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FIOR DI BATTAGLIA (GETTY VERSION) TRANSLATION
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SWORD TWO-HANDED - GIOCO LARGO [Wide Play]
Translation by Eleonora Litta and Matt Easton. Images from Novati's 1902 facsimile of the Pisani-Dossi version of Fior di Battaglia. These are not exactly the same as the Getty version, but should suffice for the purposes of this page. Microfilm or prints of the J.P.Getty Museum's version of Fior di Battaglia can be bought directly from them, and do not officially appear online. A transcription of the original Italian text can be found here, courtesy of the Sala d'Arme Achille Marozzo and I have included the transcription from that site below, for ease of reference. The transcription text is copyright of the Sala d'Arme Achille Marozzo. ____________________ 25 RECTO Spada son contro ogni arma mortale, né lanza né azza né daga contra mi vale. Longa o curta me posso fare e me strengo e vegno allo zogho stretto, e vegno allo tor d’ spada e allo abrazare, mia arte si è rotare e ligadure so ben fare de coverte e ferire sempre in quelle voglio finire. Chi contra me farà ben lo farò languire. E son Reale e mantengo la justicia, la bontà acresco e destruzo la malizia. Chi me guarderà facendo in me crose, de fatto d’armizare gli farò fama e vose. The Sword, I am mortal against any weapon; no spear, no pollaxe, no dagger, is effective against me; long or short I can do. And I will come to Gioco Stretto; and come to sword disarms and to wrestling; with my art I can do breaks and binds, I know well how to make covers and injuries; always in these I want to finish. I will make those who fight against me weep. And I am Royal and I maintain the justice; I increase goodness and I destroy malice. Those who will look at me making my crosses, of facts of armed combat I will make famous and vose. ____________________ Qui cominza zogho di spada a doy man zogho largo. questo magistro ch’è qui incrosado cum questo zugadore in punta de spada dise: “quando io son incrosado in punta de spada subito io dò volta ala mia spada e sì lo fiero da l’altra parte cum lo fendente zò per la testa e per gli brazi, overo che gli metto una punta in lo volto, come vederi qui dredo depinto” Here
commences play of the two-handed sword, Gioco Largo (Wide Play). This
Master, who crosses with this player, in the point of sword, says,
"when I am crossed in point of sword, I immediately turn (volta)
my sword and I injure him from the other side, with a fendente downwards
into the head and arms, or I thrust him in the face, as you see drawn
after".
____________________
I positioned a thrust in your face, like the master which was before said. Also, I could have done what he says, that is, retract my sword immediately when I was crossed by the right side: I had to turn my sword on the left side in a fendente to the head and arms, like my Master said, who was before me.
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VERSO Again, I am crossed at Gioco Largo at the middle of the blade. And immediately when I cross [swords], I let my sword slip over his hands, and if I want to pass with my right foot out of the way, I can deliver a thrust in his chest, as is drawn hereafter.
____________________ Lo zogho del mio magistro io l’ò complido, che io ò fatta la sua coverta e subito ò fatto lo suo ditto, che io ò ferido prima gli brazzi, e poi gli ò posta la punta in petto. The play of my master has been completed, because I have done his cover, and immediately done what he said, that first I have injured the arms, then I have positioned the point/thrust in his chest.
____________________ Il mio magistro ch’è denanzi m’à insegnado che quando a meza spada io son cum uno incrosado che subito mi debia acresser inanci e pigliar la sua spada a questo partido per ferirlo taglio o punta. Anchora gli posso guastar la gamba per lo modo che possi vedere qui depento a ferirlo cum lo pe’ sopra la schena de la gamba overo sotto lo zenochio. My Master, who is before, taught me that when I am crossed in the middle of the blade, I have to immediately step forward (acresser inanci) and grab his sword, to wound with a cut or a thrust. Also, I can incapacitate his leg in the way you can see drawn here by injuring him with my foot over the back of the leg or under the knee.
____________________ Lo scholaro che m’è denanci dise del suo magistro e mio ch’ello gli ha insegnado questo zogho e per vizuda??? io lo fazo. A farlo senza dubio ello m’è pocho impazo. The student which is before says that his Master, and mine, taught him this play, and for -------- I do it. There is no problem for me to do it easily.
____________________ 26 RECTO Questo zogho si è chiamado colpo di villano e s'fa in tal modo, zoè che si de’ aspettare lo villano che lo traga cum sua spada. E quello che lo colpo aspetta de’ stare in piccolo passo cum lo pe’ stancho denanzi. E subito che lo villano te tira per ferire acresse lo pe’ stancho fora de strada inverso la parte dritta. E cum lo dritto passa a la traversa fora de strada pigliando lo suo colpo a meza la tua spada. E lassa discorrer la sua spada a terra e subito respondegli cum lo fendente per la testa overo per gli brazi, overo cum la punta in lo petto come depinto. Anchora è questo zogho bon cum la spada contra la azza, contra un bastone grave o liziero. This play is called 'colpi di villano' ('Peasant Strike'), and is made in this way. That is, you have to wait for the villano to strike with his sword, and the one who is waiting has to stay in little pass with the left foot advanced. And immediately when the villano attacks to wound, step forward/advance (acresse) with your left foot out of the way, towards the right side. And with the right foot pass traversing out of the way, taking his blow in the middle of your sword. And let slide his sword groundwards, and immediately respond with a fendente in the head or in the arms, or with a thrust to his chest, as is drawn. Also, this play is also good with a sword against an pollaxe, against a big stick, serious or liziero (practice?).
____________________ Questo de mi denanci si è lo colpo del villano, che ben gli ò posta la punta in lo petto. E cusì gli posseva un colpo per la testa fare e per gli brazzi cum lo fendente come detto denanzi. Anchora se ‘l zogadore volesse contra de mi fare volendomi ferire cum lo riverso sotto gli miei brazzi, io subito acresco lo pe’ stancho e metto la mia spada sopra la sua e non mi po’ far niente. This before me is the 'colpo del villano' ('Peasant Strike'), which I have positioned my point/thrust in his chest well. And in the same way, I could have made a blow at his head and at his arms with a fendente, as said before. Also, if the player wants against me to injure me with the riverso under my arms, I immediately step forward/advance (acresco) the left foot, and put my sword over his, and he can do nothing to me.
____________________ Quando uno te tira per la gamba discresse lo pe’ ch’è denanzi o tu lo torna indredo e tira del fendente per sua testa come qui depento. Ben che cum spada de doy man non si de’ trare del zenochio in zù poi ch’è troppo pricolo a cholui che tira, ch’ello rimane tutto discoverto quello che tira per gamba. Salve che se uno fosse vig(n)udo in terra poriasi ben ferir la gamba che altramente no, stando spada contra spada. When someone strikes to your leg, step back/slip (discresse) with your forefoot. You retreat backwards and strike a fendente in his head as shown here. With a two-handed sword you can not strike well from the knee downwards, because it is very dangerous for the one who strikes, because the one who attacks the leg remains all uncovered. Unless one has fallen on the ground, then he can injure the leg well, otherwise you can not, being sword against sword.
____________________ Questo partido che io ti fiero cum lo pe’ in gli coglioni el fazo per farte doglia e per farte svariare la coverta che fazando questo zogho vol esser fatto subito, per non avere del contrario dubito. Lo contrario di questo zogho vol esser presto fatto zoè che lo zugador de’ pigliare per la gamba dritta lo scolaro cum sua mano stancha, e in terra lo pò buttare. This partido (division/finish) I will do, with my foot in your bollocks, I do it to cause you pain, and to make you loose the cover. Because this play has to be done immediately, not to have doubts against it. The counter to this play has to be done quickly, which is; the player has to grab the student's right leg with his left hand, and he can throw him to the ground.
____________________ 26 VERSO Questo zogho si chiama scambiar de punta e se fa per tal modo zoè: quando uno te tra' una punta subito acresse lo tuo pe’ ch’è denanzi fora de strada e cum l’altro pe’ passa a la traversa anchora fora de strada traversando la sua spada cum (cum) gli toi brazzi bassi e cum la punta de la tua spada erta in lo volto o in lo petto come depento. This play is called 'Exchanging Thrusts' ('scambiar de punta'), and you have to do it in this way: When someone delivers you a thrust, immediately step forward/advance (acresse) your forefoot, out of the way, and with the other foot pass traversing (a la traversa) again out of the way, crossing (traversando) his sword with your arms lowered and with the point of your sword high, to his head or his chest, as is drawn.
____________________ De questo scambiar de punta che m’è denanzi, essi questo zogho, che subito che lo scolar che m’è denanzi non metesse la punta in lo volto del zugadore e lassasela sì che non la mettesse nè in lo volto né in lo petto, e perché fosse lo zugador armado, subito debia lo scolaro cum lo pe' stancho inanci passare e per questo modo lo debia pigliare. E la sua spada metter a bon ferire poy che lo zugador à presa sua spada e non pò fuzire. From this Exchanging Thrusts which is before me, comes this play. That immediately that the student which is before me does not stab the thrust in the face of the player, and letting it not be delivered in the face or chest, and because it was that the player was armoured, immediately this student has to pass forward with his left foot, and he has to grab in this way. And he can injure him well with his sword, because the player has grabbed his sword and can not flee.
____________________ Questa si è un'altra deffesa che se fa contra la punta zoè quando uno ti tra' una punta come t'ò detto in lo scambiar de punta in lo segondo zogo che m'è denanzi che se de' acresser e passare fora di strada. Chossì si die far in questo zogho salvo che lo scambiar de punta se va cum punta e cum gli brazzi bassi e cum la punta erta de la spada com’è detto denanzi. Ma questo se chiama rompere de punta che lo scolaro va cum gli brazzi erti e piglia lo fendente cum lo acresser e passare fora de strada e tra' per traverso la punta quasi a meza spada a rebaterla a terra. E subito vene a le strette. This is another defence to do against a thrust, which is when someone delivers a thrust at you, as I told you in the Exchanging Thrusts, in the second play which is before me, you have to step forward/advance (acresser) and pass out of the way. In the same way you have to do this play, except that the Exchanging Thrusts goes with a thrust, and with the arms lowered, and with the point of the sword high as I said before. But this is called 'Breaking Thrust' ('rompere de punta'), because the student goes with his arms high, and snatches [gives] a fendente in stepping forward (acresser) and passing out of the way, and strikes across the thrust, nearly to the middle of the sword, to beat (rebaterla) it to the ground. And immediately comes to the close.
____________________ Lo scolaro che m'è denanzi à rebatuda la spada del zugador a tera, e io complisco lo suo zogho per questo modo. Che rebatuda la sua spada a terra io gli metto cum forza lo mio pe' dritto sopra la sua spada. Overo che io la rompo, o la pigio per modo che più non la porà curare. E questo non me basta, che subito quando gl’o posto lo pe' sopra la spada, io lo fiero cum lo falso de la mia spada sotto la barba in lo collo. E subito torno cum lo fendente de la mia spada per gli brazzi o per le man come depento. The student which is before me has beaten the player's sword to the ground, and I complete his play in this way. Having beaten his sword to the ground, I put my right foot strongly onto his sword. I can break it, or I can grab it in a way that he can not ___ any more. And if this is not enough for me, immediately when I put my foot on his sword, I injure him with the false edge of my sword, under his beard, in his neck. And immediately I return with a fendente of my sword, to his arms or to his hands, as is drawn.
[n.b. the Pisani-Dossi image version here is somewhat different to the Getty version, but the technique is basically the same. The PD player (right) here appears to be left-handed!] ____________________ 27 RECTO Anchora questo zogho del romper di punta ch'è lo segondo zogho che m'è denanzi, ch'è quando io ò rebatuda la spada a terra subito io fiero cum lo pe' dritto sopra la sua spada. E in quello ferire io lo fiero in la testa come voy vedete. Again, this is a play of Breaking Thrust, which is as the second play which is before me. That when I have beaten (rebatuda) the sword to the ground, I immediately put my right foot on his sword. And in that deed, I injure him in the head, as you can see.
____________________ Questo è anchora un altro zogho del romper de punta, che si lo zugadore in lo rompere ch’i ò rotta la sua punta. leva la sua spada a la coverta d'la mia subito io gli metto l’elzo de la mia spada dentro parte del suo brazo dritto apresso la sua mane dritta e subito piglio la mia spada cum la mia man mancha a presso la punta e fiero lo zugadore in la testa. E se io volesse metteriala al collo per segargli la canna de la gola. This is also another play of Breaking Thrust, because if the player being broken (because I have broken his thrust), lifts his sword to cover from mine, then I immediately put the pommel of my sword in the part of his right arm near his right hand. And then I immediately grab my sword with my left hand near the point, and I injure the player in his head. And if I want, I can put it to his neck, to slice the windpipe of his throat.
____________________ Anchora quando io ò rebatuda la la punta o vero che sia incrosado cum uno zugadore gli metto la mia mane dredo al suo cubito dritto e penzolo forte per modo che io lo farò voltare e discoprire, e poy lo fiero in quello voltare che io gli faço fare. Also, when I have beaten back the thrust, or when I am crossed [swords] with a player, I put my hand behind his right elbow, and I pinch it strongly in a way that makes him turn and uncover himself, and then I injure him in that turning I make him do.
____________________ Questo scolaro che m’è denanzi dise lo vero che per la volta ch’ello ti fa fare per questo modo dredo de ti la testa ti vegno a tagliare. Anchora inanzi che tu tornassi ala coverta io ti porìa fare in la schena cum la punta una piaga averta. This student who is before me, says the truth, because of the turn he makes you do. In this way, I will cut you in the back of your head. Also, before you could return to your cover, I could give you an open wound in your back with a thrust.
____________________ 27 VERSO Questo zogo si chiama punta falsa e punta curta, e sì dirò come la fazzo: io mostro di venire cum grande forza per ferire lo zugadore cum colpo mezano in la testa. E subito ch’ello fa la coverta io fiero la sua spada lizeramente. E subito volto la spada mia de l’altra parte pigliando la mia spada cum la mane mia mancha quasi al mezo. E la punta gli metto subita in la gola o in lo petto. Ed è migliore questo zogo in arme che senza. This play is called 'False Thrust' ('punta falsa') and 'Short Thrust' ('punta curta'), and I will tell you how I do it. I pretend to come with a great force to injure the player with a mezano blow in his head, and immediately when he does the cover, I strike his sword lightly. And immediately turn (volto) my sword on the other side, grabbing my sword almost in the middle with my left hand, and immediately I put the point/thrust in his throat or chest. And this play is better in armour than without.
____________________ Questo si è lo contrario del zogho che m’è denanzi, zoè de punta falsa overo di punta curta. E questo contrario si fa per tal modo: quando lo scolaro fiere in la mia spada, in la volta ch’ello dà a la sua spada subito io dò volta a la mia per quello modo che lui dà volta a la sua. Salvo che io passo a la traversa per trovar lo compagno più discoverto. E sì gli metto la punta in lo volto. E questo contrario è bono in arme e senza. This is the counter to the play before me, which is False Thrust, or Short Thrust. And this counter is done in this way; when the student strikes my sword, in that turning he does with his sword, I immediately turn mine in the way he is turning his, but I pass across/to the traverse, to find the fellow more uncovered. And then I put my point in his face. And this counter is good in armour and without.
____________________ Qui finisse zogho largo de la spada a doy mani che sono zoghi uniti gli quali àno zoghi, zoè rimedi e contrari da parte dritta e de parte riversa e contrapunte e contratagli de zaschuna rasone cum roture, coverte, ferire e ligadure che tutte queste chose lizerissimamente se ponno intendere. Here finishes the Gioco Largo (Wide Play) with the two-handed sword, which has united plays, which has plays that are the remedies and counters from the right and from the left sides, and counter-thrusts, and counter-cuts for every reason, with breaks, covers, injuring and binds; which are things that are all easily understandable. ____________________
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Translation copyright of Eleonora Litta & Matt Easton 2005. This page was composed by Matt Easton - Last update: 06/06/2005 Contact: schola-gladiatoria@hotmail.co.uk
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