CENTURIA III · QUATRAIN LXII
The Shortest Path
Proche del duero par mer Cyrrene close,
Viendra percer les grands monts Pyrenees:
La main plus courte & sa percee gloze,
A Carcassonne conduira ses menees.
Near the Duero, by sea the Cyrenian closed,
he will come to pierce the great Pyrenees:
the hand too short, and its thrust glossed,
to Carcassonne he will lead his designs.
THE MASTER SAYS…
Translators write that they consider some lines untranslatable. He pronounces “Cyrenian Sea” as “Syrian.” It points to Turkey. The word “Cyrenian” relates to the Antichrist’s invasion of Europe through Spain and Greece. The Antichrist will take Cyprus from Turkey when he first comes to power. He will also capture the ancient city of Carcassonne, which is in the south of France. Carcassonne was known in the time of Nostradamus as the Old City, so John was right when he noted that Nostradamus calls it the “ancient city.” This city also controls the main route in southern France, the shortest path from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean. Is this not what is implied in the line: “The shortest path and its passage indicate that he will lead his followers to Carcassonne”? This could be the reason why the Antichrist considers it a strategic point.