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Difference between revisions of "Martin Syber"

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| <p>'''[1] {{red|Item. The hereafter written new recital was created and set-down by master Martin Siber and is pulled from many master techniques and is paritioned and set-down in six courses}}'''</p>
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| <p>'''[1] {{red|Hereafter written is a new recital of the long sword and an extraction<ref>alt: extension</ref> from the previous recital and many other good plays from other master's hands were set together [by] Martin Syber and is partitioned in six courses.}}'''</p>
 
| <p>'''[1r] {{red|Item dy<sup>e</sup> hernach geschriebenn nüwe zettell hat gemacht vnd gesetz meinster mertin Siber}}''' vnd ist<sup> ein </sup>zuck auß mangerley meinster gefechtenn vnd ist geteiltt vnd gesetz In sechs geng</p>
 
| <p>'''[1r] {{red|Item dy<sup>e</sup> hernach geschriebenn nüwe zettell hat gemacht vnd gesetz meinster mertin Siber}}''' vnd ist<sup> ein </sup>zuck auß mangerley meinster gefechtenn vnd ist geteiltt vnd gesetz In sechs geng</p>
 
| <p>'''[24v] {{red|Hernach geschribn ist ain newe zetl des langen schwerts vnd ein außzug aus der voringen zetl / vnd vil ander guetter stuck võ manches maisters handt / die hat zu samen gesetzt maister Martein Syber vnd ist getailt in segs geng /}}'''</p>
 
| <p>'''[24v] {{red|Hernach geschribn ist ain newe zetl des langen schwerts vnd ein außzug aus der voringen zetl / vnd vil ander guetter stuck võ manches maisters handt / die hat zu samen gesetzt maister Martein Syber vnd ist getailt in segs geng /}}'''</p>
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| <p>'''[2]''' And in the recital the ox and the plow and scalper-hew is not as in the first recital of the book. Rather another interpretation.</p>
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| <p>'''[2]''' And the ox and the plow named therein<ref>salzburg adds: and scalper</ref>, together with other hews have another art and interpretation than in the previously illustrated recital and also approaches<ref>lit: goes-into, goes-towards, goes-at</ref> differently.</p>
 
| <p>Vnd in der zittell ist der ochß vnd der pflug vnd scheyttell haulb nicht also als in der ersten zettell des puchs Sunder eyñ ander vß legüng</p>
 
| <p>Vnd in der zittell ist der ochß vnd der pflug vnd scheyttell haulb nicht also als in der ersten zettell des puchs Sunder eyñ ander vß legüng</p>
 
| <p>Vnd der ochß vnd der pflueg darin genant mit sambt ettlichen hewen hat ain ander art vnd auslegung da in der voringen zetl vnd gett auch anderst zu /</p>
 
| <p>Vnd der ochß vnd der pflueg darin genant mit sambt ettlichen hewen hat ain ander art vnd auslegung da in der voringen zetl vnd gett auch anderst zu /</p>
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<poem>{{red|Whoever wishes to acquire honor}}
 
<poem>{{red|Whoever wishes to acquire honor}}
 
:{{red|Before princes and before lords}}
 
:{{red|Before princes and before lords}}
{{red|In fencing with the}} sword,
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{{red|In fencing with the}} sword
:That is good and proper
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:That is good and proper.
That follow my lessons
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That follow my lessons,
 
:They triumph continually.
 
:They triumph continually.
 
Hold the six courses in guard
 
Hold the six courses in guard
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:Enter it from there
 
:Enter it from there
 
Strike or thrust quickly
 
Strike or thrust quickly
:So you may fall hard
+
:If you must fall hard<ref>alt: the hard</ref>
 
In the work, step around.
 
In the work, step around.
 
:That makes-good<ref>mitmachen. alt: completes</ref> the first-pass<ref>ehegefährt note: this is attacking in the vor.</ref>
 
:That makes-good<ref>mitmachen. alt: completes</ref> the first-pass<ref>ehegefährt note: this is attacking in the vor.</ref>
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:Wind through in the fencing
 
:Wind through in the fencing
 
With that, make the Flicker
 
With that, make the Flicker
:Double to both sides
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:To both sides twice.
 
Besiege<ref>alt: overwhelm; turn(away, aside)</ref> his shield strongly
 
Besiege<ref>alt: overwhelm; turn(away, aside)</ref> his shield strongly
 
:Strike the bowed thrust<ref>alt: jab</ref> violently.
 
:Strike the bowed thrust<ref>alt: jab</ref> violently.

Revision as of 20:21, 19 April 2016

Martin Syber
Born 15th century (?)
Died 15th century (?)
Occupation Fencing master
Genres Fencing manual
Language Early New High German
Notable work(s) New Zettel
Manuscript(s)
First printed
english edition
Hull, 2008
Concordance by Michael Chidester
Translations

Martin Syber (Mertin Siber, Martein Syber) was a 15th century German fencing master. Hardly anything is known of Syber beyond his New Zettel ("New Recital"). His surname signifies that he came from a family of sieve makers, but gives us no indication of his birthplace. According to Syber's own account, he learned the art from a variety of masters from across Europe, including men from Bohemia, Brabant (or possibly Provence), England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Prussia, Russia, and Swabia. The inclusion of his Recital in Codex Speyer and the Glasgow Fechtbuch suggests a connection to the tradition of Johannes Liechtenauer, and his mention of an "earlier zettel" may be a reference to that of Liechtenauer; however, Syber does not appear on the roll of the Society of Liechtenauer recorded by Paulus Kal in ca. 1470,[1] so the extent of his relationship is unclear.

Syber's Recital comes in the form a cryptic poem, perhaps intended to convey the essence of the art to those who already knew it. Unfortunately, no gloss is currently known to exist for Syber's verse, so its meaning is difficult to decipher. Conversely, it is worth noting that the 16th century Freifechter Joachim Meÿer not only possessed a copy of Syber's verse (which he copied into his final manuscript),[2] but also employed much of the master's unique terminology in his own teachings. Meÿer may thus hold the key to interpreting Syber's techniques.

The Salzburg version of Syber's text is followed by an additional page of verse. This poem shares some common terminology with Syber's writings and has been attributed to Syber by some authors in the past,[3] but its omission from the other two versions of his text call this attribution into question. In addition, another version of the poem was included in one of Hans Talhoffer's manuscripts almost fifty years earlier,[4] which indicates that if Syber were indeed the author, his career must have been much earlier than currently believed.

Treatise

Additional Resources

  • Hull, Jeffrey. "The Longsword Fight Lore of Mertin Siber." Masters of Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts. Ed. Jeffrey Hull. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58160-668-3

References

  1. Kal, Paulus. Untitled [manuscript]. Cgm 1507. Munich, Germany: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, 1470.
  2. Meÿer, Joachim. Fechtbuch zu Ross und zu Fuss [manuscript]. MS Varia 82. Rostock, Germany: Universitätsbibliothek Rostock, 1570.
  3. Hull, Jeffrey. "Mertin Siber’s Longsword Fight-Lore of 1491 AD: a thesis on the Fechtlehre from Handschrift M I 29 (Codex Speyer) at the University of Salzburg in Austria". The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts, 2005. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  4. Talhoffer, Hans. Untitled [manuscript]. MS Thott 290.2º. Copenhagen, Denmark: Det Kongelige Bibliotek, 1459.
  5. alt: extension
  6. salzburg adds: and scalper
  7. lit: goes-into, goes-towards, goes-at
  8. alt: the hard
  9. mitmachen. alt: completes
  10. ehegefährt note: this is attacking in the vor.
  11. alt: overwhelm; turn(away, aside)
  12. alt: jab
  13. carried, transferred, brought across or over. alt: deceiving
  14. alt: your
  15. the rostock points to: "Hew the point into his chest"