Codex Taurinensis C VII 15

Introduction

The following description of Codex Taurinensis C VII 15 (CCAG IV cod. 5) fol. 60v (novae paginationis) is translated from a German description in Hübner (1975), pp.386-388 (1). Its interest for the Voynich MS lies in its similarity to the illustration on f67r2, and the sign of Aries which looks very similar to a symbol found on Voynich MS f1r. Unfortunately, I have no other information about this MS, but it should be very interesting to find more about it: where it is now, and if there is any edition of it. The library in which is was kept: Biblioteca Nazionale di Torino, was struck by a disastrous fire, one year after the appearance of Boll, and many Greek MSs were lost. The fate of this MS is at the moment unknown.

Comparison between the illustration and Voynich MS f67r2

MS. Taur. C VII 15	fol. 67r2

Comparison between the Aries symbol and Voynich MS f1r

	Aries symbol in MS Taurinensis
	Left: 'weirdoes' on Voynich MS folio 1r.

Start of translation of Boll

A circular diagram with twelve sectors, not listed in the CCAG (cf. fol. 63r) and two concentric rings. The outer sectors appear to contain the properties of the signs themselves, the inner ones the properties of those born under the sign, as can be deduced from comparisons with other greek zodiacs (CCAG IV, p.158-169; X p. 102-121, 212-227; XI 2 p. 115-118 etc,)

The caption is written around the inner circle.

I am using the following notation for the Greek alphabet:

a   b   g   d   e   z 
y   th  i/j k   l   m
n   x   o   p   r   s 
t   u   ph  ch  ps  w 

Note: j is iota subscriptum.

Caption:

peri enos ekastou zwjdiou to phusikon kai peri agathwn kai
ponyrwn kai mesaiwn pragmatwn

Segments, outer / inner:

Krios agathon tropikon / o Krios prajos kai galynos tapeinos
agathos kai eutuchos. pur.

Tauros mesaion stereon / o Tauros eutuchos, alla kai
thumwdys. gys.

Didumoi [[a]]gathon diswmon / o Didumos oligopsuchos kai
gorgos sugkatabatikos. ayr.

Karkinos me[[saion]] tropikon / o Karkinos my prokoptei kai
anwpistos. udwr.

Lewn ponyron stereon / o Leoon upokruphos thumwdys kai
eutuchos, esti de tous l' [superscript bar] chronous kai
anoo panu eutuchestatos. pur.

Parthenos agathon disoomon / y Parthenos agny kai sophy kai
eleymwn. gys.

Zugos mesaion tropikon / o Zugos dikaios kai metadotikos.
ayr.

Skorpios ponyron stereon / o Skorpios orgilos kai thumwdys,
katadotys kai adikos. udwr.

Toxotys mesaion diswmon / o Toxotys dynatos kai eutuchys en
polemois. pur.

Aigokerws ponyron tropikon / o Aigokeroos zylophthonos kai
aneleymwn. gys.

Udrochoos stereon agathon / o Udrocho:os en pasi eumenws
blepei, agathos kai kalos kai pasin eleei. otan de
thumwthyj, physon ke' [superscript bar]. o ayr. 

Ichthues agathon diswmon / o Ichthus glukus agathopoios
metadotikos philochenos, philei de kai tyn sarka. udwr

German translation of the Greek

Die Natur jedes einzelnen Tierkreiszeichens und die guten, schlimmen und mittlere Dinge.

Widder: gut wechselhaft / Der Widder (ist) sanft und ruhig, niedrig, gut und erfolgreich. Feuer.

Stier: in der Mitte, beständig / Der Stier (ist) erfolgreich, aber auch wild. Erde.

Zwillinge: gut doppelkörperlich / Der Zwilling (ist) kleinmütig und schrecklich, sich auf etwas einlassend. Luft.

Krebs: in der Mitte, wechselhaft / Der Krebs kommt nicht voran und (ist) unbeachtet. Wasser.

Löwe: schlimm beständig / Der Löwe (ist) versteckt, wild und ...

(To be continued)

Notes

1

See Hübner (1975).