Οπλοδιδασκαλια sive Armorvm Tractandorvm Meditatio Alberti Dvreri |
---|
MS 26-232, Albertina Vienna, Austria |
Folio 61r |
|
|
Type |
|
---|
Date |
ca. 1512 |
---|
Place of origin |
Nuremberg, Germany |
---|
Language(s) |
Early New High German |
---|
Author(s) |
Unknown |
---|
Scribe(s) |
|
---|
Illustrator(s) |
Albrecht Dürer |
---|
Size |
127 folia |
---|
Format |
Generally single-sided; two or three illustrations per side, with text on the right |
---|
Script |
Bastarda |
---|
Exemplar(s) |
Codex I.6.4º.2 (1470s) |
---|
Treatise scans |
|
The correct title of this article is Οπλοδιδασκαλια sive Armorvm Tractandorvm Meditatio Alberti Dvreri (MS 26-232). The absence of Greek characters is due to technical restrictions.
Οπλοδιδασκαλια sive Armorvm Tractandorvm Meditatio Alberti Dvreri ("Weapon Training, or Albrecht Dürer's Meditation on the Handling of Weapons", MS 26-232) is a German fencing manual created in 1512 by Albrecht Dürer,[1] and is thus the earliest known fencing manual illustrated by a master artist. The original currently rests in the Graphische Sammulung of the Albertina in Vienna, Austria. This treatise, like all of Dürer's fencing material, appears to be connected with the visit of Emperor Maximilian I to Dürer's home city of Nuremberg in 1512.[1]
Dürer was an important figure in the German renaissance, and is noted for his realistic depictions of human anatomy; this is significant as the illustrations in earlier fencing manuals are often considered distorted or otherwise less unreliable. Much of the material seems to be copied from the earlier treatises of the Codex Wallerstein and the Glasgow Fechtbuch, making it part of the Nuremburg tradition. The lost Codex 1246 seems to have been copied in turn from this manuscript (as well as Christian Egenolff's reprint of Andre Paurñfeyndt) in the early 1600s.
Provenance
The known provenance of the MS 26-232 is:[2]
- Created by Albrecht Durer in Nuremberg in ca. 1512, probably for Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I.
- Early 1600s - Copied by an unknown scribe to produce the Codex 1246.
- 1823 - Discovered in Styria, Austria, by theologian Vincenz Weintridt.
- 1833 - Presented to Emperor Franz I by Weindridt.
- Present - Held by the Albertina in Vienna, Austria.
Contents
Ir - 3v
|
|
4r - 12r
|
Blank
|
14r - 53r
|
Grappling teachings from the Nuremberg tradition
|
53r - 59r
|
Blank
|
60r - 66r
|
Longsword teachings from the Nuremberg tradition
|
66v - 67v
|
Dagger teachings from the Nuremberg tradition
|
68r - 72r
|
Blank
|
73r - 92r
|
Messer teachings from the Nuremberg tradition
|
93r - 95r
|
Blank
|
96r - 100v
|
Gloss of the Recital on the Messer by Johannes Lecküchner (fragment)
|
100v
|
Verse on mounted fencing
|
100v
|
Recital on short sword fencing by Johannes Liechtenauer
|
100v
|
Grappling by Ott Jud (fragment)
|
101r
|
Complete Translation by Jake Norwood
|
Transcription [edit] by Dierk Hagedorn
|
Here mark these are the out-goings from both sides
Item: from your right side, so swing your sword from both sides and let the sword fall behind your back. In this so grip at the pommel with your left hand and hit the flugel[3] from the from the [sic] r.s. that your sword comes into the shield. Hit the overthrown[4] strike backwards and turn yourself around so you come again in the shield or after you may make a bridge inverted over the head. Thereafter you may do what you will.
|
[101r] Hie merck dis sind die auß gen von bedenn seytten
Item von deyner rechten seyten So schwing dein schwert von beyden seytten vnd loß das schwert hinden in deynen ruck fallen In dem so griff mit deiner lincken hand noch dem knopf vnd schlag den flugel von der von der [!] r. s das dein schwert kompt in den schilt schlag den verworffen streych hinder sich vnd kere dich in dem selben vmb so kumpstu wider Inden schiltt oder nach magstu machen ein bruck ob dem kopf verworffen dar nach mach was du wilt
|
The second going
Item: the second. When you have swung out[5] as before, so hit a free under-hew and invert the sword and step with the left foot backwards, so your sword comes to you on your left shoulder. In this strike from below upwards and invert and turn yourself boldly around so your sword sets itself behind [your] back outwardly against the man.[6] Thereafter do what you will.
|
Der ander gang
Item dem ander wen du aufgeschwungen hast alß vor so schlag ein frien vnderhew vnd verwerff das schwert vnd drit mit dem lincken fuß hindersich So kumpt dir dein schwert an dein linck achsell Indem strich von vnden auff vnd verwirff vnd ker dich bald vmb so stelt sich dein schwert hinder ruck hinauß gegen dem man dar nach mach was du willt
|
The third
When you have swung as before, so make a counter before you and step with the right foot to the left and hew the flugel over your r. arm and step with the l. foot backwards against the man[7] and turn your sword behind [your] back here out that your point stands against the man in the stortz.[8] Thereafter do what you will, or fall there out in the under-plunge to your r. side.
|
Der dritt
Wann du geschwungen hast wie vor so mach ein bruch in vor dir vnd dritt mit dem rechten füß zü dem lincken vnd hawe dem flugel über dein r. arm vnd drit mit dem l. füsß hinder sig gegen dem man vnd verwende dein schwert hinder ruck her auß das der ortt gegen dem man stett Indem sturtz darnach mach was du willt / oder fall dar auß In die vnderen sturtz zu der r. seyten
|
Another
When you have hewed in the middle-hew to your l. s. that your sword here comes around with a stab on your r. arm against the man, thereafter strike against your r. s. and spring and invert in the height that your sword goes close to your l. foot above. Thereafter do the leap before the man or what you will.
|
Aber einer
Wenn du hast gehawen In den mittelhew zu deiner l. s. So strich vnd virwirff vnd spring Im auf dein l. s. das dein schwert her vmb kümpt mit einem stich auf dein l. arm gegen dem man dar nach strig gegen deiner r. s. vnd spring vnd verwirff Indie hehe das dein schwert neben dein l. fuß auf gett dar nach mach den sprung vor dem man oder was du wilt
|
Another going
Item: from your r. s. reverse your r. hand by the cross and your left by the pommel and leap on your r. s. in the shield there over a free leap as you will.
|
Aber ein gang
Item von deiner r. s. verkere dein r. hand bey dem kritz vnd die lincke bey dem knopff vnd spring auf dein r. s. In den schilt dar ober ein frien sprung wie du willt
|
Item: know that the three counters are one. Take in the wide before you, the second under the right leg, the third in the center, and is after all one kind.
|
Item wiß das der bruch drig sind eines nim In die witte vor dir das ander vnder dem rechten beÿn das dritte Inder mitte vnd ist dach alles ein artt
|
Item: when you have swung on,[9] so make a long counter in before you and turn the sword to the back, so strike up from the r. s. and invert in the height so your sword comes behind [your] back outward. Do thereafter what you will.
|
Item wann du auff geschwungen hast So mach do lang bruch im vor dir vnd wende das schwert In den rucken so streych von der r s. auf vnd virwirff dar nach von der lincken Im auff striechen So spring auf dein rechten hinder sich vmb vnd verwirff Inder hehe So kumpt dein schwert hinder ruck hin auß mach dar nach was du willt
|
|
101r
|
No Translation
|
Transcription [edit] by Dierk Hagedorn
|
|
[101r] Ein tegen fechten
Item merck das tegen fechten wan dir einer von seiner r. s. von oben ein zu sticht das die spitz bey dem kleinen finger hin auß geett So far mit deiner rechten hand In sein rechte vnder dem tegen vnd über griff mit deiner lincken hand sein rechte vnd küm deyner rechten zů sture (?) vnd schreut In dem mit deim rechten fuß hinder seinen rechten vnd druck im vast von dir so vellet er
|
|
Ein anders
Item wann er also auf dich stichet So far mit deiner l. hand in sein rechte vnder sein tegen vnd begriff seynen ellenpogen mit deiner rechten hand vnden hinein Inwendig vnd dritt mit deim rechten fuß fur vnd druck mit deim lincken arm vnder sich vnd mit dem reÿs andich So verferestu Im etc
|
|
101rv
|
Short sword fencing by Andre Liegniczer (fragment)
|
105r - 112v
|
Gloss of Liechtenauer's Recital on short sword fencing by Sigmund ain Ringeck (jumbled)
|
112v - 116v
|
|
116v - 124r
|
Gloss of Liechtenauer's Recital on long sword fencing by Jud Lew
|
125r - 127r
|
|
Gallery
As the Albertina has thus far declined to produce new scans, only the fragmentary facsimile published by Friedrich Dörnhöffer in 1910 is currently available.
Additional Resources
References
Copyright and License Summary
For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the discussion page.