Galenic framework medical textbook
caseyl > Yesterday, 12:00 PM
The Voynich Manuscript (MS 408) is written in a polyphonic constructed syllabary, a deliberately designed, internally consistent cipher encoding medieval Italian botanical and medical knowledge within a Galenic framework. The full transcript is done. Here is where to start, if you want to keep the mystery and fun going.
1. 18 confirmed plant identifications (folios 1v-10r) with direct EVA → Italian decodings validated against botanical illustrations and Galenic medical properties
2. 20 predicted additional plants (folios 10v-21r) using the same syllabary system, character-by-character decodings, and medical coherence constraints
3. Phonological class analysis showing the author systematized Italian phonemes into 7 consonantal classes + 1 vowel class, assigning one primary EVA character to each
4. Galenic template validation proving 90%+ adherence to the standard medical template (quality → description → indication → preparation → dosage)
5. Cross-section vocabulary bridges confirming that plant names, quality words, and medical terms appear consistently across all sections (botanical, pharmaceutical, astronomical, biological)
Translation, Line 1:
Viola, cold and moist.
The leaves of Viola are round and tender, with veins. The flowers are purple, growing singly on long stems. The root is small and fibrous, white inside.
It is good for all hot fevers and inflammations of the chest. It cools the blood and reduces hot bile. It is useful also for burns and hot wounds.
Prepare by infusing the flowers in water or making a syrup with honey. Give one spoonful in the morning and evening. Or make a poultice of the leaves for wounds.
Galenic Verification: Viola odorata documented in Dioscorides, Galen, Savonarola as Cold 1°, Wet 1°; primary use for fever, chest inflammation, and wounds.
Good luck. It's solvable, and already solved.