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Ms. Plut. 73.16, medication-education
- Ms. Plut. 73.16, medication-education
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Ms. Plut. 73.16, medication-education
bi3mw > 22-10-2025, 10:26 PM
While searching for older templates for the VMS, I came across Ms. Plut. 73.16. What was striking was the rough structure in the depictions of plants (which can also be found in older illustrations by Dioscorides, for example). In addition, however, there are multiple depictions of patients lying down during treatment. This would be a new interpretation of the illustration on folio f82r. Furthermore, there is a strange pipeline that allows water (?) to run over a plant.
Ms. Plut. 73.16 Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Die Medikamenten-Lehre Friedrichs II, 13th century
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edit - Machine translation of the text (to be treated with caution):
“And with the same water, he shall sprinkle himself with a branch of the purified oak tree as the sun sets, with his right hand, and pray thus: Holy Goddess Earth and the rest who are written at the beginning.” -
RE: Ms. Plut. 73.16, medication-education
bi3mw > Yesterday, 12:00 AM
“Women's issues” are also addressed:
"..... Against a woman's blood flow:
As above, give her the drink and she should sip it while you say the magic words:
“Hebula, born of a snake, daughter of King Horus, who closed the woman in childbirth – may this (formula) close (this) blood flow of this (woman).....”
It is noteworthy that the treatment takes place in a pagan context.
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RE: Ms. Plut. 73.16, medication-education
MarcoP > Yesterday, 07:31 AM
Thank you, Matthias, those are interesting parallels!
Couches in Pseudo-Apuleius (images from a different copy, also in Florence, Plut.73.41) You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. here.
The plant with the stream is “Basilisca” and the text begins on the preceding page 144v. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. the first part of the passage is transcribed (from a different, but consistent, copy).
Basilisca herb. One must gather it in this way: whoever gathers this herb, first, let him consider his own health and go forth purified from all things. Let his garments be pure and immaculate; when he goes, let no menstruating woman touch him, nor any man who is defiled. When he begins to gather the herb, before he approaches it, let him have oak leaves in his hand and spring water from three nymphs; and with that same water let him purify or sprinkle himself, at sunset, using a branch of oak with his right hand. Then let him pray: “Holy goddess Earth,” and the rest that is written at the beginning.
I don't know about the three nymphs: could it be the name of a spring? I guess that the star inside the mountain is meant to represent sunset?
The text about “basilisca” goes on in the following page f.145v, describing how the plant can be used and for which conditions.
For a complete translation of the prayer to Goddess Earth, see You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.. It’s a wonderful fragment of paganism that survived in Christian herbals through the centuries. -
RE: Ms. Plut. 73.16, medication-education
Jorge_Stolfi > Yesterday, 10:46 AM
(22-10-2025, 10:26 PM)bi3mw Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.While searching for older templates for the VMS, I came across Ms. Plut. 73.16. [...] there are multiple depictions of patients lying down during treatment. This would be a new interpretation of the illustration on folio f82r.
Quite possibly. However note that the green paint on that supine nymph is not original, and some (or even most) details of the drawing may be later additions/reinterpretations. For example, I would guess that the nymph was originally naked, and some of what now seems to be bed cloth was in fact her left arm.
Quote:Furthermore, there is a strange pipeline that allows water (?) to run over a plant.
I suppose you refer to the last picture. As I see it (and the text seems to confirm), the blue is not a pipe, but a creek or river that receives at least part of its water from a hot spring sprouting from the side of a volcano and runs next to some buildings, maybe a town. The three spouts take some water from the river to fill a large vessel, and the patient is soaking an oak branch in the water to sprinkle it on himself. Sort of like people still do in Finnish and Russian saunas, I suppose...
All the best, --stolfi -
RE: Ms. Plut. 73.16, medication-education
Jorge_Stolfi > Yesterday, 10:55 AM
(Yesterday, 07:31 AM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I don't know about the three nymphs: could it be the name of a spring?
from an You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.:
nympha-nymphae
noun- declension: 1st declension
- gender: feminine
- (semi-divine female nature/water spirit)
- bride
- nymph
- water
- young maiden
- Age: In use throughout the ages/unknown
- Area: Mythology
- Geography: Greece
- Frequency: Very frequent, in all Elementry Latin books, top 1000+ words
- Source: “Oxford Latin Dictionary”, 1982 (OLD)
So it could be a reference to the three spouts? Or maybe some "Spa of The Three Nymphs"?
All the best, --stolfi - declension: 1st declension
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RE: Ms. Plut. 73.16, medication-education
bi3mw > Yesterday, 04:27 PM
(Yesterday, 07:31 AM)MarcoP Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I don't know about the three nymphs: could it be the name of a spring?
Perhaps it is also a pagan thing. In Greek mythology, for example, there are the so-called Naiads. These were minor goddesses (nymphs) of rivers, streams, lakes, marshes, fountains, and springs.
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Three nymphs on a relief from Aquae Iasae (an ancient Roman settlement with thermal baths, now in northern Croatia).
Consecration for the nymphs, “Nymphas Salutares” (the healing nymphs)
Nymphas salutares / M(arcus) Rutilius Lupus tr(ibunus) mil(itum) / leg(ionis) XXII q(uaestor)
tr(ibunus) pl(ebis) / leg(atus) Aug(usti) leg(ionis) XIII Gem(inae)