ASTÉRIX AND THE SOOTHSAYER IN DÉCINES-CHARPIEU

Today, Joseph de Ca'th Lon, Claire Fontaine and The Grandma are in Décines-Charpieu, Lyon where this afternoon the Northern Star has an important match. 

Claire has just arrived by train to join her friends. During the trip, she has been reading a new adventure of the most famous Gaul, Astérix and the Soothsayer.

Astérix and the Soothsayer, in French Le Devin, is the nineteenth volume of the Astérix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was originally serialized in Pilote issues 652-673 in 1972.

In this story, Prolix the soothsayer claims that the village of the Gauls will become polluted by a divine curse. Astérix thinks that the man is a charlatan, and his fellow villagers are concerned about sacrilege.

With a more adult-theme which started with Astérix and the Roman Agent, the story revolves around the superstitions of the people at the time (Gauls and Romans alike) and of today, and parodies the general gullibility of humanity.

The story includes an illustration of the Roman and Gaulish pantheon of gods. In that illustration, Uderzo includes a drawing of his own country home, and a soothsayer's fantastical prediction of the future is illustrated by a photograph of La Défense, the modern district of skyscrapers outside Paris.

An Augur tells Caesar that as long as Brutus is near you...you will have nothing to fear, in the authors' reference to Caesar's murder by his hands.

Key Lessons From Astérix and the Soothsayer

-Skepticism over Superstition. The story teaches us to apply critical thinking rather than blindly believing charismatic charlatans who prey on fear and the desire to know the future.

-The Danger of Gullibility. Even sensible people can fall for scams when a fraudster tells them what they want to hear or plays effectively on their anxieties.

-Common Sense Defeats Fraud. Astérix demonstrates that calm logic and observational proof are far more powerful weapons against manipulation than panic or belief in curses.

-Unity and Resilience. The village overcomes outside infiltration and manipulation because community solidarity and collective action ultimately restore order.

Download Astérix and the Soothsayer by R. Goscinny & A. Uderzo

Après la pluie viendra le beau temps.

After the rain, the fine weather will come.

Prolix