10.1.1.7.1.b. Half-Circle

What is a Half-Circle and why?  Fencing has a number of things that are halves of other things: Half-Lunge, Half-Disengage, Half-Step, and I am sure that is not all.  But Half-Circle is a very particular case that deserves some examination.

We are used to lists of French School parries that include First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth parries.  But occasionally the series is broken, and we encounter … Fifth, Sixth, Half-Circle, and Eighth.  The Italian School also has a half-circle of its own, the mezzochercio.

Half-Circle, and its other incarnations as Demi-Circle and Semi-Circle is a parry, of some antiquity found in sources prior to the classical period as early as Clarke's Boy's Own Book in 1829.  Clarke notes that the parry of Semi-Circle is of specific use for defense against attacks of Low Fourth, Second, and the disengage thrust of Fourth Over Arm. The parry was executed by lowering the point and moving the blade to the inside approximately 6 inches as the blade is advanced forward and the hand is raised to mouth level. .

Clarke is important in another way.  His illustrations show parries in the low line executed based on a target above the waist.  The forearm remains in the same place as in a parry of Third, but the hand is bent downward with the blade extending below the waist.  This same version of the parry appears in illustrations accompanying Griffiths (1868), The French Ministry of War (1877), Benedict (1883, a close copy of Griffiths), and Colmore Dunn (1891).  Although this parry in Eighth and Half-Circle appears unusual to modern eyes, it makes sense for the protection of the target area when that target is limited to above the waist and allows a quick riposte in the high lines.

In 1863 "Stonehenge" and Wood make a brief mention of Demi-Circle in their book Archery, Fencing, and Broadsword.  Demi-Circle is described as a sweep of the fencer's blade across the low line.

Griffiths describes the Half-Circle parry in 1868 in The Modern Fencer as being used, after a parry in third, against an attack in second or low fourth.  The hand is raised to shoulder height in supination, the point low, the arm is bent across the body, and the elbow drawn inward.

Griffiths also describes the use of Half-Circle as a Counter of Half-Circle and possibly even a Double Counter of Half-Circle.  In the Counter of Half-Circle, if the opponent avoids the parry of Half-Circle by disengaging over the blade as it crosses to the inside, the fencer makes a circular parry to meet the opponent's blade in the final position of the Half-Circle.  The Double Counter of Half-Circle repeats the circular parry to defeat a second attempt to escape the parry.

The 1877 Fencing Manual published by the French Ministry of War (Slee translation) describes Half-Circle as a defense against attacks in the low line.  The fencer turns the hand into supination and lowers the point so that it is below the opponent's wrist.  The fencer executes a movement of the blade and wrist from outside to inside, the wrist remaining at the same level throughout.

If the opponent attempts to escape from Half-Circle, the fencer raises the point and passes above the opponent's blade to return to the parrying position.  This is essentially the same as Griffiths's Counter of Half-Circle. 

Benedict in his Manual of Boxing, Club Swining and Manly Sports in 1883 does not address Half-Circle.  However, he does include a paragraph discussing in brief the Counter Half-Circle and the Double Counter Half-Circle parries with essentially the same text as Griffiths. 

As late as 1920, Manrique in Fencing Foil Class Work Illustrated discusses Seventh or Half-Circle.  The description identifies the purpose of the parry as defending against an attack in the low line, and could be consistent with the above descriptions of Half-Circle or with the modern execution of Seventh.

Collmore Dunn's 1891 edition of Dunn's Fencing Instructor and Hutton's The Swordsman includes the modern concept of Septime (Seventh) as a low line parry equivalent to Octave (Eighth).  It is a distinctly different parry executed from Fourth against the attack in the low line with a semi-circular blade movement to the outside.  This description is repeated by Rondelle 1892, in Prevost's section of Pollock and Grove in 1902, and the 1908 edition of the French Ministry of War's manual.  Effectively Half-Circle in what may be its earlier configuration disappears in the 20 year window between 1890 to 1910.

So what can we extract from this data?  

First, we do not know why all of the French system parries were initially numbered except Half-Circle.  The fact that this is the case suggests that Half-Circle is different from the normal lateral, vertical, or circular parry. 

Second, for Half-Circle (Semi-Circle or Demi-Circle) itself, it is a parry that sweeps across the low lines ("Stonehenge and Wood) dealing with attacks in Second, the disengage into Fourth Over Arm, and Low Fourth.    

Third, how Half-Circle is executed is open to some question.  Illustrations and text references suggest that it starts from Third or Sixth (French Ministry of War, Griffiths), or possibly from Fourth with a large circular movement.  Descriptions refer to lowering the blade (French Ministry of War).  However, a semi-circular movement, initially to the outside, from the high line taking the opponent's blade from behind to move it from Third or Sixth to the low lines would seem to be faster than dropping the point vertically and then moving laterally.  It may be of some interest that this is a parrying movement that is often experienced with beginners when teaching the parry of Eight or Second from Third of Sixth; in error the student takes the semi-circular parry toward the inside, instead of toward the outside.

Fourth, this appears to be a contraction parry, one which moves the parried blade across the target area.  Contraction parries have an increased risk of the opponent scoring by simply continuing the attempt to hit after first contact.  None of the later First through Eighth parries are contractions whether as a direct parry, a semi-circular (high to low or reverse in the same vertical line, or a circular parry.  However, if the parry is intended as a diagonal or lateral movement from Sixth toward Fourth, 

Fifth, if we are correct, why does Half-Circle disappear?  The movement pattern, if in fact it is a semi-circular transition into a sweep across the low line, actually appears to be close to the modern concept of the diagonal parry.

Sixth, if we accept Half-Circle as distinct technique, we have identified three distinct classical techniques in the Counter of Half-Circle and the Double Counter of Half Circle. 

   
Sources:

Benedict, George H.; Manual of Boxing, Club Swinging and Manly Sports; [sports manual]; no publisher, no place, reprint by Read Books Ltd., no place; 1883, reprint 2013.

Clarke, William; The Boy’s Own Book; [sports manual]; Monroe and Francis, Boston, Massachusetts, reprinted by Applewood Books, Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America; 1829, reprint no date.

Collmore Dunn, H. A.; Dunn's Fencing Instructor; [fencing manual]; Street and Smith Publishers, New York, New York, United States of America; 1891.  

France. Ministry of War; Fencing Manual (Manuel d'Escrime); translation by Chris Slee; [fencing manual]; Ministere de la Guerre, Paris, France; translated edition published by Long Edge Press, no place; 1877, translation 2017.

France.  Ministry of War; Fencing: Foil, Epee, Sabre, Theory, Method, Regulations; translation by the Amateur Fencers League of America; [fencing manual]; Alex Taylor and Company, New York, New York, reprinted by Rose City Books, Portland Oregon, United States of America; 1908 translated 1908, Rose City Book reprint no date.

Griffiths, B. T.; The Modern Fencer with the Most Recent Means of Attack and Defence when Engaged with an Adversary; [fencing manual]; Frederick Warne and Co., London, United Kingdom; 1868.

Hutton, Alfred; The Swordsman: A Manual of Fence for the Foil, Sabre, and Bayonet; [fencing manual]; reprint by The Naval and Military Press, Uckfield, East Sussex, United Kingdom; 1891, reprint no date.

Manrique, Ricardo Enrique; Fencing Foil Class Work Illustrated; [fencing manual]; American Sports Publishing Company, New York, New York, United States of America, 1920.

Pollock, Walter H., F. C. Grove, and Camille Prevost; Fencing; 2^nd edition; [fencing manual]; Longman’s, Green, and Company, London, United Kingdom; 1890.

Rondelle, Louis; Foil and Sabre: A Grammar of Fencing in Detailed Lessons for Professor and Pupil; [fencing manual]; Estes and Lauriat, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America; 1892.

"Stonehenge" (possibly John Henry Walsh) and J. G. Wood; Archery, Fencing, and Broadsword; [sports manual];  Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, London, United Kingdom; 1863.

Copyright 2020 by Walter G. Green III.


Half-Circle by Walter G. Green III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

14.1.2. Intrecciata

The Intrecciata is the Italian Schools' change beat.  We are fortunate that there are three English language fencing manuals from the classical period that describe this technique:  Mansaniello Parise;s Treatise on the Fencing of the Sword and Sabre (1884) available in a 2015 translation by Holzman The Roman-Neapolitan School of Fencing, Generoso Pavese's somewhat rare Foil and Sabre Fencing (1905), Luigi Barbasetti's The Art of the Foil (1932 although the majority of the text may have been written in the late 1890s) available in reprint.

Maestro di Scherma Parise described the intrecciata as a disengage followed by a beat to free the fencer's blade from the opponent's.  The technique is executed in two ways:

• when the opponent is engaged in terza (third) the internal intrecciata is executed with the hand in third-in-fourth, ending with a straight thrust in fourth.  This is termed the intrecciata in quarta.
• when the engagement is in fourth, the external intrecciata is executed with the hand in second in third directed to the flank, termed the intrecciata and cartoccio.  It may also be performed to the chest. with the thrust with hand in either second or fourth.

Parise described two additional uses of the intrecciata.  The first is the intrecciata and  feint direct employed when it is likely the opponent will use a lateral parry in defense. 

• The inside intrecciata is followed with a feint of straight thrust and a disengage to the external chest to deceive a parry in four.
• The outside intrecciata is followed by a feint to the flank and a disengage to the chest in four to deceive a parry of two.
• The outside intrecciata can be followed by a feint to the chest and a disengage to deceive the parry of three.

The second is the intrecciata and circular feint direct.  The disengage at the end of the intrecciata and feint direct, the disengage is replaced by a circular movement to deceive an opponent's circular parry.

• The internal intrecciata is executed as a straight thrust with the hand in third in fourth and avoids the outside circular parry by returning to the same target in a circular movement.  To elude the parry of mezzocerchio it may be directed to the flank with the hand in second.
• The external intrecciata is executed with the hand in second in third.  If the opponent executes a circular fourth parry, the attack moves circularly to the inside chest with the hand in fourth. If the opponent attempts a parry of mezzocerchio, it can be deceived with a feint of cartoccio with a circular action to the flank.

Maestro di Scherma Pavese's text appears to be the first English language publication describing the method taught at the Military Fencing Masters School of Rome and to be based on Parise.  He described the technique as a passage of the blade under the opponent's blade.  This tracks slightly further away from the blade than is normal in a disengage and ends with a beat in the new line to displace the opponent's blade laterally.  The beat is executed with the hand in second-in-third and is the immediate preparation for a straight thrust with the hand in fourth hand position and lunge.

Pavese described the intrecciata con la finta (change beat with feint) is a combination of (1) intrecciata, (2) thrust in the line from which the beat was made as a feint, and (3) a disengage to avoid the opponent's attempt to make a lateral parry and hit.  This is essentially an abbreviated form of Parise's explanation.

Maestro di Scherma Barbasetti used the English language term "change beat" and addresses it in the context of the binds (an engagement that diverts the opponent's blade from the line).  Barbasetti's standard binds are: (1) Prime - from both blades on the inside line, opponent's blade diverted to the inside, (2) Seconde - from both blades on the inside line, opponent's blade diverted to the outside, (3) Tierce - from both blades on the outside line, opponent's blade diverted to the outside, (4) Quarte - from both blades on the inside line, opponent's blade diverted to the inside, and (5) Quinte - from both blades on the inside line, opponent's blade diverted to the inside in the extended arm guard.  Note that Barbasetti's English language text used the French titles of the various positions.

The movement of the change beat is described as being the same as that required to change a bind.  This creates a wider interpretation of the change beat than the descriptions of Parise and Pavese.   Barbasetti suggested that the change beats listed below are possible:

• from bind of quarte, change beat in tierce.
• from bind of quarte, change beat in quinte.
• from bind of tierce, change beat in quarte.
• from bind of tierce, change beat in seconde.
• from bind of seconde, change beat in quinte.
• from bind of seconde, change beat in prime.
• from bind of quinte, change beat in quarte.
• from bind of prime, change beat in seconde.
• from bind of prime, change beat in quarte.

These create movement patterns that are semi-circular, rather than the circular beat of Parise and Pavese.  Barbasetti also discussed the change beat as a method of disarming the opponent - Pavese had mentioned this possibility but did not provide specific examples.  Also of note is that Barbasetti taught a Counter Beat, executed as a circle against an opponent whose arm and blade are fully extended.

All of these actions require a good understanding of Italian School hand positions, the meaning of internal and external, and the formation of Italian School guards and parries, all of which have differences from the French School.  The Classical Academy of Arms Catalog of Classical Fencing Actions and Glossary may be of assistance.  Understanding the movement patterns themselves requires walking through them with a partner and weapons.

Sources:

Barbasetti, Luigi; The Art of the Foil; [fencing manual]; E. P. Dutton and Company, Inc., New York, New York, United States of America; 1932.

Holzman, Christopher A.; The Roman-Neapolitan School of Fencing: The Collected Works of Masaniello Parise, Maestro di Scherma; [fencing manual]; Christopher A. Holzman, Wichita, Kansas, United States of America; 2015.

Pavese, Generoso; Foil and Sabre Fencing; [fencing manual]; Press of King Brothers, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America; 1905.   
Copyright 2020 by Walter G. Green III


Intrecciata by Walter G. Green III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

E10.6. La Marche and Parries

In modern epee there is considerable variation in what suite of parries is possible and necessary to protect the fencer.  For example, Terence Kingston lists the standard eight, adds Ninth and a High Second.  In contrast, Imre Vass stresses the need for a smaller number (typically 4 to 5) of parries organized in an integrated system that is consistent with the fencer's preferred tactical approach to fencing.  So, what is a classical fencer to do … master all of the parries or use a smaller set tailored to his or her view of epee?

Maitre Claude La Marche addresses this problem in The Dueling Sword (House's translation), and it appears that he is very much a system advocate.  Some background is important.  The French Dueling Sword (what we term an epee, whether of the salle or of the terrain) was an evolving weapon when La Marche wrote his two editions in 1884 and 1898.  Training for the use of the sword in the duel originally was based on the foil, but by the 1880s the complication of foil play was recognized by some French Masters as being unrealistic for the dueling ground (the terrain).  In that evolution we see a number of Master's adopting different approaches to teaching the dueling sword; La Marche is one of these Masters.

The turbulence in technique extended to what we would consider very fundamental differences in how to execute blade actions.  For example, today a modern fencer knows how to execute a circular parry - the hand and arm stay stable and the blade and point is moved in a teardrop "circle."  In contrast in La Marche's time the circular parry could be executed in that way or, according to other masters, by maintaining the point in one location in space and moving the hand and wrist in a circular motion.  The tenor of La Marche's comments suggest that blade movement is more desirable than the hand and wrist technique.

In this environment, La Marche defined two classes of parries.  These were oppositions and counter-oppositions, the latter being the circular parry.  They could be simple (one tempo) or complex (two tempo).  He believed that the six necessary parries were:

• Fourth opposition
• Fourth counteropposition
• Sixth opposition
• Sixth counteropposition
• Second opposition
• Second counteropposition

He advocated that these parries should be employed as follows:

(1)  Simple oppositions and counteroppositions:

• Fourth opposition or fourth counteropposition
• Sixth opposition or counteropposition

(2)  Complex (compound) oppositions and counteroppositions:

• Fourth opposition and fourth counteropposition
• Sixth opposition and sixth counteropposition
• Fourth counteropposition and sixth opposition
• Sixth counteropposition and fourth opposition
• Sixth counteropposition and second opposition

There are a couple of points that deserve discussion in evaluating La Marche's choices for simple and complex parries.  First, this is clearly a system in the same sense as Vass suggests.  The limited number of opposition parries (3) and the smaller number of counteropposition parries (2) makes it easier to learn and to automate defensive responses.  

Second, if we assume the system is intended for use in the duel, the system provides a solid defense for the arm, especially when combined with the short retreat he suggests in response to any attack.  The sequencing of opposition and counteropposition parries allows the fencer to deal with both indirect and direct attacks with sufficient options to complicate the opponent's tactical decision making. If we look at what these actions defeat, the defense deals with the following common attacks:

• Fourth opposition - straight thrust in fourth
• Sixth opposition - straight thrust in sixth
• Fourth counteropposition - disengage from fourth
• Sixth counteropposition - disengage from sixth
• Fourth opposition and fourth counteropposition - feint of straight thrust disengage starting in fourth
• Sixth opposition and sixth counteropposition - feint of straight thrust disengage starting in sixth
• Fourth counteropposition and sixth opposition - two successive disengages (double) in the same direction starting in fourth
• Sixth counteropposition and fourth opposition - two successive disengages (double) in the same direction starting in sixth
• Sixth counteropposition and second opposition - disengage starting in sixth followed by half disengage to the low line

This system deals with the common direct and indirect single tempo attacks and with the feint of straight thrust-disengage, double, and a high-low attack all supported by an opening of the distance sufficient to allow the compound parries and to remove the torso and leg targets.

Sources: 

Kingston, Terence; Epee Combat Manual; [fencing manual]; Terrence Kingston, Surbiton, Greta Britain; 2004.

La Marche, Claude; The Dueling Sword; translation by Brian House; [fencing manual]; Ernest Flammarion; Paris, France; reprinted by Paladin Press, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America; 1898 reprinted 2009.

Vass, Imre; Epee Fencing; [fencing manual]; Corvina Press, Budapest, Hungary.

Copyright 2020 by Walter G. Green III

La Marche and Parries by Walter G. Green III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.