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{| class="wikitable floated master"
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{| class="master"
 
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! <p><includeonly><span style="font-weight:normal; font-size:85%;">&#91;{{edit|Fiore de'i Liberi/Poleaxe|edit}}&#93;</span> &nbsp; </includeonly>Images</p>
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! <p></p>
! <p>Images</p>
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! <p>Illustrations</p>
! <p>''{{rating|B|PD}} by [[Michael Chidester]]''<br/>{{rating|B|Getty}} by [[Matt Easton]] and [[Eleonora Durban]]</p>
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! <p>''{{rating|B|Novati Translation}} by [[Michael Chidester]]''<br/>{{rating|B|Getty Translation}} by [[Colin Hatcher]]</p>
! <p>''{{rating|none|Paris (Open for translation)}}''<br/>{{rating|B|Morgan}} by [[Michael Chidester]]</p>
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! <p>''{{rating|C|Paris Translation}} by [[Kendra Brown]] and [[Rebecca Garber]]''<br/>{{rating|B|Morgan Translation}} by [[Michael Chidester]]</p>
! <p>[[Fior di Battaglia (MS M.383)|Morgan Transcription]]&nbsp;<span style="font-weight:normal; font-size:85%;">&#91;[[Index:Fior di Battaglia (MS M.383)|edit]]&#93;</span><br/>Open for editing</p>
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! <p>[[Tratt‍ato della sch‍erma (MS M.383)|Morgan Transcription]] (1400s){{edit index|Tratt‍ato della sch‍erma (MS M.383)}}<br/>by [[Michael Chidester]]</p>
! <p>[[Fior di Battaglia (MS Ludwig XV 13)|Getty Transcription]]&nbsp;<span style="font-weight:normal; font-size:85%;">&#91;[[Index:Fior di Battaglia (MS Ludwig XV 13)|edit]]&#93;</span><br/>Open for editing</p>
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! <p>[[Fior di Battaglia (MS Ludwig XV 13)|Getty Transcription]] (1400s){{edit index|Fior di Battaglia (MS Ludwig XV 13)}}<br/>by [[Michael Chidester]]</p>
! <p>[[Flos Duellatorum (Pisani Dossi MS)|Pisani Dossi Transcription]]&nbsp;<span style="font-weight:normal; font-size:85%;">&#91;[[Index:Flos Duellatorum (Pisani Dossi MS)|edit]]&#93;</span><br/>by [[Francesco Novati]]</p>
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! <p>[[Flos Duellatorum (Pisani Dossi MS)|Pisani Dossi Transcription]] (1409){{edit index|Flos Duellatorum (Pisani Dossi MS)}}<br/>by [[Michael Chidester]]</p>
! <p>[[Florius de Arte Luctandi (MS Latin 11269)|Paris Transcription]]&nbsp;<span style="font-weight:normal; font-size:85%;">&#91;[[Index:Florius de Arte Luctandi (MS Latin 11269)|edit]]&#93;</span><br/>by [[user:Charlélie Berthaut|Charlélie Berthaut]]</p>
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! <p>[[Florius de Arte Luctandi (MS Latin 11269)|Paris Transcription]] (1420s){{edit index|Florius de Arte Luctandi (MS Latin 11269)}}<br/>by [[Kendra Brown]] and [[Rebecca Garber]]</p>
  
 
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 26r-a.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 27a-a.png|400px|center]]
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| <p>[1] {{red|b=1|The Stance of the Shortened Serpent}}</p>
'''[1] {{red|The Stance of the Shortened Serpent}}'''
+
 
 +
<p>''I am the Shortened Stance, the Serpent, with axe in hand;<br/>If my thrust does not miss, I will made trouble for you.<br/>&nbsp;''</p>
  
<poem style="font-style:italic;">I am the Shortened Stance, the Serpent, with axe in hand;
+
<p>I am the Short Serpent Guard and I consider myself better than the other guards. And whoever receives one of my thrusts will bear the scars.<ref>Fiore literally says “will be marked”.</ref> This guard delivers a powerful thrust that can penetrate cuirasses and breastplates. Fight with me<ref>Fiore literally says “defend yourself”.</ref> if you want to see the proof.</p>
If my thrust does not miss, I will made trouble for you.
+
| <p><br/></p>
&nbsp;</poem>
 
  
I am ''Posta Breve la Serpentina'' (Short Serpentine Position), I maintain myself better than the others. To whom I give my thrust, the sign will show itself well. This point is strong, for passing through cuirasses (''coraze'') and breastplates (''panceroni'').<ref name="armor">Possibly the first refers to a coat of plates while the latter refers to a solid breastplate.</ref> Defend yourself, that I want to try it.
+
<p>''Behold, with grasping hands I am called the Short Spear Position<br/>Among mortals. And if the spear point would not try to deceive,<br/>Perhaps I will deceive you, Man. Jupiter is near on a mountain.''</p>
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| {{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 35v.jpg|lbl=-|35v-attl}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 35v.jpg|lbl=-|35v-attl}}
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 26r-b.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 27a-b.png|400px|center]]
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| <p>[2] {{red|b=1|The Stance of the True Cross}}</p>
'''[2] {{red|The Stance of the True Cross}}'''
+
 
 +
<p>''I am the strong stance called the Cross:<br/>Neither blows of the axe nor thrusts can bother me.''</p>
  
<poem style="font-style:italic;">I am the strong stance called the Cross:
+
<p>I am named the Guard of the True Cross, since I defend myself by crossing weapons, and the entire art of fencing and armed combat is based on defending yourself with the covers of crossed weapons. Strike as you wish, I’ll be waiting for you. And just as the student of the First Remedy Master of the sword in armor does, so I can do with a step and a thrust with my poleaxe.</p>
Neither blows of the axe nor thrusts can bother me.</poem>
+
| <p><br/></p>
  
I am ''Posta di Vera Crose'' (Position of the True Cross), because with a cross I defend myself and all the art of fencing and armed combat defends itself with covers of the ''armizare incrosare'' (crossed-weapon armed combat). Attack, because I am waiting for you well, because of that way in which the first student of the Master Remedy of the sword in armour does, and with the pass that thrust with my pollaxe, I can do to you.
+
<p>''Behold, I am a Position of strength, and I am called the Cross. No blow is<br/>Bothersome to me, nor as yet the point of the poleaxe<ref>Literally “trident”, perhaps referring to the three striking surfaces of the weapon’s head (axe or hammer, hook, and spear point).</ref> at any time.''</p>
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| {{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 35v.jpg|lbl=-|35v-bttl}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 35v.jpg|lbl=-|35v-bttl}}
  
 
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<br/><br/>
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{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 35v.jpg|35v-b}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 35v.jpg|35v-b}}
 
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{{section|Page:Pisani-Dossi MS 27a.jpg|27a-b}}
 
{{section|Page:Pisani-Dossi MS 27a.jpg|27a-b}}
 
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<br/>
 
<br/>
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{{section|Page:MS Latin 11269 8v.jpg|8v-d}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Latin 11269 8v.jpg|8v-d}}
  
 
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 26r-c.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 27a-c.png|400px|center]]
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| <p>[3] {{red|b=1|[The Stance of the Queen]}}</p>
'''[3] {{red|[The Stance of the Queen]}}'''
+
 
 +
<p>''I am the Stance of the Queen, of pure loyalty:<br/>I make great blows from a different measure.''</p>
  
<poem style="font-style:italic;">I am the Stance of the Queen, of pure loyalty:
+
<p>I am the Guard of the Lady, and I go against the Boar’s Tusk guard. If he waits for me, I will make a powerful strike at him, in which I move my left foot off the line, and then I pass forwards, striking downwards at his head. And if he blocks strongly under my poleaxe with his, then even if I can’t strike him in his head I will not fail to strike his arms or hands.</p>
I make great blows from a different measure.</poem >
+
| <p><br/></p>
  
I am ''Posta di Donna'' (Position of the Lady) against ''Dente Zengiaro'' (Boar's Tooth). If he waits for me, I want to make great strike at him, in which I pass the left foot forward out of the way, and I enter with a ''fendente'' to his head. And if he comes with force under my pollaxe with his, then not being able to injure him in his head I will not fail to injure him in his arms or hands.
+
<p>''Behold, I am pure of faith standing in the Position of the Woman.<br/>And I work deadly things by doubling a strike of strikes.''</p>
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<br/><br/>
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{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 35v.jpg|35v-c}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 35v.jpg|35v-c}}
 
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<br/>
 
<br/>
 +
 
{{section|Page:Pisani-Dossi MS 27a.jpg|27a-c}}
 
{{section|Page:Pisani-Dossi MS 27a.jpg|27a-c}}
 
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<br/>
 
<br/>
 +
 
{{section|Page:MS Latin 11269 9r.jpg|9r-a}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Latin 11269 9r.jpg|9r-a}}
  
 
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|-  
| [[File:MS Ludwig XV 13 35v-d.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:MS Ludwig XV 13 35v-d.jpg|400px|center]]
| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 26r-d.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 27a-d.png|400px|center]]
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+
| <p>[4] {{red|b=1|[The Wild Boar's Tusk/Middle Iron Gate]}}</p>
'''[4] {{red|[The Wild Boar's Tusk/Middle Iron Gate]}}'''
 
  
<poem style="font-style:italic;">I am the Boar's Tusk, full of daring:
+
<p>''I am the Boar's Tusk, full of daring:<br/>Blows of the axe can do nothing to me.''</p>
Blows of the axe can do nothing to me.</poem>
 
  
If ''Posta di Donna'' (Position of the Lady) is against me, ''Porta di Ferro Mezana'' (Middle Iron Door); I know its play and mine. And many many times we have been in battle and with sword and with poll axe. And I say that what she says she is able to do, I can do it more to her than she can do it to me. Also, I say that if I had a sword, and not a poll axe, I would put a thrust in the face, that is, in the striking that ''Posta di Donna'' does with the ''fendente'', and I am in ''Porta d'Ferro Mezana'' two-handed with the sword, that immediately as it comes, I advance forward (''acresco'') and pass (''passo'') out of the way, under his pollaxe with force I enter and immediately with my left hand grab my sword in the middle and place a thrust in his face. So that between our others that of malice is little comparison.
+
<p>If my Middle Iron Gate is opposed by the Guard of the Lady, we both know each other’s game, for we have faced each other many, many times in battle with swords and with poleaxes. And let me tell you, what she claims she can do to me, I can do better against her. Also let me tell you that if I had a sword instead of a poleaxe, then I would thrust it into my opponent’s face as follows: when I am waiting in the Middle Iron Gate with my two-handed sword, if he attacked me with his poleaxe with a powerful downward strike from the Guard of the Lady, then I quickly advance forward striking him strongly under his poleaxe as I step off the line, and then I quickly grasp my sword in the middle with my left hand and make the thrust into his face. While there is little difference between we two guards, I am the more deceptive.</p>
|  
+
| <p><br/></p>
<br/>
 
  
<br/><br/>
+
<p>''I am the strong Boar’s Tooth and, horribly daring,<br/>By no means do I fear those strikes you make. It cannot be believed.''</p>
  
''[The Paris image resembles the Pisani-Dossi.]''
+
<p>''[The Paris image resembles the Pisani Dossi.]''</p>
 
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| [[File:MS Ludwig XV 13 36r-a.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:MS Ludwig XV 13 36r-a.jpg|400px|center]]
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| <p>[5] {{red|b=1|[The Stance of the Long Tail]}}</p>
'''[5] {{red|[The Stance of the Long Tail]}}'''
 
  
I am ''Coda Longa'' (Long Tail), against ''Posta de Fenestra'' (Position of the Window) I want to do it all the time [so that] I can injure. And with my blows of ''fendente'', beat (''sbateria'') every pollaxe and sword into the ground, and to narrow play (''zogo stretto'') strongly I will make. As you find these plays after, I pray you to look at them one by one.
+
<p>I am the Long Tail, used against the Window Guard, and I can strike at any time. With my downward strikes I can beat every poleaxe or sword to the ground, setting me up nicely for close play. As you see the plays that follow, please consider each one in sequence.</p>
 
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<br/>
 
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{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 36r.jpg|36r-a}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 36r.jpg|36r-a}}
 
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| [[File:MS Ludwig XV 13 36r-b.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:MS Ludwig XV 13 36r-b.jpg|400px|center]]
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| <p>[6] {{red|b=1|[The Stance of the Casement Window on the Left]}}</p>
'''[6] {{red|[The Stance of the Casement Window on the Left]}}'''
 
  
I am called ''Posta de Fenestra la Sinestra'' (Position of the Window the Left). A small arm (''brazo'') does me on the right. We do not have stability. One and the other certainly feints (''falsità''), you think that I come with the fendente and I turn a foot backwards and change my position (''posta''). From being on the left, I enter on the right. And I believe for entering in these plays which come after me I am well ready.
+
<p>I am named Window Guard on the left, and I am made with the right arm pulled back.<ref>Literally “I am made with a short right arm”.</ref> This is not a good guard to wait in.<ref>Literally “We do not have stability.”</ref> Everything I do is deceptive. You think that I am going to strike a downward strike, but I pass backwards and switch guards. So while I began on the left, I actually enter on the right. And I can quickly transition to the plays that follow.</p>
 
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<br/>
 
<br/>
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{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 36r.jpg|36r-b}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 36r.jpg|36r-b}}
 
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| [[File:MS Latin 11269 9r-c.jpg|300px|center|link=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8514426f/f21.item]]
+
| [[File:MS Latin 11269 09r-c.png|400px|center]]
| <poem>'''[7]''' <em>I have beaten your axe to the ground;
+
| <p>[7] <em>I have beaten your axe to the ground;<br/>And mine will quickly be thrust in your face.</em></p>
And mine will quickly be thrust in your face.</em></poem>
 
  
These are the plays that the guards question. Each one wants to get it, and thinks it has the right. The one who can beat (''sbatter'') the pollaxe of the companion to the ground, as it is drawn here, does these plays; he will do them all if the ''contrario'' [counter] does not cause problems.
+
<p>These are the plays that these guards put to the test. Each guard can do them, and each guard believes it will prevail. As is drawn here, whoever beats his opponent’s poleaxe to the ground can do these plays, and will succeed as long as the opponent fails to counter him.</p>
  
''[In the Getty and Pisani-Dossi, the Master is missing his crown.]''
+
<p>''[In the Getty and Pisani Dossi, the Master is missing his crown.]''</p>
|  
+
| <p>''I will certainly throw your poleaxe down to the earth,<br/>But mine will strike the face with listless wounds.''</p>
 
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<br/><br/>
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{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 36v.jpg|36v-a}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 36v.jpg|36v-a}}
 
| {{section|Page:Pisani-Dossi MS 27b.jpg|27b-a}}
 
| {{section|Page:Pisani-Dossi MS 27b.jpg|27b-a}}
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| [[File:MS Ludwig XV 13 36v-b.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:MS Ludwig XV 13 36v-b.jpg|400px|center]]
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| <p>[8] This student puts his axe between his opponent’s legs, and covers his eyes with his left hand. When the opponent, who cannot see, tries to turn, he will surely fall to the ground.</p>
'''[8]''' The student puts his axe between the player's legs, and with the left hand he covers his view. And when the player can not see, and wants to turn, he falls to the ground without failing.
 
 
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 26v-b.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 27b-b.png|400px|center]]
| <poem>'''[9]''' <em>I have come from the Boar's Tusk with my axe,
+
| <p>[9] <em>I have come from the Boar's Tusk with my axe,<br/>And with that I have wounded you in the face.</em></p>
And with that I have wounded you in the face.</em></poem>
 
  
Also the student which is before me can do this play when he is in close, as you can see. He puts his left foot over his [the opponent's] pollaxe, and pulls his own back, and puts the point [thrust] at the player, in the face.
+
<p>The previous student can also do this play when he is at close range, as you can see here. He steps with his left foot on top of his opponent’s poleaxe head, and draws back his own poleaxe, then thrusts it into his opponent’s face.</p>
  
''[In the Getty, the Scholar's right foot is on his opponent's poleax.]''
+
<p>''[In the Getty, the Scholar's right foot is on his opponent's poleax.]''</p>
|  
+
| <p>''Now from the Boar’s Tooth and the particular poleaxe, ready I immediately sprang forth.  <br/>And I pierced the face using that thing with the strength of oak.''</p>
<br/></br>
 
  
''[In the Paris, the Scholar wears a crown.]''
+
<p>''[In the Paris, the Scholar wears a crown.]''</p>
 
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 26v-c.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 27b-c.png|400px|center]]
| <poem>'''[10]''' <em>I have lifted your visor—you can feel it—
+
| <p>[10] <em>I have lifted your visor—you can feel it—<br/>And I will bore out your teeth with my axe.</em></p>
And I will bore out your teeth with my axe.</em></poem>
 
  
The student which was before saw that with the point of the pollaxe it was not possible to do anything to the player in the face, for the visor which was strong. He advances forward (''acresse'') the left foot, and lifts the visor, and puts the point in the face with as much force as he can give to the poll axe. This play which I do follows those that were before, and then all those after.
+
<p>The previous student saw that it was not possible to strike his opponent in the face with his poleaxe, because his opponent’s visor is too strong. So he advances his left foot forward and lifts the opponent’s visor, and drives his point into his face with as much force as he can give to his poleaxe. You can add on this play to any of the previous plays, as well as to any of the plays which follow.</p>
|
+
| <p>''Lo, I press your very own face with the strong hand, and you feel that.<br/>My sacred poleaxe will now extract these, your very own teeth.''</p>
<br/></br>
 
  
''[In the Paris, the Scholar wears a crown.]''
+
<p>''[In the Paris, the Scholar wears a crown.]''</p>
 
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| [[File:Cod.1324 25r-a.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:Cod.1324 25r-a.jpg|400px|center]]
| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 26v-d.jpg|300px|center]]
+
| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 27b-d.png|400px|center]]
| <poem>'''[11]''' <em>Because of my hand which I have under your arm
+
| <p>[11] <em>Because of my hand which I have under your arm<br/>I will cause you trouble in the strong key.</em></p>
I will cause you trouble in the strong key.</em></poem>
 
  
Due to this hold, with which I keep you in this way, with my pollaxe I injure you in the head. And with my left arm, I will put you in Ligadura de Sotto la Forte (Under Bind, the Strong), which more than the others is dangerous to death [is more likely to enable a kill].
+
<p>With this hold<ref>“Presa” means a hold, a grip or a grapple.</ref> I can strike you in the head with my poleaxe, and with my left arm I will put you in the Strong Lower Bind, which is more deadly than any other lock.</p>
  
''[These two images seem to show the beginning and end of the technique.]''
+
<p>''[These two images seem to show the beginning and end of the technique.]''</p>
 
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<br/><br/>
 
<br/><br/>
 +
 
{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 37r.jpg|37r-a}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 37r.jpg|37r-a}}
 
| {{section|Page:Pisani-Dossi MS 27b.jpg|27b-d}}
 
| {{section|Page:Pisani-Dossi MS 27b.jpg|27b-d}}
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| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 27r-a.jpg|300px|center]]
+
| [[File:Pisani-Dossi MS 28a-a.png|400px|center]]
| <poem>'''[12]''' <em>I will make a quick rotation from this catch:
+
| <p>[12] <em>I will make a quick rotation from this catch:<br/>Your axe will be lost, and mine will strike you in the face.<br/>&nbsp;</em></p>
Your axe will be lost, and mine will strike you in the face.
 
&nbsp;</em></poem>
 
  
With a middle-turn/half-turn (''meza volta'') I will take this pollaxe from your hands. And as I have removed it from you, in just that one turn, I injure you in the head, as this student which is after me does. You will fall down dead I think.
+
<p>With a half-turn of this poleaxe I will take it from your hands. And once I have taken it from you with this particular turn, I will strike you in the head with it, as the next student shows. And I do not believe you will survive this.</p>
|  
+
| <p>''By means of this taking, I will possibly have made a whirling around.<br/>From here yours will be plundered, but my poleaxe will strike your forehead.<br/>In this way fate wants the strong to survive.''</p>
<br/><br/><br/>
 
  
''[In the Paris, the Scholar's right foot is forward and he wears a crown.]''
+
<p>''[In the Paris, the Scholar's right foot is forward and he wears a crown.]''</p>
 
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<br/><br/><br/>
 
<br/><br/><br/>
 +
 
{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 37r.jpg|37r-b}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Ludwig XV 13 37r.jpg|37r-b}}
 
| {{section|Page:Pisani-Dossi MS 28a.jpg|28a-a}}
 
| {{section|Page:Pisani-Dossi MS 28a.jpg|28a-a}}
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| [[File:MS Ludwig XV 13 37r-c.jpg|300px|center]]
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| [[File:MS Ludwig XV 13 37r-c.jpg|400px|center]]
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+
| <p>[13] This play follows on from the student before me. As he clearly told you, you will likely drop to the ground dead after being struck in the head like this. And if this blow is not enough then I can give you another. If I choose I can also drag you to the ground by your visor, which is drawn next.</p>
'''[13]''' This play is that of the student which is before me. As he said, well I believe that you will fall to the ground dead for the blow in the head that I did to you. And if this blow is not enough then I can give another and can pull you by your visor into the ground. Like it is drawn after, and this I do to you if I do not repent.
 
 
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| <p>[14] I am demonstrating what the student before me said he would do to you, that is dragging you to the ground by your visor. This is a grappling technique that is one of the better ones you can do.<ref>Fiore actually writes that this grappling move is “better than the others”, but gives us no clue as to what the “others” are.</ref></p>
'''[14]''' What the student who was before me said, I do to you, that I want to pull you in to the ground by your visor. And if I want, I can do it with wrestling (''abrazare''), which is better than the others, and this I can do well.
 
 
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| <p>[15] This play is easy to understand, and you can clearly see how I can drag him to the ground. And when I have him on the ground, I can drag him behind me. And when the long tail of my poleaxe can no longer hold him, then he’ll feel my strikes.</p>
'''[15]''' This play is easy to understand, as well it can be seen that I can pull him to the ground. And when I have him on the ground, I will drag him behind me. And when I don't pull the long tail anymore, he will get injuries from me.
 
 
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| <p>[16] This poleaxe of mine is filled with a powder and is hollow and perforated.<ref>As in full of holes.</ref> And this powder is so strongly corrosive that the moment it touches your eye, you will no longer be able to open it, and you may be permanently blinded.</p>
'''[16]''' This pollaxe of mine is full of powder and the said pollaxe has holes around. And this powder is so strong and corrosive that immediately as it touches the eye, the man can not open it in any way, and maybe will not be able to see anymore. And I am a heavy (''ponderosa''), cruel and mortal pollaxe, better blows I make than other manual weapons. And if I fail the first strike that I come to do, the pollaxe will damage me and is no more of any use. And if I fiercely make the first blow, I avoid troubles of all the other manual weapons. And if I am with good weapons [armour?] well accompanied for my defence I take the ''pulsativa'' guards of sword. Very noble ''Signore, my Signor Marchese,'' there are a lot of things in this book, such maliciousness you would not do. But to know better, be pleased to see them.
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<p>I am the poleaxe, heavy, vicious and deadly. I deliver blows more powerful than any other hand-held weapon. If my first strike misses, then my poleaxe becomes risky to hold on to and is no more of any use to me. But if my first blow is powerfully made on target, then I can stop any other hand-held weapon. And if I am accompanied with good protective armor, then I can defend myself with any of the powerful striking guards of the sword.</p>
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<p>My most noble lord, my Marquis, there are some vicious things shown in this book that you would never do. I show you them purely to aid your knowledge.<ref>I believe this is not an apology for the poleaxe itself but an apology for showing the dirty trick of the corrosive powder. As such it should really be placed higher up.</ref></p>
 
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| class="noline" | <p>[17] This is the powder that you use in the poleaxe drawn above. Take the sap of the spurge,<ref>“Titimallo” refers to a plant named spurge, genus Euphorbia. Used in medieval medicine as a laxative, spurge has a poisonous milky white latex-like sap. For more information, see [http://www.fioredeiliberi.org/getty/pollaxe.html "Pollaxe in Armour"] by [[Matt Easton]] and [http://guywindsor.net/blog/2014/06/beingwrong/#sthash.2WaPuk2R.GeiEPsy0.dpbs "Being wrong can lead to wonderful things"] by [[Guy Windsor]].</ref> and dry it in a warm oven to make a powder. Now take two ounces of this powder and one ounce of powder of ''fior d'preda'',<ref>Tom Leoni notes that this is a flower also used to create a powder commonly used as makeup. It had a swelling effect on the skin.</ref> and mix them together. Now load this powder into the poleaxe shown above. You can do this with any good caustic powder, but you won’t find a better recipe than the one in this book.</p>
'''[17]''' This is the powder that goes into the pollaxe drawn above. Take the milk of the ''titimallo'',<ref>[[Matt Easton]] notes that ''Titimalo'' is an obsolete Italian word for the spurge family of plants (genus ''Euphorbia''). Members of the spurge family produce latex sap, some species of which can cause blindness when put in contact with the eyes, blistering of the skin and poisonous fumes, or smoke if burned, due to phorbol (tigliane polyol) esters, caustic diterpene compounds, and/or daphnane (tricyclic diterpenoid) esters that can act as cocarcinogens contained in the latex. This latex has a milky appearance, hence the author's description of the 'milk of titimalo'.<p>The Spanish explorer Oviedo documented the effects of the 'Manchineel tree' or 'beach apple' (Hippomane mancinella), a member of the Euphorbia genus found on the east coast of the Americas, in 1555:</p><dl><dd>''"If a man do but repose himself to sleep a little while under the shadow of the same, he has his head and eyes swollen when he rises, that the eyelids are joined with the cheeks. And if it chance one drop or more of dew of the said tree to fall into the eye, it utterly destroys the sight."'' (Quoted in Lovell CR, ''Plants and the skin'', Oxford, 1993.)</dd></dl><p>The latex from this tree was used by native Americans as a poison for arrows and to blind people and animals.</p><p>In AD 50, Dioscorides recommended using seven different species of Euphorbia in medicines, but warned that caution should be exercised in using these plants:</p><dl><dd>''"But being beaten of itself in a mortar, it is formed into pills and set up. But in the juicing, one must not stand against ye wind, nor put his hands to his eyes, but also before the juicing he must anoint his body with grease, or oil with wine, and especially ye face, and ye neck, and ye scrotum."'' (Taken from Gunther PT, ''The Greek herbal of Dioscorides'', New York, 1909.)</dd></dl><p>More information on Euphorbia can be found [http://www.telemedicine.org/botanica/bot4.htm here], from whence I take much of the information above.</p><p>[[Guy Windsor]] offers additional comments on the identification and etymology of the herb in [http://guywindsor.net/blog/2014/06/beingwrong/#sthash.2WaPuk2R.GeiEPsy0.dpbs "Being wrong can lead to wonderful things"] (2014).</p></ref> and dry it over a warm oven and make it powdery, and take two ounces of this powder and one ounce of powder of the ''fior di preda'',<ref>Tom Leoni notes that this is a flower also used to create a powder commonly used as makeup. It had a swelling effect on the skin.</ref> and mix them together. And put this powder in the axe which is above, as you can do it well with any ''rutorio''<ref>Tom Leoni notes that this is a caustic or blistering powder sometimes used in medicine. Also known as Epispastic powder.</ref> that is sharp, because you can find sharp things well in this book.
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Latest revision as of 21:32, 25 June 2021

Illustrations

Novati Translation Complete translation by Michael Chidester
Getty Translation Complete translation by Colin Hatcher

Paris Translation Draft translation by Kendra Brown and Rebecca Garber
Morgan Translation Complete translation by Michael Chidester

Morgan Transcription (1400s) [edit]
by Michael Chidester

Getty Transcription (1400s) [edit]
by Michael Chidester

Pisani Dossi Transcription (1409) [edit]
by Michael Chidester

Paris Transcription (1420s) [edit]
by Kendra Brown and Rebecca Garber

Pisani-Dossi MS 27a-a.png

[1] The Stance of the Shortened Serpent

I am the Shortened Stance, the Serpent, with axe in hand;
If my thrust does not miss, I will made trouble for you.
 

I am the Short Serpent Guard and I consider myself better than the other guards. And whoever receives one of my thrusts will bear the scars.[1] This guard delivers a powerful thrust that can penetrate cuirasses and breastplates. Fight with me[2] if you want to see the proof.


Behold, with grasping hands I am called the Short Spear Position
Among mortals. And if the spear point would not try to deceive,
Perhaps I will deceive you, Man. Jupiter is near on a mountain.






Pisani-Dossi MS 27a-b.png

[2] The Stance of the True Cross

I am the strong stance called the Cross:
Neither blows of the axe nor thrusts can bother me.

I am named the Guard of the True Cross, since I defend myself by crossing weapons, and the entire art of fencing and armed combat is based on defending yourself with the covers of crossed weapons. Strike as you wish, I’ll be waiting for you. And just as the student of the First Remedy Master of the sword in armor does, so I can do with a step and a thrust with my poleaxe.


Behold, I am a Position of strength, and I am called the Cross. No blow is
Bothersome to me, nor as yet the point of the poleaxe[3] at any time.





Pisani-Dossi MS 27a-c.png

[3] [The Stance of the Queen]

I am the Stance of the Queen, of pure loyalty:
I make great blows from a different measure.

I am the Guard of the Lady, and I go against the Boar’s Tusk guard. If he waits for me, I will make a powerful strike at him, in which I move my left foot off the line, and then I pass forwards, striking downwards at his head. And if he blocks strongly under my poleaxe with his, then even if I can’t strike him in his head I will not fail to strike his arms or hands.


Behold, I am pure of faith standing in the Position of the Woman.
And I work deadly things by doubling a strike of strikes.






MS Ludwig XV 13 35v-d.jpg
Pisani-Dossi MS 27a-d.png

[4] [The Wild Boar's Tusk/Middle Iron Gate]

I am the Boar's Tusk, full of daring:
Blows of the axe can do nothing to me.

If my Middle Iron Gate is opposed by the Guard of the Lady, we both know each other’s game, for we have faced each other many, many times in battle with swords and with poleaxes. And let me tell you, what she claims she can do to me, I can do better against her. Also let me tell you that if I had a sword instead of a poleaxe, then I would thrust it into my opponent’s face as follows: when I am waiting in the Middle Iron Gate with my two-handed sword, if he attacked me with his poleaxe with a powerful downward strike from the Guard of the Lady, then I quickly advance forward striking him strongly under his poleaxe as I step off the line, and then I quickly grasp my sword in the middle with my left hand and make the thrust into his face. While there is little difference between we two guards, I am the more deceptive.


I am the strong Boar’s Tooth and, horribly daring,
By no means do I fear those strikes you make. It cannot be believed.

[The Paris image resembles the Pisani Dossi.]






MS Ludwig XV 13 36r-a.jpg

[5] [The Stance of the Long Tail]

I am the Long Tail, used against the Window Guard, and I can strike at any time. With my downward strikes I can beat every poleaxe or sword to the ground, setting me up nicely for close play. As you see the plays that follow, please consider each one in sequence.


MS Ludwig XV 13 36r-b.jpg

[6] [The Stance of the Casement Window on the Left]

I am named Window Guard on the left, and I am made with the right arm pulled back.[9] This is not a good guard to wait in.[10] Everything I do is deceptive. You think that I am going to strike a downward strike, but I pass backwards and switch guards. So while I began on the left, I actually enter on the right. And I can quickly transition to the plays that follow.


MS Latin 11269 09r-c.png

[7] I have beaten your axe to the ground;
And mine will quickly be thrust in your face.

These are the plays that these guards put to the test. Each guard can do them, and each guard believes it will prevail. As is drawn here, whoever beats his opponent’s poleaxe to the ground can do these plays, and will succeed as long as the opponent fails to counter him.

[In the Getty and Pisani Dossi, the Master is missing his crown.]

I will certainly throw your poleaxe down to the earth,
But mine will strike the face with listless wounds.



MS Ludwig XV 13 36v-b.jpg

[8] This student puts his axe between his opponent’s legs, and covers his eyes with his left hand. When the opponent, who cannot see, tries to turn, he will surely fall to the ground.

Pisani-Dossi MS 27b-b.png

[9] I have come from the Boar's Tusk with my axe,
And with that I have wounded you in the face.

The previous student can also do this play when he is at close range, as you can see here. He steps with his left foot on top of his opponent’s poleaxe head, and draws back his own poleaxe, then thrusts it into his opponent’s face.

[In the Getty, the Scholar's right foot is on his opponent's poleax.]

Now from the Boar’s Tooth and the particular poleaxe, ready I immediately sprang forth.
And I pierced the face using that thing with the strength of oak.

[In the Paris, the Scholar wears a crown.]



Pisani-Dossi MS 27b-c.png

[10] I have lifted your visor—you can feel it—
And I will bore out your teeth with my axe.

The previous student saw that it was not possible to strike his opponent in the face with his poleaxe, because his opponent’s visor is too strong. So he advances his left foot forward and lifts the opponent’s visor, and drives his point into his face with as much force as he can give to his poleaxe. You can add on this play to any of the previous plays, as well as to any of the plays which follow.

Lo, I press your very own face with the strong hand, and you feel that.
My sacred poleaxe will now extract these, your very own teeth.

[In the Paris, the Scholar wears a crown.]



Cod.1324 25r-a.png
Pisani-Dossi MS 27b-d.png

[11] Because of my hand which I have under your arm
I will cause you trouble in the strong key.

With this hold[14] I can strike you in the head with my poleaxe, and with my left arm I will put you in the Strong Lower Bind, which is more deadly than any other lock.

[These two images seem to show the beginning and end of the technique.]



Pisani-Dossi MS 28a-a.png

[12] I will make a quick rotation from this catch:
Your axe will be lost, and mine will strike you in the face.
 

With a half-turn of this poleaxe I will take it from your hands. And once I have taken it from you with this particular turn, I will strike you in the head with it, as the next student shows. And I do not believe you will survive this.

By means of this taking, I will possibly have made a whirling around.
From here yours will be plundered, but my poleaxe will strike your forehead.
In this way fate wants the strong to survive.

[In the Paris, the Scholar's right foot is forward and he wears a crown.]




MS Ludwig XV 13 37r-c.jpg

[13] This play follows on from the student before me. As he clearly told you, you will likely drop to the ground dead after being struck in the head like this. And if this blow is not enough then I can give you another. If I choose I can also drag you to the ground by your visor, which is drawn next.

MS Ludwig XV 13 37r-d.jpg

[14] I am demonstrating what the student before me said he would do to you, that is dragging you to the ground by your visor. This is a grappling technique that is one of the better ones you can do.[16]

Pisani-Dossi MS 36a-c.png
Pisani-Dossi MS 36a-d.png

[15] This play is easy to understand, and you can clearly see how I can drag him to the ground. And when I have him on the ground, I can drag him behind me. And when the long tail of my poleaxe can no longer hold him, then he’ll feel my strikes.

[36a-cd] [No text]

MS Ludwig XV 13 37v-b.jpg

[16] This poleaxe of mine is filled with a powder and is hollow and perforated.[17] And this powder is so strongly corrosive that the moment it touches your eye, you will no longer be able to open it, and you may be permanently blinded.

I am the poleaxe, heavy, vicious and deadly. I deliver blows more powerful than any other hand-held weapon. If my first strike misses, then my poleaxe becomes risky to hold on to and is no more of any use to me. But if my first blow is powerfully made on target, then I can stop any other hand-held weapon. And if I am accompanied with good protective armor, then I can defend myself with any of the powerful striking guards of the sword.

My most noble lord, my Marquis, there are some vicious things shown in this book that you would never do. I show you them purely to aid your knowledge.[18]

[36a-b] [No text]

Pisani-Dossi MS 36a-b.png

[17] This is the powder that you use in the poleaxe drawn above. Take the sap of the spurge,[20] and dry it in a warm oven to make a powder. Now take two ounces of this powder and one ounce of powder of fior d'preda,[21] and mix them together. Now load this powder into the poleaxe shown above. You can do this with any good caustic powder, but you won’t find a better recipe than the one in this book.

[36a-b] [No text]

  1. Fiore literally says “will be marked”.
  2. Fiore literally says “defend yourself”.
  3. Literally “trident”, perhaps referring to the three striking surfaces of the weapon’s head (axe or hammer, hook, and spear point).
  4. Added later: "quisquam".
  5. Corrected from "e" to "i".
  6. Marginal note: "+ ecce".
  7. The text says "a doii mane cum la spada" with symbols next to "a" and "cum" apparently indicating that it should move. Since "cum a doii mane" makes no sense, I've moved the whole phrase "cum la spada".
  8. This may be an error for fascis.
  9. Literally “I am made with a short right arm”.
  10. Literally “We do not have stability.”
  11. Added later: "scilicet subito".
  12. Word partially effaced.
  13. Added later: "+ tibi".
  14. “Presa” means a hold, a grip or a grapple.
  15. We are translating 'captura' as 'the taking' or 'the takings'. Other possible contexts for this word in Latin are from hunting (captura=prey, the fishing catch, the bag of animals brought in) or from economics, in which 'captura' refers to ill-gotten or immorally gained profits.
  16. Fiore actually writes that this grappling move is “better than the others”, but gives us no clue as to what the “others” are.
  17. As in full of holes.
  18. I believe this is not an apology for the poleaxe itself but an apology for showing the dirty trick of the corrosive powder. As such it should really be placed higher up.
  19. "intorno" appears twice, but neither is struck out.
  20. “Titimallo” refers to a plant named spurge, genus Euphorbia. Used in medieval medicine as a laxative, spurge has a poisonous milky white latex-like sap. For more information, see "Pollaxe in Armour" by Matt Easton and "Being wrong can lead to wonderful things" by Guy Windsor.
  21. Tom Leoni notes that this is a flower also used to create a powder commonly used as makeup. It had a swelling effect on the skin.