Anthony Russell
Period 2
Mrs. Ryan
10-7-05
NOSTRADAMUS AND HIS PROPHECIES
Cinq et quarante degrees ciel brulera feu approacher de la grande cite neuve: instant grande flame eparse sautera quanta on coudra des Normans gaire preuve. These are the words of Michel de Nostradamus. In English it means at forty-five degrees the sky will burn, Fire to approach the great new city: In an instant a great scattered flame will leap up, when one will want to demand proof of the Normans. Many people believe that this is the prediction for what happened on September 11, 2001. And many don¡¦t. He has predicted many events. The rise and fall of empires, natural disasters and man made disasters, and even wars. In the next few paragraphs you will come to find out more about Nostradamus the man who saw the future.
He was born Michel De Nostredame, better known as Nostradamus, on December 14 1503 in Italy. In his early years he showed the signs of a very fine mind. His grandfather asked his parents to be brought up to his home so he started his education at a very early age by his Grandfather Jean Nostredame. His education included mathematics, Latin, Greek and Hebrew and his favorite astrology. When his grandfather died Michel went back to his home where his other grandfather took up the rest of his education. When he died, Michel was fifteen and was sent to Avignon, a university, where he studied astrology until he was twenty. He would wonder from place to place for the next couple years of his life. As he wondered he published many books of prophecies which made him famous.
The prophecies are written as four-lined rhymed verses (quatrains) in vague, often cryptic language. Nostradamus' fondness for anagrams and his penchant for sprinkling his ...