Wide Play - Verse 29
Cut hands or pass offline to thrust from a mid-sword cross
Translation
This is a wide play technique that begins with a crossing at mid-sword (halfway along the blade). As soon as the crossing occurs, let your sword slide forward and backwards over the opponent's hands in a sawing motion. Alternatively, pass forward with your right foot, moving offline to your right, and thrust into the opponent's chest.
Fiore's Words
I cross with you in the Wide Play in the middle of our blades. The moment our swords meet, I let mine run back and forth across your hands, sawing them. Or I can pass with my right foot, step off the line, and drive my point straight into your chest, as shown after this.
Combat Context
You engage at a wide play distance, and the swords cross at their midpoints. This is a transitional role with multiple tactical options. The sawing motion can control or injure the opponent's hands while you maintain defensive pressure. Alternatively, if you read an opening or the opponent commits their weight forward, you can pass offline with the right foot and thrust to the chest. The crossing at mid-sword suggests both fighters have similar reach and are engaged at a middle distance, not so close that you're at the hilts, but not so far that only the points are engaged.
Training Notes
- ✦ The crossing occurs at the middle of the blade, not near the points or hilts. This is a specific distance reference
- ✦ The sawing motion should involve both forward pressure (push) and backward pull (draw cut) across the opponent's hands
- ✦ When passing with the right foot, move diagonally forward, right to create an offline angle while maintaining reach to the chest
- ✦ Practice both options from the same initial crossing: the saw and the passing thrust
- ✦ The verse manuscripts suggest an immediate percussive strike to the left arm is also viable; this may be a beat or strike with the forte of your blade
- ✦ All sources emphasise immediate action ('subito') upon achieving the crossing, do not pause
- ✦ The sawing action appears to be a controlling technique while you assess whether to pass and thrust
Related Techniques
This is card FL29 from the Fiore dei Liberi Sword In Two Hands deck.
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[25v-a] ¶ Anchora me incroso qui per zogho largo a meza spada. E subito che son incrosado, io lasso discorrer la mia spada sopra le soi mane, e se voglio passare cum lo pe dritto fuora de strada, io gli posso metter una punta in lo petto, come qui dredo e depento.
I too am crossed in the Wide Play, but this time at the middle of the swords. And immediately after making my cross I let my sword drop down[4] to slide forwards and backwards over his hands. Or, if I choose to pass forward with my right foot and move offline, I can then make a thrust into your chest, as you will see drawn next.
[13v-c] Anchora me incroso qui per zogo largo, a meza spada. E subito quando io sono incrosado io lasso discorere la mia spada sopra le suie mane, e se voglo passare cum lo pe dritto fora de strada io gli posso mettere una punta in lo petto come vui vedite qui dredo dipento.
Again I am crossed here for the long play, at mid-sword. And immediately when I am crossed, I allow my sword to run off over his hands, and if I want to step out of the way with my right foot, I can thrust my point into his chest as is depicted hereafter.
[19b-c] Per incrosar a'meça spada el braço stancho te feriro Perche lo tempo si e curto ben presto io Lo faro
By crossing at mid-sword, I will strike your left arm; I will do this quickly because the time is short.
[14v-a] ¶ In medio nunc ense tenens ego callidus ensem Ceu cruce / percutiam laevum tibi nempe lacertum Sit nimis hoc tempus breve quamvis tanta probando
I, the clever one, holding the sword now in the middle, with the sword As if in a cross, would certainly beat your left[5] shoulder So much this time, however greatly briefness would be recommended.