Reading Robert Harris’ vivid and splendid new novel Imperium re-ignites my interest in Ancient Roman history and the Sybil – the prophetesses who read for the empire. How I wish we had their like today, as opposed to the legion of henna-haired "channellers" and their rip-off psychic phonelines milking the vulnerable at £1.50 a minute (most credit cards welcome).
The nearest contemporary Britain can claim to the Sybil is the cheapo annual Old Moore’s Almanack and its horrible Flash Gordon monochrome graphics. Yet it's this I turn to occasionally during national or international dramas, in the hope of alighting on an instructive astrological prediction, if only to requisition it in the shaping of a dinner party opinion that may make me look perceptive if not psychic in hindsight.
So I open up the edition for 2007 and turn to the month of July, for it is then that Tony Blair promises to step down having resigned in May prior to a leadership election. And I am intrigued to read the following:
“The Sun and Moon are on the Midheaven at London pointing to somewhat greater popularity for the government. Radical changes both in policy and personnel are possible, and will be carried out very smoothly.”
A “smooth and orderly transition” even? Can it be possible that the Pluto-diminished heavens had already pronounced death on Blair’s premiership, as far back as sometime before September 2005 when Dr Francis Moore drew up his horoscopes?
We shall see.
Of course there’s no indication whether we're actually due a new PM in July or whether he will be Gordon Brown. Yet is there a clue for August? National celebrations are foreseen as “old-fashioned values are reasserted” with more and more people getting married – perhaps the now ex-Chancellor will have introduced more tax incentives to get hitched. The Gord has never much cared for Tony’s social liberalism, so you never know ….
Still, whoever takes over whenever, it’s predicted that by November the government will be embroiled in “scandals at the highest level”, so plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.
The nearest contemporary Britain can claim to the Sybil is the cheapo annual Old Moore’s Almanack and its horrible Flash Gordon monochrome graphics. Yet it's this I turn to occasionally during national or international dramas, in the hope of alighting on an instructive astrological prediction, if only to requisition it in the shaping of a dinner party opinion that may make me look perceptive if not psychic in hindsight.
So I open up the edition for 2007 and turn to the month of July, for it is then that Tony Blair promises to step down having resigned in May prior to a leadership election. And I am intrigued to read the following:
“The Sun and Moon are on the Midheaven at London pointing to somewhat greater popularity for the government. Radical changes both in policy and personnel are possible, and will be carried out very smoothly.”
A “smooth and orderly transition” even? Can it be possible that the Pluto-diminished heavens had already pronounced death on Blair’s premiership, as far back as sometime before September 2005 when Dr Francis Moore drew up his horoscopes?
We shall see.
Of course there’s no indication whether we're actually due a new PM in July or whether he will be Gordon Brown. Yet is there a clue for August? National celebrations are foreseen as “old-fashioned values are reasserted” with more and more people getting married – perhaps the now ex-Chancellor will have introduced more tax incentives to get hitched. The Gord has never much cared for Tony’s social liberalism, so you never know ….
Still, whoever takes over whenever, it’s predicted that by November the government will be embroiled in “scandals at the highest level”, so plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.
2 comments:
You probably know the BBC is reading aloud Imperium on BAB
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/book_bedtime.shtml
Yes I do, and thanks.
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