Exiles by anger, intestine hatred,
Will plot gravely against the King:
Secretly, they will put the enemy through the gallery,
And their old relatives will rise against them.
Original
Les exilez pare ire, haine intestine,
Feront au Roy grand conjuration:
Secret mettront ennemis par la mine,
Et ses vieux siens contre aux sédition.
First let us agree that the quatrain is expressed in a paraclause or main image or idea that goes from the first verse to the second by means of a colon. This sign immediately opens a secondary image or idea or paraclause, which derives from the events on the main clause. You can read more about this way of analyzing the design of the Nostradamus quatrains in a blog entry called "On Nostradamic punctuations".
Nostradamus says "exilez". This concept can be replaced by exiles, outlaws, expatriates, expellees. The concept “by” is a preposition of causality, therefore we can change the concept "anger" by resentment, bitterness, although the concept "hatred" has a sicker connotation. Likewise, we can replace "intestine" by entrails, interior, internal. Let’s change what we have:
"Expatriates by (their) anger (and) internal resentment"
The second verse continues this verse and says, “will plot gravely against the King.” We know that the term "plot" can be replaced by complot, conspiracy, scheme. Usually this type of action is almost hidden, and when we say "grave plot" it means that we are witnessing an event of some magnitude. Let’s replace and join this verse to the first.
"Expatriates by (their) anger (and) internal resentment
Will plot gravely against the King”
This is the main image. Then Nostradamus expresses the image that emerges from this fact:
The third verse says: "Secretly, they will introduce the enemy through the gallery". We know that the term "gallery" is translated as mine, and it is obvious that a mine has tunnels, galleries, etc. Therefore we have something that is underground. The term "secretly" can be changed by covertly, hidden. Obviously, if we are in a "mine" it stands to reason that the term "put" can be changed by introduce, or fit.
And will rise their old relatives against them.
"Siens" derives in "sien or sienne" a possessive pronoun that means his, hers
Let us continue; then, Nostradamus says "will put the enemy," Let's stop here. We may assume that the enemy is singular; however, in the fourth verse he adds "contre aux sedition," “the plot will rise against them”. Thus, the concept "enemy" is singular but corresponds to a plurality as might be the concept "people," which although is singular, indicates plurality. In short, that "putting the enemy" means "putting" many.
Two questions underlie here within the same verse: who are the ones who “put the enemy"? Obviously, the above verses suggest that it is the" exiles" or their followers. And the second question, who is the "enemy"? suggests that it is the king and, logically and obviously, his close followers, or his family, or whomever is a supporter of the king when inferring the plurality of the "enemy".
The verse says "secretly they will introduce the enemy through the gallery." When you place the word "secretly," we know they will do it in secret, without anyone knowing; and when you add "through the gallery" ("mine"), it refers to a tunnel, or corridors, or wide corridors that communicate with other premises.
Finally, the quartet concludes, "and their old relatives will rise against them". When Nostradamus refers to "old relatives", the concept "old" can be replaced by ancient, past. And if they are "relatives" this word is defined as a Person that has family affinity or consanguinity by the ascending, descending or collateral branches; that is, that somehow it belongs to the same family. In sum, he talks about family.
And, by saying "will rise against them" means that “the exiles” will rise against them:
Now let’s go to the historical context. Nostradamus is conclusively referring to the Russian Revolution. But let's see why:
Lenin and his followers entered the Russian territory with the help of Germany, who gave them ample facilities to do so ("Expatriates by (their) anger (and) internal resentment"); in this way, Germany rightly judged that Lenin would prompt the overthrow of the weak interim government and the surrender of Russian forces to thereby focus their forces in the West, which occurred with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and put Kerensky to flight ("They will plot gravely against king. ")
When the Second Russian Revolution triumphed in October 1917, in which the Bolsheviks - led by Lenin - overthrew the Kerensky government, the Soviet Central under Yakov Sverdlov, a character from the inner circle of Lenin who was administratively in charge of the fate of the czar, first ordered the transfer of the deposed emperor to Moscow, but later instructed the transfer of the imperial family to Ekaterinburg, which was under Soviet control in the Urals, with the support of the Red Army.
The German government had proposed the Soviet that the emperor should endorse the peace treaty, but a second hidden intention was to negotiate the freedom of Nicholas II in order to later reinstate the monarchy, since Germany had realized that the global socialist revolution proclaimed by Lenin would soon reach the German masses. For that reason, first he was tentatively sent to Moscow.
The Soviet, aware of these maneuvers and fearful of what the intent involved, took measures to prevent Tsarism from ever again be installed in Russia.
On July 4th, 1918, in face of the advance of the Czechoslovak Legion to the city, it was feared that these troops might liberate the family and try to restore the Tsar's regime. Filipp Goloshchekin Isaevich, who led the Soviet of the Urals, hastily appeared in Moscow before Sverdlov and raised the issue of murder and cover up; Sverdlov consulted the high leadership of the Central Soviet and the order was given.
A squad of the Cheka police led by Yakov Yurovsky relieved the house guard, and on July 16th received the Order from the Soviet of the Urals to shoot the whole family.
The planning of the assassination itself in situ was made by Yurovsky, who reserved the right to shoot first on the "crowned executioner", as Nicholas II was nicknamed; apart from Yuorvski, the clique was composed by Piotr Ermakov and Gregoy Nikulin, all proven members and murderers of the Cheka.
A Goloshchekin subordinate, Piotr Ermakov, who had control of the peasantry of the Urals, was in charge of removing all evidence of the murder, but could not obtain the two required transport trucks until the next day. Besides participating in the squad, Ermakov had to start the engines of both vehicles to drown out the sound of gunfire.
The squad consisted of twelve men, seven of whom were Hungarian ex-combatants, and each was assigned a victim; two of them refused to fire on women, and at least one was rejected and replaced by Ermakov. The squad members were Gregori Nikulin, Yurovsky’s assistant, Piotr Ermakov, Goloshchekin’s assistant, Piotr Medvey, S. Vaganova, Andreas Vergasi, Laszlo Horvath, Victor Griinfeldt, Imre Nagy, Emile Fekete, Anselm Fischer and Isidor Edelstein.
At midnight on July 17, the Tsar and his family members were taken to the basement of Ipatiev house, where they were shot. ("will put the enemy in the gallery") along with some close servants, a loyal doctor and even the child’s dog (these represent the plural of “enemy”). The pretext was that they were going to have their picture taken before leaving. Nicholas II placed the crown prince on his knees as he sat next to the Tsarina, the girls sat in the back and the servants and the doctor at the sides, standing. After a short while, Yakow Yurovsky entered suddenly with revolver in hand, together with 17 soldiers armed with rifles with their bayonets unfolded. The entire royal family was massacred.
The White movement lacked the political structures of the Bolsheviks, and their military leaders soon started to become a real political authority. But without central coordination, the ambitions of each group or clique of officers generated serious conflicts among whites. This situation got worse when the murder of Tsar Nicholas II and his whole family in Yekaterinburg in July 1918 became known. Lacking from then on a figure who would manage vast extensions of Russian territory, the generals of the White movement became small, almost autonomous regional warlords. Even in Siberia there were large areas where common local bandit groups were the only authority, and over which the White generals exercised no control at all. ("And their old relatives will rise against them.")
Most of the officers who formed the core of the White Army were veterans from the First World War monarchical ideology, landowners, and many nobles, including blood relatives of the Imperial family, such as the Grand Duke Nikolai Nicolaievich Romanov. The Red Army prepared to fight them in a Russian civil war that lasted until 1921 ("And their old relatives will rise against them.") And if he speaks of "relatives", this is a word that has a mortuary connotation. “Relatives” has the connotation of being used for the family of a deceased. The quatrain has been clarified.
XIV
Songs, chants and petitions from enslaved people,
Captive in prisons by Princes and Lords:
In the future by headless idiots,
They will be received by divine prayers.
Original
De gent esclave chansons, chant & requestes,
Captifs par Princes & Seigneur aux prisons:
A l'avenir par idiots sans testes,
Seront reus par divines oraisons.
Here the first verse translated to Spanish infers "from enslaved people". The original quatrain only corresponds that “from” is indicative of origin, even if it may sound patently obvious. What kind of enslaved people sing "Songs, Chants and petitions?
It should be noted that Nostradamus does not infer the word "prisoner" to those who are in "prisons”, but to “enslaved people”.
Let’s agree in something: Many people, throughout history, before and after Nostradamus, have been enslaved in wars or in diverse conflicts, but none of these groups are associated with songs, chants and petitions. However there is one group that does relate with these three symbols, the black communities of Africa within the context called slave trade.
African slaves are the only ones who, given their tribal characteristics, were very fond of chants, songs and petitions which they even found normal because they were deeply superstitious in their divinities. They were taken to the New Continent and other countries. Some speak of a trade that moved up to 28 million human beings out of Africa according to estimates.
"Princes and Lords" reveals that not only the monarchies were engaged, but also some "noble and wealthy" gentlemen. Within the same context, the slave source was Africa, and Goree Island, a French colony, was the exact place where the slave trade was established, also known as the place of no return and where families disintegrated by slavery were separated for ever.
Its condition as a French colony obviously relates us with France. However, France had a deeper specificity: the so-called "Black Code", a law enacted by Louis XIV, which governed purchase, sale, and eventual liberation of the slaves. France, the country of philosophers from the Enlightenment and Human Rights, was able to establish the most perfect system for ordering the practice of slavery, which was restored by Napoleon Bonaparte after being abolished by the Revolution. Hence the first two verses take us to the third and fourth. ("Songs, chants and petitions from enslaved people, captive in prisons by Princes and Lords.”)
This verse in particular is key. "In the future by headless idiots." This verse strongly grabs my attention. When saying “Future”, which we can synonymize as “to come”, “what is to come”, Nostradamus meant the transfer of these slaves to the New Continent, America. The concept "A le" (“to him”) can be replaced by “to”. The concept "per" (“by”) is a statement of causality. Let’s change a few words:
"Towards the Future (carried) by headless idiots"
Here Nostradamus provides another double meaning game when he calls the "princes and lords" "headless idiots.” The first meaning given by Nostradamus is the most common one, assuming that these "princes and lords" are stupid, that they don’t think what they are doing and have considered human beings as merchandise; or, at best, that they have built their wealth based on items which in the future were prejudicial against the French Revolution which, as I said previously, suppressed the slave trade among other things.
And precisely the second meaning that Nostradamus gives to this verse is related to the French Revolution. It is given because, precisely, those princes and lords will be idiots because, precisely, they will be considered as the main enemies of the revolution, and their heads will roll after the guillotine passes over them. From persecutors to persecuted.
So when he infers "Princes and lords" he is referring to the French nobility. And he was quite right: the offspring of Louis XIV ("into the future"), the French nobility and many lords died guillotined in the French Revolution. And in a way, that was their punishment. Which is, ultimately, what Nostradamus tries to tell us.
The symbolic act of placing a colon at the end of the second verse implies that the third verse is associated with the fourth.
Finally, when he adds that "They will be received by divine prayers" he refers to the enslaved people ("the persecuted"), because they were converted upon their arrival in America by various Catholic missions. Catholics gave much more importance to that aspect than the Protestants. And as I said, Nostradamus expresses a double meaning because the "Princes and lords," (the pursuers) were also "received with divine prayers." Usually on the scaffold, before being guillotined - even Louis XVI, before being guillotined, knelt beside the priest and received his last blessing. The quatrain has been clarified.
XV
Mars threatens us by military force,
Seventy times it will make blood spread:
Rise and Fall of the Ecclesiastical,
And more to those who would not hear anything from them.
Original
Mars nous menace par la force bellique,
Septante fois fera le sang espandre:
Auge & ruine de l'Ecclesiastique,
Et plus ceux qui d'eux rien voudront entendre.
For the ancient Romans Mars is the god of war, and when we say that he is threatening us means, in a certain way, that the god Mars wants us to fight. The second verse infers "seventy times it will make blood spread”. If Mars makes blood spread 70 times, he is alluding that there will be 70 conflicts, or that such military force is represented 70 times.
In the third verse he adds: "Rise and Fall of the Ecclesiastical;" here he is symbolizing religious power, but can refer to any religion; however, the word “ecclesiastical” also alludes to the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is one of the Wisdom Books of the Old Testament. In Catholic Bibles it is usually located at the end of the series of texts and wisdom scriptures (after Wisdom), and before the series of the Prophetic Books (Before Isaiah); therefore, this verse from Nostradamus refers to the Catholic religion.
So when he refers to "rise and fall of the Ecclesiastical", the prophet tries to define that within this din of war is where Mars will spread blood 70 times. The Catholic Church had its rise and downfall. Finally Nostradamus complements the third verse saying "and more to those who would not hear anything from them." This means that such ruin is not economic, nor of power, nor influence, but rather a moral "ruin" that will “especially shame those”.
Now let’s go to history. The only time in history when these variables could have been given: military force and rise and fall of the Catholic Church exist at the beginning of the Second World War, and at its end. While the Catholic Church, through the centuries that followed Nostradamus’ Centuries was involved in all the power conflicts in Europe, for land, influence, etc., never presented the second variable, the concept “fall”; such concept is better interpreted with the following verse:
"There will be those who will not hear anything of them."
Some identify that with the historical period where Napoleon III declared war on Prussia and later occupied Rome. The fact is that such statement is not historically true because it does not contemplate “the rise” of the Ecclesiastical, does not define "ecclesiastical" (although it symbolizes the Catholic Church), nor defines "70 times." That's why I have said in many opinions expressed here that the idea is not to guess conjectures, but adhere to the concepts within the quatrains. Because one thing is sure for me: Nostradamus never wrote conjectures.
Let's see: According to the official list of real countries, there were 55 countries within the period between1939 and 1945 which joined forces against the Germany - Italy - Japan axis. This axis also had some allies, which amounted to 15 countries and parallel non governments (like the Vichy government in France). In total, 70 countries were in conflict although many of them entered the conflict belatedly ("Seventy times it will make blood spread."
And let’s know that Nostradamus leaves nothing to chance if he says that "Mars threatens us by military force"; this indicates that a sign whose regent is Mars (Aries or Scorpio) will be the actor in this war. Now, Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, so he is an Aries, with the regent Mars. "Hitler threatens us with military force." That is what the prophet meant to tell us so that we all understand. The use of the regencies of signs is key in the Nostradamic readings. But nothing else. Nostradamus knows he can not go further because astrology is very subjective and the regencies are one of its two objective parts (the other are the signs of the zodiac) "Mars threatens us by military force."
A relevant point: We could think, unequivocally, that when we say “ecclesiastical”, it immediately corresponds to something religious; and from there on, to imagining the rise and fall of the Catholic Church. However, such concept is arranged to act as a personification. In other words, it refers to a person.
Before he was elected Pope (March 2, 1939) as Pius XII, Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli was secretary of the Congregation of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, Papal Nuncio and Cardinal Secretary of State. Another reference to the word "from the ecclesiastical", or rather of the one who relates with the ecclesiastical. Formally speaking, although he attempted to maintain neutrality, he was accused of turning a blind eye to Nazi crimes. He is important because after his election as pope, he allowed excavations in the basements of the Vatican, and among other tombs, the tomb of the apostle Peter was found. This generated great joy among Catholics in the world. ("Rise ... of the ecclesiastical")
Some historical facts regarding the activities of Pius XII have generated questions related with his behavior in face of the contemporary anti-Semitic climax. The sharpest criticism came from the British Catholic writer John Cornwell in his book Hitler's Pope, a biographical research on the life of Pius XII, based on files extracted from the Vatican. In this biography Cornwell showed the Pope as an anti-Semite, concluding in the direct involvement of the Church in both World Wars, thus explaining the reasons for the silence of the Holy See in face of the genocide of millions of Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and transsexuals in World War II, and Hitler's final solution and his Nazi army; likewise, he accused Pacelli of directing the drafting of the Humani Generis Unitas (The union of the human races), a text discovered years after his death. "The Jews were responsible for their fate, God had chosen them, but they denied and killed Christ. And blinded by their dream of global triumph and materialistic success, they deserved the material and spiritual destruction that they had cast upon themselves” the text quoted.
Obviously, the future hierarchy of the Catholic Church and even the one that existed during Pius XII, have never spoken about this, and did nothing. Perhaps keeping silent about these genocides, through isolated acts of Christian humanism ("And especially those who would not hear anything from them."). For all this, Nostradamus says ".... and fall of the Ecclesiastical." The quatrain has been clarified.
XVI
Sickle in the pond towards Sagittarius,
At its high PEAK of excitement,
Plague, famine, death by military hands,
The century approaches its renewal.
Original
Faulx l'estang joint vers le Sagitaire,
En son hault AUGE de l'exaltation,
Peste, famine, mort de main militaire,
La siecle approche renouvation.
The French concept "Faulx" curiously is the name of a commune in the Lorraine region in France, and its etymology would derive in the Latin “Fagorum Vallis" or beech valley, a quote corresponding to the year 936 of "Vadus sancti Petri." In turn, Fagorum is the plural genitive of Fagus, which in Latin means beech. And beech is a kind of tree. Here, the quatrain translates it as Sickle.
In quatrain XII of the first Century, the quatrain translates Faulce to Sickle, and in this quartet the concept is Faulx and is translated as Sickle. Interestingly, the root of Faulx could correspond to "Faux," which in modern French means False. However, the reference to Fagus is stronger. From the overall context of this quatrain we will know what he means.
The concept "l'estang" derives in the modern French "Etang", which translates as pond. In other words, it is like saying “Faulx in the pond." Then, Nostradamus adds, "joint vers le" Sagitaire".
The adjective concept Joint translates as together, united. The term "vers le" translates as towards it. In sum, the whole verse says:
Faulx in the pond together towards Sagittarius
Obviously if Nostradamus uses the astrological term Sagittarius, it means that the term "pond" is also an astrological concept. And we know that the term "pond" is a clear allusion to the sign Aquarius. In short, "Faulx in the pond" means that the "Faulx" lies within the period of Aquarius, between January 20th and February 19th, and goes "towards Sagittarius" that is, towards the 22/11 to 21 / 12.
Let’s also know that it may not necessarily relate to historical processes, it can also refer to people. Nostradamus is meticulous about it. However, Nostradamus tells us towards Sagittarius, not in Sagittarius, which is different; this is due to the need to force the rhyme (between sagitaire and militaire). We have to be precise about it.
Before proceeding let’s know that all verses end in coma, obviously excepting the last one that ends the quatrain. This tells us that there are several associated images. In this case, four.
The second verse tells us: "At its high PEAK of excitement," but we see the original concept that says "PEAK" and highlights it in capital letters. This is unusual within the generality of the quatrains, and we will discover the intention. However, that concept points to a development and intensification of a process or activity, which is the etymological origin of the word. Obviously the translation indicates it as “peak”, a semantic approach which we will maintain, even though we can change it by “height”. And if the concept is capitalized, it is because of an added emphasis intention.
We can change the concept "Exaltation" for exacerbation, disturbance, irritation.
The third verse says: "Plague, famine, death from military hands". To Nostradamus, the word Plague is not literal but reinforces the idea of war. If we associate the idea of the second verse "In its high peak of excitement," with "Death by military hands", we realize that we are witnessing a kind of social conflict.
Now, Nostradamus places Plague first, which we associate with war; then he adds famine, and finally a strong repression ("death") carried out by the military, which we can change by army.
Now let's change what we have:
"War, famine, death by the army"
Now let’s know something interesting:
In Greek mythology, the Hours were originally the personifications or goddesses of the order of nature and the seasons, although they were later considered as goddesses of order in general, and of justice. So we usually distinguish two main 'generations'. Within the second generation of eleven Hours (twelve, when Arktos was subsequently added), which includes minor goddesses, daytime keepers who ranged from just before sunrise to just after sunset, there exists Peak (Αυγη), the first light. Interesting, no?
Now, Nostradamus is accurate. He knows the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Let’s go to history and talk about the Russian Revolution of February 1917:
Curiously, the Beech or rather the Fagus sylvatica is highly resistant to severe cold winters and exists in many areas, mainly from Spain to Russia. So I will change Faulx by Fagus.
We know that this revolution was born as a reaction to the policy made by the Tsar, in particular the direct involvement of Russia in the First World War ("plague"). Well, in the first half of February 1917 ("The Fagus in the pond") the beginning of a famine originated riots in the capital Petrograd ("hunger"). On February 18th, the largest factory in Petrograd, the factory Putilov, announced a strike that began in the early hours; the strikers were fired upon and some shops closed, causing insurgencies in other production centers.
On February 23rd, there was a series of rallies and demonstrations to celebrate the International Women's Day, which gradually reached a strong political and economic note. At one point, a battalion of soldiers was sent to the city to quell the uprising, but many of them not only chose to defect, but rebelled against their hierarchy. These events forced Nicholas II to abdicate on March 2 ("death by military hand"). February is the coldest month in the Russian winter, therefore dawn occurs at a later hour. And the successive revolts and strikes precisely began at dawn. That is why the concept PEAK is capitalized. ("At its highest PEAK of excitement,").
These events forced Nicholas II to abdicate on March 2, Julian (March 15, Gregorian). After frustrating the first attempt of the Czar to cede power to his younger brother, the Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, the leadership was left in charge of an interim government that would last until the elections to create a constituent assembly. In parallel, the Soviet from Petrograd reappears, a grassroots organization that had made its first appearance during the Russian Revolution of 1905. The emergence of the Soviets created a situation of dual power difficult to articulate, since both bodies would soon be competing for power, leading the country into administrative chaos. ("At its highest peak of excitement,")
If you go "towards Sagittarius", it is obvious that this establishes a path from Aquarius. It is a sort of way. The signs that follow are Pisces, Aquarius, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio. Too many, don’t you think? But Nostradamus is not vague. But it turns out that, as we had already said, the concept “joint” from the first verse is translated as together, united. Therefore, it refers directly to Scorpion, a sign which ranges from 24/10 to 22/11; thus, the forcing of the rhyme Sagitaire – militaire is correct.
Finally, the events of the Russian Revolution of February 1917 triggered a second phase, the so-called October Revolution to be more precise, an historical event which ranges from October 23 to November 8, 1917. ("Towards Sagittarius") And it is so precise, that the concept "towards" is key: Libra ends on the 23/10, to begin Scorpion on the 24/10, since the revolution began on October 23rd. Simply impressive. And as a sideline observation: maybe for Nostradamus, Scorpion begins on the 23/10. The dates from the zodiacal periods not always coincide among astrologers.
The last verse says "the century approaches its renewal". For Nostradamus, the great turn of the century is given by this revolution. Again, the concept "towards" supports this assertion.
The term "renewal" can be changed by transformation, change, evolution, innovation. We can change the concept "approaches" for it is coming, it nears. Now let's change what we already have:
"The century is coming to a change"
Indeed, history does not syndicate that Nostradamus was right. The Russian revolution, or basically the advent of communism, for better or worse of many, was an unprecedented social transformation in the history of mankind which subsequently led to a confrontation with the capitalist ideology that marked the world stage of the twentieth century. The quatrain has been clarified.
