grail, and that's why his eyes are so empty looking.... Even his horse looks disapproving. The grail as we know caused men to burn in fever. The light leaves his immediate path lit but all else in shadow, like a light between worlds of darkness. But what is the light, has he been enlightened?
I see little romance about this knight, and not too much emotion either, but maybe he is doing it all for love as did Lancelot.... so dangerous because he represents the threat of stealing your heart, and love and possibly taking you to a dark place. Looks like he will stop at nothing to get what he wants anyway.
Hmmmmm I guess he is the kind of guy I get attracted to come to think of it....
Geez I need to sort this into logical order in my head. When the card starts coming at you its all pretty random at first!!