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Rating: "Being absorbed at night in the secret study, only resting upon the bronze stool: Meager flame coming from solitude, Makes utter what is not to be believed in vain." Century I (I quatrain).
Reading about Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), better known as Nostradamus (Latin name given by himself), is stimulating and intricate at the same time. Uttering his name evokes a mix of fascination, mystery, and bewilderment. This figure has always fascinated scholars and researchers who have attempted and still attempt to grasp the secrets contained in the prophecies. Rationalist criticism has classified his work as a clairvoyant as the product of a hallucinated and mad mind. In reality, it is too simple to swiftly belittle the prophetic visions contained in the famous Centuries. It was also the tragic events that struck his family that led him to a decisive turn in life. Besides being a seer, astrologer, philosopher, mathematician, alchemist, and doctor, Nostradamus was a charitable person, and the extraordinary power that made him different from any other human being, remains still not easy to understand. In him, there was a sort of thaumaturgy: he had the reputation of being a great doctor, and he dispensed his science with a missionary spirit. The residence where he lived was often crowded with visitors who came to him in the hope of having consultations both as a seer and as a doctor. During the night he would retreat to his study-laboratory: here he collected with passion books, manuscripts, precious memorabilia, plants, herbs, stills, alembics, talismans, amulets, and seals. These instruments served him to maintain his health and increase his power over the mysterious forces of the ultrasensitive.
The book explains how the revelations-visions obtained by Nostradamus were realized during "continuous night vigils". The first edition of the Centuries was published in 1555, thanks to a Lyon publisher. It is said that twelve Centuries exist today, despite this, only the first ten can be attributed with certainty to him. In 1556 he also came to Italy, where he was received in Rome by the Pope. For a short period, he stayed in Turin. His visit is remembered by an inscription affixed to the house where he stayed (n.68 via Michele Lessona). In the volume (© Copyright by Giovanni De Vecchi Editore) the 10 Centuries appear in full, with predictions on past and future world events. The most interesting topics are: 16th-century France, the history of Nostradamus's family, the prophecies, possible interpretations of decisive events in our history, and the main inventions and the most disconcerting discoveries. The prophecies cover an extremely vast period, namely 2240 years: from 1557 to the last event announced and calculated in 3797 which apparently will mark...
The translation of the Centuries is literal, without objective interpretations, therefore it often seems to have little connection with logic, but it is so even in the original language. The language of the work is complex, obscure, allegorical, and hermetic, but despite this, it succeeds in insatiably intriguing people, because the subject is our future. Many have wondered the reason for the intended esotericism, but in the field of prophecy, it is not said that the truths are always pleasant to tell and to be made known!
The intention to maintain a highly cryptic language is well exemplified in a letter from Nostradamus to the King of France Henry II: "It is right, o most serene king, that such secret events are revealed only through enigmatic sentences so that they have only one meaning and one understanding...". To achieve this, in the quatrains he used not only an archaic French language for those times, but he mixed German, Spanish, Italian, Provençal words, starting from Latin and Greek roots, even anagramming the most famous names of that period. The language used by Nostradamus is intentionally loaded with continuous neologisms, moreover, he knew very well the 'language' of numbers and also the meanings attributed to each of the numbers corresponding to the Major Arcana of the Tarot. It should not be forgotten that in that era it was easy to be suspected of witchcraft due to certain opinions or writings. For this reason, Nostradamus wanted to protect both his work and his life from destruction and the stake, using an ambiguous and extravagant language, incomprehensible to most. All his work was 'obscured' by himself, also because regardless of the historical changes that will occur, his writings would not disturb man's susceptibility. In this way, he will be able to move, making his own decisions alone in the 'battles' of the world. In fact, the true 'mystery of Nostradamus's prophecies' consists in understanding them only after they have occurred.
Where would our free will end up if we could know in advance the destiny that awaits us? Is it thus impossible to attempt to stop the course of events to avoid certain predestinations that mark Man?
Prophetic greetings ©.
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