The Publius Enigma
Photo taken during a Pink Floyd concert
showing the words ‘Enigma Publius’
The Publius Enigma
The Publius Enigma is named after a messenger known only as Publius who posted clues on the Pink Floyd internet newsgroup, alt.music.pink-floyd, soon after the launch of The Division Bell world tour. These cryptic posts claimed that there was an enigma hidden within the artwork, music and lyrics of the album, and that an unspecified reward awaited the person or persons who solved the puzzle.
“The Division Bell is not like its predecessors. Although all great music is subject to multiple interpretations, in this case there is a central purpose and a designed solution. For the ingenious person (or group of persons) who recognizes this – and where this information points to – a unique prize has been secreted.”
Many Pink Floyd fans were skeptical, so Publius agreed to provide proof of his authenticity. On July 16th, 1994 he delivered a prediction:
“Monday, July 18, East Rutherford, New Jersey. Approximately 10:30pm. Flashing white lights. There is an enigma.”
On the night in question at approximately 10:30 p.m., white lights in front of the stage at the Pink Floyd concert in East Rutherford spelled out the words ENIGMA and PUBLIUS. (See photo at top of this page) Video of the Giants Stadium event can be seen on YouTube. (See video at bottom of this page)
The identity of Publius remains unknown, but the DavidGilmour.com FAQ contains an allusion:
“I’ve always wondered why in the lyrics to my favourite Division Bell song, ‘Take It Back’, there is a dash between the g and d in G-d. Some people simply take offence at taking the Lord’s name in vain. It was publishing’s very subtle way of keeping people from complaining about the abuse of God’s good name – and perhaps also to keep people focused on trying to figure out who Publius was instead!”
Current status of the Enigma
In April 2005, during a book signing of his biographical work Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason stated that the Publius Enigma did exist, that it had been instigated by the record company rather than the band, and that the prize was to have been a “crop of trees planted in a clear cut area of forest or something to that effect.”
“That was a ploy done by EMI. They had a man working for them who adored puzzles… He was working for EMI and suggested that a puzzle be created that could be followed on the Web. The prize was never given out. To this day it remains unsolved.”
Clues
Apparent clues to the existence and validity of the enigma which have appeared in Pink Floyd related media:
The artwork for the MiniDisc release of A Momentary Lapse of Reason contains the words “PUBLIUS” and “ENIGMA”.
The words “Publius Enigma” can be heard spoken just before the song One of These Days on the 2003 DVD release of Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii (Universal). Storm Thorgerson’s cover for John Harris’ book “The Dark Side of the Moon”, published by HarperCollins in 2005 prominently includes the word “ENIGMA” alongside an ellipsis (a regular feature of Genesis’ clues). Page 13 of the The Division Bell’s CD booklet contains an anagram of the word “enigma,” hidden in the third column from the right of the lyrics to Wearing the Inside Out.
11:11
- The page numbers of The Division Bell’s CD booklet are written in various languages and printed on silhouettes of the head statues shown on the cover of the album. Page 11 shows two head silhouettes. Printed on either one is the German word for eleven, “elf,” resulting in “elf elf,” or, “eleven eleven.”
- The trailer for the 2009 film 11:11 features the song “High Hopes.” “High Hopes” is the 11th track on The Division Bell.
- The release date of David Gilmour’s On An Island, March 6, 2006, is exactly eleven months and eleven years after the U.S. release date of The Division Bell, April 5, 1994.
- On June 11, 1994, Publius made his first enigma post to the Pink Floyd newsgroup. Eleven years later, on June 11, 2005, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright agreed to reunite as Pink Floyd for Live 8. During the broadcast (and as seen on the Live 8 DVD), the band took the stage just shortly after 11:00 p.m., and by 11:11, Pink Floyd were playing together as a four-man lineup for the first time in twenty four years.
Video clip of Pink Floyd Concert where “Publius” appears on stage.
It appears at 3:40 in this video.
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Please see the facebook Publius Enigma page… I’ve left enough information there that Mr Gilmour or someone from PF must contact me about the Enigma. I am truly serious… This is not a joke, though I bear the moniker ‘Eulenspiegel’. There is a reason. Thank you and cheers.
1111 come’s up in my live more than anything, it seems that every where ever i turn it is there from the clock on the wall to the to the credits on a penny slot machine 1111 never seem’s to end and it’s not always good, I was let go from my job on 11 11 of this year. Being board looking for a new job I been listening to a lot of CD’s while sitting on the computer. Pink Floyd seems to keep me from being stressed out. I have listened to all the albums i have so may times i was happy to find a CD in the player in a used car I purchced some time ago and had never listened to it, i was one somebody burnt on their computer and it only said DB on it. I finally played it and haven’t taken it out since. I am really hooked on “the rivers of belief”.
I have GREAT scientific reason to believe that I may at last have the answer to the Publius Enigma. I am currently finishing a paper on “the river belief” locale (Its location and relevance) and would like to know whether the band, or the website still would like to read not just an answer, but THE ANSWER. I understand that the time allowed is finished for the contest, but would like to solve it anyway if there have not yet been a satisfactory answer given to Pink Floyd. If there is a physical address you would like my paper to be mailed to, please email me. I will notarize and mail you the answer. Thank you. Dr. Steve Bayati.
High hopes, and the division bell and take it back and possibly others are about the dvision between beggining with creation of humans the division in heaven among the angels that stemmed from the creation of humans.The story on high hopes is about the lives of the spirit beings before the flood and there fall from “grace”.The ragged band are the spirits of the nephilim.The higher altitude is heaven the instrumental is the battle and the fallen angels (and or Azazels imprisonment)and the leading up to his release. The endless rivier should mean the creator of all things “Jehovah” but is possible meant toward Azazel. Azazel will be released 7-9-13. May Jehovah have mercy on us all.
well I’ve just find a mistake here.. the date of the concert live 8 is July 2 no July 11 as this post says.. so it’s not exactly 11 years after..
Is the Division Bell really the Division Belles? The 11th Book of the Bible in the 11th Chapter corresponds to the 1st Book of Kings and discusses how God will take away the Kingdom from Solomon because he loved “many strange women.” Here is the quote exactly:
“Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.”
He loved women/had wives and concubines from tribes he was not supposed to. Then in the next few lines, it says because David, Solomon’s father was such a person after God’s heart, that he wouldn’t do it in Solomon’s lifetime. So I don’t think it happened until Solomon’s grandson was on the throne.
At that point Israel was divided into two, with the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom was named Israel I think and the Southern, Judah. The Northern Kingdom was eventually carried off into captivity by I think the Assyrians and their identity as a people was lost. The Southern Kingdom was also carried off partailly to Assyria I think to but more definitely by Babylon where they kept their identity and religion and became the Jews.
So the Division Belles are the foreign women who seduced Solomon and caused the division of Israel. The song “Why don’t you talk to me” would be Solomon trying to talk to God after he sinned with the foreign women and built temples to the foreign Gods of those women.
11:11 might also refer to the 11th day of the 11th hour of the 11th month when armistice was signed ending WWI which then set the scene for the killing of the Jews in WWII. Maybe WWII and Hitler’s killings were in part God’s retribution against Solomon all of those years ago.
Also note that the Theory of British Israelism says the Northern Kingdom is still alive and well in our present time, just hidden. The Northern tribes include the tribes of Manasseh which is supposed to be the present day US in British Israelism; Ephraim which is supposed to be the UK; Gad which is supposed to be the Goths of Sweden; Dan which is supposed to be the Danites of Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Scandinavia in general and Ancient Greece; Reuben, which is supposed be France; Issachar which I personally think is Eastern Europe; Naphtali which is supposed to be Netherlands I think etc.
Also in British Israelism Germany is today the descendants of Assyria so their making the division of Israel permanent until the present day would have been revenged on the 11th day of the 11th hour of the 11th month in 1918.
So any way all of these problems would be due to Solomon’s seduction by the “Foreign belles” the Division Belles. Even our problems of today are caused by our seduction by the beautiful naked women we see on TV, movies, and in porn on our computers. they are the division belles and why God won’t talk to us. It’s not just their fault but also ours because of our own lusts…
The publiuS enigma is about the story of the ringing of the division bell,The reason for the mystery is because of the great difficulty in getting others to believe that the story is true and that Pink Floyd are affiliated with God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFDz3-Yq6HQ&feature=plcp
I was wondering when was the last known communication/
Email was from Publius
what was it and where can i find it.
I am new to this, but i am an explorer and puzzle lover
…if your out there publius, yes i would go,
no answers needed ___
i need to know, has anyone else seen the“ chart “ ?
smart cookie who put this together !
In just a few day, i hav uncovered alot, that it seems no one has seen
Right in front of us..
I have seen which one is pink ! V
And where 45 fits ! O
I am off to speak with a chemical engineer i think…
This is really fun.
I hope someone else is still up for the challenge.
But i dont mind going alone !
Just give me confirmation
There will be a winner this time
Many of you are close…. and yet so far. I have not given any clues for quite some time, and I believe the flame should be rekindled. The Enigma is back, although to many it never left, and this time it is not a contest but an EXPERIENCE. The answer is right in from of you. All of you look, yet you don’t see. The flame has been rekindled, and the Enigma will be solved.
-Publius
And by the way this will be my last time posting about this matter ever. No more hints or clues. It is up to you now. Solve the puzzles. Complete the Enigma. Beat of luck to you all. I have one last hint to offer: work together. Post these final two hints I have given to you on other pages/forums and discuss the matter because, after all, COMMUNICATION IS KEY.
-Publius
Hi Publius, I run this site and saw your message and must say I’m a little intrigued by your comments. You definitely sound like the other clues.
I compiled the article on this page, but other than that, I never really delved deep into the mystery of the Enigma, as others have.
Obviously this would be pretty big news, that new clues have emerged in this decades long riddle that (as far as I know?) still remains unsolved.
I see the comments here, and occasionally (rarely) some emails of very excited people claiming to have solved it. I have no idea how to respond to them, I usually just say “try posting in the forums and see what they think”.
Is there any way you can contact me or anything to somehow confirm your identity and this isn’t a hoax or a joke? I know confirming your identity isn’t probably easy, as I don’t think ‘Publius’ was ever actually identified? But maybe you have a picture of something that only Publius would have or something? Anything that can lend a little more credence than an anonymous comment would be greatly helpful.
I think people would definitely be interested if this indeed real, and I’d be glad to help spread the word about these new clues, but I feel before I start posting about this on the site or anywhere else, I better at least try and ask for some sort of proof.
I really hope this is real, but assuming you are who you say who you are, to be honest – I don’t think those clues are going to solve anything at this point, lol. They sound quite vague like the other clues I read about. It’s been almost 20 years and no one has officially solved it, so I think fans now would much rather have the answer to the riddle, especially if you plan on never giving any more clues and take it to your grave. But that is just my opinion, and maybe there is a really good clue in there that I don’t see, and this would be one of the worlds longest riddles/contests – but others might be able to pick up on.
Hope to hear from you – I can be reached at pink@floyd.com, or via the contact form here: http://www.pinkfloydonline.com/email-us/
Rest in peace Storm Thorgerson.
Such an amazing man, sadly missed by all of us.
I will b planting a tree at the end of the Rainbow for you shortly.
Hello to you Publius, long time no hear.
I must say, in such a few short months, I have done as you have said to do in order to work out the Enigma.
I have read so many posts from you who are trying to work it out.
As interesting and factually informative they are,
To me it seems none of you have actually heard “The message”
Pink Floyd have told us.
I have heard it.
I appreciate the Chain.
And I have turned and faced The Light. From where I am ,Australia.
I cannot wait to see it for real.
I only have a couple questions publius, I am guessing you have been busy over the last few years.
I wish to know, can I do this alone, if not,
How many do you need me to bring?
Hope to hear from you soon.
My friend, the time for questions is over. It the time for ACTIONS. Do as I have told. Spread my word. I can no longer help you anymore for it is up to YOU to solve my Enigma that has puzzled so many people for so many years. Go now. Spread my word. Solve the Enigma. Good Luck.
-Publius
Hello publius. thankyou for getting back to me.
Your words are so hard to spread, thru this fog in which we live.
Your message, so crystal clear to hear, is just not heard by so many !
I am taking Action, real shortly.
Delay due to funds, but plans are in place.
You must know, this is such a big decission for me, but, this is only one short lifetime we have.
Maybe see you on the dark side of the moon one day soon.
Ya know I first heard about this whole thing back in 2003 (Even though I actually went and saw then back in 1995, Of course I was only 10 then.) I’ll take a stab at it. After having done some research from time to time the only conclusion that I can come up with is this:
Technology has given us the ability to communicate in was we never thought possible. Unfortunately, for humanity, it has also driven us apart. Where people used to talk face to face, they only now communicate via the internet. Personal interaction is fading and in it’s place is a virtual world where personal relationships give way to anonymity and isolation. The very thing that was created to bring people together pulls them apart. and it is up to humanity to remember that no amount of virtual “friends” or “likes” can replace the connections that we as a species need to survive. Otherwise all we are, are the machines that we rely so heavily on.
There is my stab at…