Interpreted December 2005
Century III, Quatrain 40
The great theatre will be raised up again, the dice thrown and the nets already cast. The great one who tolls the death knell will become too tired, destroyed by bows split a long time ago.
The great theatre will be raised up again, the dice thrown and the nets already cast. The great one who tolls the death knell will become too tired, destroyed by bows split a long time ago.
Interpretation with Explanatory Remarks
The prediction refers to New Orleans with its theater-like lifestyle of the French Quarter, the Mardi Gras parades and festivities on Bourbon street, and its overall pleasant and outgoing atmosphere. The word “theatre” also refers to the fact that New Orleans is built below sea level, and the area looks like being in a bowl that gives it the appearance of an ancient Greek amphitheater. Nostradamus also tells us that the city will be rebuilt
The “dice” symbolize the Mississippi Gulf Coast casinos where dice are used extensively, together with other gambling games. The reference to “nets” relates to the harbor, its coast, and its very extensive fishing industry/activities.
Chronologically, Nostradamus ties the New Orleans event with the daily casualty reports President George W. Bush is receiving from the Middle East. The implication is that the casualties will increase and/or the situation overseas will deteriorate to the point that eventually the President’s credibility will be destroyed.
The prediction refers to New Orleans with its theater-like lifestyle of the French Quarter, the Mardi Gras parades and festivities on Bourbon street, and its overall pleasant and outgoing atmosphere. The word “theatre” also refers to the fact that New Orleans is built below sea level, and the area looks like being in a bowl that gives it the appearance of an ancient Greek amphitheater. Nostradamus also tells us that the city will be rebuilt
The “dice” symbolize the Mississippi Gulf Coast casinos where dice are used extensively, together with other gambling games. The reference to “nets” relates to the harbor, its coast, and its very extensive fishing industry/activities.
Chronologically, Nostradamus ties the New Orleans event with the daily casualty reports President George W. Bush is receiving from the Middle East. The implication is that the casualties will increase and/or the situation overseas will deteriorate to the point that eventually the President’s credibility will be destroyed.
General Comment: Once again, this quatrain uses several symbolic words to depict the place and conditions it describes. The key to interpreting the prediction lies in the success of identifying the symbolism and relating it to what it applies to.
To ensure that the above interpretation pertains to New Orleans and the President, let’s decompose the prediction and re-examine the parts once again. We have:
a). “The great theater will be raised up again.” - For reasons stated above, New Orleans has been known for its theater-like lifestyle. He then ties-up the description of the place with the words “…it will be raised up again”. All indications are that the city, at least part of it, will be rebuilt.
b). “The dice and the nets already cast.” - This symbolizes the dice being cast in the nearby casinos and the nets used for the fishing industry, both of which are well known characteristics of the city. It should be noted that this expression has a dual symbolism. The expression tells us that “Once Bush made the decision to invade Iraq, he will not be able to extricate himself from the mess he got himself into”. Note the word “already”. This is what gives the expression its dual symbolism.
c). “The great one who tolls the death knell …” - This describes the appalling daily reports of military and civilian casualties reaching the President through the news media. We are already experiencing the impact of these daily horrific scenes and roadside explosions on the President’s reputation and approval ratings, which are deteriorating daily. The word “knell” is described in Webster’s dictionary as “to ring, especially for a death, funeral, or disaster”. Isn’t this exactly what is happening, day-after-day, when American families are notified that their loved ones have perished? How much more precise could Nostradamus have been? Aren’t TV programs, newspapers, and magazines continuously referring to the “toll” of dead and/or wounded?
d). Chronologically, the destruction and rebuilding of New Orleans coincides with the daily reports of death and destruction that are adversely impacting the President’s reputation and credibility. Furthermore, Nostradamus is telling us that events will deteriorate to the point the President’s position will be destroyed. The frequent poll reports on his standing clearly confirm that his position is weakening. The expression also infers that conditions in Iraq will deteriorate and may become unattainable.
e). “… destroyed by bows split long time ago.” - In addition, Nostradamus implies that the President’s decision to invade Iraq was made prior to his ascendancy to the Presidency, a fact suspected and/or believed by a good percentage of people.
This quatrain is awesome! One single quatrain provides a plethora of current on-going events. It identifies New Orleans as a theatre, as a seaside city with a fishing industry and as a place of gambling. All these have been salient characteristics of New Orleans. This is how New Orleans has been known. This is how it has been marketed in all tourist advertisements. It confirms that the city will be rebuilt. It also ties the New Orleans event with the President’ predicament, as well as, his decision to invade Iraq. The quatrain also infers that the outcome of the Iraq invasion will not be positive. Factually and chronologically this is an amazing quatrain. Finally, he resolves the puzzle of the Iraq invasion by telling us that the President' credibility will be destroyed because of the decision he made long ago, insinuating his decision to invade Iraq was conceived prior to his ascendancy to the presidential position. The only unanswered question is why did he decide to invade Iraq?
Appended on January 24, 2007
On January 21, 2007 The Washington Post had an article on the Outlook Section titled “What Would Jeb Do?” The article was written in reference to the upcoming 2007 State of the Union address and it talked about the time George W. Bush was growing up. A noteworthy and relevant statement in the article was: “Yet contrary to the best-laid plans of the Bush family, it won’t be John Ellis “Jeb” Bush addressing the nation this week, all because of that disastrous November Tuesday a dozen years ago. That was the day Jeb – the articulate and handsome workaholic, the one who as a boy spoke of his White House ambitions, and the one the Bush family counted on to avenge the Great Usurpation of 1992 – narrowly lost his bid to be governor of Florida.”
Doesn’t the above quotation of The Washington Post article support Nostradamus’ description “. … destroyed by bows split long time ago”? Can anyone imagine the psychological impact of those growing years on George W. Bush when he was deemed inferior to his siblings? Could his current persistent stubbornness and total disregard to logic be the result of an acute inferiority complex? Could his actions be motivated by a blind or irrational determination to prove to his parents or to himself that he is better than he is perceived? Furthermore, in Century X, quatrain 66, Nostradamus refers to George W. Bush as “Reb the king”, a metaphor for Johnny Reb, the Southern Confederate rebel/fighter. Aren’t both descriptions complementary of each other and don’t they portray an accurate picture of his character and behavioral pattern? Brace yourselves. There will be more on this subject at a future posting.
