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Letter to his son Ceasar by Nostradamus
-====================================================================-
This is an accurate translation of the Preface by M. Nostradamus to his
Prophecies. He wrote it as a letter to his son Cesar. For purposes of
discussion this preface, "The letter to his son Cesar", can be referred
to simply as "Cesar". For example, one might write, "In Cesar, Nostradamus
writes ...". Editorial [comments] were added by Jean-Charles De Fontbrune.
The lineage and other notes specific to this reproduction are provided at
the end of the text. Please report any errors by replying to this post.
__________________________________________________________________________
Preface by
M. Nostradamus to his Prophecies
"Greetings and happiness to C?sar Nostradamus my son"
Your late arrival, C?sar Nostredame, my son, has made me spend much
time in constant nightly reflection so that I could communicate with you
by letter and leave you this reminder, after my death, for the benefit of
all men, of which the divine spirit has vouchsafed me to know by means
of astronomy. And since it was the Almighty's will that you were not
born here in this region [Provence] and I do not want to talk of years to
come but of the months during which you will struggle to grasp and
understand the work I shall be compelled to leave you after my death:
assuming that it will not be possible for me to leave you such [clearer]
writing as may be destroyed through the injustice of the age [1555]. The
key to the hidden prediction which you will inherit will be locked inside
my heart. Also bear in mind that the events here described have not yet
come to pass, and that all is ruled and governed by the power of Almighty
God, inspiring us not by bacchic frenzy nor by enchantments but by
astronomical assurances: predictions have been made through the inspira-
tion of divine will alone and the spirit of prophecy in particular. On
numerous occasions and over a long period of time I have predicted
specific events far in advance, attributing all to the workings of divine
power and inspiration, together with other fortunate or unfortunate
happenings, foreseen in their full unexpectedness, which have already
come to pass in various regions of the earth. Yet I have wished to remain
silent and abandon my work because of the injustice not only of the
present time [the Inquisition] but also for most of the future. I will not
commit to writing, since governments, sects and countries will undergo
such sweeping changes, diametrically opposed to what now obtains, that
were I to relate events to come, those in power now - monarchs, leaders
of sects and religions - would find these so different from their own
imaginings that they would be led to condemn what later centuries will
learn how to see and understand. Bear in mind also Our Saviour's words:
"Nolite sanctum dare canibus, nec mittatis margaritas ante porcos ne conculent
pedibus et conversi dirumpant vos" [Do not give anything holy to the dogs,
nor throw pearls in front of the pigs lest they trample them with their
feet and turn on you and tear you apart]. For this reason I withdrew my
pen from the paper, because I wished to amplify my statement touching
the Vulgar Advent (1), by means of ambiguous and enigmatic comments
about future causes, even those closest to us and those I have perceived,
so that some human change which may come to pass shall not unduly
scandalize delicate sensibilities. The whole work is thus written in a
nebulous rather than plainly prophetic form. So much so that, "Abscondisti
haec a sapientibus et prudentibus, id est potentibus et regibus et
eunuculeasti ea exiguis et tenuibus" [You have hidden these things from the
wise and the circumspect, that is from the mighty and the rulers, and you
have purified those things for the small and the poor], and through Almighty
God's will, revealed unto those prophets with the power to perceive what
is distant and thereby to foretell things to come For nothing can be
accomplished without this faculty, whose power and goodness work so
strongly in those to whom it is given that, while they contemplate within
themselves, these powers are subject to other influences arising from the
force of good. This warmth and strength of prophecy invests us with its
influence as the sun's rays affect both animate and inanimate entities.
We human beings cannot through our natural consciousness and intelli-
gence know anything of God the Creator's hidden secrets, "Quia non est
nostrum noscere tempora nec momenta" [For it is not for us to know the
times or the instants], etc. So much so that persons of future times may
be seen in present ones, because God Almighty has wished to reveal
them by means of images, together with various secrets of the future
vouchsafed to orthodox astrology, as was the case in the past, so that a
measure of power and divination passed through them, the flame of the
spirit inspiring them to pronounce upon inspiration both human and
divine. God may bring into being divine works, which are absolute; there
is another level, that of angelic works; and a third way, that of the
evildoers. But my son, I address you here a little too obscurely. As
regards the occult prophecies one is vouchsafed through the subtle spirit
of fire, which the understanding sometimes stirs through contemplation
of the distant stars as if in vigil, likewise by means of pronouncements,
one finds oneself surprised at producing writings without fear of being
stricken for such impudent loquacity. The reason is that all this proceeds
from the divine power of Almighty God from whom all bounty proceeds.
And so once again, my son, if I have eschewed the word prophet, I do
not wish to attribute to myself such lofty title at the present time, for
whoever "Propheta dicitur hodie, olim vocabatur videns"; since a prophet, my
son, is properly speaking one who sees distant things through a natural
knowledge of all creatures. And it can happen that the prophet bringing
about the perfect light of prophecy may make manifest things both
human and divine, because this cannot be done otherwise, given that the
effects of predicting the future extend far off into time. God's mysteries
are incomprehensible and the power to influence events is bound up with
the great expanse of natural knowledge, having its nearest most im-
mediate origin in free will and describing future events which cannot be
understood simply through being revealed. Neither can they be grasped
through men's interpretations nor through another mode of cognizance
or occult power under the firmament, neither in the present nor in the
total eternity to come. But bringing about such an indivisible eternity
through Herculean efforts (2), things are revealed by the planetary move-
ments. I am not saying, my son - mark me well, here - that knowledge
of such things cannot be implanted in your deficient mind, or that events
in the distant future may not be within the understanding of any reason-
ing being. Nevertheless, if these things current or distant are brought to
the awareness of this reasoning and intelligent being they will be neither
too obscure nor too clearly revealed. Perfect knowledge of such things
cannot be acquired without divine inspiration, given that all prophetic
inspiration derives its initial origin from God Almighty, then from chance
and nature. Since all these portents are produced impartially, prophecy
comes to pass partly as predicted. For understanding created by the
intellect cannot be acquired by means of the occult, only by the aid of
the zodiac, bringing forth that small flame by whose light part of the
future may be discerned. Also, my son, I beseech you not to exercise
your mind upon such reveries and vanities as drain the body and incur
the soul's perdition, and which trouble our feeble frames. Above all
avoid the vanity of that most execrable magic formerly reproved by the
Holy Scriptures - only excepting the use of official astrology. For by the
latter, with the help of inspiration and divine revelation, and continual
calculations, I have set down my prophecies in writing. Fearing lest this
occult philosophy be condemned, I did not therefore wish to make
known its dire import; also fearful that several books which had lain
hidden for long centuries might be discovered, and of what might become
of them, after reading them I presented them to Vulcan. [i.e. burned
them]. And while he devoured them, the flame licking the air gave out
such an unexpected light, clearer than that of an ordinary flame and
resembling fire from some flashing cataclysm, and suddenly illumined
the house as if it were caught in a furnace. Which is why I reduced them
to ashes then, so that none might be tempted to use occult labours in
searching for the perfect transmutation, whether lunar or solar, of in-
corruptible metals (3). But as to that discernment which can be achieved
by the aid of planetary scrutiny, I should like to tell you this. Eschewing
any fantastic imaginings, you may through good judgement have insight
into the future if you keep to the specific names of places that accord
with planetary configurations, and with inspiration places and aspects
yield up hidden properties, namely that power in whose presence the
three times [past, present, and future] are understood as Eternity whose
unfolding contains them all: "quia omnia sunt nuda et aperta", etc. That is
why, my son, you can easily, despite your young brain, understand that
events can be foretold naturally by the heavenly bodies and by the spirit
of prophecy: I do not wish to ascribe to myself the title and role of
prophet, but emphasize inspiration revealed to a mortal man whose
perception is no further from heaven than the feet are from the earth.
"Possum non errare, falli, decipi": although I may be as great a sinner as
anyone else upon this earth and subject to all human afflictions. But after
being surprised sometimes by day while in a trance, and having long
fallen into the habit of agreeable nocturnal studies, I have composed
books of prophecies, each containing one hundred astronomical quat-
rains, which I want to condense somewhat obscurely. The work com-
prises prophecies from today to the year 3797. This may perturb some,
when they see such a long timespan, and this will occur and be under-
stood in all the fullness of the Republic (4); these things will be univer-
sally understood upon earth, my son. If you live the normal lifetime of
man you will know upon your own soil, under your native sky, how
future events are to turn out. For only Eternal God knows the eternity
of His light which proceeds from Him, and I speak frankly to those to
whom His immeasurable, immense and incomprehensible greatness has
been disposed to grant revelations through long, melancholy inspiration,
that with the aid of this hidden element manifested by God, there are
two principal factors which make up the prophet's intelligence. The first
is when the supernatural light fills and illuminates the person who pre-
dicts by astral science, while the second allows him to prophesy through
inspired revelation, which is only a part of the divine eternity, whereby
the prophet comes to assess what his divinatory power has given him
through the grace of God and by a natural gift, namely, that what is
foretold is true and ethereal in origin (5). And such a light and small
flame is of great efficacy and scope, and nothing less than the clarity of
nature itself. The light of human nature makes the philosophers so sure
of themselves that with the principles of the first cause they reach the
loftiest doctrines and the deepest abysses. But my son, lest I venture too
far for your future perception, be aware that men of letters shall make
grand and usually boastful claims about the way I interpreted the world,
before the worldwide conflagration which is to bring so many cata-
strophes and such revolutions that scarcely any lands will not be covered
by water (6), and this will last until all has perished save history and
geography themselves. This is why, before and after these revolutions in
various countries, the rains will be so diminished and such abundance
of fire and fiery missiles shall fall from the heavens that nothing shall
escape the holocaust. And this will occur before the last conflagration
[1999]. For before war ends the [twentieth] century and in its final stages
[1975-99] it will hold the century under its sway. Some countries will be
in the grip of revolution (7) for several years, and others ruined for a
still longer period. And now that we are in a republican era, with
Almighty God's aid, and before completing its full cycle, the monarchy
will return, then the Golden Age (8). For according to the celestial signs,
the Golden Age shall return, and after all calculations, with the world
near to an all-encompassing revolution - from the time of writing 177
years 3 months 11 days (9) - plague, long famine and wars, and still
more floods from now until the stated time. Before and after these,
humanity shall several times be so severely diminished that scarcely
anyone shall be found who wishes to take over the fields, which shall
become free where they had previously been tied. This will be after the
visible judgement of heaven, before we reach the millennium which shall
complete all. In the firmament of the eighth sphere, a dimension whereon
Almighty God will complete the revolution, and where the constellations
will resume their motion which will render the earth stable and firm,
but only if "non inclinabitur in saeculum saeculi" [He will remain unchanged
for ever] - until His will be done. This is in spite of all the ambiguous
opinions surpassing all natural reason, expressed by Mahomet; which is
why God the Creator, through the ministry of his fiery agents with their
flames, will come to propose to our perceptions as well as our eyes the
reasons for future predictions. Signs of events to come must be mani-
fested to whomever prophesies. For prophecy which stems from exterior
illumination is part of that light and seeks to ally with it and bring it
into being so that the part which seems to possess the faculty of under-
standing is not subject to a sickness of the mind. Reason is only too
evident. Everything is predicted by divine afflatus (10) and thanks to an
angelic spirit inspiring the one prophesying, consecrating his predictions
through divine unction. It also divests him of all fantasies by means of
various nocturnal apparitions, while with daily certainty he prophesies
through the science of astronomy, with the aid of sacred prophecy, his
only consideration being his courage in freedom. So come, my son, strive
to understand what I have found out through my calculations which
accord with revealed inspiration, because now the sword of death ap-
proaches us, with pestilence and war more horrible than there has ever
been - because of three men's work - and famine. And this sword
shall smite the earth and return to it often, for the stars confirm this
upheaval and it is also written: "Visitabo in virga ferrea iniquitates eorum,
et in verberibus percutiam eos" [I shall punish their injustices with iron
rods, and shall strike them with blows]. For God's mercy will be poured forth
only for a certain time, my son, until the majority of my prophecies are
fulfilled and this fulfilment (sic) is complete. Then several times in the
course of the doleful tempests the Lord shall say: "Conteram ergo et
confringam et non miserebor" [Therefore I shall crush and destroy and show
no mercy]; and many other circumstances shall result from floods and
continual rain (11) of which I have written more fully in my other
prophecies, composed at some length, not in a chronological sequence,
"in soluta oratione" [in prose], limiting the places and times and exact
dates so that future generations will see, while experiencing these
inevitable events, how I have listed others in clearer language, so that
despite their obscurities these things shall be understood: "Sed quando
submovenda erit ignorantia", the matter will be clearer still. So in
conclusion, my son, take this gift from your father M. Nostradamus, who
hopes you will understand each prophecy in every quatrain herein. May
Immortal God grant you a long life of good and prosperous happiness.
Salon, 1 March 1555
Notes
1."le commun adv?nement", the Vulgar Advent, or the accession of the
people to power, is generally taken by commentators to refer first
to republicanism (via the French Revolution), then to its development
towards and change into communism. (Tr.)
2. Nostradamus here compares his work, the twelve Centuries, to the
Twelve Labours of Hercules, in order to stress their difficulty and
importance.
3. Moon and Sun are constant symbols in Nostradamus of the republic and
the monarchy respectively, hence the alchemic imagery also has a
political aspect here.
4. Reference to "toute la concavit? de la lune". Cf. note 3 above.
5. Ether: originally personified as a deity of the upper atmosphere,
and later confused with Zeus. (DL7V).
6. Water and flooding are often as a symbol of revolution in Nostradamus.
7. The French text refers to Aquarius, i.e. the water-bearer. Cf. note
6 above.
8. Golden Age: rule of Saturn, the happy, peaceful time, to commemorate
which the Romans celebrated with Saturnalia.
9. 1555 + 177 = 1732, the exact date when Rousseau arrived in Paris,
Nostradamus considered Rousseau the father of revolutionary and atheistic
ideas.
10. Breath or inspiration, oracular possession.
11. Upheavals and revolution. Cf. notes 6 and 7 above.
Abbreviations
Cf. "confer", Latin, compare.
DL7V "Dictionnaire Larousse", 7 vol.
etc. et cetera, French, and others.
i.e. "id est", Latin, that is.
M. Michel or Monsieur.
Tr. translator.
vol. volumes.
______________________________________________________________________________
Notes Specific to This Reproduction
This text is reproduced from "Nostradamus, Countdown to Apocalypse" written by
Jean-Charles de Fontbrune, translated by Alexis Lykiard, prefaced by Liz
Greene, and published by Henry Holt and Company, Inc., New York, 1983. This
largely literal translation is reproduced, here, as accurately as possible.
The "original" source is "Les Proph?ties de M. Michel Nostradamus", the
edition of 1568 by Benoist Rigaud at Lyon; stored in 8. B.U. "Montepellier",
no. 48340.
De Fontbrune uses the second edition of 1605 by Benoist Rigaud at Lyon. This
is a complete copy of the 1568 edition which is considered the most reliable.
If we accept the 1568 edition as an accurate reproduction, which is
reasonable, then this reproduction, here, has been copied once from the 1568
edition to the 1605, copied again by De Fontbrune, translated once from 16th-
century French with a Proven?al accent to modern English by Alexis Lykiard,
and finally copied to the form you see here.
Text which was originally presented in italics is enclosed in "double quotes".
The Latin "(sic)", meaning "thus", has been inserted after words to indicate
an exact reproduction of the original, including spelling mistakes and gram-
matical errors due to translation.
Finally, this reproduction makes use of special characters, which are not part
of every character set.
"?" is c-cedilla, here, meta-g, octal 347, hexadecimal e7.
"?" is e-accent-grave, here, meta-h, octal 350, hexadecimal e8.
"?" is e-accent-ague, here, meta-i, octal 351, hexadecimal e9.
This special character summary may be used in definition of this reproduction.
____________________________________________________________________________
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