Ruby's Greek Thread

[Ruby Novacna]

Nymph with a cross
I consider that the side image on page 79v is anatomical in nature and presents, among other things, the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.: the pylorus, the anus and the male urinary sphincter.

The nymph holding a ring (anus in Latin) is lying on what could be the sigmoid colon, the rectum, and the anus, the clearly drawn circular muscle.

If the nymph with a ring is an anatomical term, then the nymph with a cross must be as well, and I’m finally beginning to understand its meaning.
Searcher’s suggestion that the cross represents the cross staff used by navigators and astronomers left me perplexed, as I couldn’t connect it to anatomy.
In truth, the relationship is simple: our nymph, using the cross staff, watches, observes (ὁράω), she plays the role of observer, watcher, guardian, in short, of the gatekeeper, πυλωρός.
Now, the term πυλωρός, pylorus in Latin, is precisely used in anatomy to designate another circular muscle, the pylorus.