The Boar's Tusk
Guards 8/12- Verse 20
Upward thrust from below, return with descending strike
Translation
The Boar's Tusk is a guard position that attacks by striking with its tusks in diagonal upward thrusts. From this stance, deliver powerful underhand thrusts from below the hands up into the opponent's face without stepping forward, then return down the same line with a descending strike to the arms. Alternatively, thrust high to the face while simultaneously advancing the front foot forward, return with a descending strike to the head or arms while coming back to guard, then immediately launch another thrust with another advance of the front foot. This guard defends well against close-range sword work.
Fiore's Words
I am the strong stance of the Boar's Tusk, Brave and immense in strength, against all guards I thrust. I strike the way the wild boar fights, with tusks that hook and tear. My powerful points drive upward from below into your face. Sometimes I thrust without a step, then cleave back down your arms. Other times I thrust on high while surging forward fast, then crack your skull or slice your limbs descending to my guard, and launch again with foot advanced, my probing knows no rest. Against the narrow play's close work, my defence holds up.
Combat Context
This guard is designed to withstand aggressive probing attacks while maintaining defensive capability. The upward thrust exploits the natural defensive weakness of guards who leave the lower line open, while the immediate descending return strike prevents a counterattack. The ability to vary between non-stepping and advancing variants allows the fighter to control distance and tempo. The rapid follow-up thrust after returning to guard maintains offensive pressure and prevents the opponent from recovering initiative. The 'probing' nature mentioned in Pisani-Dossi suggests that these attacks are used to test the opponent's reactions and create openings, rather than as committed all-out strikes.
Training Notes
- ✦ Non-stepping variant: thrust upward from a low position to the face, then immediately descend down the same line to strike the arms.
- ✦ The thrust originates 'from below the hands,' meaning the sword point starts low and drives diagonally upward, not a horizontal thrust.
- ✦ Stepping variant, the front foot shuffle-steps forward simultaneously with the thrust. This increases the thrust's power and reach.
- ✦ The return strike is a fendente that follows immediately after the thrust. Practice the fluid transition from thrust to cut as one continuous motion.
- ✦ Return to guard with the descending strike, immediately launch another thrust with another foot advance. Fiore emphasises rapid follow-up.
- ✦ At close range, this guard's vertical striking lines and quick transitions between thrust and cut provide effective defence.
- ✦ Maintain readiness to defend during the return to guard; the phrase 'with all precautions' (Paris) suggests controlled, defensive awareness during offensive action.
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· Dente di cenghiaro stabile · [24r-d] ¶ Questo si'e dente di zengiaro pero che dello zengiaro prende lo modo di ferire. Ello tra grande punte per sotto man in fin al'volto e no si move di passo, E torna cum lo fendente zo per gli brazzi. E alchuna volta tra la punta al volto, e va cum la punta erta, e in quello zitar di punta ello acresse lo pe ch'e dinanzi subito, e torna cum lo fendente per la testa e per gli brazzi e torna in sua guardia, e subito zitta un'altra punta cum acresser di pe, e ben se defende delo zogo stretto.
This is the Boar’s Tusk,[46] because it strikes the way the wild boar strikes.[47] Sometimes it makes powerful thrusts from below up into the face, without stepping forward, and it returns along the same path with a downward strike to the arms. Other times as it thrusts the point of the sword high into the face, it advances the front foot forwards, then returns to its guard with a downward strike to the head or the arms. Then it quickly launches another thrust with another advance of the front foot. And this guard can mount a good defense against the Narrow Game.
[12v-d] Questo si e dente de zenghiar, che dello dente de zenghiar fa simile modo de ferir. Ello tra grande punte, per sotto le mane in fin al volto, e non se move de passo, e torna cum lo fendente, zo per li brazi. E alchuna volta tra la punta al volto, e va cum la punta erta, e in quello butar de punta, ello acrese lo pe ch'e denanzi subito, e torna cum lo fendente per la testa, e per li brazi, e torna in sua guardia, e subito zetta un'altra punta cum acresere de pe, e ben se defende dalo zogo streto.
This is the Wild Boar's Tusk since the tusk of a wild boar has a similar method of striking. She attacks with great underhand thrusts ending in the face and doesn't move a step, and then returns with a downward blow down to the arms. And sometimes she throws her point to the face and goes with the point high, and in that throw of the point she suddenly advances the foot which is in front and returns to her guard, and immediately throws another thrust with an advance of the foot, and thus defends well against the narrow play.
[18b-d] Io son la forte posta de dent de zenchiar Cum tute le guardie me son uso de provar
I am the strong Stance of the Boar's Tusk. My tactic against all the guards is to probe.
[13r-d] ¶ Sum situs aprinus audax / et viribus ingens / Expertus cunctis cautelis pandere Vires.
I am the Position of the Wild Boar, brave and immoderate of strength, Well-proved to extend with all precautions.