The Importance of the Scythe
by Harold Meij
 We learn in the Third Degree lecture that the Scythe is
an emblem of time, which cuts the brittle thread of life, and launches us
into eternity. In classic Mythology, the scythe was associated with
Saturn, the god of time, which in turn taught men to use the implement in
agriculture. Many illustrations of time as a figure show an old man,
usually bearded, having a hour glass in the one hand, and a scythe in the
other. The scythe is often associated with destruction. However, upon
deeper reflection, the scythe cuts the old to make way for the new - and
thus the cycle of life repeats itself. For example, in order to gather the
harvest (grain, which feeds life) the giver (in this case the plant) must
be killed. Until the fifteenth century, it was not the scythe, but the
sickle that was portrayed in similar ways the scythe is today. This
probably reflects the changing implements used in farming. It should be
noted, that the 13th Major Arcana Card in the Tarot, Death,
depicts a scythe not cutting down life, but the wordly illusions. This
also corresponds with its meaning, which is not the end, but the beginning
of a cycle. In this case, the scythe is a positive tool - one that opens
the door to the realm of the true and invisible reality.
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