Salvator Fabris

Fourth against Third — take the inside tempo

Both fencers are in terza. The enemy makes an inside feint or threatening presentation in order to draw a parry. As he comes forward, the striker seizes the tempo, carries the hilt to the enemy point, turns the hand into quarta, and wounds before the enemy can finish the advance.

The lesson is simple: when the enemy offers the line and commits the body, do not wait to complete a separate defence. Seize the tempo and thrust in the same action.

Third against Third — feint, disengage, and direct line

Two versions are given. In one, from the inside line, the striker makes a straight feint and the enemy drops to parry without finding the blade. The striker disengages in that same tempo and wounds in a straight line on the outside in terza.

In the other, the striker goes to find the sword and the enemy disengages while stepping. The striker goes straight before the disengagement and foot motion are complete. The point has priority over the larger motion.

Fourth against Third — abandon the find and parry-hit in one time

Both are in terza at misura larga. The striker moves only the point to gain the enemy blade on the inside. Seeing the opening below the hand, the enemy lowers the point to wound there in terza. The striker does not finish the find; instead he directs the point to the body, turns into quarta, carries the hilt to the enemy weak, and parries and wounds in the same tempo.

The key principle is to abandon the original intention the moment a better direct wound appears.

Third against Third — provoke the disengage and wound outside underneath

The striker moves as if to find the blade only to make the enemy move. The enemy, seeing the apparent opening, tries to disengage inside and wound in quarta. As he lowers the point and advances, the striker also lets the point fall, lowers the body, takes the enemy weak with the hilt/forte, stops the disengagement, and thrusts outside underneath in terza.

This is a classic Fabris answer to the disengage: do not chase late; intercept the line-change and wound under the sword.

First against Third — finding the line under pressure

Both fencers are in terza on the outside, blades in contact and pressing. The striker turns terza into prima, which has its strength underneath and tends naturally to wound low. Raising the hand, he leaves the opponent's sword below — held in prima's strongest line — and in the same instant presses forward and wounds.

Fabris' principle: it is bad to resist force; it is better to yield (cedere). The pressing blade must drop, giving a tempo the striker can claim.

Fourth against a sword raised for mandritto

The striker goes to find the enemy sword. As the enemy raises the arm for a mandritto, the striker simply extends in quarta and advances the right foot, arriving before the cut descends. Raising the hand also covers the head. The cut, driven from the elbow, is slow to wound — it must travel far before it can reach — and the thrust arrives in the interval that opening creates.

Second against Third — point out of presence

Both are in terza inside. The striker goes to find the blade; the enemy responds with a defensive riverso. Seeing the sword circle, the striker converts terza to seconda, covers the threatened line, and thrusts in the same tempo — arriving before the cut completes its arc.

The lesson is structural: a cut cannot wound unless the point first leaves presenza. The thrust arrives before the cut can return to threaten.

Straight Third against a fallen Third

At misura larga, the enemy cuts mandritto while the striker is going to find the blade. The striker makes a slight bodily withdrawal (ritirata di corpo), lets the cut pass through empty air (lasciare passare a vuoto), lowers the point slightly, and thrusts in terza as the enemy blade reaches its lowest point.

Fabris' lesson: let cuts pass rather than parry them. The cut carries the blade away and leaves the body open.

Fourth against a fallen riverso

Both are in terza inside. The enemy throws a riverso but is too far away to reach. The striker recognizes it cannot wound, lets it pass without parrying, lowers the point so the blades do not touch, and wounds in quarta as the cut finishes its arc.

A missed cut disorders the body and gives a clean thrusting time. Parrying what cannot reach you wastes the opportunity.

Mandritto to the head against Third

Two versions. In the first, blades are engaged outside and the enemy presses; the striker yields, turns with the wrist (nodo di mano), raises the hilt over the enemy blade, and makes a mandritto fendente while the enemy sword is held down below.

In the second version, the enemy disengages inside and comes forward in terza; the striker drops the point, turns with the wrist, raises the hilt, and makes the cut. In both cases the cut is generated from a position of blade superiority, not from a symmetrical exchange of blows.

Fourth against Second — invitation and counter-disengagement

The striker deliberately bends the sword and uncovers the outside line as an invitation. The enemy enters in seconda to exclude the blade and wound. The striker does not parry; instead he turns the body with the left foot, disengages simultaneously inside (contracavazione), turns to quarta, and wounds.

An alternate version shows the striker following the enemy's disengage with a counter-disengagement, turning the body out of presence, letting the enemy sword pass, and wounding in the moment the enemy is committed forward. The underlying principle is invitation combined with line-following.

Outside Fourth against angled Third

The enemy is in terza angolata; the striker goes to find the blade. As the enemy attempts to disengage to the outside, the striker turns the hand to quarta, carries it high and inward to shoulder height, advances the right foot turning it outward, and rotates the body, removing the side from presence.

The striker forms an angle with his own sword that enters through the enemy's angle. The more the enemy pushes, the worse the wound he takes. Angular superiority defeats an angular guard.

Under the sword outside against Fourth

The enemy goes to find the blade inside, disengages, and attempts to wound in quarta under the sword while withdrawing the body to gain time. The striker lowers hand and body together, finds the enemy's debile with his forte from below, and wounds in the flank as the enemy turns.

A second version shows the enemy in seconda converting to quarta; the striker carries the body over the left foot and replaces the sword under the enemy hilt. The lesson is to recover the lower line before the enemy point can arrive.

Second against Fourth — under the hilt

The enemy takes the moment of a disengagement and thrusts in quarta. The striker converts terza to seconda, lowers body and sword under the enemy blade, lets it pass above, and wounds.

A second version shows the striker going to find the sword outside in quarta; the enemy disengages inside and thrusts in quarta above the hilt. The striker converts to seconda, lowers the entire body below where the hilt was, advances the right foot, and lets the enemy blade pass. Low-line evasion under the hilt is the common thread.

First against Second — shutting down the high line

Both are in terza inside. The striker goes to find the blade; the enemy takes time, disengages outside, turns to seconda, and comes forward to wound above. The striker converts terza to prima, lowers the body deeply, the hilt rising to cover the head with the finimento e braccio destro, and excludes the seconda with the forte. The enemy point finds itself excluded below.

A second version shows the enemy throwing a riverso to the arm through the opening; the same conversion to prima covers with the forte. Prima is structurally ideal for shutting down seconda.

Fourth against Second — abort the find, take the direct wound

The enemy wants to go under the sword in seconda while the striker is still going to find the blade. The striker aborts the find, directs the point to the body, brings the hilt to where the point was meant to go (portare il finimento ove aveva disegnato mettere la punta), turns the body and foot, keeps contact on the enemy's debile, and wounds in quarta.

A second version shows the enemy in seconda inside disengaging to wound outside above the sword; the striker also disengages, carries the hilt to the intended point position, and wounds in quarta with a body turn and foot advance. When a direct wound presents itself, abandon the find.

Fourth against a passing Second

Both are in terza inside. The enemy disengages in seconda over the blade and passes beyond with the left foot (passato oltre col sinistro piede). The striker lowers the point without disengaging, angles the arm inward, keeps the hand in quarta, turns the body with the left foot, and meets the enemy under the arm as he comes forward.

A correctly structured quarta, maintained through the enemy's passing action, meets and defeats the passing seconda.

Fourth against mandritto in sgualembro

The striker goes to find the enemy blade in terza outside. The enemy turns a mandritto in sgualembro to the face, working only with the wrist (nodo della mano). The striker passes immediately with the left foot, toes turned outward, turns to quarta, extends the arm, bends the body as much as possible, meets the cut before it enters presenza, excludes it to the outside, and wounds in the throat.

This is Fabris' true method for parrying a mandritto to the head under constraint. The left-foot pass gives greater reach and strength than any action from the right foot alone.

Passing Fourth against turned Fourth

Both are in terza outside. The striker goes to find the blade in seconda. The enemy disengages, turns body and hand to quarta, and tries to wound inside under the hilt. The striker converts seconda to quarta, passes with the left foot, places the point under the enemy hilt (mettendo la punta sotto il finimento), brings the arm inward and the forte toward the enemy's debile, and uses the outward toe-turn to make a sfuggita di vita.

The sword of the one who passes will always overcome the sword of the one who merely turns (quello che gira). Passing is stronger than turning.

Second against a passed Fourth

The enemy goes to find the blade outside, disengages, and wants to wound in quarta through the debile while passing with the left foot. The striker lowers the point under the enemy hilt in the same tempo, also passes with the left foot, bends the entire body over that foot (corpo curvato), turns to seconda, and moves far from the enemy point.

Three versions are given, including one where the enemy cuts mandritto with the wrist and comes to quarta. In each, the deep low pass in seconda takes the body clear of the enemy point while landing the hit.

Another Second against Fourth — feint and deep pass

The striker feints quarta through the enemy's debile. The enemy replies with a turned counter-quarta (contra quarta), turning the body with the right foot — only turning, not passing. The striker changes to seconda, lowers point and body, passes with the left foot, and reaches the body before the enemy can recover.

Because the enemy turned rather than passed, he is weaker. He has committed to a defensive turning action but has no further step available. The passer arrives where the turner cannot follow.

Fourth against Third, with the left hand

The striker feints an outside thrust. The enemy goes to parry and wound in the time of the premature feint (senza tempo). The striker places the left hand on the inside of the enemy sword, disengages to quarta, passes with the left foot, and wounds in the right flank joint.

Fabris is clear: these left-hand defences are included only to show that in necessity they may sometimes be used (in caso di necessità) — and equally to demonstrate how easily they can be deceived. The hand is a convenience, not a foundation.

Third against Fourth, with the left hand

The striker feints quarta inside. The enemy replies with counter-quarta through the debile. The striker lowers the sword to terza, brings the left hand to the enemy sword, lowers and turns the body so the left side comes forward, carries the enemy sword outside with the hand, and wounds in the chest.

Additional versions handle a disengaging enemy and another coming with a fourth. A hand-parry combined with a body-profile change can defend the line — but it remains emergency material, not a foundation.

Second against Third, from a chiamata

The striker makes a formal invitation (chiamata): turns the sword to seconda traversed inward, point out of presence, left flank turned far forward to expose the chest, sword held low so the enemy can only strike above, left hand above the forehead. When the enemy comes to wound in that opening, the striker pushes the enemy sword outside with the left hand while passing with the left foot, body low, disengages in seconda, and wounds in the chest with the arm fully extended and toes turned outward.

This is the classic invitation into a deep, low, evasive seconda — one of Fabris' most complete examples of tactical provocation.

Another Second against Fourth — right foot advanced

The striker disengages without waiting for a time or enemy provocation. The enemy immediately thrusts in quarta. The striker turns to seconda, turns the body so the left side comes forward, turns the heel of the right foot, places the edge of the left hand upon the enemy blade, and wounds in the chest.

A second version shows the striker lowering the sword and leaving an opening; the enemy comes in quarta; the striker raises to seconda, changes the body profile holding the right flank back, and parries with the hand. Seconda can answer quarta even after premature movement, but hand-assistance becomes necessary.

Turned Fourth against another passed Fourth

The enemy feints outside above the sword, places the left hand on the striker's blade from inside to parry, disengages in quarta inside, and passes with the left foot to wound. The striker, who had moved to defend against the outside feint, sees the left-hand parry coming; he disengages the sword from above and outside that hand, puts it into the enemy's body as he comes forward, turns with the left foot, moves out of presence, and finds the enemy's debile with his forte.

The hand that thought to parry is deceived. Disengaging around a hand-parry defeats it cleanly.

Fourth against a Third wanting to wound under the sword

The striker feints to the right side of the enemy face. The enemy wants to parry with the left hand and lower the body to wound inside below. The striker takes the tempo of that rising hand (tempo dell'alzare di mano), lowers the point into the space between the two arms (nel mezzo dell'uno e dell'altro braccio) at the very moment the opening is created, turns to quarta, turns the body with the left foot, and wounds.

The enemy cannot parry: the sword is shut between both arms. The hand-parry creates exactly the opening that defeats it.

Last Fourth against Second — the withdrawn guard relying on the hand

The enemy has withdrawn the guard so far that the forte can no longer properly defend, relying instead on a left hand held too high. The striker feints to the right flank angle. The enemy turns the body to remove the target, brings the hand to defense, and turns to seconda to wound. The striker disengages the sword around the enemy's fingers (per la parte delle dita della mano), wounds in the chest in quarta in the time the enemy is coming forward, and turns out of presence so the enemy blade passes in vain.

A guard that has withdrawn so far it relies on the hand is structurally weak. Fabris closes the sequence with this demonstration of that weakness.