CENTURIA IV · QUATRAIN XVII
The Repentant Warriors
Changer a Beaune, Nuy, Chalons & Dijon,
Le duc voulant amender la Barree
Marchant pres fleuve, poisson, bec de plongeon,
Vers la queue; porte sera seme.
Change at Beaune, Nuits, Chalons and Dijon,
the duke wishing to amend the Barree
marching near the river, fish, beak of the diver-bird,
toward the tail; the gate will be sown.
THE MASTER SAYS…
He shows me a map of France, and leads me to the Bay of Biscay. He says that many people do not understand this, but the French in your century have a large arsenal of water… (does not know how to describe it) water armada. He shows me ships, but they look more like ships of the old type than modern ones. This quatrain concerns the fortification of this entire area. This is happening now, but in the future it will sharply accelerate. Near the named cities there will be main military bases of the French army, because the French are going to leave NATO. They will organize their own defense, strengthening these areas. What did he mean by Carmelites? He says that you would not understand this, because you do not study history, but many Carmelites were repentant warriors. They renounced military service and devoted themselves to religious life. There is important symbolism here, because France in the twentieth century wishes to move away from active military activity and military cooperation with other countries. The Carmelites were members of the Roman Catholic religious order. They originate from a group of hermits. As their numbers grew, they continued to follow strict norms and rules and lead a secluded way of life. Perhaps, as Nostradamus indicates, the repentant warriors chose this path of life to atone for the violence they had committed. In the times after Nostradamus this religious order became more open to contacts and somewhat changed its strict rules and restrictions. His interpretation of this quatrain corresponds to what he knew about the order, hence this symbolism. Translators believe that this part of the quatrain is very obscure: “Walking near the river, fish, diving beak (of a bird), toward the tail; the gates will be closed.” This refers to… it is not exactly an armada. He shows me military fortifications. Is this the fish and the diving bird’s beak? It looks like a submarine. You know, these are submarines, airplanes, and the like. It was easiest for him to describe this weapon by drawing comparisons with representatives of the animal world that were familiar to him. Yes, that is understandable. Well, what does the phrase “the gates will be closed” mean? It means that this will be an exclusively French armada. And they will not need other countries or NATO. Correct. They will organize their own means of defense. Translators did not understand this at all. They say they cannot extract any meaning from these words.