Page f70v2
[f70r2] [index] [f70v1]
Identification
Title: "Pisces"
Page: f70v2 = JE (Rene) = p133 (Stolfi) = 135 (Reeds)
Folio: f70
Panels: f70v2
Bifolio: bJ1 = f69+f70
Quire: J (Rene) = X (Beinecke)
This page spans the two outer verso panels of a six-panel fold-out.
The outermost panel is narrower than normal panels.
Newbold calls this 70r.
Figure 26 on page 172 of Levitov's book.
Roe, 8th September 1993
Machine translated from a transcription in Bennett notation of 16/04/90
Attributes
Language: ? (Currier)
Hand: ? (Currier)
Subsets: Z (Rene), zod (Stolfi)
Subject: zodiac
Colors: green,blue,red(sparingly,mouths),yellow(stars) (Reeds), green(hor_tubes),blue(some_nymphs_hair),blue(fish_fins,fish_lines) (Rene)
Description
Three concentric rings of text (units "R1" through "R3", inner to
outer), each bounded by a pair of faint, mechanically drawn
circles.
Just outside the innermost ring of text there is a narrow band of
abstract decoration (Greek-like meanders, notched strips,
hatching, etc., and "notched square" motifs), delimited by another
mechanical circle.
One can see a small portion (the Northwest quarter, mostly) of
another mechanical circle, just inside the middle ring of text.
This arc of circle appears to bound, and even clip, the "nymph"
drawings inside it (see below).
In the centre of the diagram there are two fish, the top one
facing West, the bootom one facing East. Each fish has a long,
smooth, pointed snout (vaguely like a tapir's) and horizontal
mouth (the top fish is smiling, the other is sad). The body is
slender like a sturgeon's, with four rows of coarse scales.
To the body are attached a triangular tail, pectoral and ventral fins
(presumably paired), and two short dorsal fins (one just behind
the head, one 2/3 of the way to the tailfin). The tailfin is lobed
and divided into "feathers", like a bird's tail.
Rene reports [04 Apr 1999] that the fishes are drawn in the same
ink as the text; while the "month name" is in slightly darker ink.
There is a seven-pointed star above the fish, with a Voynichese
label (unit C); and another one below, unlabeled. Between the
two fish there is a word in non-Voynich script, whose strokes
seem thicker and more angular than the Voynichese label above.
Two thin threads connect the fishes' mouths to the top star. The
threads merge just below the star, and connect to it between its
two lower rays. Both threads run clockwise; the lower one passing
below the fishes, thickens shortly after leaving the fish's mouth,
and at its lowest point it sends off a branch that connects to the
highest ray of the bottom star.
Between the inner and middle rings of text there is a broad band
containing 10 human figures or "nymphs", each coming out of a
horizontal cylinder, painted green. These cylinders look like
sections of drainage pipe, with flanges at both ends (cf. f78r).
All cylinders, except the one at 11:00, open counterclockwise, and
the nymphs face in the same direction. The nymphs have most of
their legs inserted horizontally into the "pipes", but bend quite
unnaturaly, bacwards or sideways, so that their torso is upright
(i.e. radial, with the head outwards).
Between the middle and the outer text rings are 19 (not 20)
nymphs. All are standing (radially, with the head outwards); all
are in frontal view, or slightly turned towards the clockwise
direction. Each of these nymphs is inside an upright barrel or
basket, reaching up to her waist (with only a couple of
exceptions). In proportion to the nymph, the barrel is about two
feet wide, and has a "lip" a couple of inches wide. All barrels
are decorated with various abstract patterns---stripes, hatchings,
circles, waves, etc.. The base of the barrel is hidden by the text
band. The four nymphs at the top, between 11:00 and 01:00 are
smaller and more cramped than the rest (and so are their barrels).
All figures are naked, and seem to be female: all have (or may
have) full breasts, and many have visible nipples. (But the inner
nymph at 09:00 seems to have nipples below her breasts.)
There is a star (or flower) next to each nymph, supported by a
wire-like tail---sometimes straight, sometimes S-shaped. All inner
nymphs except 10:00, 09:00, 08:00 are holding their stars by the
"tails". All other nymphs have their hands hidden inside the
barrels, and the star tails are coming out of the containers or
cylinders.
Each of the 29 figures is labeled with a ``word'' or phrase of
Voynich text (text units "S1" and "S2", inner and outer bands).
The spacing suggests the label is always placed at the right (i.e.
clockwise) of the corresponding nymph.
The following table summarizes the nymph attributes. The "spos"
column says whether the star is placed clockwise ("cw") or
counterclockwise ("ccw") of the nymph; for inner nymphs that is
also the direction where the tube is open. The "hold" column says
whether the nymph is holding the star (by a ray, or by the tail if
present). The "brst" column tells whether the nymph has visible
female breasts.
band label place brst spos tail hold notes
----- ----- ----- ---- --- ---- ---- ----------------------
inner S1.1 11:30 ? cw no yes
inner S1.2 00:15 ? ccw no yes right arm raised
inner S1.3 01:30 ? ccw yes yes?
inner S1.4 03:00 yes ccw yes yes
inner S1.5 04:15 yes ccw yes yes
inner S1.6 05:30 yes ccw no no
inner S1.7 06:15 yes ccw no yes
inner S1.8 07:30 ? ccw no ? on top of fold
inner S1.9 09:00 yes ccw yes no nipples under breasts?
inner S1.10 10:15 ? ccw yes no
outer S2.1 11:30 no cw yes no smaller
outer S2.2 11:45 no cw yes no smaller
outer S2.3 00:15 yes cw yes no smaller
outer S2.4 00:30 yes cw yes no smaller
outer S2.5 01:00 yes cw yes no
outer S2.6 01:30 yes cw yes no
outer S2.7 02:00 yes cw yes no
outer S2.8 02:45 yes cw yes no
outer S2.9 03:30 yes cw yes no
outer S2.10 04:15 no cw yes no male?
outer S2.11 04:45 yes cw yes no
outer S2.12 05:30 yes cw yes no
outer S2.13 06:30 yes cw yes no
outer S2.14 07:00 no cw yes no
outer S2.15 07:45 yes cw yes no
outer S2.16 08:30 yes cw yes no
outer S2.17 09:30 yes cw yes no
outer S2.18 10:15 yes cw yes no
outer S2.19 10:45 yes cw yes no
There is a smudge right next to the left edge of panel f70v3,
which could be a couple of erased characters.
Comments
STYLE AND LAYOUT
Although the nypmhs are a bit awkwards and deformed, it looks as
if this drawing was done with more care than the other "Zodiac"
diagrams. (However, this impression may be due simply to better
preervation or reproduction.)
The fishes look quite realistic, except for the mouths. However
they may have been "invented" rather than copied from real models.
The barrels in the outer group are not well drawn; the sides are
neither parallel nor radial (i.e.vertical), especially in the one
at 10:45. The perspective is not quite correct ---the top is
tilted too much towards the viewer, and in four cases (05:30,
06:30, 10:15, 10:45) it is drawn as an eye, not an ellipse. The
decoration however curves around the barrel, as it should.
It seems that the artist planned to add another band of decoration
just inside the middle text ring. He/she lightly sketched the
inner bounding circle of that band, and carefully avoided it while
drawing the inner nymphs from 08:00 to 01:00. (By the way, this
explains why the nymph at 07:30 has her face crammed against the
fold.) But the nymphs from 01:00 to 08:00 overflowed that circle
(perhaps because it was too faint in those parts), and the band
was left undecorated.
From the kinks in the circles, and the appearance of figures and
text near the fold, its seems that the fold was already present
when the drawing was made.
THE FISH EMBLEM
The two fish are obviously the astrological symbol for Pisces,
which is February 20th to March 20th.
Rene Zandbergen [23 Feb 96] reports seeing an illustration of the
Pisces symbol [2] very similar to the center picture of f70v2, in
anatomy and proportions.
Rene [14 Mar 1997] notes that whenever there are two things in a
zodiac symbol (Cancer, Libra), or two copies of a diagram (Taurus,
Aries), one is light and the other is dark; but pisces is an
exception. (But "dark" and "light" may be just reproduction noise;
we should look at the original colors.)
THE "MONTH NAME"
The word between the fish could be "(m|n)((a|ci)(v|r)|w)(c|g)" in
Latin script, and is traditionally read "mars". Mars is French for
March. The first letter resembles the last letter of <f116v.P.1>
(the "michiton" line).
THE CENTRAL STARS
Don Latham [25 Apr 1997] notes that the star must be al-rischa
(the rope-knot) from his constellation atlas. [The label is
"otolal" in the best transcription.] Rene [5 Jan 1998] reports
howeer that "alrischa" is a late assignment.
Mark Sulla [26 Apr 1997] adds that
Hipparchos and Ptolemy called it "sundesmos ton ikhthuon" or
"ton linon". Cicero et al called it "nodus", or "nodus
caelestis" and "nodus piscium" Pliny called it the "commissura
Piscium" The Almagest called it "nodus duorum filorum". The
asterism of the threads was variously called "vincla",
"alligamentum" "linteum" or "luteum". Hevelius subdivided it
into the "linum boream" and "austrinum". [1]
Rene [28 Apr 1997] observes however that the label need not be the
name, it could be some indication of its position: X deg Y min. He
also notes that alrischa belongs with the *constellation* of
Pisces, not the *sign*.
Rene [28 Apr 1997] suggests that Polaris would be a possible
candidate for the star, on account of its distinguished position
in the VMS. Don Latham [] objects, why should Polaris be in
Pisces?
Denis Mardle [28 Apr 97] notes that "otolal" does not seem to
occur in his files, but "otalal" does occur on <f58r.11;F>,
<f68v3.O.1;C>, <f70v2.R1.1;C>, <f71r.15A;K>, <f72v1.R3.1;C>,
<f107r.22;F>.
THE TEXT RINGS
According to Denis Mardle [14 Mar 97], the nymphs in tubes suggest
that the diagram should be read from the inside out.
(Unfortunately most text unit have been numbered the other way...)
Denis also observes [14 Mar 97] that a line through the two stars
in the center points 11:00, and goes through the only inner nymph
who is facing clockwise. Stolfi [here] thinks that the odd nymph
was reversed so as to face the 12:00 gap, and the 12:00 nymph
(with oustretched arm), because that is the "important" place in
that band.
THE NYMPHS
Stolfi [11 Aug 1998] observes that f70v2 seems to go against the
general trend of the Zodiac section: as one goes from Aries to
Sagittarius, the nymphs get progressivley less clothed and more
exposed. So perhaps f70v2 was drawn after Aries.
Rene [14 Mar 1997] thinks that the nymphs coming out of tubes
strongly suggest birth (whether it be a person or the cosmos). On
the other hand, the disappearance of the barrels in subsequent
diagrams may be simply a result of the artist becoming more hasty.
Rene [14 Mar 1997] suggests also that the nymphs in tubes could
be linked with the alchemical concept of creation of a homunculus.
NYMPH/STAR COUNT
This folio is exceptional in having only 29 nymphs and stars. Rene
[8 May 1996] suggests that the star in the center may be the
missing 30th star. (But then why not count the other central star,
too?) He also mentions Pietro d'Abano, a 14th century occultist,
in whose astrological system each sign was divided into 30 "faces"
or parts.
Robert Firth [note 20] conjectures that the "29" was a mistake,
and the number should have been "30", like all other "months".
But that is the Pharaonic Egyptian calendar; why would anyone
revive it?
Stolfi [here] thinks the artist had planned to draw 20 nymphs in the
outer band, by drawing 4 small ones at the top, then 4 more in each of
the four quadrants. This he did in the first three quadrants, going
clockwise; but then he got confused (perhaps by the fold), and drew only
3 nymphs in the last quadrant, from 09:00 to 12:00.
THE STAR LABELS
Denis Mardle [27 Mar 97] notes that 16 of the star labels start
with EVA "ok", 8 start with "ot", 2 start with "yt" --- and yet all
are different.
Denis also notes that S1.13 and S1.14 both occur on Libra, f72v1.
Robert Firth [note 07] observes similarities between the nymph
labels on f72v2 and those in the Biological page f82v.
WHY PISCES?
Guy Thibault [4 Mar 1996] finds it strange that the VMS zodiac
begins with Pisces, instead of Aries as is usual in astrology.
Robert Firth [note 20] observes that the Egyptian year began in
our July, with the heliacal rising of Sirius.
Dan Moonhawk Alford [4 Mar 1996] and Adams Douglas [29 Apr 1997]
note that Pisces is actually astronomically correct (and has been
for many centuries). But Robert asks --- why, alone of all works
of Western astrology, is the Voynich Zodiac true to the stars?
Rayman Maleki [08 Sep 1997] says that a 15th century rebirth of
astrology and medicine gave Pisces astrological control over the
body. Pictures from this time often have a person standing firmly
on the fish. He mentions a drawing of an apothecary shop in Prague
that had two fish as symbol on the sign.
Rayman [08 Sep 1997] suggests that, alternatively, Pisces may be
the beginning of the planting year. Or the VMS may be a reading
for someone born in Pisces. Rene [17 Jul 1998] proposes as a
possible VMs author a certain George of Trebizond, who "had a firm
belief in astrology and wrote that his fated life was controlled
by his birth in the sign of Pisces." Moreover, he was once jailed
because of his `libido'.
Glen Claston [25 Feb 1998] says that he saw EVA "&169" used as a
power seal symbol related to Pisces, in a book on Honorius in an
occult shop, but the book gave no reference to its origin.
(Honorius was 13th? century but all related symbols in the
paperback were 14th century.)
Rene [21 Apr 1997] and Denis [24 Apr 97] mention a set of
conjuntions of Saturn and Jupiter in 1464, 1524 and 1583 in
Pisces; the 1524 was believed to announce a terrible deluge
because of the watery sign.
ZODIAC, OR SOMETHING ELSE?
Guy Thibault [4 Mar 1996] suggests that the signs could stand for
years in the life of an individual, and each nymph for a month;
and that the "kings' and "queens" could be real historical people.
The 9 nymphs in tubes of this picture could be the 9 months in the
womb. Robert Firth [note 07] proposes a similar idea - that the
"zodiac" is a list of "lucky" and "unlucky" days.
Rene [8 Mar 1996] takes up Guy's suggestion and estimates that the
individual shoudl have been 25-30 years old at the time of
writing, or died at that age. But there are 10, not 9 nymphs in
horizontal tubes, so this period is more likely post-natal than
pre-natal. As for kings and queens, he mentions that Agrippa's
sister became queen of Navarre...
References
[1] "Star Names, their Lore and Meaning", Dover, Richard Hinckley
Allen, p. 342 (re: Al Rischa).
[2] "The history of private life", volume 2 of 5. The caption says
"`La Manekine' which is in the Cambrai Library" (that should be
Cambrai in France).
[f70r2] [index] [f70v1]