Those cups. They're just so deep.

Cosmic Tarot, US Games 1988

Oooh he's intense. The Prince of Cups from the Cosmic Tarot, US Games 1988. Now who does he remind me of? He's sort of a little bit Johnny Deppish, I think. In a smoothed-over, blanded-out, smoldery perfume ad rendition.

(The artist who painted these images seems to really have liked monogrammed jacket pockets. Just an observation.)

This Prince of Cups, according to Jean Huet's companion book, is not much like the daydreaming Knight of Cups from the Rider Waite Smith decks. Certainly nothing like the innocent Page of Cups. She goes into some detail about the scorpion, the snake on a pole (Rod of Asclepius) and the Anubis figure rowing the boat in the background over the water, in silhouette. To be honest, I'd taken no notice of these details, because I couldn't get past the whites of Johnny Depp's eyes, the Anton Lavey beard and the feathered hair. But now that Huet points them out to me, I can see how they help to emphasize this court card's character. Yes, he's intense, passionate, given to stormy emotions and stony vendettas. He's got depths (or thinks he does).

I take back what I said earlier about the daydreaming Knight of Cups. I'd forgotten that his mooning around comes from the same place that can lead him to become a stalker, or to make grandiose, foolish, or even self-destructive gestures in the name of loyalty or love. Whether he is the Knight of Cups in RWS or Prince of Cups in the Cosmic Tarot, he takes himself, his emotions and his relationships with others, both friend and foe, very seriously.

This is a guy who just never really lightens up. What's another word for intense? Forceful, passionate, agonizing, all-consuming, extreme, acute, fanatical, fervent, keen...there's no 'fun' or 'amusing' anywhere in the bunch.

I think the Prince of Cups is the ultimate 'Get over yourself' card. But I sort of think that about all the Cups courts!