Vaticinium Ex Eventu

What does “vaticinium ex eventu” really mean? Loosely translated as “Prophecy from the event,” but more to the point, a prophecy written after an event; however, the prophecy is written in such a way as to look like it was written before the event.

I was looking up a rhetorical term, another one, and most of the formal rhetoric is named in Latin. Or, “Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.”

Armchair astrology has its proponents and possibilities. There is a need for certain historical perspective. One of my most frequent questions is, “What was happening at (such-and-such a date)?” I tend towards a date range and the answer I’m fishing for?

‘Won the lottery, got a promotion, ex-wife left me, ex-husband was jailed.’ All good news.

There’s always an opposite reaction, too, “Business failed, facing foreclosure, wife left me, husband left me, life sucked.” All bad news.

While I tend towards the happy stuff, I’ve found that bookmarks, astrological or otherwise, are useful. What was happening then is a reflection on what is happening now, or, in personal consultation, what will be happening. Extrapolate from the trends.

What I do.

Which is why the warning is about that Latin phrase, watch for it, here it comes, “Vaticinium Ex Eventu.”