Isn't it ironic how only when we are faced with the prospect of dying, that we begin to think about living?
What would you do today if you know that the world will end tomorrow?

The recent US Attack has sent an unhealthy 'paranoia' epidemic across the globe. Many are stricken by the possibility of it being a sign of World War 3, which many believe will lead to the end of the world. Relating to this, a rumour has been circulated that the attack on the World Trade Center was actually predicted by a famous French astrologer living in the years 1503 to 1566 named Michel de Nostredame or Nostradamus. A vision of a bearded Merlin-like magician comes to mind. Apparently Nostradamus has also predicted the World Wars, Hitler, Napoleon, Kennedy's assasination and various other infamous events in the history of mankind.

A hardcore science enthusiast would argue that believing in predictions is like believing in fairytales, magic and all the 'bippity-boppaty-boo' Cinderella stories. But being fascinated by all things magical, I decided to weave my own web into the mind of 'Merlin.'

Nostradamus wrote precisely ten editions of quatrains (something like a verse or poem) in his lifetime. Each edition is called a century as there are 100 quatrains in each. Except for century V11, which was never finished for unknown reasons. His quatrains were written in obscure style with a mixture of French, Provencal, Italian, Greek and Latin, making it hard to decipher. Also, Nostradamus writes that he deliberately confused the time sequence of his prophecies so that their secrets would not be revealed too directly. At that time, he was at risk of being prosecuted as a magician by his Church and country.

I am less inclined to believe in his prophecies.

For example, there are about 13 quatrains that are believed to be associated with Napoleon, not including quatrains predicting the Battle of Waterloo, another 5 for Hitler as well as 6 each for the 2nd World War and the assassination of J.F.Kennedy. Some quatrains can't be decided whether to be prophesising Hitler, Napoleon, Mussolini or any other 'great conquerors' in history. The fact is that most quatrains are too vague and some even repetitive that the over-imaginative minds of man can translate them to predict virtually anything. In addition, several events separated by centuries apart are proven to have the same pattern and humans do have a tendency to repeat the same mistakes. Nostradamus could possibly be influenced by events in his past that has many similarities to events that happened in his future. Even a Mathematician studying probabilities can tell you that if you have 1000 quatrains, the possibility that some of them may seem to describe real events is high enough.

Bringing your attention back to the US Attack, several quatrains have been circulating through mass media allegedly written by him:

"In the year of the new century and nine months,
From the sky will come a great King of Terror, The first supposed prophecy does contain
The sky will burn at forty-five degrees a few lines from different quatrains but
Fire approach the great new city." was not put together in that order.

"In the city of York there will be a great collapse,
2 twin brothers torn apart by chaos The second one being sent with lightning speed
While the fortress falls the great leader will succumb across the Internet is completely bogus.
The third big war will begin when the big city is burning."

However, these two quatrains may leave you something to think about:

"Earth-shaking fire from the center of the Earth New City could possibly refer to New York City
Will cause the towers around the New City to shake: but 'fire from the center of the Earth'
Two great rocks for a long time will make war, is more likely to be an Earthquake.
And then Arethusa will color a new river red."
-Century 1, Quatrain 87

"At five and forty degrees, the sky will burn, New York county lies between 40 and 45 parallel in
Fire approaches the great new city, the USA. The Normans here refer to the French but
Immediately a huge, scattered flame leaps up, they have to do with the US Attack. Some translators
When they went to have verification from the Normans." believe it to be related to a bombing instead.
-Century 6, Quatrain 97

Some of his quatrains do seem to predict quite accurately:

"The lost thing is discovered hidden for many centuries. "At night they will think they have seen the sun,
Pasteur will be celebrated almost as a god-like figure. when they see the half pig man:
This is when the moon completes her great cycle, Noise, screams, battles seen fought in the skies.
But by other rumours he shall be dishonoured." The brute beasts will be heard to speak."
-Century 1, Quatrain 25 -Century 1, Quatrain 64

The name Pasteur was spelled accurately in the original At first glance, this verse might seem to make no sense.
quatrain. This quatrain is believed to predict the But remember that Nostradamus lived when planes
founding of Pasteur Institute on the 14th of Nov 1889 by were not invented yet. The 'half pig man' seems a clear
Louis Pasteur who discovered germs or microorganisms picture in silhouette of a pilot in oxygen mask, helmet
(lost thing hidden?) that pollute the atmosphere. and goggles. The oxygen breathing apparatus would
Coincidently, the cycle of the moon ran from 1535 to 1889. look just like a pig's snout to him. The 'sun', appearing at night, could be searchlight piercing the sky or bombs exploding. The pilot is heard to speak… a possible forecast of radio? Overall, this quatrain seems to predict an air battle quite accurately.

And then there are the 'Hister' quatrains. A number of quatrains mention a certain 'Hister' whom Hitler believe to be referring to himself. Recognising the values of the prophecies, the Germans produced and spread forgeries of Nostradamus' prophecies predicting Hitler's victory and that the war will not affect South-eastern France, with the motive of getting France's support. The British Intelligence retaliated with their own 'intelligently composed' Nostradamus' quatrains that were dropped across France and Belgium. No doubt the poor citizens were thrown into utter confusion over whom to believe, much like the reaction of the modern newsreader when bogus quatrains were published over the media. This is one of the original quatrains that inspired Hitler:

"Beasts ferocious with hunger will cross the rivers, During the second World War, the development of
The greater part of the battlefield will be against Hister. the war was much dependent upon rivers crossed
Into a cage of iron will be the great one be drawn, by Germans who came across Europe. Evidently,
When the child of Germany observes no law." Hitler was a 'child of Germany' and committed many
-Century 2, Quatrain 24 crimes against humanity during the war.

My report will not be complete without a mention of one final quatrain that, I believe, was associated with the death of three famous people in the year 2000.

"O to what a dreadful and wretched torment Not exactly very accurate. Princess Diana was badly-
are three innocent people going to be delivered. guarded, but Mother Theresa died a natural death
Poison suggested, badly guarded, betrayal. while Versace's murder, committed by Andrew Cunanan,
Delivered up to horror by drunken executioners." whom he has met before, was not quite a betrayal. The
-Century 1, Quatrain 68 significance of 'drunken executioners' is also not quite explained.

I leave it to you to decide on whether to believe in his prophecies. Prophecies oppose free will. If something is pre-destined, then no matter which path you take, you cannot change what is bound to happen. But I would like to think that we have the power within us to determine the future, wouldn't you? The bottom line is, prophecies or not, we should strive to achieve the best in life and live each day to ultimate fulfillment (fulfillment here refers to actions that brings you true happiness, not merely temporary 'enjoyment', of course) *cheeky grin*.