Of course, browsing for Malachy, I came across Nostradamus. Sacred Texts actually gives the original text, instead of publishing wildly imaginative translations. And even this text, how "original" is it? There should be a much more philological work behind it to know what exactly he said.
Despite a certain fascination for Hamlet's "things on heaven and earth" not comprised in Horatio's philosophy, I mostly don't believe in prophecies - when did the world was supposed to end, 1999 or 2000?... Malachy said some interesting things, but I think in retrospect anything could be made to fit any pope. Hey, I found an interpretation nobody thought about: Pope Victor IV was "ex tetro carcere" - but of course! San Vittore, Milan's prison!
As for Nostradamus, it's even simpler. Either he was trying to say something political about specific contemporary France without risking his head, or he was having lots of fun at our expense with a spectacular funerary monument that would last for ages, or he was plain nuts. I don't rule out other explanations, as I said, but these sound more probable to me. Yet I find it fascinating to read the different interpretations and reactions to it. It helps relieving the pain of this polenta and mushrooms I cooked with too much salt. |