Western Tarot symbolism
Five of Swords
The account gives the central figure three swords, with two discarded by the retreating figures. Despite his possession of the field, the main list emphasizes dishonour, degradation and loss. The supplementary reading assigns an attack on the querent's fortune. Its reversed mourning partially aligns with the main reversed list's burial and obsequies, rather than transforming the card into uncomplicated triumph.
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In the sources
The card account
LiteraryThe account gives the central figure three swords, with two discarded by the retreating figures. Despite his possession of the field, the main list emphasizes dishonour, degradation and loss.
Comparing the lists
LiteraryThe supplementary reading assigns an attack on the querent's fortune. Its reversed mourning partially aligns with the main reversed list's burial and obsequies, rather than transforming the card into uncomplicated triumph.
Context & interpretation
The active library scan carries L. W. de Laurence’s name and reproduces material associated with A. E. Waite’s Tarot exposition. This entry follows that supplied edition’s card prose and supplementary lists. Historical divinatory assignments and period character labels are distinguished from the pictured symbolism and from independently supported judgements about people or future events.
Original passages
Source 1
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination
master in possession of the field. Divinatory Meanings: Degradation, destruction, revocation, in- famy, dishonor, loss, with the variants and analogues of these. Reversed: The same; burialOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Illustrated Key to the Tarot, supplied de Laurence edition; card description, active reader leaf 129
Exact supplied-edition extracted passage actually read; whitespace-normalised quotation anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Image descriptions attributed to printed prose; no new full-plate visual inspection asserted.
- Edition
- IMJ-0149-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0149-E001-P0129
- Original scan leaf
- 135
- Recorded leaf number
- 135
- Current Reader position
- 129
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 2
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination
Five.—An attack on the fortune of the Querent. Reversed: A sign of sorrow and mourning. Four.—A bad card, but if reversed a qualified success may beOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Illustrated Key to the Tarot, supplied de Laurence edition; additional meanings, active reader leaf 151
Exact supplied-edition extracted passage actually read; whitespace-normalised quotation anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Image descriptions attributed to printed prose; no new full-plate visual inspection asserted.
- Edition
- IMJ-0149-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0149-E001-P0151
- Original scan leaf
- 157
- Recorded leaf number
- 157
- Current Reader position
- 151
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Ace of Cups
A cloud-borne cup, water and a descending sacramental emblem give this Ace several symbolic layers.
Shared source pageEight of Cups
A departing figure gives the Eight an image of leaving an earlier concern behind.
Shared source pageEight of Swords
A bound figure surrounded by swords is expressly described as temporarily confined.
Shared source pageFive of Cups
Three fallen cups and two remaining upright make loss and remainder part of one composition.