Re: VMs: The Star Chart on f68r3

[Nick Pelling <incoming@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Robert,

Herbals generally fall into two categories - "copyist" and "empiricist" - 
and the VMS definitely seems to fall within the latter (as well as 
"fantasist", though that might be from bad copying).

This empiricist mindset (coupled with the apparent lack of a metaphorical 
dimension to the diagrams) leads me to assert this: whenever you see a 
diagram in the VMS, the most appropriate first reaction should be to 
analyse its structure *literally*, as a mode of information representation 
- perhaps not a familiar mode, but as the manuscript apparently dates from 
well before the establishment of modern diagrammatic cliches, that's not 
entirely surprising. :-)

So: thus far, you're doing extremely well! :-)

Looking afresh at f68r3, then, I'm very comfortable with your proposed 
identification with the night sky stars: but as the central figure looks 
like a fairly full moon, would its light have overpowered the light from 
the stars around it? My Astronomy O-Level hasn't equipped me to answer 
this. :-o

Here's an alternate reading to consider - if it were instead a drawing of 
the night sky during a *lunar eclipse*, then the stars around it might 
become more clearly visible (in a medieval / late modern context, ie 
without significant light pollution). For an empiricist astronomer, this 
kind of event would probably be something of interest worth recording (in 
some way).

May I therefore suggest checking to see if historically a lunar eclipse 
occurred with the moon roughly at that same position in the night sky as 
before?

Also: as I believe both the 9-rosette map page and the cipherbet have close 
links with Milan, you might also consider moving your (virtual) location 
there: 45 degrees 27' N  9 degrees 17' E. :-)

Keep going, this is fascinating! :-)

Cheers, .....Nick Pelling.....

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