{$I=Z $Q=K $P=H} # Last edited on 1998-10-09 03:25:19 by stolfi # # Identification: # # Title: "Libra" # Page: f72v1 = KH (Rene) = p142 (Stolfi) # Folio: f72 # Panels: f72v1 # Bifolio: bK1 = f71+f72 # Quire: K (Rene) = XI (Beinecke) # # This page is the innermost verso panel of an eight-panel fold-out. # # Attributes: # # Language: ? (Currier) # Hand: ? (Currier) # Subsets: Z (Rene), zod (Stolfi) # Subject: zodiac # Colors: yellow(stars) (Reeds) # # Description: # # [To be checked and completed] # # Six faint, mostly concentric, mechanically drawn circles delimit # three rings of text. The outer ring runs right up to the binding # gutter on the right. There may be a wider word gap at 09:00 (but # the image is very poor there). A radial stroke cuts across the # middle ring at 08:30 (may be a modern scribble). # # The two circles that delimit the inner ring of text are quite # irregular. # # Inside the inner ring there is a two-plate balance scale, # slightly offset to the right. The beam is a narrow rectangular # ruler, with a darker stripe running down its middle. The pivot is # not visible, but seems to be fixed at the bottom of an upright # rectangular frame, with a handle or ring on top (partly hidden # under the innermost text ring). A narrow triangular pointer rises # from the beam's midpoint up to the top of the supporting frame. An # object resembling a sliding counterweight seems to be resting over # the beam, a little to the left of the pivot. Each end of the beam # has a thin horizontal extension, from whose tip there hangs a # hemispherical cup with thick walls, supported by three or four # straight threads or wires. # # Below the scale there is a single word in non-Voynich script, # apparently "oct~ebre" in lowercase Latin cursive (with a # tilde or macron over the "te"). # # Between the bands of text, there are two bands of naked figures # ("nymphs"), 10 in the inner one, 20 in the outer one. Most of them # are clearly female (visible breasts, long hair). All nymphs are naked, # mostly in 3/4 view (between frontal and facing clockwise). # # A hole in the vellum, less than 5mm across, covers a small segment # of the middle ring. at 03:00. The preceding word runs up to the # hole, but is apparently whole. A nymph in the inner band, at # 03:15, also has the hair squeezed against the hole. # # The outer nymph at 12:15 wears a crown, consisting of a ring of # flaring triangular points, each with a dot; and a dome with double # outline, topped by a spike or cross (too small to tell). # # Each nymph is holding or pointing to a star. # # There is a Voynichese label just clockwise of each nymph. # # Comments: # # The scale is the standard symbol for the sign of Libra. # Libra is from ??? to ???. # # The stroke at 08:30, if original, suggests that the text should be # read starting from there. # # The way f72v3 overlaps f72v2 indicates that they were drawn in # that order. # # The drawing of the balance is very accurate in all details, in # spite of the relatively crude perspective and technique. It looks # as if the author was very familiar with the instrument. I suspect # that the model may be more appropriate for a druggist than for a # grocer. # # The details of the drawings around the hole suggest that the # hole was already there when the drawing was made. # ## {} # outer text ring # Last edited on 1998-12-19 19:15:33 by stolfi # # No obvious starting place; # Transcribed clockwise from unreadable area at left # !!!!!otar.air.chpaly.oteody.okchesal.otear.alshey.oleealy.sh*etey.oteos.alal.dal s.alchol.ytolaiin.ydaiin.chotar.ytal.oto.shoty.otey.okchedyly.shdary.sar.ote!dy. oto.r!ar.shedy.!opshey!tey.opairaly.choshydy.otar.cheedy.otalaiin.cheeky.okalar. ysr*y.s.ok*s*t*.oteos.alar. ***.**lor,air.chpaly.oteody.okchedal.otear.alshey.oleealy.sh*!key.oteas.alal.dal s,alchol.ytolaiin.ydaiin.chotar.ytal.oto.shoty.otey.okched**y.chd**!.dar.oteedy. oto!r.*r.shedy,*opshry,tey.opa!raly.ch*shydy.ot**.**!!!*.**!!!!!*.**!!!*.*!!!**. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% # ## {} # Labels on stars, Libra, outer ring # Last edited on 1998-12-09 18:59:32 by stolfi # # Numbers by John Grove # # Weirdos: # # oeeoty= oeeaty={Grove's #1} # octhy= octhy={Grove's #2} # oteoly= oteoly={Grove's #3} # okeoly= okeoly={Grove's #4} # oeees= oeees={Grove's #5} # ocf{&F}shy= ocf!!!!shy={Grove's 6, or possibly the queen} # oees= oees={Grove's #7, or possibly the queen} # okeeoly= okeealy={Grove's #8} # odal= o*al={Grove's #9} # aiinod= aiinod={Grove's #10} # odody= odamy={Grove's #11} # oteod= oteod={Grove's #12} # yteod= yteo!={Grove's #13} # okchedy= okchody={Grove's #14} # okyl= okal={Grove's #15} # ytaly= ytaly={Grove's #16} # ocheos= oeeeos={Grove's #17} # oteofy= oteofy={Grove's #18} # cheoepy= cheoepy={Grove's #19} # ykee!dy= ykeeodg={Grove's #20} # ## {} # middle ring of text # Last edited on 1998-12-09 18:57:41 by stolfi # # No obvious starting place. # Transcribed clockwise from radial stroke at 08:30 # (which may be a modern scribble...) # otar!iir.otol!topar.oteol.aiin.ofas.al.otshedy.ofalar.alshdy.chpar.aiin.okaly.ok ar-{hole}yaly.opcheolfy.op!ar.cheoekey.otol!opaiin.shaldy.chepchy.atey.tear- {stroke} otar,iir.otol,topar.oteal,aiin,ofar,al.otshedy.ofalar.alshdy.chpar,aiin.okaly.ok a*-{hole}yaly.ofcheolfy.op**r.chechkey.otal,opaiin.shaldy.chepchy.otey,t**r- {stroke} # ## {} # Labels on stars, Libra, inner ring # Last edited on 1998-12-08 09:32:54 by stolfi # # Numbers by John Grove # oeeoly= oeeoly={Grove's #1} # okady= okydy={Grove's #2} # okeey= okeey={Grove's #3} # oiiny= oiiny={Grove's #4} # oeey= oeey={Grove's #5} # okedy= okedy={Grove's #6} # ypain= ypaim={Grove's #7} # okalair= okalair={Grove's #8} # oeeody= oeeody={Grove's #9} # okeol= okeol={Grove's #10} # ## {} # inner ring of text # Last edited on 1998-12-09 18:58:29 by stolfi # # Transcribed clockwise from slightly wider gap at 09:00 # otal!al.dalal.ykeols.oteo!s.aiin.y!otoam.oteey.saiin.oteoos.am. otol,al.dalal.ykeols.oteo,s,aiin.*,otoam.oteey,saiin.o!eeor,am. #