Page f67r2

[f67r1]  [index]  [f67v2]

Identification

  Title: "The seven planets"
  Page: f67r2 = IB (Rene) = p120 (Stolfi)
  Folio: f67
  Panels: f67r2
  Bifolio: bI1 = f67+f68
  Quire: I (Rene) = IX (Beinecke)

  This is the outermost recto panel of a four-panel fold-out.
  Also listed as page 124

Attributes

  Language: ? (Currier)
  Hand: ? (Currier)
  Subsets: A (Rene), cos (Stolfi)
  Subject: astronomical
  Colors: tan,red(some_writing) (Reeds), brick+yellow(moons),red(2nd_text_line) (Rene)

Description

  A circular diagram, defined by 7 concentric mechanically drawn
  circles.

  Circles 1 and 2 (from the outside in) define a narrow band of
  decoration, consisting of 24 copies of a "scroll"-like or
  "resistor"-like object. Circles 3 and 4 define another narrow
  empty band; same for circles 6 and 7.

  Between circles 2 and 3 there is a band of coloured (red?) text,
  consisting of 12 phrases separated by wide gaps (unit Y). They
  don't line up perfectly with inner sectors (see below), but appear
  to be spaced as if the intent was there.

  Between circles 4 and 5 there is a broad band, divided into 12
  sectors by straight radial lines, unevenly spaced. Each sector
  contains two or three lines of text, reading clockwise, with straight
  or curved baselines (unit C).  

  Near the bottom (innner) edge of each sector there is a round moon
  with crescent shadow and human face. Seven of the moons have a
  label just above (i.e. outwards of) them (unit L).

  This table shows the number of lines in units "C" and "L" and the
  moon colours (light/medium/dark), starting from 08:30:

    O'clock   08: 09: 10: 11:   00: 01: 02: 03:   04: 05: 06: 07: (+:30)
    Number    #01 #02 #03 #04   #05 #06 #07 #08   #09 #10 #11 #12

    C lines   3.5 2.0 3.0 3.0   2.5 2.0 2.0 2.0   2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0
    L labels  --  lab --  lab   --  lab lab lab   lab --  --  lab
    colours   lt  dk  lt  dk    md  dk  lt  lt    dk  dk  lt  dk 

  Between circles 5 and 6 there is a single row of text, containing 12
  labels (unit X), apparently associated with the sectors and/or
  moons in the band above.

  Inside circle 7 there is another ring of text, with 8 erratically spaced
  labels (unit Z).

  At the center of the diagram there is an eight-pointed star/flower
  with an "orange slice" background.  The eight arms are not
  particularly aligned with the 8 labels of the innermost text circle.
  The star arm at 08:30 has a dotted tail extending out between two
  labels.

  Below the diagram there is a normal-looking paragraph (unit P)
  with 3.0 lines. According to John Grove these are only lines in
  the MS that are ruled.  The center line of text is coloured (red?)
  and its strokes seem to be heavier than those of the other two.

  Rene [04 Apr 1999] reports that the "b"[???] is in pencil.

Comments

  It is possible that the text in all the sectors between radial
  lines 10:00 and 5:00 comprises a single paragraph with three and a
  half lines. The same can be said of the remaining sectors.

  Robert Firth once suggested that the seven named moons may be the
  the seven Ptolemaic planets.

  Since line 2 of the paragraph is colored, each line is probably
  a separate sentence.

References

[f67r1]  [index]  [f67v2]