Solar Eclipse, November 13-14, 2012

This quatrain was updated in August 2009.

Century V, Quatrain 32
Where all is good, all well abundant, in Sun and Moon its ruin approaches. It comes from heaven as you boast of your fortune, in the same state as the seventh rock.

Interpretation with Explanatory Remarks

The expression “…in Sun and Moon…” is one of those Nostradamus convoluted expressions that he is so well-known for. An eclipse can only take place with the sun and the moon. I believe he may be referring to the November 13-14, 2012 eclipse, but he didn’t want to be straight-forward. If we accept this interpretation to be the correct one, the rest is somewhat self-explanatory.

He is saying that at a time when everything on the planet is normal and people have life’s necessities in abundance, the planet will experience devastating geologic upheavals that will coincide with an eclipse. The word “ruin” implies that this event will be catastrophic for mankind. His reference to the seventh rock may indicate that during this eclipse the planet’s rotation axis will tilt sideways.
It is noteworthy to note that this event will take place totally unexpectedly (see his remark “…as you boast of your fortune…”).

General Comment:
This quatrain complements Century III, quatrain 34, which refers to the “monster” that will appear or take place during a solar eclipse. In Century V, quatrain 32, however, Nostradamus is more straight-forward, and he may be telling us that during this eclipse there will be serious geologic disturbances resulting from a shift in the earth’s rotation axis that will change the geologic profile of the planet dramatically (this is implied from his reference to the “seventh rock”, planet Uranus, which has an axis tilting sideways).

A tilt in the earth’s axis could bring about changes in the earth’s tectonic plates resulting in world-wide destructive earthquakes and tsunamis. There may be volcanic eruptions of active and up-to-now dormant volcanoes with devastating results. The ice on the north and south poles could break-up into floating icebergs, speeding-up its melting, resulting in rising sea levels. All these changes could seriously alter today’s geologic profile of the earth in a relatively short period. Islands and low-elevation areas would be submerged. Climates and weather patterns would be altered, impacting agricultural productivity, animal husbandry, and the fishing industry. Many species would vanish, just like in past geologic catastrophic events. There would be widespread misery and famine for the human race.

The afore-cited quatrains are extremely important. In fact, they may be the two most important quatrains of all the Nostradamus predictions. They mark the turning point of human civilization as we have known it for the last two thousand plus years. The world may never again look the same. The questions we now need to ask ourselves are “Are these two predictions logical, credible, and probable? Have similar geologic changes taken place in the past?” The answer to both questions is “Yes”.

In terms of geologic times, the earth has been in constant change and periodic turmoil. Continents have drifted apart. The north and south poles have changed position – probably several times. The question is “What triggers the earth to shift its tilt and the poles to keep relocating?” It certainly does not happen frequently, but there is probably a timing mechanism – maybe an association with a rare astrological alignment – that periodically causes the earth’s axis to shift. It has happened in the past, and it can certainly happen again. This is what Nostradamus may be alluding to.

Having said the above, I would like to point out another possible interpretation. Nostradamus may be using the eclipse as a general timing reference. Tectonic activity could start a few months before November 13-14, 2012, and it could continue a few months past that timing reference. The eclipse may be merely a general point of reference, and it may not mean that the tectonic activity will coincide precisely with the timing of the eclipse.

But why is Nostradamus, time and again, emphasizes the solar eclipse, climate/weather change, icebergs, migration of people, and world-wide famine? Is he trying to alert us about a momentous event destined to befall upon mankind? He is obviously seeking our attention. He wants to convey a message to mankind. He wants mankind to know that these changes brought about by the geologic disturbances will dramatically alter our life-style as we know it today.

The event he describes in both of the afore-cited quatrains will literally “transport” us overnight to the era of the Apocalypse – the time of mankind’s trials and tribulations. There will be a lot of suffering, and there will also be the potential for more violence, turmoil, and unpredictability. He is telling us about all these changes because he hopes the understanding of things to come will help bring peace to the planet. He is alerting mankind that we are about to plunge into the midst of the Apocalypse and we need to change. We need to be less hateful, less polemic. We need to become more tolerant and inclusive. We need to be less materialistic and become more spiritual, and more understanding. We need to stop being divisive and be more inclusive. We need to abandon this excessive greed-epidemic and become more thoughtful of those in need. He is telling us that all these imaginary barbed wire fences, minefields, and stonewalls, organized religions and societies have built to separate people, nations, and races from each other, must be torn down. We need to realize and accept the universal spiritual connection we have with each other and with our Creator. He is telling us that this is the only way mankind can alleviate the pain of its burden and suffering. He is telling us that material wealth is a temporal illusion. The perceived benefits of greed are ephemeral.

Solar Eclipse, November 13-14, 2012

This quatrain was interpreted in August, 2009.

Century V, Quatrain 32
Where all is good, all well abundant, in Sun and Moon its ruin approaches. It comes from heaven as you boast of your fortune, in the same state as the seventh rock.

Interpretation with Explanatory Remarks
The expression “…in Sun and Moon…” is one of those Nostradamus convoluted expressions that he is so well-known for. An eclipse can only take place with the sun and the moon. I believe he may be referring to the November 13-14, 2012 eclipse, but he didn’t want to be straight-forward. If we accept this interpretation to be the correct one, the rest is somewhat self-explanatory.

He is saying that at a time when everything on the planet is normal and people have life’s necessities in abundance, the planet will experience devastating geologic upheavals that will coincide with an eclipse. The word “ruin” implies that this event will be catastrophic for mankind. His reference to the seventh rock may indicate that during this eclipse the planet’s rotation axis will tilt sideways.

It is noteworthy to note that this event will take place totally unexpectedly (see his remark “…as you boast of your fortune…”).

General Comment:
This quatrain complements Century III, quatrain 34, which refers to the “monster” that will appear or take place during a solar eclipse. In Century V, quatrain 32, however, Nostradamus is more straight-forward, and he may be telling us that during this eclipse there will be serious geologic disturbances resulting from a shift in the earth’s rotation axis that will change the geologic profile of the planet dramatically (this is implied from his reference to the “seventh rock”, planet Uranus, which has an axis tilting sideways).

A tilt in the earth’s axis could bring about changes in the earth’s tectonic plates resulting in world-wide destructive earthquakes and tsunamis. There may be volcanic eruptions of active and up-to-now dormant volcanoes with devastating results. The ice on the north and south poles could break-up into floating icebergs, speeding-up its melting, resulting in rising sea levels. All these changes could seriously alter today’s geologic profile of the earth in a relatively short period. Islands and low-elevation areas would be submerged. Climates and weather patterns would be altered, impacting agricultural productivity, animal husbandry, and the fishing industry. Many species would vanish, just like in past geologic catastrophic events. There would be widespread misery and famine for the human race.

The afore-cited quatrains are extremely important. In fact, they may be the two most important quatrains of all the Nostradamus predictions. They mark the turning point of human civilization as we have known it for the last two thousand plus years. The world may never again look the same. The questions we now need to ask ourselves are “Are these two predictions logical, credible, and probable? Have similar geologic changes taken place in the past?” The answer to both questions is “Yes”.

In terms of geologic times, the earth has been in constant change and periodic turmoil. Continents have drifted apart. The north and south poles have changed position – probably several times. The question is “What triggers the earth to shift its tilt and the poles to keep relocating?” It certainly does not happen frequently, but there is probably a timing mechanism – maybe an association with a rare astrological alignment – that periodically causes the earth’s axis to shift. It has happened in the past, and it can certainly happen again. This is what Nostradamus may be alluding to.

Having said the above, I would like to point out another possible interpretation. Nostradamus may be using the eclipse as a general timing reference. Tectonic activity could start a few months before November 13-14, 2012, and it could continue a few months past that timing reference. The eclipse may be merely a general point of reference, and it may not mean that the tectonic activity will coincide precisely with the timing of the eclipse.

But why is Nostradamus, time and again, emphasizes the solar eclipse, climate/weather change, icebergs, migration of people, and world-wide famine? Is he trying to alert us about a momentous event destined to befall upon mankind? He is obviously seeking our attention. He wants to convey a message to mankind. He wants mankind to know that these changes brought about by the geologic disturbances will dramatically alter our life-style as we know it today.

The event he describes in both of the afore-cited quatrains will literally “transport” us overnight to the era of the Apocalypse – the time of mankind’s trials and tribulations. There will be a lot of suffering, and there will also be the potential for more violence, turmoil, and unpredictability. He is telling us about all these changes because he hopes the understanding of things to come will help bring peace to the planet. He is alerting mankind that we are about to plunge into the midst of the Apocalypse and we need to change. We need to be less hateful, less polemic. We need to become more tolerant and inclusive. We need to be less materialistic and become more spiritual, and more understanding. We need to stop being divisive and be more inclusive. We need to abandon this excessive greed-epidemic and become more thoughtful of those in need. He is telling us that all these imaginary barbed wire fences, minefields, and stonewalls, organized religions and societies have built to separate people, nations, and races from each other, must be torn down. We need to realize and accept the universal spiritual connection we have with each other and with our Creator. He is telling us that this is the only way mankind can alleviate the pain of its burden and suffering. He is telling us that material wealth is a temporal illusion. The perceived benefits of greed are ephemeral.

The Monster, Mayan Calendar and Related Prophecies for 2012

This quatrain was updated in August 2009

Century III, Quatrain 34
Then when the eclipse of the sun will be in broad daylight the monster will be seen. It will be interpreted quite differently; they will not care about expense, none will have provided for it.

Interpretation with Explanatory Remarkes
In my previous interpretation of this quatrain I assumed the eclipse of the sun Nostradamus referred to pertained to the one we had on July 22, 2009. In retrospect, this quatrain may refer to one of the eclipses that are expected to occur in 2012. Details are cited below.

General Comments:

This prediction by itself does not give us specific details. However, Nostradamus has written several other predictions which appear to be relevant to this one, and which provide precise details on what is to follow and how they will affect mankind. The amazing thing about this entire group of quatrains is that current geologic and weather events make them so credible. Is he warning us that our existence and prosperity on earth is ephemeral and we ought to become more spiritual?

This eclipse is used by Nostradamus as a timing benchmark when something with potentially world-wide catastrophic consequences will “become apparent” or actually take place – and he characterizes this event as a “monster”. Could this event be the beginning of a series of catastrophic geologic events, which, within a short time, drastically change the geologic profile of the earth? Could this event, referred to as a “monster”, be the harbinger of all the geologic/climate conditions he describes in several other quatrains? Looking at all these quatrains, the inference is that they are all related and that this “eclipse of the sun” will be the beginning of major geologic/climate changes.

The events described by Nostradamus in the predictions cited below correspond to what has been predicted by the Mayans – the only exception being that Nostradamus does not say this is the end of the world but the beginning of humanity’s trials and tribulations described in Saint John’s Apocalypse. Specific quatrains related to this subject are:

1. In Century V, Quatrain 32 Nostradamus writes “Where all is good, all well abundant, in Sun and Moon its ruin approaches. It comes from heaven as you boast of your fortune, in the same state as the seventh rock.” This prediction may be complementing Century III, quatrain 34. The inference of this quatrain is that the world will experience a change of fortune from a sudden geologic disturbance. Could it be the one predicted by the Mayans in 2012? Could one of the geologic events cause a change in the axis of the earth?

2. In Century I, Quatrain 69, Nostradamus says that countries will be submerged by rising seas resulting from melting icebergs. Note that he does not attribute the melting of the icebergs to global warming. In the final analysis, the actual cause for global warming may be a mundane issue because melting of the polar ice may have indeed been started as a result of global warming caused by humans, but the inference from all his quatrains indicates that the main cause of the earth’s changes will occur as a result of a rare planetary alignment expected to occur in 2012. This planetary alignment coincides with the eclipse of the sun he is referring to. This event was also foreseen by the Mayans. Details of this planetary alignment and the Mayan prophecies are explained on Nostradamus programs shown on TV, History Channel (DIRECTV, channel 269).

3. In Century VIII, Quatrain 81, Nostradamus says “The new empire in desolation will be changed from the Northern Pole….” (For more details refer to the previous interpretation of this quatrain.) In this quatrain Nostradamus tells us, in very clear and specific terms, that the population from the northern hemisphere will migrate to other parts of the world. The word “desolation” infers a catastrophe similar to the sudden devastation inflicted by hurricane Katrina on New Orleans. In the predictions described by Nostradamus, the migration of people may be caused by the submergence of certain areas/countries by rising sea levels, but it could also be caused by extreme climate changes, which could force populations to migrate. For example, rising sea levels could affect the salinity of sea water, which, in turn, could affect sea currents like the Gulf Stream, which brings warm water to the British Isles and southern Europe and renders the climate more temperate. Without the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, those parts of the globe could become so cold to the point of rendering those areas uninhabitable. Furthermore, Nostradamus’ use of the word “desolation” infers that this devastation could take place in a relatively short time – probably within a few years following 2012.

4. In Century V, Quatrain 86, Nostradamus says “Divided by two heads and three arms, the great city will be troubled by water. Some of the great men among them, wandering in exile; Byzantium is hard pressed by the leader of Persia.” For a complete explanation, see the original interpretation of this quatrain. What I want to point out here is a very important timing reference between Nostradamus’ expressions “…troubled by water” (meaning rising sea) and “Byzantium is hard pressed by the leader of Persia”.

· First, the inference from this quatrain is that the rising sea elevation will take place within a short time following the appearance/occurrence of the “Monster”. The reason for this inference is his afore-cited relationship between Byzantium (meaning present-day Istanbul/Turkey) and Persia (meaning present-day Iran), both of which are key political players in Middle East’s current ongoing events. (Most readers are aware of Iran’s current nuclear power program and Iran’s aspirations to entice the Muslim world against the Western powers.)

· Second, Nostradamus points out that this pressure on Byzantium (modern-day Turkey) is exerted by the “leader” of Persia – namely, the Ayatollah who forcefully took control of the country. In other words, Nostradamus makes a clear distinction between Iran’s government that is exerting this political and ideological/religious pressure, and its people. In fact, we already hear and read about this relationship between Turkey and Iran. Nostradamus is merely telling us this “religious brotherhood” will intensify as Iran endeavors to take advantage of the political mess in the Middle East.

· The third very important hint is Nostradamus’ specific reference to Turkey, and not some other Middle Eastern Muslim country. But, why is he referring to Turkey? There are many Muslim countries in the Middle East. Why Turkey? What does Turkey have that the other Muslim countries lack? For several decades Turkey’s religion has been strictly secular. However, since Prime Minister Erdogan’s party has been in control, Turkey has developed closer working relations with Iran and a closer affiliation with Muslim fundamentalism and the Muslim cause. This closeness to the Muslim world has rendered Turkey very influential. The change in Turkey’s foreign policy position started circa 2003, and it is precisely this change in Turkey’s attitude and socio-political interests that renders Turkey subject to Iran’s pressure. Had Turkey remained a secular country as before, they would not be subject to Muslim fundamentalist pressure from the Ayatollahs and to anti-Israeli rhetoric.

The “pressure from the leader of Persia” that Nostradamus so aptly describes is exerted because the Erdogan government has enabled fundamentalist ideology to creep into the country. It is for this reason the success of Iran’s pan-Muslim axis is predicated on Turkey’s position. In the last few years Turkey has become a key player in Iran’s ideological efforts for regional dominance. The fact that Nostradamus referred to this Iranian-Turkish ideological brotherhood – which is a very recent and ongoing phenomenon – infers that the rising of the sea elevation will take place within a short time following the solar eclipse referred to by Nostradamus.

5. In Century I, Quatrain 67, Nostradamus says “The great famine which I see approaching….It will be so vast and long…” Here he tells us in very clear language that changes in the earth’s geologic profile will affect the weather/climate, which, in turn, will adversely impact food productivity.

6. In Century I, Quatrain 17, Nostradamus says “…The dry earth will grow more parched, .…” Once again, he vividly describes wide variations in weather that will affect living conditions and the food supply chain.

7. In Century II, Quatrain 75, Nostradamus says “…bushels of wheat will rise so high that man will devour his fellow man.” This prediction depicts a situation of serious food scarcity and very high food prices. Nostradamus may also indicate that when there is suffering and hunger, wars and violence increase. Could this situation be one of the reasons for the “dissension and bloodshed” he predicts in Century II, Quatrain95 (next paragraph)? Think about it. How would a society, armed to its teeth – as the U.S. currently is – react to a series of natural and economic disasters that raise unemployment and desperation to unacceptable levels?

8. In Century II, Quatrain 95, Nostradamus says “The populated lands will become uninhabitable…Then for the great brothers, death and dissension.” Once again, Nostradamus tells us that as a result of changes in the earth’s geologic profile and extreme climate changes, the habitable places of the earth will change. The last sentence in the quatrain refers to the “great brothers” – implying the US (the Kennedy brothers) will experience a serious social upheaval and bloodshed.

· The expression “The populated lands will become uninhabitable” probably alludes to countries or portions of countries (and islands) which will be submerged by the seas or become uninhabitable due to extreme weather/temperature conditions.

· The expression “Then for the great brothers, death and dissension”, might describe the social conditions and prevailing mental state of the citizens in our country, symbolically referred to as the country of the three Kennedy brothers. This prediction appears to be a warning to us to get our house in order before it is too late. This prediction merits our outmost attention. Let me please explain.

· The national debt is in the trillions, and incrementally growing. The U.S. treasury is empty, squandered on political pork, unnecessary wars, and questionable foreign aid. The economy is in shatters. Our manufacturing has been exported to other countries in order to enrich CEOs and Board of Directors of multi-national corporations. Wall Street firms are controlled by predominantly corrupt CEOs whose sole purpose is to maximize profits, primarily for self-serving purposes. We have a serious and growing chasm in income disparity. The rich get richer and the rest get poorer. Foreclosures, bankruptcies, credit card defaults, unemployment, and homelessness are rising with no end in sight. The expression “Then for the great brothers, death and dissension” aptly describes the social conditions and prevailing attitudes we are currently experiencing in our society. Nostradamus is giving us a very clear warning that conditions could deteriorate to the point of a complete social break-down and bloodshed, unless we can expeditiously and effectively resolve today’s issues.

· All current evolving events substantiate Nostradamus’ prediction. The country is evolving from bad-to-worse. Television commentators and news-media, more-and-more, talk about this social divide and prevailing anger and hatred in our society. The 1995 Oklahoma event instigated by Timothy McVeigh could easily be replicated by future McVeigh clones. Our military establishment has given them an outstanding opportunity to train themselves. The only issue is, this time they may not go after Federal buildings but after those they perceive to be responsible for their personal demise and the weakened state of the Union.

· In addition to the above prevailing conditions, the political system is dysfunctional and ineffectual. Political separatism has intensified. Party disputes have recently taken a particularly ugly and menacing turn. Corrupt politicians and political commentators are continuously pouring fuel into the fire by fomenting dissension, instilling political fear, and creating economic insecurity and racial hatred.

Our society is already split – economically, racially, politically, religiously, and mentally. We have religious fanatics and a variety of hate groups, militias guided by a variety of conspiracy theories, political extremists, demonized individuals, and all sorts of fanatical extremists. On top of this, we have a society well-armed and capable of doing exactly what Nostradamus describes. All these make for a perfect storm.

The Monster

This quatrain was interpreted in July 2009

Century III, Quatrain 34
Then when the eclipse of the sun will be in broad daylight the monster will be seen. It will be interpreted quite differently; they will not care about expense, none will have provided for it.

Interpretation with Explanatory Remarks
This quatrain does not give us any specific chronological reference point. However, the quatrain does give us two critical after-the-fact hints (reactions). Even though neither of these two “hints” is specific, they imply that the people who live during the period of this eclipse will have the technical competence to avert, or possibly mitigate, the impact of this “monster”.

In view of the above, it could be assumed that Nostradamus refers to the longest solar eclipse of this century, which took place on July 22, 2009, and that “monster” is a metaphor for global warming. The follow-on break-down of the quatrain may shed further light.

General Comment:
Since there is no concrete information to tie this quatrain to our period, we will decompose the prediction into its parts and see if we can reach any concrete conclusions:

a. “Then when the eclipse of the sun will be in broad daylight”: The solar eclipse of July 22, 2009 did take place in broad daylight. The CNN website cited “The total eclipse started in India on Wednesday morning and moved eastward across Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, China and parts of the Pacific. Day turned into night, temperatures turned cooler in cities and villages teemed with amateur stargazers.” An article in the Economist magazine said, “On July 22 the moon’s shadow fell across China’s industrial heartland in the longest total solar eclipse the 21st century will witness. Never before, have so many people lived under an eclipse’s path.”

b. “…the monster will be seen”: The word “monster” implies that the event we will face will be huge, but what could it be? This statement by itself does not give us enough information to determine if is should be interpreted literally or metaphorically. The only supporting information Nostradamus gives us is the next sentence “It will be interpreted quite differently”. But this sentence does not tell us if Nostradamus refers to objective or subjective interpretations; nor does he clarify whether these “interpretations” he refers to are factual, or are based on religious predispositions or superstitions. However, if we assume “monster” is a metaphor for a sudden increase of global warming, let’s say, a sudden increase in the rate of sea elevation, wouldn’t we then have a variety of scientific solutions to reverse or mitigate the problem? Under such circumstances, do we really believe that there would be a unanimous scientific solution? Of course not. We would be facing pandemonium, a cacophony of contradicting and irreconcilable scientific solutions. Every scientist will be expounding his personal opinion and solution to the problem.

c. “They will not care about expense”: This statement insinuates that the event we will be facing (referred to as monster) is something that can, or could have been taken care of, if sufficient funds are/were allocated. In other words, Nostradamus implies that this “monster” is something that we consider it to be “fixable”, and

d. “None will have provided for it”: This statement implies that the people of this period were aware of the possibility that this “monster” could materialize, but didn’t bother to do anything about it. Doesn’t this statement accurately describe our current apathetic and hypocritical attitude vis-à-vis global warming which we are already experiencing? How effective has the Kyoto Protocol been all these years? Finally, the last two afore-mentioned statements (c and d) imply that this monster will affect everyone on earth. It is not a local or regional event. It is a global event.

To validate the above observations and suppositions even further, let us now consider other Nostradamus predictions (by association) in other quatrains, which relate to our period and to the same subject-matter, and at the same time, let us consider our current experiences with global warming:

First, let us recognize that Nostradamus uses the incident of the eclipse as a timing reference. When he says “the monster will be seen”, it does not mean that immediately after the eclipse we will see the monster. Nostradamus lived five hundred-plus years ago, and a few years after the eclipse is a very brief time-period relative to the lengthy time span his predictions cover. Therefore, the appearance of the “monster” may take place a few years later, but close enough to the timing of the eclipse, so it could be used as a chronological reference.

Second, in other quatrains pertaining to this period, he talks extensively of a destructive war, a world-wide famine, climate change, the elevation of the sea level, and global warming. Furthermore, he tells us that global warming will take place after the millennium, after other specific events have transpired. In fact, he is very specific about the chronological order of these events. They are all described in other postings of this website.

Third, in other quatrains Nostradamus has predicted that soon after the millennium the people of the northern hemisphere will migrate to the southern hemisphere. This quatrain explains why they will do so. If the permafrost ice below the Arctic were to start melting, it would release high concentrations of carbon dioxide emissions which would exacerbate the warming rate. Furthermore, the melting of the ice would reduce the salinity of sea water, which in-turn would affect the movement of oceanic streams. For example, the Gulf stream which currently warms the British Islands and Western Europe would cease to do so. The temperature in those areas would plummet, thus forcing people to migrate. Similar situations would be repeated elsewhere.

Fourth, we are already aware of global warming. We are already experiencing the melting of icebergs, climate change, and the gradual elevation of the sea. Global warming has now become almost a daily subject in the news media. What Nostradamus is telling us in this quatrain is that the pace of warming will accelerate much sooner than what our weather scientists are telling us. The metaphorical use of the word “monster” is indeed most appropriate. It would be a monstrous problem.

Fifth, even though we have been aware for quite sometime of the potential catastrophe of global warming, we have done nothing substantive to reverse it, and

Sixth, if in the near future our scientists were to report that the Arctic permafrost and Greenland’s glaciers were melting at a much faster rate than previously thought of, with imminent rise of the sea level by several feet, wouldn’t that induce us to start spending money to reverse the proliferation of carbon dioxide emissions? We sure would. We would suddenly be willing to try every possible solution. Money would no longer be a problem, no matter how broke we may be, no matter how high our national deficit is. We would suddenly become frantic in our efforts. Our politicians would no longer have any excuses to play their hypocritical games and be financially controlled by special interests. And, wouldn’t an imminent inundation of habitable lands and world-wide famine be seen as a monster? It sure would. Incidentally, Nostradamus has predicted that global warming will take place and it will be devastating for mankind.

Large-Scale Migration

This quatrain was interpreted February 2008.

Century II, Quatrain 19
Newcomers will build a place without defenses, occupying a place inhabitable until then. Meadows, houses, fields, towns will be taken with pleasure. Famine, plague, war, extensive arable land.

Interpretation with Explanatory Remarks
This quatrain probably describes living conditions following North Korea’s nuclear attack, and the fact that a good part of the population will migrate from the north hemisphere to the south hemisphere (or to southern parts of the north hemisphere). However, Nostradamus could also be describing mass-migrations of populations resulting from global warming. In parallel with these migrations, warfare will continue. The reference to “plague” may refer to the after-affects of the use of weapons of mass destruction (their use may be strategic, tactical, or used as terrorist devices).

General Comment: The quatrain portrays a picture of people migrating to other lands. Highlights of the quatrain are:

First, he tells us people will be so happy to get away from where they are that the new areas may not have the required defenses.

Second, while these people move to new lands, the old lands will still be suffering from the chemical/biological/nuclear contamination and war devastation; and,

Third, the old lands (countries) will have plenty of arable land, but it may not be usable. The famine could also be due to radioactive contamination, warfare, or unemployment.

Gradual Increase in World-Wide Famine

This quatrain was interpreted February 2008.

Century I, Quatrain 67
The great famine which I see approaching will often alternate then become world wide. It will be so vast and long lasting that (they) will grab roots from the trees and children from the breast.

Interpretation with Explanatory Remarks
Nostradamus’ tells us that initially there will be food shortages in different geographic areas, alternating from one location to another. Eventually, conditions will deteriorate throughout the globe and they will end up as a great, world-wide, famine.

Judging from the other quatrains where he describes deteriorating global warming conditions, the implication is that the major reason for this great famine is climate changes which will adversely impact agricultural production (and the fishing industry).

This quatrain relates to several others cited in http://www.currentpredictions.org/. Overall, the projected conditions are depicted to become so bleak, to the point they look like a re-write of Saint John’s Apocalypse.

General Comment: Famine can result from insufficient food supplies in the marketplace, but it could also result from a variety of other factors, such as, high food prices, unemployment or lack of adequate disposable income, and inadequate agricultural productivity due to global warming or to radioactive contamination. However, Nostradamus tells us that the famine he so vividly describes relates to global warming (changing weather patterns/climate conditions), which will initially be localized to various places, but eventually become widespread.

Note that this quatrain complements other quatrains, such as century II, quatrain 75.

Global Warming

This quatrain was interpreted on April 2004

Century V, Quatrain 86
Divided by the two heads and three arms, the great city will be troubled by water. Some of the great men among them, wandering in exile; Byzantium is hard pressed by the leader of Persia.

Interpretation with Explanatory Remarks
The reference to two heads relates to the geographic location of modern Turkey straddling two continents, Asia and Europe.

The expression “three arms”, most likely, refers to the following:

First, Turkey’s citizens are Muslims but they are not Arabs. This is the first distinction[1];

Second, since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the early 1900s, Turkey’s official religion has been secular whereas the other Muslim countries have been more fundamentalist; and,

Third, in the last few years Muslim fundamentalism has gained ground and created a social and religious divide. Nostradamus is telling us that these three ethnic/religious distinctions will pull Turkey in different directions.

The remaining portion of the quatrain is somewhat self-explanatory, but it will be elaborated below.

General Comment: The quatrain highlights three points:

First, it tells us that Byzantium, which symbolizes Istanbul/Turkey, is being affected by rising sea level;

Second, the impact of global warming is taking place at a time when some of the wealthy and professional people have already left the country, presumably, due to the nuclear devastation in the area. Note the term he uses. “Exile” symbolizes involuntary migration, and he has used this word in other quatrains; and

Third, while all these things are happening, the Iranian Ayatollahs will be exerting political (and religious) pressure to entice Turkey into a pan-Islamic jihad against the infidel (see century I, quatrain 70, and century V, quatrain 27).

Nostradamus may be also implying that global warming and rising sea level may occur sooner than currently expected. In addition, he may be using this quatrain to alert us that there will be large-scale migrations and displacement, not only from Istanbul, but from many countries due to the “desolated” conditions in the northern hemisphere and rising sea levels. (See century VIII, quatrain 81).

Footnote
[1] The Byzantine Empire was invaded by the Seljuk Turks. Subsequently, the Turks invaded several other Arab countries. Historically, there has been a lot of animosity between the Arabs and the Turks. The only common link is the Muslim religion.