Nostradamus and his prophecies

Nostradamus, a 16th-century French seer, has fascinated and intrigued people for five centuries with his prophecies, which have appeared in numerous editions, second only to the Bible. His quatrains, written in a complex language combining Latin, Greek, French, and Provençal, have become the subject of numerous, often differing, interpretations. Supporters of the prophet see his visions as foreshadowing key historical events, while skeptics point to the ambiguity and subjectivity of his translations. In the context of contemporary challenges, Nostradamus allegedly predicted, among other things, World War III and a devastating plague.

The prophecies of the French seer from Saint-Rémy, known as Michel de Notredame or Nostradamus, have been in print for 500 years, surpassing only the Bible in their number of editions. Those who believe in prophecy are convinced that as early as the 16th century, Nostradamus foretold many significant events in European and global history, including Hitler's invasion of Poland, the Great Fire of London, and the Yugoslav Civil War. Skeptics, however, believe that the "accuracy" of the prophecies is the result of translations and interpretations made after the fact.

The fundamental problem is that Nostradamus, wishing to avoid accusations of witchcraft, deliberately concealed the true meaning of his prophecies under a layer of ambiguity. His book consists of 965 quatrains, written by the seer in a language that intertwines Latin, Greek, French, and his native Provençal.

Inevitably, translations and interpretations of the text's meaning vary widely. Interpreters attribute a given quatrain to many different, entirely separate events. Even the most understandable prophecy about London being devastated by fireballs is interpreted in various ways—as a vision of the burning of martyrs by Queen Mary I, the Great Fire of London, or the German air offensive of 1940. According to Nostradamus, our times will have no shortage of attractions. The seer supposedly predicted World War III (ending in the defeat of Europe) and a terrible plague that would decimate the population of our continent. Is this an insightful prophecy or a masterpiece of inspired interpretation? We will soon find out.