#
# 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.
#
# D'Imperio figure 10, page 88 (center).
#
# Attributes:
#
# * Language: ? (Currier)
# * Hand: ? (Currier)
# * Subsets: Z (Rene), zod (Stolfi)
# * Subject: zodiac
# * Colors: yellow(stars) (Reeds), green(scales),blue(inside_scale_baskets) (Rene)
#
# Description:
#
# Six faint, mostly concentric, mechanically drawn circles delimit
# three rings of text (units µ{R1}, µ{R2}, µ{R3}, outside-in). The
# outer ring touches the binding gutter on the right, and is
# completely erased in the copy from 07:30 to 10:00. A radial stroke
# cuts across the middle ring at 08:30, and a much fainter one cuts
# the inner ring at 09:00.
#
# The two circles that delimit the inner ring of text are quite
# irregular, and on the left side they have been traced twice.
#
# 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 straight
# threads or wires.
#
# Below the scale there is a single word in non-Voynich script,
# apparently "oct~ebre" in lowercase cursive Roman script (with a
# tilde or macron over the "te").
#
# There may be some faded details in the blank spaces around the
# scale, especially in the upper left area and just below the scale.
# The manger on the opposite side of the folio (f72r1) is faintly visible
# just below the scale's right arm.
#
# Between the rings 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 complete. The nymph in the inner band at
# 03:15 is squeezed against the hole, but is complete, too. The
# innermost of the two circles that delimit the text ring stops a
# couple of mm before the hole, and resumes a couple of mm beyond
# it. When the fold-out is completely open one can see though the
# hole part of the 02:45 nymph from page f71v.
#
# There is a Voynichese label just clockwise of each nymph
# (units µ{S1} and µ{S2}, outer and inner).
#
# The outer nymph at 12:15 wears a crown, consisting of a ring of
# flaring, unequal triangular points, each with a small dot; and a
# dome with double outline, topped by a spike or cross (too small to
# tell). The nymph at 03:15 in the outer band seems to be wearing
# a shower cap. None of the other visible nymphs have any headgear.
#
# Each nymph is holding or touching a star with her left hand,
# usually at one of the star's lower rays. Most stars are filled
# with color. Her righ hand is usually held on her back, buttock,
# waist, hip, thigh, or belly; or the right arm is stretched down
# and back. The feet are generally hidden behind the text ring, but
# sometimes visible.
#
# The following table summarizes the nymph attributes. The "rays"
# column is the number of rays in each star; a "t" means that the
# star has a tail. The "hand" column gives the position of the
# right hand; a hour figure measn that the right arm is hel
# more or less straight, in that direction relative to the
# nymph.
#
# band label place hand rays notes
# ----- ----- ----- ----- ---- ----------------------
# inner S2.1 09:15 butt 8
# inner S2.2 10:15 hip 7
# inner S2.3 11:45 ribs 7
# inner S2.4 00:45 belly 7
# inner S2.5 01:45 belly 7
# inner S2.6 03:30 07:00 7 just after hole
# inner S2.7 05:00 butt 7
# inner S2.8 05:45 butt 8
# inner S2.9 07:30 butt 6
# inner S2.10 08:30 belly 8
#
# outer S1.1 09:00 belly ?
# outer S1.2 09:45 hip ?
# outer S1.3 10:15 07:30 8
# outer S1.4 10:45 hip 8?
# outer S1.5 11:15 hip 7? erased ray?
# outer S1.6 00:15 hip 8
# outer S1.7 00:45 hip 7 with crown; left foot half-raised
# outer S1.8 01:15 07:30 8 left foot raised
# outer S1.9 01:45 back 8
# outer S1.10 02:15 hip 8
# outer S1.11 02:45 hip 8
# outer S1.12 03:30 butt 9 with shower cap
# outer S1.13 04:00 waist 7? erased ray?; left foot half-raised
# outer S1.14 04:45 hip 7? left foot raised
# outer S1.15 05:00 07:00 7?t
# outer S1.16 05:45 hip 9
# outer S1.17 06:30 butt 8
# outer S1.18 07:00 hip 8 left foot raised
# outer S1.19 07:30 hip ? left foot half-raised
# outer S1.20 08:15 hip 8? left foot half-raised
#
# Rene [07 Apr 1999] observes that this folio is all curled up.
#
# There is some writing at the lower right corner:
# two illegible characters with a superscript that
# could be "m9" in Roman script.
#
# 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.
#
# The writing in the lower right corner is almost certainly the
# quire number, "???" in abbreviated Latin.
#
# Denis Mardle [27 Mar 1997] observes that two labels from Pisces
# page (<f70v2.S2.14> and <f70v2.S2.15>, old S1.13 and S1.14) occur
# on this page too (as <f72v1.S1.4> and <f72v1.S2.2>). Also that
# there are no repeated labels on this page. (To check.)
#
# References:
#
#
# Last edited on 1999-04-20 03:10:04 by stolfi