Amphitrite, goddess of the sea and saltwater, is our Queen of Cups. The Cups equate water with emotion, at times the deep, troubled waters of introspection or the rough seas of discontent. But not here! This queen is sunlight on calm seas, personifying hope, happiness, devotion, and loyalty. A true friend.

Clio, muse of history, knows a lot of facts but one great truth: theres always another battle, another war, another upheaval. You can focus on those, on the struggle, and see nothing else. Or you can look for the beauty and grace and kindliness that are there, too. Take a break, soldier!

Our card shows one of the Dioscuri (better known as the constellation Gemini). They were often worshipped by sailors, who believed that they appeared in the form of St Elmos fire on the rigging of ships, to give protection from storms. In a reading, the Knight of Wands signifies adventure, travel and possibly a vacation over water or abroad.

The emperor card stands for strength, assertiveness and all around macho-like-behavior. Like Zeus, king of the gods, who was accused of a lot of things, but being a shrinking violet was never one of them. But, you know what? Sometimes, macho isnt so bad. If you don’t take charge of your own life, someone else will do it for you -- and you may not like where you end up.

Philanthropy was important to the ancient Greeks, and the more you had, the more you were expected to give. Wealthy businessmen often gave back by sponsoring plays, such as the one the actors on our card are preparing for. Likewise, the Six of Pentacles is about a time when you have an abundance. How about using some of it to help your fellow man?

This wild ride of a card heralds a new life heading your way at top speed. You may feel inclined to step off the tracks before this oncoming train crashes into you, but don’t worry, it probably wont be an Athenian tragedy. The Tower upright usually precedes a change that can remake your life in a positive way. And if not, you’ll finally get to collect on all that insurance.

Demeter gave Triptolemus a dragon-powered chariot that he used to fly about Greece, sharing the idea of agriculture. But not everyone was glad to see him. King Lynkos ran him off, fearing that new methods of gathering wealth might weaken his hold over his people. The Knight reversed warns of similar hide-bound behavior that is impeding progress.

When Paris was asked by Zeus to decide which of three powerful goddesses was the fairest, he should have run like hell. Instead, he said okay and asked for bribes! This did not end well for him. Someone may be trying to saddle you with a big, messy problem. Learn from Paris: take a pass.

Our empress is Hera, wife of Zeus and queen of the Olympian gods. Her Roman name was Juno, which gives us the name of June, still the favorite month for weddings. Drawing this card could indicate a marriage or important merger, or a time of unusual fertility or creativity. Or that your husband is a philandering jerk.

The Amazons, a tribe of warrior women, allowed no men to live with them, except for slaves. To preserve their numbers, they occasionally visited a nearby tribe, but any male children who resulted were returned to their fathers. Likewise, the Queen of Swords is about choosing intellect over emotion, and making decisions based on logic rather than sentimentality.

Karen Chance