Anonimo Bolognese Translation by Stephen Fratus Copyright Statement
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Anonimo Bolognese Translation by Stephen Fratus Copyright Statement: This work is my gift to all who want to learn or practice this art. So anyone may use it for any purpose, commercial and non-commerical, subject only to the stipulation that you credit me, Stephen Fratus, as translator. This excludes those parts which are the works of other authors. That is subject to the copyright of those authors. Acknowledgments I would first like to thank those that helped me with translating difficult passages, particularly Albertus Comes, Frank Gao, and Jherek Swanger. I would also like to thank Tom Leoni and Greg Mele for allowing me to include some of Tom's masterful translation of the Anonimo Bolognese here. I would like to thank Ilkka Hartikainen whose early work on the Anonimo inspired me to try to understand this quixotic and fascinating fencing manual. And finally I want to thank Tyson Wright for talking me into making this translation. Anonimo Bolognese Volume I: In the Name of God Anonymous Incomplete Manuscript upon Fencing: or Treatise of Fencing How wonderful is this ingenious art of defense when it derives from four principles that between them are more important than are any other. They are courage, cunning, strength, and skill and he that will adopt these four qualities shall never have shame … 1 Now it is possible that a man could think to make some attack without thought to his own defense. As it will be necessary that in so doing he must first move his weapon from whatever position it may be in, and then his feet from wherever they bear him up, he may instead act from one of these positions of hand and foot known as guards, and thus act from a position of being able to safely attack. And so likewise I shall too follow this natural order of starting with these positions known to all as guards, based upon their usage, as placements into which a man may put himself and from which a man may safely move his sword hand, and then his feet, as following they musti. The Guards Guardia di Testa There is a guard which more than the others protects the head; from this it takes the name guardia di testa, and you may make this guard having either the right or left foot forward, so long as you keep the lead foot far in front. As for your arms, the right arm is the sword arm and the other holds the buckler, and they must both be extended strongly towards the enemy and they will be no higher than your shoulder, though the sword arm must be a little lower than the buckler arm. Guardia Alta One makes guardia alta by lifting the sword arm aloft into the air, such that the sword is completely back, and by also extending the buckler arm, driving it towards the enemy's face. As to the feet, either the left foot or the right foot may lead. Or we may place the right foot a mere four fingers ahead of the left, and if we settle in this manner we shall also keep the heel of the right foot a little lifted from the ground, and placing ourselves this way we will keep both legs straight, without the least bend in them. Guardia di Lioncorno2 To set yourself in the so-called guardia di lioncorno, make the sword point downwards just like the horn of the animal, you will lift the sword arm up in such a way that the point is directed at the enemy's face and you will likewise push the buckler forward. As to the feet we may place the right or left foot forward somewhat forward. Guardia di Faccia Placing yourself into guardia di faccia will be similar to guardia di lioncorno, in that either foot 1 Text breaks off here 2 Guardia di Lioncorno is the equivalent to Guardia d'Alicorno or Becca Posa/Cea found in other Bolognese masters. may lead. But the arm needs to be kept extended towards the enemy, and lower, at the height of the shoulders as how we describe the guardia di testa; and in a manner that the hand comes to direct the point driving it straight towards the enemy's face, and the hand will be covered by the buckler hand. Guardia di Sopra Braccio In order to form the guardia di sopra braccio, one needs to place the sword arm such that the inside of the elbow is near to the point where the buckler arm bends, and in a way that the point of the sword faces well backwards. And the shoulder points towards the enemy and the buckler is strongly pushed towards his face. And so the right foot is only a good palmo3 forward, such that the front leg shall be found having little bend in it. Guardia di Entrare To place yourself in the guardia di entrare, extend the arm so that the point of your sword threatens his face. Despite this, your hands, while threatening him, will not extend much past your own face. And so that you can be strong in this guard, your right foot needs to be in front and with the foot but lightly upon the ground. Guardia di Sotto Braccio When one wishes to stand in guardia di sotto braccio, it will be necessary to place the sword hand below the buckler arm either under the arm or in the armpit, in such a way that the sword will be straightened behind you and the buckler pointed towards the enemy's face, and the feet placed as in the aforementioned guardia di sopra braccio. Porta di Ferro Alta4 The guard called porta di ferro alta is such that one setting himself in it will position himself at an angle, directing the right shoulder to the enemy's chest and keeping the sword arm well-extended with the point toward the opponent's face and so that the sword hand is flush with the right leg, and as to the feet, the right needs to be a great step forward, towards the enemy, and the left must be at an angle and at such a width that the knees are somewhat bent. Porta di Ferro Stretta If you want to place yourself in the guard of porta di ferro stretta, such that you push yourself strettamente5 towards the enemy, then you will be no different than how you stood in the previous guard directing your right shoulder at the enemy and extending the sword arm before the right knee such that the hand will not be distant from the top of the knee; and the buckler will be driven strongly towards the enemy to defend the head. In this guard the right foot needs to be in a long stride forward towards the enemy and the left foot at an angle, keeping both legs somewhat bent. Porta di Ferro Larga Porta di Ferro Larga is so-called because it is wider and more exposed to the enemy; the placement is the same as we have said for porta di ferro stretta, the sword hand should not be changed from the right knee, and the point shall be directed at the ground and the sword hand should not be farther down than the middle of the bent knees. Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Alta 3 Palmo. Unit of measure of varying width but probably about 8”/20cm. 4 In the text, this is actually called Porta Alta di Ferro, but the word order appears here in a manner that conforms with the general usage by other masters of the Bolognese Tradition. 5 Actual word here is “strettamente” literally meaning, “narrowly” Repairing yourself into the guard cinghiara porta di ferro alta takes its name from the boar, which is accustomed to attacking with its tusks from the side; you will set the left foot traversing your left side over the somewhat bent knee; and the right leg fully extended in a wide step behind; and likewise the sword hand with the point directed at the enemy's face. But in this guard you must hold the buckler high to guard the head. Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Stretta The guard cinghiara porta di ferro stretta is similar to cinghiara porta di ferro alta, and differs only in that the hand will lowers itself until it is in front of the left knee and there it stays to secure the knee, but in all other ways the placements are all the same. Cinghiara Porta di Ferro Larga The guard cinghiara porta di ferro larga is made no differently with the body than the preceding guard, except the sword hand has the point towards the ground in such a way that it lies across the left knee. Coda Lunga Alta The guard called coda lunga alta is composed such that the sword arm is extended to the side diagonally not higher than the shoulders and it should have the point guarding the enemy, and likewise with one will keep the buckler pushed strongly forward towards the enemy. And the left foot will lead in a long step towards the enemy, keeping the knee somewhat bent. Coda Lunga Stretta The guard coda lunga stretta, so called from the fact that it is narrower than the rest of the other coda lunga guards, and proceeds according to the previous except that the sword hand goes down by the right knee and you keep the point directed at the enemy. Coda Lunga Larga Similarly the guard called coda lunga larga is made in the made way shown above, except that the sword hand holds the point towards the ground, and it is from this, that the guard coda lunga larga takes its name, since the point is not kept in presence.