General Book of the Tarot: Swords: Knight of Swords

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Knight of Swords

TRADITION: A military man, officer, master of the sword, master of fencing, warrior. Dispute, war, duel, combat, attack as well as defence; opposition, destruction, ruin, hatred, etc. Also skill, bravery, capacity. Reversed: Incapacity, imprudence, extravagance, foolishness, impertinence, stupidity, industry, crooked tricks.

THEORY: Finally this element on the Fourth and on the Twelfth houses. On account of the former we find of course the armed man under the rule of the Emperor, the military man, soldier, etc., but rather the professional, formerly the hired, troops than the militia, which will rather fall under the same house as the police, and be indicated by the page of swords. Another significance of this card is that of painful memories, suffering by ancient wrongs. In fact war is in all cases, be it private or collective, the phenomenon of the outbreak of some ancient wrong or evil--the wrong of oppression on one side or the evil of desire, rapacity, overflowing force, etc., on the other. So the Knight of swords must bear the significance of the bearer of weapons, which avenge wrongs or serve attacks. The fourth house calls the home and the family, the father in particular, and the