Roy de Coupes - how may it be read?

In another thread, I note that this King appears to be wearing head-gear reminiscent of far-eastern Sino-Mongolian habit. It is also interesting that a number of early Marseille decks seem to depict this King with a slight Asian look about him - not only in crown, not only in attire, but even in facial depiction.

This King speaks to me at times of that which is brought from the East (the symbolic east): the rising Sun, as well as the gifts of spirituality that have long been claimed for the 'East' (from a mediæval European perspective - even if from my current location it is both to the West and North).

Here, the King may very well indicate that it is about time that the person determines and decides what they are to give themselve over to - whether cause, study, endeavour, or other over-arching important element.

More 'traditionally' I also at times see this king as alerting that decisions need to be made, and that one's feelings on the situation needs to be able to come to the fore: this is perhaps not a time for meticulous and detailed thinking, but for what feels correct or right.

Attached are the Dodal, Hadar and the Conver.

Ahh..King of the heart (not entirely "as opposed to" the King of Hearts!)...there is someone in my life who's significator is Roy de Coupes, he definitely thinks with his heart and not his head, always has. He is very sweet. A "hugger" even. A little on the "artsy" side as he also writes poetry, decent stuff too. Although I rarely use significators, I always know it's him when a Roy de Coupes pops up. He's an idealist, and a dreamer.

But of course it's the qualities more often than an actual person. Qualities to adopt or avoid, or that you're surrounded by.

Reversed or negatively aspected may be someone dark and brooding, maybe self-destructive.

Sino-mongolian, eh? Fascinating - he does look "eastern" except for the blue in his beard. So should the King of Cups represent the East? Remember, your thread about the Kings being representative of cardinal directions on an arabic map: The Kings of the Four Quarters. I was hoping...oh, well, the king of cups/whips doesn't line up with the east, does he... drat.

That hat!

It's huge!!

Then the crown is plunked right smack on top of it, pushing it down. And it looks like he's wearing ear flaps or that the hat has them?

He isn't even looking at the cup...

Does he care or know that it's there?

Or does he not need to see it to know what he knows?

And the jaunty way he holds his left arm?

This guy has to be really secure to wear a hat this
HUGE!

I sense that this Roi is available, will listen, has a wonderful sense of the artistic...but his body position and the hat! could say he's

a bit egotistical?

Takes care of himself first...

I suspect he can be bombastic and fiery in personality.

The cup is open, so he is ready to give emotionally.

terri

I like this King, he is individual, friendly and kind, he is down to earth and one of the people. His hat is strange and it is perhaps the first noticeable thing about him but he doesn't seem in any way awkward with it, he likes it. He strikes me as very composed, careful and sensitive to others. The fact that he holds his cup in such a way, while not looking at it shows a certain confidence in himself, as though he doesn't have to be reminded of the way he should act because it comes naturally to him, he very much, seems to follow his own path.

In a reading it would remind us to be sensitive to others but also to think in a way as to follow our hearts, which is not necessarily what would be acceptable, or the norm. He is looking to the future with a passion and doesn't consider it necessary to be guided by what is expected of him (the cup).

My father wears funny hats, which he brings back from all over the world. He has a huge Mongolian hat. Sometimes he walks about the village where we holiday (in the mountians) wearing it. He hasn't got many show-off habits like that, but a few.

So when I saw this Roy, I thought of my father, and from there, of what "father" means to me. This makes the card more personal, and so perhaps my views are less useful to other people - but then Coupes are about love and emotion, as well as spiritual awareness, so it is not inappropriate to have personal meanings for this suit.

Kind, artistic, yes, practical without being pernickety, and helpful. Occasionally egotistical and with an explosive temper. Can be a real grouch but never for long. Very tender, unpredictable and original at times. At others, conservative. He puts the shelves up and teaches you about Bach's Goldberg variation, then takes you for a walk and spins a tale about a lost Indonesian magical knife found in a London curio shop. Later you find out the tale is true. Daydreams on the sofa and jumps up to say - "let's go to Martinique". But he makes sure the bills are paid and the homework done, before we go. Says no systematically to new ideas, once, twice. Then takes another look - so he might become an enthusiastic adept. He teaches you to watch the skies and picks out the Pleiades...

Now I am of the age where the Roy can be my husband, not my father, so I look to see what he could be, without the fatherly associations:

He looks to the future, forward, to the East. For the Christian Middle Ages, the East was above all the Holy Land - it conjured up spiritual accomplishment, the new Jerusalem, the ultimate pilgrimage; but also adventure, beautiful and mysterious women. I am reminded of the troubadour and Lord of Blaye, Jaufré Rudel, who sang poems for the faraway Countess of Tripoli, whom he knew only by hearsay:

"Beloved of the faraway lands
by you my heart is saddened
and I know of no medicine,
but for responding to the call
of irresistible and gentle love..."

It is said that finally he travelled to Tripoli, in Eleanor of Aquitaine's company, and died in the Countess' arms.

But then the Crusader Kingdoms were defeated, and Europeans left the Levant. Just as Al-Andaluz became the lost Paradise of the Arabs, the Levant became a nostalgic yearning - spiritual and emotional - for the Europeans. Each longing for the others' land, as the home of the heart. So that East no longer meant forward - but past: and the heart made a full circle.

firemaiden said:

Remember, your thread about the Kings being representative of cardinal directions on an arabic map: The Kings of the Four Quarters. I was hoping...oh, well, the king of cups/whips doesn't line up with the east, does he... drat.

Click to expand...

Well, he is in the East, according to European persective So from there he would align West...(see my post above - East and West, yearning for each other - a possible wide interpretation for this card)

Jean-Michel,
the article you spoke about on that above-mentioned thread is no longer available at the link you posted. Do you happen to have it somewhere? I am very interested in the Levantine connection for these cards.

Thank you!
Sophie

Daana Mindon's 'The Character for the King of Coins in its Historical Setting'.

The I. P-C. S. has a journal containing numerous papers well worth having.

Yeay! Thanks very much Jean-Michel. Many happy hours en perspective.

I have just read another very interesting article by Daana Mindon (a pen name I believe) on the origin of I-Le Bateleur, and the rébus cards...

jmd said:

Daana Mindon's 'The Character for the King of Coins in its Historical Setting'.

The I. P-C. S. has a journal containing numerous papers well worth having.

Click to expand...

Great websites and information, jmd!

I wound up joining the ipcs...

So...we are learning more about origins...but I still see

"speculation" "misunderstandings due to language differences," and "variations of visual images due to visual puns."

So, evolution....not necessarily "one correct book" of how we got here and what cards ultimately and universally "mean."

The more I study and learn, the less I know for sure.

You gotta love it!


terri