From the earliest days of the classical period, the salute in one form or another, was a fixture in fencing manuals. An examination of the various descriptions of the salute in a convenience sample of the instructional literature of classical fencing suggests that there are three separate approaches to rendering a salute:
- (1) Coming on guard: A number of texts do not address a salute at all. However, the process of coming on guard, taught as a series of movements, includes a raised extension toward the opponent that could have been considered as filling the function of a salute. Grave (1934) describes coming on guard sequences of from 3 to 7 steps. Siebenhaar (van Nort translation) has a unique version of this process involving the unarmed weapon hand.
- (2) The Salute as a step in coming on guard: A salute is followed by a multiple step assumption of the on guard position as one complete sequence of actions.
- (3) The Salute as a distinct and separate entity: The salute is not described as linked to the sequence of coming on guard.
- (4) The Flourish Salute: This is a complex series of 20 or more parts with sequenced or simultaneous movements to the left and right sides of both fencers and simulations of attacks. These appear to be unique to Sabre, and to serve the same purpose of a courtesy to both the fencers and the spectators as found in the Grand Salute. For an example, see post 0.3.2. "Rondelle's Sabre Salute" (March 2019) in this blog.
- Siebenhaar (van Noort translation) (1861) - Foil: (1) coming on guard.
- French Ministry of War (Slee Translation) (1877) - Foil: (1) coming on guard
- Waite (1880) - Sabre: (4) a complex flourish salute.
- Parise (Holzman translation) 1884 - Foil: (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (salute delivered front, left, and right).
- Phillipps-Wolley (1890) - Single-Stick: (4) a complex flourish salute.
- Hutton (1891) - Foil: (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (salute delivered front).
- Senac and Senac (1904) - Foil: (1) coming on guard.
- Pavese (1905) - Foil: (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (salute delivered front, left, and right).
- Van Humbeek (van Noort translation) (1905) - Sabre: (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (salute delivered front, left, and right).
- Grandiere (1906) - Foil: (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (salute delivered front with appel).
French Ministry of War (Amateur Fencers League of America translation) (1908) - Foil: (1) coming on guard.- Manrique (1920) - Foil: provides two versions of the salute - Public Salute (2) a salute as a step in coming on guard; Final Salute (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (salute delivered front).
- Cass (1930) - Foil: (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (from guard with 3 appels and recovery to first position.
- Barbasetti (1932) - Foil: (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (salute delivered front, left, and right).
- Grave (1934) - Foil: (1) coming on guard.
- Castello (1937) - Foil: (2) a salute as a step in coming on guard.
- Vince (1937) - Foil, Sabre: (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (salute delivered front, left, and right).
- Breckenridge and Breckenridge (1941) - Foil: (2) a salute as a step in coming on guard.
- Deladrier (1948) - Foil, Epee, Sabre: (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (salute delivered front, left, and right).
- Lidstone (1952) - Foil: (3) salute as a distinct and separate entity (salute delivered front)
Interpreting the chronology has mixed results. It is difficult to determine whether some of the sources have omitted the salute simply because it was considered such a part of the landscape as to not require notice. The complex flourish salutes do not appear to have survived past 1900. The coming on guard appears to have survived as late as the early 1930s. And the salute as a distinct and separate entity, although appearing as early as 1891, seems to become more popular as the period progresses.
In considering the four approaches to the Salute, they are often presented in period manuals as being a technique to be executed, without attention to why that technique is of value. When the reasons for the salute are discussed, they can be described as a:
In considering the four approaches to the Salute, they are often presented in period manuals as being a technique to be executed, without attention to why that technique is of value. When the reasons for the salute are discussed, they can be described as a:
- Reminder to the participants that this is a knightly game based on courtesy: Phillipps-Wolley (1890).
- Courtesy for the opponent: Waite (1880), Pavese (1905), Breckenridge and Breckenridge (1941)
- Greeting the judges and audience: Parise (1994), Pavese (1905), Vince (1937), Breckenridge and Breckenridge (1941)
- Respect and exhibition of skill for the spectators: Waite (1880), Phillips-Wolley (1890).
Grandiere gives no specific reason for the salute but provides clear direction as to when it should be performed:
"This salute must always be made at the termination of every lesson, as well as by both fencers after the assault, and at one and the same moment. (How to Fence, 1906, p. 13)."
"This salute must always be made at the termination of every lesson, as well as by both fencers after the assault, and at one and the same moment. (How to Fence, 1906, p. 13)."
Notably, there is no discussion of the salute as psychological or mechanical preparation for combat except in the context of reminding the fencers that they should conduct themselves as gentlemen or of mechanically coming to the guard position, preparatory to the command to fence. This is an interesting omission when we consider that the salute is executed immediately before the initiation of the bout.
If we consider that the core purpose of the bout is to win through superior technical and tactical skill, it seems appropriate to evaluate the possible benefit of the salute as a focusing mechanism to assist the fencer in achieving maximum readiness prior to the initial command to "Fence." The flourish salute (4) used in sabre and singlestick would seem ideal for this purpose, involving the execution of a variety of fencing actions.
However, all is not as it seems. Because this type of salute requires considerable practice to achieve the required steps in a smooth and graceful manner, the focus of the exercise becomes executing the sequence without making a muck of it in front of the spectators. Those of our readers who have ever tried to perform a 50+ step Grand Salute in foil with another fencer understand that considerable memorization and practice with a partner is required to make a reasonable presentation. The salute becomes its own experience, divorced from the bout. Psychologically the focus becomes cooperative, sequenced movement drill with the opponent, only partly related to the bout. In addition, the actions are not executed to hit, making the last practice the fencer gets practice in missing the target.
Categories (1) coming on guard and (2) the salute as a step in coming on guard seem to offer an opportunity for the fencer to use the series of steps to enhance focus and increase readiness to fence. The 7 to 10 movements involved are easily learned and may be executed with a rhythmic flow that allows the fencer to both relax and focus on the task at hand while using a familiar series of body movements. If used in this manner, personal experience suggests that the fencer has not only come to a mechanically correct guard position, but has also achieved mental readiness for the assault.
There is another advantage to these two methods. When fencing on the planche or short strip where fencers take distance from the center line (as opposed to coming on guard at marked on guard lines), the last step of the sequence allows the fencer to control the distance. Typically the two fencers come to a position of attention with their weapon arms extended and tips touching to establish the correct distance for coming on guard. If the fencer comes on guard by moving the front foot forward, the distance is closed some amount facilitating a rapid initial attack. However, if by moving the rear foot backwards, the fencer has opened the distance to protect against such an attack.
Category (3) the salute as a distinct and separate entity can allow focusing, especially if the movements are executed with precision. However, in modern fencing, this has become a very relaxed, even sloppy, act, often executed as a hand wave with as little effort as possible, that simply delays putting the mask on and getting down to fencing. And, because it is physically a smaller number of movements, it provides less time for relaxation and focus.
What this all suggests is that it is worth experimenting with each approach (if consistent with the master you are studying) to determine its value as a tool for mental preparation for the command "fence."
Copyright 2019 by Walter G. Green III
Categories (1) coming on guard and (2) the salute as a step in coming on guard seem to offer an opportunity for the fencer to use the series of steps to enhance focus and increase readiness to fence. The 7 to 10 movements involved are easily learned and may be executed with a rhythmic flow that allows the fencer to both relax and focus on the task at hand while using a familiar series of body movements. If used in this manner, personal experience suggests that the fencer has not only come to a mechanically correct guard position, but has also achieved mental readiness for the assault.
There is another advantage to these two methods. When fencing on the planche or short strip where fencers take distance from the center line (as opposed to coming on guard at marked on guard lines), the last step of the sequence allows the fencer to control the distance. Typically the two fencers come to a position of attention with their weapon arms extended and tips touching to establish the correct distance for coming on guard. If the fencer comes on guard by moving the front foot forward, the distance is closed some amount facilitating a rapid initial attack. However, if by moving the rear foot backwards, the fencer has opened the distance to protect against such an attack.
Category (3) the salute as a distinct and separate entity can allow focusing, especially if the movements are executed with precision. However, in modern fencing, this has become a very relaxed, even sloppy, act, often executed as a hand wave with as little effort as possible, that simply delays putting the mask on and getting down to fencing. And, because it is physically a smaller number of movements, it provides less time for relaxation and focus.
What this all suggests is that it is worth experimenting with each approach (if consistent with the master you are studying) to determine its value as a tool for mental preparation for the command "fence."
Copyright 2019 by Walter G. Green III
Evolution of the Salute by Walter G. Green III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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