Tarot Tells a Truly Tall Tale of St George

By Hans von Aachen

In honour of St George's day, let’s try out the Tarot as an interviewing tool,  as a translator across distant Time and Truth. 

St George's Day, April 23rd, is also thought to be the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare

George is the patron saint not only of England, but is venerated in Georgia, Malta, Venice, Genoa, Aragon, Portugal, Catalonia and Ethiopia. He is a composite figure in the Middle East, both Biblical and Quranic.

As the poet, Kathleen Raine  expressed it, 'Myth is the Truth of Fact, not Fact the Truth of Myth.' 

The Tarot does not lie. But it stands to reason, factually speaking, there can be no getting at 'the truth' of St George. He really existed. That much seems certain. He was raised in the Greek Christian tradition and served in the Roman army. That much also seems almost certain. A legend may contain grains of fact, while representing the poetic truth of an amalgam of people or myths.

What some call fantastical, or lies, even damned lies, if they don't apprehend poetic truth, is for others, just a means of taking a possibility for a walk. An exercise in associative thinking with judgement in abeyance.

Let's suspend our judgement for a moment, as we enter the Tarot's Imaginarium.

Raphael: St George and the Dragon: Public Domain

That poor dragon. Call the RSPCA.

George, if we may disturb you for a moment? What would you like to tell us about yourself?

The Six of Swords

From the Legacy of the Divine Tarot

I am the other side of The River. I hear you only faintly. Your words are not my language, and yet I understand you. There must be a translator somewhere. I was a traveller. I made long journeys over the sea as well as by land. But I always loved the water. When I was small I'd go looking for frogs among the bull rushes in the pebbled stream, near where I lived. It was good luck to find a frog.

Photo by Maxime Gilbert on Unsplash

I didn't read as well as my father wished, but I did have letters, taught me by an old Persian with scarred legs - I never knew how he got those. He knew about numbers and about the stars. Sometimes he would show me maps of the sky.

What was your profession?

 The King of Swords

(This ties in with the known history) Oh, I was 'miles' (a soldier) I became 'miles' after the death of my mother, and went on to become an officer. A thing to be said for Rome was, it rewarded skill and service. It gave you a chance. At least until it didn’t.

I wasn't particularly popular. Too serious. Not easy and outgoing. I was known for a certain reserve. It wasn’t about rank. I was rarely the worse for wear.  I might laugh at a joke but I didn’t tell jokes. But I tried to be fair, always, didn't put on airs. Few could see further or clearer than I could, or better me on horseback with a lance. I had a horse, a grey mare called Usa

(Reading note: I got this name by  'hearing' it.  Sometimes insights come this way in a real life reading. I had to look it up, and I  found that 'Usa' is not listed as a Roman or Cappadocian name. Usa is from Sanskrit meaning 'Dawn'. My surprise was at finding the name actually existed, I hadn't come across it before. But the name Dawn would certainly figure for a grey mare.)

Photo by Lucia Macedo on Unsplash

You're reputed to have killed a dragon. What can you tell us about that?
The Queen of Cups/Ace Pentacles Rx.

There was something strange, one small place I stopped off. A monster of an eel, attacking fishermen, robbing nets one small place I stopped off. they saw I was a military man and they offered  a night's lodgings if I would help them hunt and kill it. These were poor people. They could offer me no coin, but they offered food and shelter. They said it had taken a child. A little girl, washing clothes in the river. They were in difficulties. So I agreed.

What about the rescued princess?

Queen of Cups Rx

Princess? There was a woman there. Beautiful, not young. I was passing through, the problem was mentioned. They had no coin to offer but they offered food and shelter. (Ace Coins Rx) I went out next night with the fishermen. One guided the boat, I saw the great eel showing silver at the surface, and threw my lance. We had to withdraw and wait. There was no question of pulling the lance out of this thing, or pulling it from the water still alive. Its mistake was in coming so close to the surface when the moon was so bright. I'd never seen anything like it.

But there was something else. On campaign in Libya. A battle chariot came down on us. A huge thing with its horse team decked out in the semblance of a beast, with a beast's head carving. I flung a spear, it went through the spokes of one of the wheels. The farthest throw ever seen, they said. Maybe that's the root of the story. That, or the gigantic eel. I once kept a pine marten for a season, but who’s interested in a pine marten?

Is it accurate to say you were a Christian?

The Hierophant Rx

My parents raised me as a Christian in the Greek tradition. I remember that I found myself out of step, dangerously so. I remember the danger. The fear. I was warned. But what could I do? I was a loyal soldier to Rome. But I would not dishonour my parents. I would not deny them, living a lie. Telling lies about them or about myself.

Whatever I said I would do, I did. In my life I had two homes, two peoples, two purses, and they were sometimes empty. I was always divided. But it was not in my nature to function divided. I looked at this, or I looked at that, the rest went into the background. I think others besides myself might have paid a heavy price for that. I could not see that at the time. Or if I did, I could not, or would not change it.

What do you remember about leaving Life?

Seven of Wands, Ace of Cups.

I don't remember. I see blows coming at me to know it was not gentle. Many blows. Noise. Then I was looking down  from a height, and I knew I was free. I would not look again. Little else.

Did you have children?

Three Swords

From the Legacy of the Divine Tarot

I was mourned from afar. A love of long ago, but there was no other. No-one else after her. By her I had a son.

Here Ends The Transmission

Courage and duty. Happy St George’s day.

Thank you for reading.

Until next time :)