I wrote recently about how I’ve been teaching an exciting new workshop based on my own translation work. I don’t think I can meaningfully turn it into an essay or article, but I do want to make the texts available, so… here are the texts, with original language transcriptions, but no explanations. Enjoy!
Here’s a little more text to try and push the rest of the post down so it doesn’t collide with the sidebar when I mess with the HTML to make the tables wide enough to read each language comfortably. Comparing four texts side by side is hard! Making WordPress formatting do what I want is also hard.
Passage 1
| Latin from PHM Munich 95v | English translation of PHM Munich | English translation of PHM Dresden | German from PHM Dresden 108r–108v |
|---|---|---|---|
| HABITUS ABSCISIONIS. HIC habitus removet superintorsiones ensis tui, atque eum ita tractes necesse est. Si contra hostem Athleticam exerceas ex inferis ictibus, vel si te in custodiam composueris, quae nobis Populus dicitur, et is ensem suum tuo superimponat priusquam ensem attollas, ensis tuus inferné remaneat sub ipsius gladio, verum acie brevi firmiter si sustuleris, et si is suppreßerit, tum retrorsum atque furtim ab ipsius ense tuo remoto, celeriter iuxta ensem hostis superné faciem sauciato. | Gesture of slicing off This gesture shifts the “wrapping from above” of your sword, and it is necessary to handle it thusly. If you employ Athletics against the enemy using the strikes from below, or if you arrange yourself in the guard, which is called Poplar by us, and THEY place their sword over yours before you lift up the sword, your sword remains in contact below under their sword, truly, if you will strongly raise using the short edge, and if THEY press down, then your sword having been shifted backwards and stealthily away from theirs, quickly injure the face above next to the opponent’s sword. | Cut off the hard ones From below in both paths This is a break against the over binding of your sword. Execute it like this: When you fence with your opponent from cuts from below or from fighting cuts or if you lay against your opponent in the guard here called the fool, if they then fall with their sword upon that before you lift upward with yours, remain on their sword from below, and lift firmly upwards with your short edge. If they subsequently push strongly downward, then sweep quickly backwards, with your sword against and underneath their sword’s blade, away from their sword, and cut quickly back on their sword from above at their face. | Das abschnenden Schneid ab die herten von vnnden In baiden geferten [108v.1] Das Ist ain pruch wider die vberwinnden Deins schwerts. den treib also / wann du zu Im fichst. ausz vnnderhawen. oder auss den streithawen. oder ligst gogen Im Inn der hut. die da haist der Alber felt er dir dann mit dem schwert auf das dein. Ee dann du mit dem schwert aufkomest. so bleib vnnden am schwert. vnnd heb mit der kurtzen schneidin fast vbersich. truckh er dann fast Nider. so streich vnnden mit dem schwert an seinner Schwerts klingen hindersich ab vonn seinnem schwert. vnnd haw am schwert bald wider oben einn zum Anntlitz. |
Passage 2
| Latin from PHM Munich 93v | English translation of PHM Munich | English translation of PHM Dresden | German from PHM Dresden 105r |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmutationem hac ratione exercebis. Cum ad hostem proceßeris, supernè contra ipsum porrectim ferias caput adpetendo, verum si is contrè feriat, ensem et non corpus appetens, tunc mucronem infernè transmittas, priusquàm ensem tuum adversarius contingat, versusque latus alterum pungas. at si id fieri observarit hostis, et removere impetum conabitur, rursum memineris ensem transmittere versus alterum latus, eum igitur habitum toties exercebis, quoties adversarius tuendo se ensis tuo obviarit utrinque. | You will practice the change-across using this method. When you advance toward the opponent, you strike extended against their head, attacking above; truly, if THEY strike in opposition, attacking the sword and not the body, then send the point across below, before the adversary touches your sword, and you thrust against the other side. And if the enemy would have observed that this has taken place, and they will attempt to shift the forward attack, you will remember to send the sword across again in the direction of the other side, therefore employ this gesture as often as the adversary, protecting themself, opposes your sword on both sides. | Item. Execute the change through like this: When you approach the opponent with the initiation of fencing, cut long [and] inwards at the opponent’s head. If they subsequently cut against your sword and with that at your body, then let your point slip through unnoticed from below with their cut, before they bind against your sword, and stab them on the other side. Then if they become aware of the thrust and immediately chase your thrust with their sword with a counteraction, then change through again to the other side. And always execute this when the opponent chases after your sword with a counteraction on both sides. | [105r.2] Item die Durchwechslen treib allso Wann du mit dem zufechten zu Im kompst. so haw Im oben Lannckh ein zum köpf. hawet Er dann gögen dir zum schwert. vnnd nit zum leyb. so lass den Ort mit dem haw vnnden durchwischen. Ee er dir an das schwert binndt vnnd stich Im zu der anndern seiten. wirt er dann des stichs gewar. vnnd fert mit dem schwert dem stich bald nach mit versatzung so wechsel aber durch zu der anndern seiten. vnd das treib alwegenn wann er dir nach dem schwert fert mit der versatzunng zu baiden seite. |
Passage 3
| Latin from PHM Munich 96v | English translation of PHM Munich | English translation of PHM Dresden | German from PHM Dresden 110v–111r |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fenestram autem patulam hoc modo formabis. Si in conspectum adversarij ense rite gubernando processeris, exercens ictum quemcunque, sive supero sive infero, tum subinde mucronem longum brachijs porrectis pariter ex ictu, inijcias contra hostis faciem vel pectus, atque ea conditione eum urgebis ad se defendendum, vel ut ensem tuum in primo congreßu feriat, id igitur si fecerit, acies ensis tui longa acriter eius ense inhaereat ; atque interim animo forti et indefesso diligenter perspicias, quos habitus adversarius exercere velit, si ab ense tuo receßerit hostis, tu mucrone subsequutus, visum vel pectus eius adpetito. Sin vero ex primi congreßus coruscatione alterum latus tuum ferire conetur, rursus firmiter brachia adversarij proscindas, atque contra eius caput naviter laborato. Verum si adversarius neque ab ense tuo recedere, neque latus alterum ferire voluerit, tum utitor duplationibus vel alijs quibusuis habitibus iuxta quod sentias eum fortiter vel infirmiter tenere ensem. | On the other hand, you will form the wide open window in this way. If you moved forward in view of the adversary, the sword being properly directed, employing whatever stroke, whether from above or from below, then immediately after the long point, the lower arm having been extended equally from the strike, you strike against the face or the chest of the enemy, and in this deep thrust, you will press them hard in that same attack until they are forced to defend themself, or they will strike your sword in the first approach, therefore, if they would do this, the long edge of your sword would stick fiercely to their sword; and in the meantime, you would diligently observe, with a strong and unwearied mind, what gesture the adversary wants to practice; if the enemy withdraws from your sword, with your sword following, seek their face or chest. | Item. Execute the speaking window like this: Whenever you move toward your opponent with the initiation of fencing, with whichever cut you subsequently attack them with, be it a cut from above or below, always let your point shoot in long from your arms with your cut at their face or chest. With this, you force them, so that they must counteract or bind. And when they have bound on, remain strong with the long edge on their sword, and stand easy and observe their situation for whatever they plan to continue to fence. If they draw back away from your sword, then follow behind them with your point toward their face or chest. | [110v.2] Item das Sprechfennster mach also. Wann du mit Dem zufechten zum mann geest. mit welchem haw du dann an In kompst. Es sey ain Ober oder ain Vnnder haw. so lass Im den Ort alweg Lanng auss den Armen. mit dem haw einschiessen zum gesicht oder der Prust. damit zwingstu In daz er muosz versetzen oder anbinnden. Vnnd wann er also angepvnden hat. so bleib [111r.1] Im starckh mit der Lanngen schneidin auff Dem schwert. vnnd stee frolich. vnnd besich seinn sach. was er furbas fechten will zeucht er sich zuruckh ab vom schwert. so volg Im nach mit dem Ort zum gesicht oder der Prust. oder schlecht er ausz dem pannd vmb zu der anndern seiten. So schneid Im starckh vber die Arm. vnnd arbait Im oben zum kopf / oder wil er sich vonn schwert nit abziechen / noch vmbschlagen. So arbait mit dem Duplieren oder sunnst mit andern stucken / darnach als du In entpfindest. ob er starck oder schwach am Schwert ist. |
Passage 4
| Latin from PHM Munich 92v | English translation of PHM Munich | English translation of PHM Dresden | German from PHM Dresden 103r–103v |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consequutio adhibita incisionis forma. Consequutiones usurpato ex utroque latere addita incisione, id ita adprehendas. Si adversarius coram te ictu suo longius excesserit sive de latere dextro, sive sinistro, tu animosé ictum eius, ense tuo consequitor versus nuditatem ipsius. at si is ensem levarit, tuumque ensem ab inferné tetigerit, diligentissimé observato, ut quamprimum enses fuerint coniuncti, celeriter brachio hostis, ensem tuum superimponas ex acie longa, eaque ratione supprimas, vel, si mavis, os proscindas. | The sequence of the cutting-into out of the applied form. Grasp it thus: you should make use of the sequences out of both sides while adding the cutting-into. If the adversary passed their long strike before your eyes from the right side, or the left, YOU follow their strike courageously, with your sword against their opening. But if THEY raised the sword, and your sword struck from below, observe most carefully that the swords would be connected to the greatest extent; you place your sword on top from the long edge quickly at the shoulder of the enemy, and you press it down with this account, or, if you prefer, you plow into the mouth. | Pursuing twice, Make the old slice with it. This is so that you should carry out the pursuit on both sides and also strike the slice inward. Consider it like this: When the opponent cuts and misses before you, be it from either the right or from the left side, freely cut after it into the opening. Then, if they rise up and bind against your sword from below, then take note: as soon as one sword clashes against the other, INDES fall upon their arm with your long edge, and either press downwards with your edge or execute a slice at their mouth. | [103r.4] Nachreysen zwifach den alten schnit mit mach Das Ist das du die nachraisen sollt treiben zu beden seiten. vnnd den schnidt auch darein brinngen Vnnd das vernim also. wann er sich vor dir verhawet. es sey von der Rechten seiten oder von der Linncken seiten. so haw Im frölich nach. zu der Plösse. fert er dann auf vnnd pinndt dir vnnden an das Schwert. so merck so bald ain schwert an [103v.1] das annder glitzet so fall Im Indes Mit der Lanngen schneiden. auf sein Arem vnnd truckh mit der schneid vnndersich oder schneid Im nach dem maul |
Darth Kendra Research 
