Queens Guard (on the Left)
Guards 10/12- Verse 22
Left guard covering high, breaking thrusts, entering close
Translation
This is the Guard of the Lady on the Left, a powerful stance that is always ready to counter attacks or strike. She delivers powerful blows and counters incoming thrusts, driving them to the ground. Through her skill in traversing (crossing movements), she can quickly enter narrow play (close-quarters combat), a technique this guard performs excellently.
Fiore's Words
I am the Lady's Guard upon the left, bold and strong, always ready to cover or strike. I can't go wrong. I make great blows and break the thrust with ease, beating it earthward, dropping foes to their knees. Through traversing skill, I enter narrow play with speed, for these close techniques are the games I truly lead.
Combat Context
A defensive but aggressive guard positioned on the left side, designed to counter incoming attacks (especially thrusts) while maintaining offensive capability. The guard's strength lies in its ability to cover, deflect downward thrusts, and use traversing footwork to close to grappling range. Particularly effective against linear thrust attacks that can be beaten down, and serves as a transition point into close-quarters combat.
Training Notes
- ✦ Position the sword on the left side of the body, likely with the point forward and elevated for covering
- ✦ Practice the defensive function: covering against incoming attacks while maintaining readiness to counter-strike
- ✦ Drill the specific action of meeting and deflecting incoming thrusts downward to the ground. This requires precise timing and blade angle
- ✦ Work on traversing footwork (likely offline angular steps) as the method for closing the distance from this guard into the narrow play range
- ✦ This guard emphasises power generation ('grandi colpi' - great blows), so practice delivering strong strikes from this position
- ✦ Train transitioning from defensive covering actions directly into entering narrow play techniques
This is card FL22 from the Fiore dei Liberi Sword In Two Hands deck.
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· Posta di donna la sinestra, pulsativa · [23v-d] ¶ Questa si e posta di donna la senestra, che de coverte e de ferir, ella e sempre presta. Ella fa grandi colpi e rompe le punte, e sbattele a terra. E intra in lo zogho stretto per lo suo saver traversare. Questi zogi tal guardia sa ben fare.
This is the Guard of the Lady on the left, and she is always quick to cover or strike. She generates powerful blows and easily breaks the thrust, driving it to the ground. Also, because of her skill in traversing, she can quickly enter into the Narrow Game, a game she is very familiar with.
[13r-b] Questa si e posta de donna la sinistra che de coverte e de ferire ella e sempre presta. ella fa grandi li[51] colpi e rompe le punte, sbattele a terra. E intra in lo zogo stretto, per lo saver atravesare. Aquisti zoghi tal guardia sa bene fare.
This is the Stance of the Queen on the left, and she is always ready to cover and to strike. She makes great blows and breaks the thrusts, beating them to the ground, and she enters into the narrow play by knowing how to thwart. Such a guard knows how to make these plays well.
[19a-b] Io son la stancha posta de vera finestra Cussi dela drita como de questa son presta
I am the left Stance of the True Window; I am just as swift in this one as from the right.
[13v-b] ¶ Laevus[52] e:go situs ipse vocor / Veraeque fenestrae. Sic celer in dextra velut hac sum nempe sinistra.
I[50] am called the On the Left Position itself, and Of the True Window. Thus, I am certainly fast on the right, just as this way on the left.