The Devil revisited

Abrac

The symbol may not be entirely a reflection of Golden Dawn teaching, but I'm 99.99% convinced it's the river of Eden and its four tributaries, in conjunction with a crucifix.

I'm just speculating, but it may not be entirely accidental that the lines correspond to well-known palmistry lines. The main trunk of the river follows the "life" line then becomes the "head" line. It then becomes a crucifix, the vertical bar of which corresponds to the "sun" line (see Waite's comment on The Sun, "...in that innocence, he signifies the restored world").

The symbolism of the rivers of Eden, together with the Cross, paints a clear picture to those familiar with Christian doctrine. We may have a hint to what it's doing on The Devil's palm in Waite's comment, "The figures are tailed, to signify the animal nature, but there is human intelligence in the faces, and he who is exalted above them is not to be their master for ever. Even now, he is also a bondsman..."
 

Abrac

Devil's Hand

This is looking more and more to me like a composite symbol made of a cross and the rivers of Eden. The main artery, Naher, can be seen flowing directly into the cross and three branches coming off of it. The third branch splits into two creating the Tigris and Euphrates.
 

Zephyros

Why? That's taking the three smallest lines while ignoring all the more prominent ones. Also, what would be the reason or significance of that?
 

Abrac

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. All the lines are accounted for.
 

Zephyros

Oh, right. I thought only the middle three. It's still seems a bit of a stretch. Very, very specific symbol.
 

ravenest

I had an intuitive message that this means the Devil is the Babylonians .... he kidnapped the Jews and took them to Mesopotamia .... and they are shown chained to it and imprisoned there in the Devil card.
 

Richard

I think it's too much like seeing Jesus in a random cloud formation. ETA. It's more likely a stylized Saturn glyph, as in the BOTA Devil.
 

kwaw

I think if intentional - the cross and crescent is more likely a glyph of Saturn than of Jupiter.

From a palmistry point of view, the most significant think about his palm is that he is missing one of the three major lines. There is the head line forming the horizontal line of the cross, the life line forming the crescent, but the heart line is missing - the devil is heartless, without love...?

According the 'Palmistry made easy' by Jagat S. Bright lack of a heart lines indicates: "lacking in feelings of affection...sensual without feelings of sensitivity or fellowship...driven by animal passions like a lust-hungry beast."

Either that or the heart and head lines are conjoined to form a simian line - associated with obsession and abnormality, dogmatism, single-mindedness, extreme intensity. According to Fred Gettings (Fate & Prediction) "In the nineteenth century the Simian line was regarded as a sign of great violence..." Cheiro uses the the hand of a famous nineteenth-century murderer (Dr. Meyer) as an example.

The vertical line of the cross could possbily be an Apollo line (line of the Sun)? Or line of health (finger of Mercury)?

The devils torch and fiery tale of the male, and grapes of the females tail, remind me of revelations 14:18 - 14:20

18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast [it] into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand [and] six hundred furlongs.

The same chapter refers to the mark of the beast, and also again grapes (via association with wine) and fire:

9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
 

Teheuti

The lines look like a clear Saturn to me, or at least what a palm would look like if Saturn was inscribed via the main palmistry lines.

For the fingers mimicking the Hierophant's blessing: See Lévi's drawing "Per Benedictionen YHVH Maledictus YHVH Adumbratur" in "Transcendental Magic, its Doctrine and Ritual" (translated by Waite).
 

Abrac

I found this image in the 10th edition (1910) of Waite's The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts. The note says it came from The Fourth Book of Agrippa and is simply labeled "A hand." It's part of a plate of characters called "The Caracters of evil Spirits" in Agrippa.

It's basically all there - a cross, another main line that cuts back and merges with the cross, and three other vertical marks. It's the left hand. It's not exactly the same, but it's not difficult to see how Waite could've been influenced and adapted it to his own purposes. I'll have some thoughts later on what I think those purposes were. :)

A Hand