Nostradamus

The Prophecies

Facsimile of the original edition of 1557

followed by

Text from the original edition of 1557 modernized

followed by

Text from the original edition of 1557 translated

AlterPublishing

© 2020 AlterPublishing

ISBN : 979-8627784816

Table of contents

The Editor’s Preface      3

The Prophecies of M. MICHEL NOSTRADAMUS Facsimile of the original edition of 1557      5

PREFACE BY M. MICHEL NOSTRADAMUS To his Prophecies      9

CENTVRIE PREMIERE      19

CENTVRIE SECONDE      39

CENTVRIE TIERCE      59

CENTVRIE QUARTE      79

CENTVRIE CINQVESME      99

CENTVRIE SIXSIESME      119

CENTVRIE SEPTIESME      139

Text from the original edition of 1557 modernized      149

PREFACE BY M. MICHEL NOSTRADAMUS To his Prophecies.      149

CENTVRIE PREMIERE      163

CENTVRIE SECONDE      189

CENTVRIE TIERCE      215

CENTVRIE QUARTE      241

CENTVRIE CINQVESME      267

CENTURIE SIXSIESME      293

CENTVRIE SEPTIESME      319

Text from the original edition of 1557 translated      331

PREFACE BY M. MICHEL NOSTRADAMUS To his Prophecies.      331

FIRST CENTURY      345

SECOND CENTURY      371

THIRD CENTURY      397

FOURTH CENTURY      423

FIFTH CENTURY      449

SIXTH CENTURY      475

SEVENTH CENTURY      501

Main rules for modernization      513

From the original edition to the original modernized French edition      513

Punctuation      514

Orthography      514

Translation tools for the reader      516

For the Occitan text      516

The Editor’s Preface

The Prophecies have come down to us via hundreds of editions. The complexity of Nostradamus' language (a mixture of French, Latin and Occitan) has led to all kinds of translations, not to mention more or less hazardous or risky interpretations.

Yet no essay or interpretation replaces reading, a mandatory confrontation with the authentic, original text.

Several editions have been considered hacked or backdated. It is generally accepted that the edition which bears the date of September 1557 was actually published during the lifetime of Nostradamus. The subsequent editions of the text amplify typographical errors and other typos, as do the additions and apocryphal texts.

This edition presents, for the first time in digital format, three texts: the facsimile of the 1557 edition, a modernized transcription of this facsimile, and an english translation of this edition.

In order to preserve the quality of the text, this modernized version is in no way intended to be an interpretation, but a readable version that respects the original. In addition to correcting typographical errors, the text has only been edited to incorporate the modern spelling rules necessary for current reading and to respect the poetic style, while remaining most truthful to the original text.

This tripartite version allows the reader to compare this original version with the many translations and interpretations on the market, and to estimate the merits of these works, as a research tool for an approach to the Nostradamus' poetic universe.

Do not forget that Nostradamus forbade reading to charlatans of all kinds as well as uneducated people, expressly reserving his works for the intellectual elite!

The facsimile transcription, the modernized transcription and the translation of this edition were carried out by Pascal-Henri POIGET, based on the facsimile of the 1557 edition and numerous in-depth researches on the languages used by Nostradamus.

The Prophecies of M. MICHEL NOSTRADAMUS
Facsimile of the original edition of 1557

Text from the original edition of 1557 modernized

CENTVRIE PREMIERE

I

Étant assis de nuit secret étude,

Seul reposé sur la selle d'airain :

Flambe exiguë sortant de solitude,

Fait prospérer qui n'est à croire vain.

II

La verge en mains mise au milieu de BRANCHES,

De l'onde il moule et le limbe et le pied :

Une peur et voix frémissent par les manches,

Splendeur divine. Le divin près s'assied.

III

Quand la litière du tourbillon versée,

Et seront faces de leurs manteaux couverts :

La république par gens nouveaux vexée,

Lors blancs et rouges jugeront à l'envers.

IIII

Par l'univers sera fait un monarque,

Qu'en paix et vie ne sera longuement :

Lors se perdra la piscature barque,

Sera régie en plus grand détriment.

V

Chassés seront faire long combat,

Par le pays seront plus fort grevés :

Bourg et cité auront plus grand débat,

Carcassonne Narbonne auront cœur éprouvés.

VI

L'œil de Ravenne sera destitué,

Quant à ses pieds les ailes failliront :

Les deux de Bresse auront constitué,

Turin, Verseil que Gaulois fouleront.

VII

Tard arrivé l'exécution faite,

Le vent contraire, lettres au chemin prises :

Les conjurés XIIII d’une secte,

Par le Rousseau senés les entreprises.

VIII

Combien de fois prise cité solaire,

Seras, changeant les lois barbares et veines :

Ton mal s'approche : Plus seras tributaire,

La grand Hadrie réouvrira tes vaines.

Text from the original edition of 1557 translated

FIRST CENTURY

I

Sitting at night in secret study,

Alone rested on the brazen stool:

Tiny flame coming out of loneliness,

Makes prosper what is not vain to believe.

II

The wand in the hands placed in the middle of BRANCHES,

With the wave he moistens both the hem and the foot:

A fear and a voice tremble from the sleeves:

Divine splendor. The divine sits nearby.

III

When the litter of the whirlwind is poured,

And faces are covered by their coats:

The republic by new people will be abused,

Then whites and reds will swear wrongly.

IIII

By the universe will be made a monarch,

Who in peace and life will not be long alive:

Then the fishing boat will be lost,

Will be governed to its greatest detriment.

V

They will be driven away for a long drawn out fight,

By the country they will be most overwhelmed:

Village and town will have greater struggle,

Carcassonne & Narbonne will have their hearts tested.

VI

The eye of Ravenna will be dismissed,

When at his feet the wings fail:

The two of Bresse will have inducted,

Turin, Verseil that Gaulishes will tread.

VII

Later arrived, the execution done,

With the headwind, letters on the road taken:

The fourteen conspirators of a clan,

By the Rousseau shall these enterprises be undertaken.

VIII

How often will you be taken, solar city,

Changing the laws, barbaric and vain:

Your evil approaches: No longer will you be dependent,

Great Hadrie will reopen your veins.

Main rules for modernization

From the original edition to the original modernized French edition

Punctuation

Introduction of space before and after signs ! ? :

Orthography

Adding

Added accent – prospérer for prosperer

Added single quotation mark – d’une for dune

Replacing

Replacing æ by ai – airain by ærain

Replacing ã by an

Replacing d by t – quand by quant

Replacing es by ê – rêveur by resueur

Replacing es by é – étant by estant

Replacing f by s – sans by fans

Replacing i by j – jugeront by iugeront

Replacing o by a – français by francois

Replacing s by ^ - chaîne by chaisne

Replacing s by x – feux by feus

Replacing u by v – reverdir by reuerdir

Replacing v by u. – un by vn

Replacing y by i- ennemi by ennemy

Replacing z by s –pieds by piedz

Replacing & by et

Deleting

Deleting any c – nuit by nuict

Deleting any e – reçus by receuz

Deleting any g – loin by loing

Deleting any i – cages by caiges

Deleting any l – outrage by oultrage, milieu by millieu

Deleting any u – vide by vuide

Modern transcription

Modern transcription of proper names – Pau = Po, Hespaignes by Espagne

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