Latin Tarot Cards or the Tarot de Marseille deck has cards that are depicted with simpler imagery than the more detailed Rider-Waite deck. Although the meanings of the cards are very similar there are some key differences. In addition to different meanings, some of the cards in the Marseille deck bear different names than the ones used in the Rider-Waite deck. The imagery and the names on the Trump cards of the Marseille deck have kept their religious origins. Here you will see a brief overview of the meanings of the Marseille cards.
The Major Arcana or Trump Cards
Just like the Rider-Waite cards, the Marseille deck has 22 Trump cards. Each one is uniquely illustrated and has its own meaning.
Le Mat or The Fool no. 0
Card Meaning: foolishness, intuition, courage, modesty, sincerity, confusion
Le Bateleur or The Magician no. 1
Card Meaning: will, communication, skillfulness, brightness, initiative, beginning
La Papesses or The Papess no. 2
Card Meaning: balance, independence, freedom, autonomy, fidelity, constancy
L’Impératrice or The Empress no. 3
Card Meaning: understanding, trust, care, creativity, messages, uncertainty
L’Empereur or The Emperor no. 4
Card Meaning: realization, solution, authority, power, conflict, arrogance
Le Pape or The Pope no. 5
Card Meaning: faith, fulfillment, meditation, mercy, marriage, blindness
L’Amoureux or The Lovers no. 6
Card Meaning: love, relationship, passion, hardship, temptation, attraction
Le Chariot or The Chariot no. 7
Card Meaning: experiences, travel, fantasy, pride, triumph, victory
La Justice or Justice no. 8
Card Meaning: balance, equity, prudence, consistency, reconciliation
L’Hermite or The Hermit no. 9
Card Meaning: detachment, contemplation, prudence, idealism, deliberation
La Roue de Fortune or The Wheel of Fortune no. 10
Card Meaning: cycle, chance, luck, predestination, fortune, success
La Force or Strength11
Card Meaning: instinct, courage, force, unity, strength, fortitude
Le Pendu or The Hanged Man no. 12
Card Meaning: defiance, waiting, sacrifice, crossing, helplessness
L’Arcane sans nom or The Nameless Arcanum no. 13
Card Meaning: change, opportunity, endings, humility, transformation
Tempérance or Temperance no. 14
Card Meaning: union, harmony, serenity, uniting, health, combination
Le Diable or The Devil no. 15
Card Meaning: passion, desire, chaos, creativity, pleasure, fantasy
La Maison Dieu or The House of God no. 16
Card Meaning: rupture, sudden disillusion, disenchantment, renewal, endurance
L’Étoile or The Star no. 17
Card Meaning: harvest, purification, peace, concord, cooperation
La Lune or The Moon no. 18
Card Meaning: past, secrets, manipulation, deception, calumny
Le Soleil or The Sun no. 19
Card Meaning: diligence, motivation, energy, material happiness, certainty
Le Jugement or Judgement no. 20
Card Meaning: ideals, renewal, fairness, altruism, aspirations, outcome
Le Monde or The World no. 21
Card Meaning: wisdom, completion, fulfillment, integrity, flight
The Minor Arcana
Like the Rider-Waite deck, the Minor Arcana of the Marseille deck has 56 cards with four different suits. The suits of the Tarot de Marseille are Cups, Batons, Coins, and Swords. Unlike the Rider-Waite cards, these cards don’t have unique symbols and instead they signify the suit they belong to.
Batons
Ace of Batons: innovation, creation initiative, impulse, origin, principle, source
Two of Batons: capital, riches, heavy responsibility, pressure, obsession, music
Three of Batons: airiness, passing impressions, discontinuance, interruption, change
Four of Batons: reminiscences, brooding and scheming, fantasy, theatrical arts
Five of Batons: contention, persuasion, suggestion, hot speech, egotism, trickery
Six of Batons: decorative art, efficiency, work, servitude, knowledge, practical solutions
Seven of Batons: discussion, relation, negotiation, entertainment, discourse, lecture
Eight of Batons: misgivings, doubt, misunderstandings, quick response, reaction
Nine of Batons: teaching, instruction, guidance, teachers, planning, travelling
Ten of Batons: obedience, executive ability, production, necessity, duplicity
Page of Batons: messenger, postman, messages, letters, communications, teaching
Knight of Batons: investigator, occultist, explorer, sailor, traveler, memories awakened
Queen of Batons: banking, agriculture, art, capital, money, an economical woman
King of Batons: solicitor, manager, independent trader, governor, director of business
Cups
Ace of Cups: permission, inspiration, idealism, enthusiasm, blessing, hospitality
Two of Cups: passion, friendship, attraction, concord, good action, desire
Three of Cups: commercial and intellectual friendship, Light-heartedness, joy, holidays
Four of Cups: estrangement, unrest, aversion, troubles, disgust, discord, instability
Five of Cups: sorrow or pleasure, emotion, material difficulties, family matters
Six of Cups: good health, good cheer, feasting, receptivity for beauty, love of nature
Seven of Cups: intelligence, ideas, imagination, plans, suggestions, opinions
Eight of Cups: shyness, timidity, disorder, waywardness, despondency, mixed sensations
Nine of Cups: happiness, contentment, loyalty, liberality, the joy of life, advantage
Ten of Cups: well-earned security, wise living, husbandry, feeling safe, birthplace
Page of Cups: good news, invitation, proposal, intellectual entertainment, lecture
Knight of Cups: imagination, vision, dreams, a stranger, dreams, occultism, falsehood
Queen of Cups: careful, attentive, loving intelligence, practical wisdom, virtue
King of Cups: honest man, idealistic, traveler, inspirer, hunter, wanderer
Swords
Ace of Swords: initiative, force, masculine activity, affliction, pain, courage
Two of Swords: magnetism, artistic appreciation, quality, virtue, intimacy, attraction
Three of Swords: oppressions, worries, troubles, pessimism, small talk, bitter
Four of Swords: solitude, repose, retreat, gathering, avarice, precaution, meditation
Five of Swords: crisis, morose disposition, impotence, difficulties, conflict
Six of Swords: route, way, canal, conveyance, voyage, emigration, serious illness
Seven of Swords: practical ability, tricks, scheme, design, meeting the opponent
Eight of Swords: obstacles, conflict, danger, hampering, criticism, debt, poverty
Nine of Swords: ecclesiastic spirit, scholastic mind, creed, rite, ritual, ceremonial
Ten of Swords: material limits, physical necessity, authority, official power, affliction
Page of Swords: knowledge, note, observation, warning, indication, investigation
Knight of Swords: painful memories, avenging family, hatred, destruction, revolt
Queen of Swords: suffering, afflicted woman, widow, hateful, material stress, privation
King of Swords : worldly authority, command, decision, initiative, valor, integrity
Coins
Ace of Coins: creative energy, good luck, desire, bright prospects, a child, profit
Two of Coins: reasonable satisfaction, difficulty of choice, joy, gaiety, recreation
Three of Coins: civilization, aristocracy, good workmanship, skill, civil treatment
Four of Coins: desire, longing, legacy, inheritance, retreat, retirement, gift, loan
Five of Coins: expansion, lover, mistress, sympathy, popularity, affinity, well-being
Six of Coins: good, useful, charitable action, presents, prosperity, fruitfulness
Seven of Coins: friendship, concord, reliable, advantage, good business, remuneration
Eight of Coins: charity, skill, artistic ability, dexterity, uncommon qualities, geniality
Nine of Coins: honesty, positive attitude, sport, self-centeredness, self-reliance
Ten of Coins: fortune, riches, possessions, art, economy, property, laziness, idleness
Page of Coins: disciple, student, messenger, good news, application, goodness, study
Knight of Coins: advantage, interest, paying of debts, inheritance, happy memories
Queen of Coins: help, advice, honesty, protection, knowledge, education, culture
King of Coins: noble, honest man, honorable intentions, wealth, luxury, good cheer
The Tarot de Marseille deck or Latin Tarot cards are another widely used and popular Tarot deck. Although their imagery may be simpler than those on modern Tarot cards, they’re equally as powerful. In fact, they may be a little harder to use than most Tarot decks and require a sharper intuition from the Tarot reader. The method of using a Latin Tarot deck is the same as using any other Tarot deck. The freedom of Tarot allows you to choose whatever type of deck you like.
Although I prefer to use more modern Tarot cards instead of the Latin Tarot deck (Tarot de Marseille), I, the Tarot Prophet, can answer any of your burning questions. Request an illuminating 3-card reading from me today, there’s no strings attached. With my 37 years of Tarot experience, my FREE reading will shed insights on any part of your life.
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Related Links:
What is Latin Tarot (Tarot de Marseille)
The Most Famous Tarot Deck: Rider-Waite
A Guide to Tarot Card Decks
The Six Most Popular Tarot Card Decks: Which Deck Is Right for You?