Nostradamus C3 Q86: The European astrologer whose domination of rural areas precedes a great event.
Copyright: Allan Webber, December 2015

This verse is one of those that contributed most to my earliest views on how Nostradamus incorporated astronomic data into his poetry (See my paper on Astronomy for more). My attention was drawn to it because of similarities in its anagrams to that found in C2 Q35 where the anagrams for astronomers was accompanied by two adjacent anagrams for ill powers. I proposed this gave evidence for Nostradamus' strong interest in astronomy and his rejection of astrology. The current verse carries an anagram for astronomers (res ſa mort on) that is adjacent to one for graver (verra g) which is suggestive of arts to be condemned. It also carries an anagram for auspex (aux Eſp), one of the other divining arts with limited scientific basis. It too has pointers to things being ill and it has a vague hint of Satanism all of which is in a tale of a particular personal journey. This constructs a scenario in which an individual who rejects science and practices the art of astrology, not astronomy is the central character.  

Anagrams able to give meaning to this verse include:

1. Vanir regains nefandous auspex so none unchafed
2. Ferrare farmer remap deserted area Edda dated DNA remains ill
3. Singular atoms sauant longest-map ruing Auriga psalm
4. Atronomers repeal reillumed mass graver named overran

C3 Q86

A chief of Ausonia will go to Spain
By sea, he will make a stop in Marseilles:
Before his death he will linger a long time:
After his death one will see a great marvel.

Vn chef d'Auſonne aux Eſpaignes ira
Par mer fera arreſt de dans Marseille
Auant ſa mort vn long temps languira
Apres ſa mort on verra grand merueille.

Adjacent Anagrams plus Anagrams of highest merit. ( ~ means full line used)
Selection Order based on letter rarity, word and sequence length plus line completion

1. <Son Varies unchAfed (smooth) auSpex (observer of birds) gain> <nefAndous (appalling) pauxeS / auSpex Varies gain >
   
2. <israel Prearm rearS daMndest fear><~israel rareSt deMands Paler farmer~><amPler realisM sadden rareSt fear><farmer elliPse area><Mans dreadeSt><fear arreSted> <arMies reSt area sadden>
   
3. <Satan Aura><long ruing amplest><auriga (star = chariot ride) plans>matronS singular atomS
   
4. <~graver aStronomers rue ill named raPe~><~graver aStronomers ran reillumed Ape~> <reuile as motor relApse damn>unarmed moraSs overran

Table listing anagram occurrences (1-23) in Nostradamus' Prophecies

1: damndest, reillumed, 
2: nefandous, singular, Auriga, graver,
3: astronomers, unchafed, dreadest,
4: Psalm ten, reframe, root,
5: Marseilles, chafed, Ferrara, farmer, ruing, nouns,
6: reillume, demands, Maenads, morass, psalm, atoms,
7: datedness, realisms, amplest, motor, varies,
8: unarmed, auspex / pauxes,
9: arrested, ellipse, overran, Vanir, dated,
10: sample,
11: -,
12: mass,
13: plans,
14: matrons, realism, 
15: damns, aria,
16: retards / traders,
17: grandma, resign / reigns / singer, fad,
18: slang,
19: -,
20: amends, aunts, mast,
21: Oannes, amos (2x),
22: -,
23: -.

Key Ideas:

damndest, astronomers, reillumed, graver, Auriga, nefandous, Psalm Ten, singular root, reframe, dreadest, auspex, Marseilles, Ferrar, farmer demands, atoms, morass, ellipse, dated, overran, unarmed, Vanir, realism, arrested, mass, sample, plans, grandma, aunts, matrons, resign.