The Selected Oracles of Nostradamus
Selected and Translated by James Dilworth
This Translation is ©1999-2004 SEJDB

This may be freely distributed on condition the copyright notice is retained along with the following contact information, and the author is notified of its appearance. For more information or if you wish to contact the author please e-mail at jacquesdubois at sejdb. com or visit his website at http://www.sejdb.com

Introduction

These are the highlights from Oracles of Nostradamus, the prophecies that can be attributed to him with some certainty, and can be easily understood by people who aren't European History majors, Historians, or Classical scholars. I have read many books on Nostradamus, looked at websites dealing with him and come to one conclusion, everybody seems interested in what they have to say about Nostradamus, not allowing him to say what he actually wrote almost 600 years ago. The reason why most books on Nostradamus are so large is the fact that they are filled with commentary, the author's own prejudices, assumptions and opinions on the simple four line quatrains that make up his prophecies...this will contain only the poetry of Nostradamus, with only a line of the prophecy is generally thought to be about, allowing you, the reader to come to your own conclusion on the validity of Nostradamus. As much as possible, I have translated the quatrains literally, while keeping in mind the fact that at heart, this is really interesting poetry. The Oracles is divided into ten centuries, that is, ten sets of one hundred quatrains (Century 7 only has 42), that are all my own translations, compared with several different ones I have access to. After this e-text version of the Oracles is done (the only one I know to be on the Internet) , a French version will follow in time. I hope that through these translations, Nostradamus will be heard as honestly possible, with only one bias- that of allowing the reader to decide whether Nostradamus is real or merely just interesting fiction.

12/31/1998
1/26/1999
3/1/1999
9/4/1999
7/11/2004


CENTURY I

1
Sitting alone at night in secret study;
it is placed on the brass tripod.
A slight flame comes out of the emptiness
making successful that which should not be believed in vain.

2
The wand in the hand is placed
in the middle of the tripod's legs.
With water he sprinkles both the hem of his garment and his foot.
A voice, fear; he trembles in his robes. Divine splendor; the spirit sits nearby.

3
When the litters are overturned by the whirlwind
and faces are covered by cloaks,
The republic will be troubled by new people,
From then, the reds and whites will judge wrongly.

7
Arriving too late, the deed done
the wind against them: letters taken en route
The 14 conspirators are a group
Rousseau will lead the enterprises.

14
From the enslaved people, songs and demands,
Princes and Lords are held captive in prisons:
in the future, they will by headless idiots,
received as divine prayers.

16
A scythe with a pond, joined in Sagittarius
at its highest ascendant.
Plague, famine, death from military hands,
the century approaches its renewal.


17
For 40 years the rainbow won't appear.
For 40 years all the days it will be seen.
The arid earth will become more dry
and there will be great floods when it will be seen.

23
In the third month at dawn,
the Boar and Leopard meet on the field of Mars (battlefield).
The tired Leopard looks to heaven,
seeing an Eagle playing with the sun.

26
The great man will be struck by a thunderbolt in the day,
an evil deed foretold by a petitioner:
Following the prediction, another falls in the night
Conflict in Reims, London and Tuscan pestilence.

27
Under the oak tree of Gienne, struck by lightning,
not far from there is the treasure hidden.
That has been for centuries gathered there,
when found, a man will die, his eye pierced by a spring.

32
The great empire exchanged
for a small place, that will soon grow.
A place of small area in the middle
where he will come to lay down his sceptre.

35
The young lion will overcome the old one,
on the field of battle in a single fight:
In a golden cage, his eyes will be pierced
two wounds in one, then he dies a cruel death.

48
20 years of the moon's reign have passed
another will take his place for 7000 years.
When the sun takes his cycle
then my prophecy and threats will be done.

50
Born from the three water signs,
a man who celebrates Thursday as his holiday:
His renown, power and rule will grow
by land and sea, bringing a tempest to the East.

60
An emperor born near Italy,
who will cost the empire dearly:
They will say when they see his people
that he is less of a prince, than a butcher.

63
The plague is past, the world is smaller
for a long time the lands will be inhabited peacefully:
People will travel safely over the sky, land and sea
then new wars will be incited.

64
During the night they will think they have seen the sun,
when the half pig/half man is seen:
Noise, screams, wars fought in the sky.
The brute beasts will be heard to speak.

67
The great famine that I feel approaching
will often turn, in some places then become universal:
So grand and long that they will grab
the roots of trees and the child from the breast.

87
Earthshaking fire from the earth's center,
will cause tremors around the New City:
Two great rocks will war for a long time
then Arethusa will redden a new river.

91
The gods will make mankind see
that they will be the authors of a great conflict:
before the sky was seen full of swords and lances,
the ones on the left hand side will be afflicted most.


CENTURY II

3
Because of solar heat on the sun,
the fish around Negrepont will be half cooked:
The local people will eat them,
when Rhodes and Genoa lack food.

5
When fire and letters are enclosed in a fish,
from it will come a man who makes war.
His fleet will have come a long way
to appear near the Italian land.

6
Near the harbor and in two cities
will be two scourges, the likes of which have never been seen:
Famine, plague within people thrown out by the sword
will cry for help from the great immortal God.

24
Wild beasts with hunger will cross the rivers,
the greater part of the battlefield will be against Hister.
In a cage of iron, the leader will be dragged
when the German child obeys no law.

28
The last of one of the name of the prophet
will take Monday as his day and rest:
Traveling far in his frenzy
delivering a great people from subjection.

29
The man from the east will leave his seat,
passing through the Apennine to see France:
Crossing through the sky, the seas and snow
and he will strike everyone with his rod.

39
A year before the conflict in Italy,
Germans, French and Spaniards will be for the strong man:
the school house of the republic will fall,
where, except for a few, will suffocate to death.

40
A little later, not a long interval
by land and sea a great tumult will be raised:
Much more great will be naval battles,
fires, animals who will make more tumult.

41
The great star will burn for seven days,
the cloud will make the sun appear double:
the big mastiff will howl all night long
when the great pontiff changes his abode.

46
After great misery for man a greater one comes,
when the great cycle of centuries is renewed:
Raining blood, milk, famine, fire and plague,
in the sky will be seen fire, dragging a long tail of sparks.

57
Before the war the great man will fall,
the great one to death; a death too sudden and lamented.
Born imperfect, he will go the greater part of the way
near the river of blood, the ground is stained.

62
Mabus will die and then will come
a terrible destruction of man and beast:
Suddenly vengeance will be revealed,
one hundred, hands, thirst, hunger when the comet runs past.

75
The call of the unwanted bird
heard on the chimney:
so high will the bushels of wheat rise
that man will eat man.

89
A day will come when the two great leaders are friends
their great power will be seen to grow:
the New Land will be at its height of power
to the man of blood the number is reported.

91
At dawn, a great fire will be seen
noise and light seen going to the North:
'round the world death and cries are heard,
death along with weapons, fire, and famine waiting for them.

95
The populated lands become uninhabitable,
great disagreement in order to obtain lands:
Kingdoms given to men incapable of prudence,
then for the brothers death and dissension.

CENTURY III

2
The divine word will give to the substance
that which contains heaven and earth, occult gold in the mystic deed:
Body, soul and spirit have all power
all is below his feet, as at the seat of heaven.

32
A large grave for the people of France,
will approach from Italy:
when war is near the German corner,
and in the land of Italy.

35
In the deepest part of Western Europe,
from poor people will be born a child:
who, by his speech will seduce many people,
his power grows greater in the Kingdom of the East.

44
When the animal tamed by man,
after great pains and troubles speaks:
the lightning so terrible for the rod,
will be taken from the earth and suspended.

58
Near the Rhine from the Norican mountains
will be born a great man of the people, too late.
He will defend Poland and Hungary,
and they will never know what became of him.

71
Those in the islands for a long time besieged,
will take strong measures against their enemies:
those outside, overcome will die of hunger,
a great hunger that has never occurred before.

77
The third climate included under Aries,
the year 1727 in October:
the King of Persia taken by those of Egypt,
battle, death, loss: a great shame to the cross.

78
The Scottish leader with six Germans,
taken by Eastern seamen:
passing Gibraltar and Spain,
presented in Persia to the new, dreadful king.

95
The Moorish law, seen to fail,
followed by another more seductive:
The Dnieper will be the first to give way,
by gifts and tongue more appealing.

97
A new law will occupy a new land,
around Syria, Judea and Palestine:
the great barbarian empire crumbles
before the century of the sun is finished.

CENTURY IV

25
Subtle bodies endlessly visible to the eye,
come to cloud the reason for their own purposes:
The body, with the forehead, senses and head invisible,
as the sacred prayers diminish.

28
When Venus will be covered by the Sun,
under the splendor will be a hidden form:
Mercury will have exposed them,
by a rumor of war will be affronted.

29
The hidden sun eclipsed by Mercury,
will be placed second in the sky:
Hermes will be made of Vulcan's food,
the Sun will be seen purely, shining and golden.

30
More than eleven times the Moon doesn't want the Sun,
both raised and lowered in degree:
put so low that no one will sew gold,
after famine and plague the secret will be discovered.

31
The Moon, in the middle of the might over a high mountain,
the new wise man alone with his brain saw it:
With his disciples invited to be immortal,
eyes to the south, hands on his chest, his body in the fire.

33
Jupiter joined more to Venus than the Moon,
appearing in a white fullness:
Venus hidden under the whiteness of Neptune
Mars struck by the graven wand.

43
Weapons will be heard fighting in the sky:
in the same year divine are the enemies:
they wish to unjustly consult the holy laws,
by lightning and war many believers put to death.

96
The older sister of the British Isle
15 years before the brother will be born,
because of her promise, procuring verification
She will succeed to the kingdom of balance.

99
The brave eldest son of a king's daughter
will drive the Celts far away:
He'll use the thunderbolts, many in an array,
few and distant, then deep into the west.

CENTURY V

4
The large mastiff is chased from the city,
being angered from the foreign alliance,
after chasing the stag to the field
the wolf and bear will defy each other.

49
Not from Spain, but from ancient France
he will be elected for the trembling ship,
to the enemy he will make a promise,
who will, during his reign, cause terrible plague.

51
The people of Dacia, England and Poland
and of Bohemia make a new alliance:
to pass out of the columns of Hercules
the Spanish and Italians make a cruel plot.

54
From the Black Sea and Great Tartary
a king will come to see France,
passing through Alania and Armenia,
in his Byzantium he will leave his bloody rod.

78
The two friends not allied for long,
in 13 years they give in to the Barbarian Prince:
The two will lose so much,
that one will bless the bark of Peter and its leader.

80
Ogimos(Ogma) will approach great Byzantium,
the barbarian league will be chased away:
Of the two laws the pagan one will fail
barbarian and freeman in eternal struggle.

81
The royal bird over the city of the sun
will give a warning in the night for seven months:
The eastern wall will fall, thunder lightning
in seven days the enemies at the gates.

83
Those who will have an enterprise to subvert
an invincible, unparalleled, powerful kingdom:
Will deceive, warn for three nights
when the greatest one reads his Bible at the table.

90
In the Cyclades, in Perinthus and Larissa
in Sparta and all the Peloponnesus:
a great famine, plague from false dust,
it will last nine months all over the peninsula.

92
After the See has been held Seventeen years,
five will change in the same time:
then one will be elected at the same time
that the Romans will not be agreeable to.


CENTURY VI

5
A great famine caused by a pestilent wave
from rain the length of the Arctic pole,
Samarobrin one hundred leagues from the hemisphere,
they will live without law, free from politics.

7
Norway and Dacia, and the British Isles
by the united brothers will be vexed:
the Roman leader, issued from Gallic blood
and the forces repulsed into the forest.

11
The seven branches to three will be reduced,
the older ones will be surprised by death,
Fratricide will seduce two,
the conspirators, while asleep will die.

12
Raising armies to ascend to empire,
the Vatican will hold the royal blood:
Flemish, English, Spanish with Aspire
against Italy and France will fight.

18
By physicians, the great king is deserted
he lives by chance, not the Hebrew's skill,
He and his people put high in the kingdom.
Grace given to the people who deny Christ.

21
When those of the Arctic pole united together,
in the East will be great fear and dread:
A newly elected man, supported by the great tremor
Rhodes and Byzantium will be stained with Barbarian blood.

22
In the land of the great heavenly temple,
a nephew in London by peace is murdered:
Then the ship will be schismatic,
false freedom will be shouted abroad.

24
Mars and the sceptre will be in conjunction
under Cancer will be a calamitous war:
a little later a new king will be anointed,
who, for a long time, will pacify the Earth.

27
Within the islands of five rivers to one.
By the crescent of the Great Chyren Selin:
Through the mists of air the fury of one,
six escaped, hidden in bundles of linen.

31
The King will find what he much wanted,
when the Prelate will be taken wrongfully.
The answer to the Duke (Duce) will make him angry,
who in Milan will put many to death.

32
By treason of rods beaten to death,
taken, overcome by his disorder.
Frivolous advise given to the great captive,
when Berich, by anger, will bite his nose.

33
His hand finally by Alus bloody,
unable to protect himself by sea:
between two rivers he fears the military hand,
the black angry one will make him repent.

34
The machine of flying fire,(Of fire, flying the machine)
comes to trouble the great, besieged chief:
within there will be such treason,
that those abandoned will despair.

42
Ogimos(Ogma) will be left the kingdom
of great Selin, who will do even more:
through Italy his banner will be extended
ruled by cautious forgery.

44
In the night, the rainbow will appear by Nantes
the maritime arts will raise up rain:
In the Arabian Gulf a large fleet will sink,
a monster in Saxony will be born of a bear and a sow.

46
A just man will be sent back into exile
by pestilence to the borders of Nogseggle:
answering to the red one will mislead him
the king retreats to the frog and eagle.

49
From the Martial(warlike) party by the great pontiff,
will subjugate the borders of the Danube:
Chasing the cross by hook and crook (crookedly)
captives, gold, jewels, more than 100,000 rubies.

50
Within the pit will be found the bones,
incest committed by the stepmother(mother in law):
the state changed, one will demand fame and praise,
and Mars will attend as their star.

51
People assembled, to see a new spectacle
Princes and Kings by many spectators:
Pillars and walls fall: but like a miracle
the King saved and thirty of those present.

52
In place of the great one who will be condemned,
outside the prison, his friend in place:
The Trojan hope in six months, joined, born dead
The sun in the urn will be taken, rivers frozen.

70
Chief of the world, the great Chyren will be,
PLUS OVTRE, behind loved, feared, dreaded:
his fame and praise will surpass the skies
and with the one title, Victor, will be content.

72
By feigned fury of emotion divine
will the wife of the Great one be violated:
the Judges wanting to condemn such a doctrine,
(she is a) victim to the people, sacrificed

74
The one chased away will return to the realm
her enemies found to be conspirators:
more than ever her times will triumph,
three, and seventy to death very sure.

78
Crying the victory of the great growing Selin(Crescent Moon),
by the Romans the eagle will be demanded of,
Pavia, Milan and Genoa will not consent
then, by themselves the Great lord claimed.

80
From Fez the ream will reach those of Europe,
their city on fire, and the blade will cut:
The great one of Asia by land and sea with a great troop
that blue, perses (Persians), the cross driven to death.

81
Tears, cries and laments, howls, terror,
heart inhuman, cruel black and cold:
Lake of Geneva the isles, of Genoa the major ones
blood pouring out, hunger for wheat, mercy to none.

86
The great Prelate one day after his dream,
interpreted opposite to its sense:
from Gascony a Monk will come unexpectedly,
who will cause the great Prelate of Sens to be elected.

90
The disgrace stinkingly abominable
after the fact will be congratulated:
The great excuse for not being favorable,
that Neptune will not be incited to peace.

96
Great city to the soldiers abandoned
never was mortal tumult so close to it:
O, what hideous calamity approaches,
except for one offense, none spared.

97
Five and forty degrees the sky will burn
fire approaching the great New city:
Instantly great scattered flame jumps,
when one would demand of the Normans proof.

100
INCANTATION OF THE LAW AGAINST INEPT CRITICS
Those who read this verse, maturely think of it,
let the profane and the ignorant herd keep away:
and far away all Astrologers, idiots and barbarians,
may he who does otherwise be subject to the sacred rite.

CENTURY VII

28
The Captain will lead a great heard,
on the mountain closest to the enemy,
surrounded, by fire he makes such a way
all escape except for thirty put on stakes.

40
Within barrels, anointed with oil and grease,
will be twenty and one, closed before the harbor,
by second death they will do great deeds:
winning the gates and killed by the guards.

41
The bones of the feet and hands encased
because of noise the house, for a long time uninhabited:
By digging in dreams they will be disinterred,
the house healthy and without noise inhabited.


CENTURY VIII

1
Pau, Nay, Loron will be more fire than blood
to swim in praise, the great one flees to the confluence
The Magpies are refused entrance
Pampon, Durance will confine them.

10
A great stink comes out of Lausanne
they won't know the origin of the deed,
putting out all people from afar
fire seen in the sky, a foreign people defeated.

14
The great credit of gold, silver abundance
will blind honor by lust,
the adulterer's offense will become known,
that will be to his great dishonor.

15
By the north, great efforts by a man/woman
nearly all Europe and the Universe vexed,
The two eclipses put into such a rout
and by Hungarians life and death reinforced.

16
At the place that Hieron built his ship,
such a large and sudden flood
that there will be on place or land to attack
the waters mount Olympic Fesulan.

17
Those at ease will be suddenly cast down
by the three brothers the world put into trouble,
the marine City taken by enemies,
hunger, fire, blood, plague and all evils doubled.

21
In the port of Agde three foists will enter
bringing the infection not faith and pestilence
passing the bridge three million taken away,
and the bridge broken by resistance of a third.

28
The copies of gold and silver inflated
after which the theft were thrown into the fire
at the discovery all is exhausted and troubled.
In marble written, prescripts interjected.

31
The first great fruit of the Prince of Perquiere
but then will come a very cruel, wicked man,
Within Venice he will lose his proud glory
and lead into evil by the youngest Selin.

32
Watch yourself, French king of your nephew
who will do so much that your only son
will be murdered making his vows to Venus,
accompanied by night at three and six.

54
Under the color of the marriage treaty
magnanimous act by the great Chyren selin,
Quintin, Arras recovered in the journey
the Spanish make a second butcher's bench.

59
By two times risen, by two times put down
the East will also weaken the West
Its adversary after many battles,
routed by sea at the time of need failing.

71
So large, the number of astronomers
chased, banished their books censored,
The year 1607 by sacred assemblies
that none, from the holy ones, will be safe.

74
In the new land, a king entered very far
while the subjects come to welcome him,
his treachery will have such a result
that to the citizens, instead of a festival it is a reception.

77
The Antichrist very soon annihilates the three,
twenty and seven years of blood will last his war.
The heretics dead, captive, exiled.
blood, human body, water and red hail on the earth

78
A mercenary with a twisted tongue
comes to the sanctuary of the gods.
To the heretics, he will open the door
raising up the Church militant.

79
He who by iron loses his father born in a nunnery,
from the Gorgon by blood conceives anew:
in a foreign land will do anything to be silent,
he who burns himself and his child.

80
Blood of innocents of widow and virgin
so much evil done by the method of the Great Red one
holy images soaked in burning candles
terrified by fear, none will to be seen to budge.

81
The new empire in desolation
will change from the northern pole.
From Sicily will come the feeling
to trouble the tributary enterprise of Phillip.

90
When one of the cross finds his senses troubled
in place of the sacred he will see a crowned bull
by the virgin the pig's place will be taken
by the king order will not be sustained.

95
The seducer will be put in a ditch
and tied up for some time,
the cleric unites the chief with his cross
the sharp right draws the content ones.

CENTURY IX

7
He who opens the found monument
and does not come to close it promptly.
Evil will come to him and none will prove it,
better to be a king of the Bretons or Normans

14
Put in a flat place, the dyer's cauldron
wine, honey and oil built over furnaces:
they will be drowned, without saying or doing a evil thing
seven from Borneaux extinguished from the canon.

31
The trembling of the earth at Mortara
tin St. George half sunk to the bottom,
drowsy with peace, war arises,
in the temple at Easter abysses opened.

41
The great Chryen will seize Avignon,
from Rome letters in honey full of bitterness.
The letter and embassy leave Chanignon,
Carpentras taken by the black duke with a red feather.

51
Against the red ones sects will band together,
fire, water, iron the rope by peace will spoil,
at the point of dying, those who plot
except for one will ruin the entire world.

65
To the corner of Luna he will take himself
where he will be taken and put in a foreign land,
The unripe fruit will be a great scandal
great blame, to one great praise

73
In Foix, enters the King with a blue turban,
reigning for less than a revolution of Saturn,
the King with a white turban, heart banished to Byzantium
Sun, Mars, Mercury near Aquarius.

83
Sun, twenty of Taurus, so great will the earth tremble
The great theatre filled, will be ruined:
the air, sky and earth darkened and troubled.
When the infidel calls on God and the Saints.

90
A captain of the great Germany
will come to give false help
a king of kings, helper of Hungary,
so that his revolt will make a great shedding of blood.

92
The king will wish to enter the new city
they come to defeat it by their enemies
a captive falsely freed to say and perpetrate
the king to be outside, staying far away from the enemy.

100
Naval battle will be overcome at night
the fire in ruined ships of the West:
new code the large colored ship
ire to the vanquished and victory in drizzle


CENTURY X

14
Urnel Vaucile without council of his own
bold timid by fear taken captive,
accompanied by many pale whores
in Barcelona, converted by the Carthusian monastery.

15
Father duke old in years and full of thirst
on the last day his son denys the jug:
plunged into the well alive coming up dead
Senate to the thread the death long and light.

40
The young born to the British kingdom,
that his dying father will recommend,
the one dead LONOLE gives him dispute
and from his son the kingdom demanded.

42
The humane reign of the Anglican (Angelic) offspring
will make their kingdom united in peace,
war half captive in his cloture
a long time peace will by them be maintained.

49
Garden of the world near the new city,
in the road of the hollow mountains,
will be seized and plunged into the tank,
drinking by force water poisoned by sulfur.

53
The three prostitutes for a long time will quarrel
the greatest will wait to listen to the least:
the great Selin will no more be her patron,
she will call him fire, shield white route.

54
Born into this world by a furtive concubine,
at two put high by the sad news,
by enemies she will be taken captive
and led to Malines and Brussels.

56
Royal priest his bow too low
a large flow of blood comes from his mouth,
the Anglican(Angelic) kingdom a kingdom breathing,
a long time dead as a stump, alive in Tunis.

60
I cry for Nice, Monaco, Pisa, Genoa
Savona, Siene, Capua, Modena, Malta:
Above the blood and sword for a gift,
fire, the earth will tremble, water, unhappy unwillingness.

71
The earth and air will freeze so much water
when they will come to celebrate on Thursday,
he that will be will never be as handsome
than the four who come to honor him.

72
The year 1999, seven months,
from the sky will come a great king of terror.
Bringing back to life the great king of the Mongols (Angolmois)
after which Mars reigns happily.

73
The present time together with the past
will be judged by the great Jovalist,
the world lately will be tired of him,
and the disloyalty by the jurist clergy.

74
In the revolution of the great seventh number
accomplished at the time of the game of Hecatombe,
not far from the great age of the millennium
that the interred will come out of their tombs.

75
So much awaited he will never come back
within Europe, in Asia appearing
on of the league issued from great Hermes,
and above all Oriental kings he will grow.

81
Treasure put in a temple by Western citizens
within which taken to a secret place,
the temple opens the hungry bonds.
Retaken, ravished, a horrible prey in the mist.

90
One hundred times dies the inhuman tyrant.
Put in his place wise and carefree,
all the senate will be within his hand,
angered by an evil hothead.

100
The great empire will be for England,
the most powerful for more than three hundred years:
large armies cross by land and sea,
the Portuguese will not be content.

Completed
2/17/1999
Revised
7/11/2004