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Difference between revisions of "Adam van Breen"

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(→‎HEMA Contributions: Less literal translation, more English.)
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| <p>'''TO ALL ADMIRERS''' OF '''ARMS WIELDING''' ADAM VAN BREEN wishes them prosperity and hapiness.</p>
 
| <p>'''TO ALL ADMIRERS''' OF '''ARMS WIELDING''' ADAM VAN BREEN wishes them prosperity and hapiness.</p>
  
<p>'''F'''LAVIUS VEGETIUS, the ancient author who is near to us lives through the writings in the Latin language on military order and wielding of the Arms of the Romans, testifies, which even the Histories report quite clearly, that the Romans, through no other means, became the masters of the entire universe than through serious wielding and continual exercise of arms. For what could (said the aforementioned Author) a small troop and a handful of Romans do against the multitude of Gauls? What can the little Italians do against these high and mighty Germans? It is notorious enough that the Spaniards not only in number, but also in bodily strength surpassed them. And that in the beginning there was nothing to compare to the cunning and wealth of the Africans, indeed, even to the prudence of the Greeks. Against all of this, it has been required and necessary, first of all in war, to select and maintain the dexterous and generous youth, and of those to train in the true wielding of arms by the Campidoctores (Vegetius gives such a name to Commanders and Officers who are teachers trained and experienced in arms) to learn and teach: The tardy and nonchalants duly punished; the virtuous and lively rewarded. Finally to make warriors out of them, transform them through continual, robust, and upstanding exercise. Since in Campaign, nothing would arise where they would not know how to be well prepared for all occurrences and armed against all dangers: Well determined to resist and defend themselves, and also ready if necessary to seize the enemy without any fear.</p>
+
<p>'''F'''LAVIUS VEGETIUS, the ancient author who is near to us lives through the writings in the Latin language on military order and wielding of the Arms of the Romans, testifies, which even the Histories report quite clearly, that the Romans, through no other means, became the masters of the entire universe than through serious wielding and continual exercise of arms. For what could (said the aforementioned Author) a small troop and a handful of Romans do against the multitude of Gauls? What can the little Italians do against these high and mighty Germans? It is notorious enough that the Spaniards not only in number, but also in bodily strength surpassed them. And that in the beginning there was nothing to compare to the cunning and wealth of the Africans, indeed, even to the prudence of the Greeks. Against all of this, it has been required and necessary, first of all in war, to select and maintain the dexterous and generous youth, and of those to train in the true wielding of arms by the Campidoctores (Vegetius gives such a name to Commanders and Officers who are teachers trained and experienced in arms) to learn and teach: The tardy and nonchalants duly punished; the virtuous and lively rewarded. Finally to make warriors out of them, transform them through continual, robust, and correct exercise. Since in Campaign, nothing could arise where they would not know be well-prepared for every occurrences and armed against every dangers - well-determined to resist and defend themselves and also ready if necessary to fearlessly seize the enemy.</p>
 
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| {{section|Page:De Nassavsche Wapen-Handelinge (Adam van Breen) 1618.pdf/13|1|lbl=1}}
 
| {{section|Page:De Nassavsche Wapen-Handelinge (Adam van Breen) 1618.pdf/13|1|lbl=1}}
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| <p>'''Remarks on the words''' ''Rotella and Targe''
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| <p>'''Remarks on the words''' ''Rotella and Targe''</p>
  
 
<p>For completion, having added to the benefit of the inexperienced, I will speak the true significance of the Rotella and Targe. In the first place, one needs to know that this word Rotella, to hear the arms made in the shape of a Chariot axle which is fully round, and in this fashion named Rotella, and those who carry such arms, Rodoleros. Even the Figures give this enough to know. The Latins and Greeks gave the Rotella the names Clypeus, Aspis, Parma from which fashion the Pelta hardly differs. Being mostly fully round with with the top hollowed in the shape of a crescent. This Figure is drawn from an old Marble in Rome, as recited by the Analects of Lipsius<ref>Likely Justus Lipsius, a Flemish philosopher who died before this was published.</ref> that the rotella is fully round. Virgil testifies it in Aenid 2.</p>
 
<p>For completion, having added to the benefit of the inexperienced, I will speak the true significance of the Rotella and Targe. In the first place, one needs to know that this word Rotella, to hear the arms made in the shape of a Chariot axle which is fully round, and in this fashion named Rotella, and those who carry such arms, Rodoleros. Even the Figures give this enough to know. The Latins and Greeks gave the Rotella the names Clypeus, Aspis, Parma from which fashion the Pelta hardly differs. Being mostly fully round with with the top hollowed in the shape of a crescent. This Figure is drawn from an old Marble in Rome, as recited by the Analects of Lipsius<ref>Likely Justus Lipsius, a Flemish philosopher who died before this was published.</ref> that the rotella is fully round. Virgil testifies it in Aenid 2.</p>
  
<poem> ''---- and shields protect in a circle.''
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<p><poem> ''---- under the circle of her shield.''
''The shield of Argos or Phoebe's lantern is in that fashion.''</poem>
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''like an Argive shield or the lamp of Phoebus''
And Cato in the ''Origins'': ''Greek round shield.''
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And Cato on the ''Origins'': ''Greek round shield.''
  
Item 111.
+
Item 111.</p>
  
 
<p>One could produce many other evidence that are not difficult to find, but we omit them in order to be much more brief.</p>
 
<p>One could produce many other evidence that are not difficult to find, but we omit them in order to be much more brief.</p>
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| <p>For the second which is named Targe has much in common (in my opinion) with the Roman Scutum, which has a quite long shape. The Poet aforemention in Aenids 8:
 
| <p>For the second which is named Targe has much in common (in my opinion) with the Roman Scutum, which has a quite long shape. The Poet aforemention in Aenids 8:
  
''----- The bodies are protected by long shields.''
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''----- long shields defending their bodies.''<ref>
  
 
Scutum (according to the words of Livy) was the above which the chest and the shoulders are covered, the rim smooth and not rounded, and the lower part terminates round. The Shields of Africans are not dissimilar to these, called Cetrae, which have been used by the Spaniards. These Scuta and Cetrae were large and light, which one could assess from the testimonies of ancient Authors. From the Spaniards, mentioned Livy recites in book 31 that when laying down and resting on their shields, they would cross the river by swimming. Ammianus Marcellinus in book 16 recites a similar Story, "The type that the ancients have made their shields is of a light material from interlaced cords or wood or from twigs." The Germans also had these types of shields which Tacitus ''On The Characters of the Germans'' testifies that they neither have 400 years of history, they were still in use among them." ''Counsel of Tyrol of the Scots to the son of Fridebrandum'', section 30: <ref>The searchable title is "Paraeneses antiquae germanicae tyrolis regis scotorum ad filium fridebrantum."</ref></p>
 
Scutum (according to the words of Livy) was the above which the chest and the shoulders are covered, the rim smooth and not rounded, and the lower part terminates round. The Shields of Africans are not dissimilar to these, called Cetrae, which have been used by the Spaniards. These Scuta and Cetrae were large and light, which one could assess from the testimonies of ancient Authors. From the Spaniards, mentioned Livy recites in book 31 that when laying down and resting on their shields, they would cross the river by swimming. Ammianus Marcellinus in book 16 recites a similar Story, "The type that the ancients have made their shields is of a light material from interlaced cords or wood or from twigs." The Germans also had these types of shields which Tacitus ''On The Characters of the Germans'' testifies that they neither have 400 years of history, they were still in use among them." ''Counsel of Tyrol of the Scots to the son of Fridebrandum'', section 30: <ref>The searchable title is "Paraeneses antiquae germanicae tyrolis regis scotorum ad filium fridebrantum."</ref></p>

Revision as of 02:27, 26 March 2022

Adam van Breen
Born 1585
Amsterdam
Died 1642
Norway
Spouse(s) Maria Gelle
Occupation
  • Painter
  • Engraver
Nationality Dutch
Genres Drill manual
Language
Notable work(s) De Nassavsche Wapen-Handelinge van
Schilt, Spies, Rappier end Targe
(1618)
Concordance by Michael Chidester

Adam van Breen (Amsterdam, 1585 - Norway, after 1642) was a Dutch artist from the Golden Age. Van Breen was born in 1585, most likely in Amsterdam, and specialized in winter landscapes. He was married in The Hague on 13 February, 1611, to Maertje Castel. In 1612, he became a member of the Guild of Saint Luke (the painter's guild), which membership lasted until 1621. After he went bankrupt in Amsterdam in 1624, he left for Oslo but returned to Amsterdam in 1628. In 1636, he left for Norway again, where he helped decorate the Akershus Castle among other things. He stayed in Norway until his death, some time after 1642. Van Breen was influenced by Hendrick Avercamp and David Vinckboons, he was possibly a pupil of one of them.

HEMA Contributions

In 1617, van Breen created a series of prints illustrating militia drill with the pike and shield, and the sword and shield. They were published in 1618 in the Hague, Netherlands, by Aert Meuris under the title De Nassavsche Wapen-Handelinge van Schilt, Spies, Rappier end Targe ("On the Weapon-Handling of Nassau with Shield, Spear, Rapier, and Target"); the first printing included Dutch, French, and German editions, with descriptions and commentary by an anonymous author. The structure and format of the treatise is strongly reminiscent of Wapenhandelinghe van Roers Musquetten ende Spiessen by Jacob de Gheyn II, and could possibly have been intended as an addendum to Gheyn's work.

In this concordance, the text of 1625 English publication has been placed in the first transcription column, owing to the fact that a modernized English version has not yet been produced from one of the original languages. (Unfortunately, the Bodleian Library's copy, from which this transcription was made, is missing several pages.) The text of the other languages has been rearranged to match the English where applicable, but can be read in its original order on the transcription pages.

Additional Resources

References

  1. I do not yet know the abbreviation, but "Mat." is also used in the Dutch transciption and the trascriber typed out "Majesteit" or Majesty.
  2. I found several print references to an Arnoult Meuris in the 1600s at the Hague. I believe this is likely him
  3. Lit. "From the top of the head until the flat of the feet."
  4. Lit. "From aiming at a straight path but will be a path of force."
  5. Likely Justus Lipsius, a Flemish philosopher who died before this was published.
  6. Translated by Chidester with much context provided by snrgl.
  7. Probably could be better read as "step" rather than "time."
  8. A specifically designed opening within the walls of a city to allow passage. Could also be translated as "gate" or "door".
  9. A type of 16th-17th century helmet.
  10. The Bodleian Library copy, which was the basis of this transcription, is torn off at the fold, so half of the text is missing.