Re: VMs: A Possible Interpretation of the Four Figures, one with an Egg

[Eric <mynumberis2000@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- Nick Pelling <nickpelling@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> >attempts at discerning. However, since it
> definitely
> >makes the underlying figures very hard to see, I
> would
> >say they serve a specific purpose...
> 
> Steganography is the art of hiding things in plain
> sight - concealment by 
> misdirection. Which sums up that page pretty well,
> wouldn't you say? :-9
> 
> Cheers, .....Nick Pelling..... 

True, true. The key is the misdirection - you think
you are looking at the drawing of a maiden, but you
really are seeing the enemy's planned assualt route
and the number of horses and troops they will have (if
you just look at the position of her hands and feet
and count the number of big and little scallops).

The problem :) is knowing what the direction IS to
clear away the misdirection. It is, obviously, quite
difficult to put my mind into that of the medieval and
renaissance people who would have first been in
contact with the VMS and the intended audience (feared
audience) of the author. Would all the drawings...

A - seem completely intelligible to the
medieval/renaissance consumer, or
B - seem completely unintelligible (maybe familiar,
but not obvious and common)?

My gut is for (B) since, the little correspondence and
history we have that I have read, seems to imply that
Rudolph and those following did not look at it as
simply an encrypted document but as a "mysterious"
document. That's my impression - not really well
founded - opinions?

If it is (B), then, it leaves out Steganography, which
by nature would go for (A) but then trick you. You are
sure you know what it is and you have no suspicions
otherwise, but... you're wrong :).

However... not completely... maybe, in using the
zodiacs for cover, there was no way the author could
completely conceal their real message so that the
reader wouldn't think to themselves, "It's a zodiac...
but kind of a strange one. Hmmm." It was just the best
they could do. They used Steganography, but they were
no Trithemius.

Which then leaves the writing itself. Writing like
that screams out that it is encrypted or a secret
language. The exact opposite of Steganography. Unless,
that's what the author wanted you to think ;-)

Which expresses a core issues/strengths with
Steganography - you can always wonder if it is there
(the spawn of a thousand conspiracy theories). Not to
say it is not there :) just voicing the ongoing
frustration for lack of something solid. (sigh)

Eric



		
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