Introduction

EXCEPT FOR CHAPTER 3, ADDED IN NOV. 2013, THIS ESSAY HAS BEEN GLEANED FROM MY POSTS ON AECLECTIC TAROT FORUM'S (ATF'S) "GEMISTOS PLETHON" THREAD OF AUTUMN 2011 (http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=160976). IN JUNE 2012 I REVISED THEM SO THAT THEY MAKE ONE CONTINUOUS NARRATIVE, INTERPOLATING OTHERS' CONTRIBUTIONS INTO WHAT I WROTE.

IN NOVEMBER OF 2013 I TURNED THE MAIN POINTS OF CHAPTERS 1 AND 2 INTO A SLIDE SHOW PRESENTATION, CORRELATING SPECIFIC ORACLES WITH SPECIFIC CARDS IN SEQUENCE, WHICH IS NOW CHAPTER 3. ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE A POPULAR PRESENTATION WITHOUT AS MUCH OF THE HISTORICAL INS AND OUTS IS INVITED TO READ JUST THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 1--UNTIL THE PROMPT--AND THEN CHAPTER 3. 

ALSO, AT THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER 2013 I INCLUDED IN CHAPTER 3 SOME PARALLELS TO PSEUDO-DIONYSIUS, WHO WAS BEING READ AT THE TIME OF THE EARLY TAROT. THIS MATERIAL ORIGINATED IN POSTS AT http://forum.tarothistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=172&start=20#p14575 AND POSTS FOLLOWING.


MUCH OF THE SCHOLARSHIP IN THE REST OF THIS BLOG (AS OPPOSED TO THE SPECULATION THAT APPEARS THROUGHOUT) IS NOT MINE, BUT COMES FROM TWO OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THE THREAD, ROSS G.R. CALDWELL AND "KWAW" (STEPHEN MANGAN). I HOPE THEY WILL NOT MIND MY USING THEIR WORK, AS I THINK THE MATERIAL IS TOO GOOD TO LEAVE IN THE VERY HARD TO FOLLOW FORM THAT IT APPEARED ON ATF.

THE BLOG AS A WHOLE READS LIKE A BOOK. FROM THIS TOP ENTRY YOU GO TO THE ONE NEXT BELOW IT ("OLDER", IN GOOGLE'S TERMS) AND SO ON.