 |
|
|---|
|
|
|---|
Au grand marché qu on dict des mensongiers,
Du tout Torrent & champ Athenien :
Seront surprins par le chevaux legiers,
Par Albanois Mars, Leo, Sat, en versien.
The Athenian Field is Attica, here it represents all of Greece. The great market that they call that of liars sounds like a modern stock exchange – lying, while illegal, is an accepted part of the action in that market. The last line shows part of an astrological configuration – Mars in Leo, Saturn in Aquarius.
I considered Mussolini’s invasion of Greece in World War II, but Saturn was in Taurus and would not be in Aquarius for about 25 years. Also, Mars was in Libra. Therefore, the planetary placements were all wrong, so it does not count. Neither does Mussolini’s birth chart or the chart of the beginning of Mussolini’s government fit the astrological profile. Therefore it cannot be that event.
Apres le Siege tenu dix et sept ans,
Cinq changeront en tel révolu terme :
Puis sera l'un esleu de mesne temps
Qui des Romains ne sera trop conforme.
The seat is also the see, the Holy See, the throne of the Catholic Church. This is the key to the quatrain.
Since the life of Nostradamus, there have been only one pope who had a reign of 17 years: Pius XI, who reigned from February 6, 1922 to February 10, 1939, a reign of 17 years 4 days. The five after him were, in order, Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II. After these five Benedict XVI.
Pius XII was the mildest of the revolutionary pontiffs, yet his life oversaw a vast amount of reform in the Catholic Church. Among the changes he authorized were Liturgical reforms which sought to bring the Church in line with the belief that the Church had the duty to teach all men about Christ. Also he authorized Canon Law reforms, which virtually separated the Eastern Orthodox rites as separate but equal to the Roman rites. He included the social and psychological sciences in the studies a priest had to study and finally made some minor theological reforms, mostly dealing with the issues of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Finally, he acknowledged that the sciences may be right in the physical or biological processes, though he condemned any claim that they were sufficient in explaining the origin of all things.
John XXIII was probably the most revolutionary of the pontiffs. One of the friendliest of popes, he was one of the first to actually go out of the Vatican to visit the poor and the sick. (Pope Francis would do similar during his reign.) But his major influence was the calling of the great ecumenical council, Vatican II, which would create massive changes within the Catholic Church.
Paul VI was the next pope. It was he who oversaw the completion of Vatican II and helped to implement it. He did away with the regal splendor of the Papacy, doing away with most of the ceremonial functions of the Papal Court and abolished the Palatine Guard and the Noble Guard, leaving only the Swiss Guard in the Vatican. He initiated a Curia reform as well as made changes in future Papal elections. He also further reformed the Liturgy, allowing vernacular languages to be used instead of Latin. He also strove to have a dialogue with all of humanity, not just Catholics and national leaders. Also, he became the most traveled pontiff of his time, visiting all six inhabited continents. Finally, like Pius XII, he placed a greater emphasis on Mary.
Though John Paul I’s reign of one month was exceedingly short, it also had its revolutionary aspects. John Paul was the first pontiff who refused to be crowned: instead he was inaugurated through an “investiture.” He made several decisions that humanized the office of the papacy, changing the speaking style of the papacy from a royal way to a more human way. He declared that God was both Father and Mother to us all.
John Paul II was the last of the five. He firmly upheld the traditions of Vatican II, though he did give them a more conservative bent. He strove to find common ground, both doctrinal and dogmatic, with other religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. He forged ties with leaders of Lutheranism, Calvinism and other Protestant Churches and ended the schism between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. He also allowed the incorporation of the Anglican “Book of Common Prayer” in the Anglican use of the Latin Rite.
Now came the one that is conformable with the Romans. Benedict XVI, a German by birth, was a markedly conservative pontiff who wants to retreat from the more liberal stances of his predecessors and return to the more traditional curia. He has expressed an interest in restoring the primacy of the Papacy over the Protestant Christians, resulting in strained relations with the Lutherans and Calvanists. He also wants to reassert the traditional primacy of Christianity over all other religions, resulting in strained relations with both Judaism and Islam. He has insulted native indigenous beliefs by claiming that their ancestors were merely waiting for Christianity to come to them. In this way, he has become conformable to the traditional beliefs of the Roman Church, including the many who still profess that “only through Catholicism can one be saved.” That said, he was forced to not completely retreat, as he was still trying to heal the rift between the Catholic and the Orthodox churches during his reign. Also, he is pursuing changes regarding priestly sex with minors, though this is likely due to pressure from foreign governments. Finally, he could not repudiate Vatican II.
Soubs le terroir du rond globe lunaire,
Lors que sera dominateur Mercure :
L’isle d’Escosse sera un luminaire,
Qui les Anglois mettra à desconsiture.
Scotland is tied to the England and is part of the Britanic Isle. It is therefore unlikely to become its own literal island unless major parts of England were to suddenly sink beneath the waves. It is more likely a metaphorical statement as so many English and Scotish now wish to separate the two one time nations. The first line describes the Moon. Such a description would not be known during Nostradamus’ time, but it is very understandable to anyone who knows about the Apollo space missions and the moon walks. Mercury dominating can be taken one of two ways. First, when Mercury is in one of its own signs, either Gemini or Virgo (the most likely is Gemini). Second, when communication has become so great that it is the dominant theme of society – This second meaning is rapidly developing.
Translatera en la grand Germanie,
Brabant & Flandres, Gand, Bruges & Bologne :
La traisue faincte, le grand duc d’Armenie,
Assaillira Vienne & la Coloigne.
Greater Germany is Germany at it’s height during the Third Reich. Each of the places mentioned were either directly incorporated into the Reich or were part of its elaborate network of protectorates, indirectly part of the Reich. The feigned truce refers to the truce between Hitler and Stalin, the Armenian born leader of the Soviet Union. From 1939-1941 they were not at war, nevertheless, neither side truly trusted the other; Hitler hated the Communists and Stalin had little love of the Nazi’s. From 1940 onward, Hitler built up his forces for the massive invasion of Russia. Stalin, paranoid yet thanks to the debacles of 1940 being very aware of the weakness of the Soviet military, tried to assure the peace between the two countries while he built up his own forces. A few years after hostilities flared between the two, Stalin’s soviet troops were assailing Vienna and the Czech city of Cologne (Koln in the German, Kolin in the Czech).
Nautique rame invitera les umbres,
Du grand Empire lors viendra conciter :
La mer Aegee des lignes les encombres,
Empeschant l’onde Tyrrene desslorez.
The nautical oar represents the naval forces of Italy. The shadows refers to Nazi Germany. The great empire is the British Empire. The Aegean sea is where the action occurs. Germany was the clear winner in the capture of Greece, the Italian fleet, rendered here as the Tyrrhenian waves, were diverted and not so effectively used. The Tyrrhenian Sea, incidentally, is the part of the Mediterranean that is west of Italy.
Sur le milieudu grand monde la rose,
Pour nouveau faicts sang public espandu :
A dire vray on aura bouche close,
Lors au besoing viendra tart l’attendu.
The closed mouth part is interesting, it refers to a time when people are too terrified to speak out. In Europe this has occurred only three times, in territory controlled by the Inquisition, in territory controlled by the Soviet Union and in territory controlled by Nazi Germany.
The middle of the world could be anywhere. Seeing it through Nostradamus’ eyes, it is likely Paris. Many Frenchmen would claim that the entire world revolves around Paris. Nostradamus was a Frenchman in many ways, so even to him Paris would be the middle of the world.
This refers to the times of the Nazi occupation of France. In Nazi occupied France, the Nazis were in complete control. Though there were partisans who fought, for the most part the terror of the Gestapo was sufficient to bring about closed mouths.
The new deed was the New Order, of which the Holocaust was part of. Over six million Jews and assorted others were executed in the three great crematorium camps, the largest of which was Auschwitz Birkenau.
The one who waits is Charles De Gaulle. In 1944, behind the forces of the advancing United Nations, he finally returned (came).
Le nay dissorme par horreur suffoqué,
Dans la cité du grand Roy habitable :
L’edict severe, des captifs revoqué,
Gresle & tonnerre, Condom inestimable.
The Great King is Louis XIV. The habitable city is Versailles. Founded by Louis XIII who built a hunting chateau, the city sprang up from it. Therefore, this has a modern or future interpretation.
While I must admit I am not certain, I strongly believe that this is yet to be fulfilled.
A quarante huict degré climaterique,
A fin de Cancer si grand seichetesse :
Poisson en mer, fleuve, lac cuit hectique,
Bearn, Bigorre par feu ciel en destresse.
The end of Cancer is the last decant of Cancer. This refers to when the Sun is in that decant, which is approximately July 10-20th. Béarn is a former province of France. Bigorre is located in Gascony. The 48th degree of Latitude is farther north, though not as far north as Paris, which is practically at the 49th parallel.
Milan, Ferrare, Turin & Aquilleye,
Capne, Bundis vexés par gent Celtique :
Par le Lyon & phalange aquilee,
Quant Rome aura le chef vieux Britannique.
The Britannic leader is Winston Churchill. The Lion is General Harold Alexander, the commander of the United Nations forces in Italy. His phalanx was primarily made up of the forces of the two major naval powers, the British and the Americans, though the Polish and the Brazilians also participated. The Celtic nation is France, there were French units who marched with the United Nations up the Italian boot. All of the cities mentioned are in Italy.
Le boutefeu par son feu atrapé,
De feu du ceil à Carcas & Cominge :
Foix, Aux, Mazeres, haut viellart eschappé,
Par ceux de Hasse, des Saxons & Turinge.
Note on Translation: I cannot be absolutely certain because Turinge is obviously a name that was altered to rhyme with Cominge, but taking the German flavor of the fourth line, when I apply Turinge to the various regions and places of Germany, I come up with Thuringia, one of the old regions of Germany. There are several Mazeres, all in France.
The rabble-rouser is Pierre Laval. He had been a con man and a swindler during his earlier political days. During Vichy, in a strange twist of events, he may have tried to use his nefarious talents in the service of France. If so, he was largely unsuccessful, trapped by his own fiery words and by the power the Germans had over him. This said, he may have been successful in mitigating some of the damage; it is certainly true that fewer Jews from France were executed than were the rest of occupied Europe. Still, he was a collaborateur, one of the chief collaborateurs, who signed over many Jews (especially foreign) to the gas chambers and sent Frenchmen to work in Hitler’s factories (in exchange for French POW’s who were allowed to return). Also, unless his early attitude was completely feigned, he was a willing collaborateur. Though the trial of Laval violated French law, his past caught up with him. His execution was well deserved.
The high old one was Philippe Pétain. Old, even by the standards of his days, he was in his eighties when he assumed office in Vichy. When official power was truncated and he was made a mere figurehead by the Germans, he was still respected by many Frenchmen. After the United Nations invaded France, the Germans took Pétain and spirited him away to Sigmaringen, Germany. The cities of line 4 are all in Germany, indicating the nation that helped Pétain to escape. He was, of course, arrested in 1945, charged as a collaborateur and sentenced to death. The penalty was commuted by Charles de Gaulle in consideration of his advanced age and his prior service to France, specifically in the Battle of Verdun in the First World War.