SECTION 1 : WRESTLING

"Let's first start in the name of God and of Sir Saint George with wrestling on foot to gain holds. Holds are not gained if they don't have an advantage. But we, four masters, are looking for advantageous holds, as you can see in the painting."



 
I'm ready to gain my holds,
If I don't trick you, you'll have a deal.
 
I try to change my fight,
And with this one I'll throw you to the ground.


 
If you won't beat me with your cunning, I believe
That with my strength I'll hurt you, and worse.
 
I come forth with my arms well forward
To gain my holds in any way I can.


 
With this hold I'll throw you to the ground,
Or else I'll dislocate your left arm.
 
With your mouth I'll make you kiss the ground,
Or I'll make you enter in the key below.


 
I'll make you fall to the ground on your back
And I won't let you get up without pain.
 
Even if you were a master of wrestling,
I would throw you to the ground with this hold.


 
With the hold I have above and below
I'll break your head on the ground.
 
With my hands well put on your face,
I will show you other holds.


 
Because of my head which I have put under your arm,
With little effort I will throw you to the ground.
 
Because of the finger I keep under your left ear,
I see that the hold you had on me is failing.


 
With great cunning you grabbed me from behind,
And this hold will for sure throw you to the ground.
 
This wrestling is to trip you up,
Of the five, not one is successful.


 
This is for sure a hold for practice,
For I can block you without hurt.
 
I'll hit your groins so hard,
That you'll lose all your strength.


 
I'll give your nose so much pain and suffering
That you'll want to leave right away.
 
It's true that I left you from this grab
And with this counter grab I'll floor you.


 
Under the chin I give you pain and suffering,
And quickly on your back you'll hit the ground.
 
With your hands on my face you bother me,
As a counter move I bother your eye even more.


 
With a stick I've tied your neck,
If I don't floor you, you'll have a bargain.
 
If you don't go to the ground with this stick
I'll never believe this to be a true art.





Credits:
Literal Translation of Fiore de Liberi's printed words by Hermes Michelini, 2001. Pictures grabbed from original 'Flos Duellatorum' sketches and formatted for this web site by Mich Shire. We are happy to present these pages as another study guide for students of the Western Martial Arts community at large. Enjoy.

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Last modified December, 2002.
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