Man at all times strived to know the future and respected the soothsayers. Most often, all sorts of charlatans played the role of the latter. At first they were believed. Then they were disappointed and forgotten. And only the names of two famous soothsayers - Nostradamus and Vanga - attract attention to this day.
The predictions of Nostradamus and Vanga have been attracting people like a magnet for many years. Hundreds of books and thousands of scientific and pseudoscientific articles have been written and continue to be written on this topic. There are also people who have long ago turned these predictions into a very profitable business.
Nostradamus' prediction nebula
Nostradamus is the most famous clairvoyant on the planet. And the standard of the gift of great divination is invariably considered his prediction of the death of King Henry II, which came true even during the life of the soothsayer.
The young lion will defeat the old
During a solo big duel on the battlefield
His eyes will be scratched out in a golden cage, Two fleets will merge into one, then he
Will die a terrible death.
King Henry was indeed soon seriously wounded in a knightly tournament in a duel with the Earl of Montgomery and then died in terrible agony. Most immediately recognized Nostradamus as a great soothsayer. But skeptics strongly doubted this. Why a young lion and an old one, if the age difference between Henry and Montomeri is only 11 years old? Why is the cage golden (meaning the king's helmet), if armor has never been made of gold? And what are these two fleets that were supposed to merge into one?
Nostradamus himself won official recognition at court for this, and shortly before his death he received the post of royal physician and astrologer.
This example clearly shows the attitude of people to predictions. Everything that converges in them suits many. At the same time, they try not to notice obvious contradictions.
In general, the boats of Nostradamus are so vague and foggy that they can be interpreted in completely different ways. And you can interpret it as you like.
Great soothsayer Wanga
In Vanga, unlike Nostradamus, everything is much more specific. However, many of her divinations are so logical and natural that in order to do them, you do not need to be a predictor. For example, Wanga predicted the collapse of Nazi Germany in 1943. Probably only Hitler himself and some part of the German people doubted this. Or her words dated December 1980: “important leaders will leave their posts”, “there will also be new dictators”, “many will be swept out with a broom before the summer-autumn of 1983.” Considering the age and state of health of Brezhnev himself and almost all members of his Politburo, you must admit that it was not difficult for a mere mortal to guess about their imminent departure.
Yet most of Wanga's predictions are strikingly accurate. She predicted the deaths of American President Kennedy and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi within a month. Served in Butyrka prison for the prophecy of the imminent death of Stalin. It seems that she also knew about the upcoming flight of Gagarin into space and the landing of the Americans on the moon. She eventually predicted the exact date of her death.
Wanga also had erroneous predictions.
She, for example, predicted that in 2008 there will be a cure for cancer. But it still has not appeared.
And, in the end, the gift of Vanga as a soothsayer is generally recognized. Her name can be found even in scientific encyclopedias.
