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Johannes Liechtenauer/Rebecca L. R. Garber LS 2020
This manuscript exists at the liminal period when Middle High German (MHG) was becoming Early New High German (ENHG). Some terms appear only in the MHG dictionaries, are sometimes mentioned in the ENHG dictionaries as “obsolete”, or appear with a similar meaning in ENHG, while other concepts exist only in ENHG. Those concepts that appear in only one language period are easy to deal with. The problem arises with those that appear in both, but with different meanings. This is the natural result of changing literary patterns, cultures, and tastes, which directly impact the types of texts that the dictionary researchers can mine. However, it does call for a great deal of interpretation to tease out the meaning, particularly as the manuscript includes different types of texts, with highly varying levels of punctuation. This translation is thus one interpretation, based on my extensive knowledge of a language that was changing rapidly at the time these texts were composed. Others may find a different interpretation based on the same words, and I look forward to discussing their conclusions.
Talhoffer teaches here a general teaching about the long sword from the Zettel, etc.
| 9 | If you want to behold the art, Then fight to the left, with cuts from the right, |
| 10 | And to the left against the right If you want to fight strongly. |
| 11 | Whoever follows after with poor cuts May find little joy in the art. |
| 12 | Cut close to what you want, Do not allow a Changer on your shield, |
| 13 | At your head, at the body Do not neglect/avoid Tag hits |
| 14 | Now fight widely[1] with the whole body Whatever you strongly want to do |
| 14a HTKo |
However, additionally remember and also Understand it correctly |
| 15 | Do not fight above left if you are right |
| 17 | Before/after, two things [that] Are an origin for all art |
| 18 | Remember your weak and your strong Likewise your work therein |
| 19 | Thus you can learn To defend yourself with fighting |
| 20 | Whoever is thus easily frightened Should never learn any fighting. |
| 21 | The cuts are five and are called five vowels Learn them correctly and remember them well |
| 21a HTKo |
The correct foundation comes to us from them Which is known to very few fighters. |
The division of the art according to the text the nearest path to strike or to thrust at the man
| 23 | You Wrath cut, Crooked weapon Cut, Squinter with Skull |
| 24 | Fool, Counteract Chasing, cut damage, |
| 24a HTKo |
Overrunning, bind on well, Do not stand, look at what he is capable of |
| 25 | Change through, Pulling Run through, Press[2] hands, |
| 26 | Wind[3] into the exposures. Hit catch slash thrust with jabs. |
This is the distinction about the Wrath cut[4]
| 27 | Whoever cuts at you from above Wrath cut threatens that one with the point |
| 28 | And if he becomes aware of it Take it away above and move to the end |
| 29 | Be stronger, wind against it[5] Thrust, if he sees it, take it down |
| 30 | Likewise note this: Whether his guard is soft or hard. |
| 31 | Move afterward simultaneously[6] If the war begins, do not be quick |
| 32 | Whatever the war makes room for[7] He who is above becomes ashamed below |
| 33 | You can wind into all strikes Learn to find the thrust within the cut |
| 34 | Also you should consider with [that] Thrust or slice |
| 35 | In all meetings If you want to ape/imitate the masters. |
About the four exposures
| 36 | Know the four exposures Pay attention to them so you will certainly strike |
| 37 | Do not strike imprecisely Watch likewise how he acts. |
Breaking the four exposures
| 38 | If you want to avenge yourself Break the four exposures with skill |
| 39 | Double above Transmute below correctly[8] |
| 40 | I also say to you with emphasis Stand firmly and do not be tired[9] |
| 40a HTKo |
And jump back in fear from no man Stand and observe him seriously |
| 41 | If you have correctly comprehended He will not be able to come to the strike. |
About the Crooked [cut]; how the slices come from there
| 42 | Throw. Crooked [cut] onto his hands Hit the point at his loin/haunch |
| 43 | And thereby counter act well With Skull [cut], allow many cuts |
| 44 | Cut at his flat So that you weaken him |
| 45 | When it clashes above Then take away, I will praise that |
| 46 | And whoever Crooked cuts at you, Change through, YOU look at him |
| 47 | If he wants to lead you astray The war misleads him |
| 48 | So that he does not perceive Where he is not exposed to danger. |
The division of the art according to the text about the right way, and the instruction about the Cross-wise cuts
| 49 | The Crosswise takes away Whatever comes from the Day. |
| 50 | And the Crosswise with the strong. Be aware of your work with that. |
| 51 | Crosswise to the Plow With great skill to the Ox |
| 52 | Whoever strikes crosswise well with springing May also succeed very well |
| 53 | To guide the Deceit[10] with [the Crosswise] From below upward to touch at will |
| 54 | Reverse with force Running through also with wrestling |
| 55 | Take the elbow in the scales |
| 56 | And do not carry out the Deceit slowly |
| 57 | Continue doubled Slice long inward and do not be slow. |
This is the instruction about the Squinter cuts
| 58 | Squinter breaks into Whatever a buffalo strikes or thrusts |
| 59 | Whoever threatens from a Changeover cut Squinter robs him of it |
| 60 | If he strikes short and that is of little importance to you Change-through defeats him |
| 61 | Squint to the point Take the throat without fear |
| 62 | Squint to the top of the skull, Strike strongly if he wants to delay yours. |
| 62a HTKo |
Thus you can deafen[11] him, [And] steal the deceptive art.[12] |
This is the instruction about the Skull [cut], etc.
| 63 | The Skull cut is dangerous to the face |
| 64 | With its curve, strongly dangerous to the chest |
| 65 | Whatever comes from it.[13] The Crown takes away |
| 66 | Slice through the Crown Then you break it already |
| 67 | Press the strokes Pull away with slices. |
About the four guards
| 68 | Hold only to the four guards And curse[14] the common |
| 69 | Ox, Plow, Fool, From the Day should not be unknown to you |
About the four counteractions
| 70 | [There] are four counteractions That also greatly damage the guards |
| 71 | Guard/Protect yourself from counteractions If this plight happens to you, it will repay you, |
| 72 | If you are counteracted, How that this has happened |
| 73 | Thus note what I advise you: Slash up, strike fast and quickly |
| 74 | Apply [it] to the four ends Remain standing and visibly study the man. |
This is about the chasing
| 75 | Learn about the Chasing Do not strike too much, too often |
| 76 | Correctly identify his strike Your work begins afterward |
| 77 | and check/test his movement whether they are soft or hard |
| 78 | now learn in that |
| 79 | carry out the old slice with [that]. |
About the overrunning
| 80 | Whoever clears away[7] the body from below Overrun him, he will be shamed downward from above |
| 81 | When it sparks above strengthen it, I desire to praise that |
| 82 | and do your work or press it twofold. |
About the setting aside
| 83 | If you know them correctly, use setting aside [For] all strikes and thrusts which are impeding you |
| 84 | Whoever thrusts at you Hit the point that breaks[15] it[16] |
| 85 | From both sides Hit every time, step for this purpose. |
About the changing through
| 86 | Learn the Changing through From both sides, do not thrust hard |
| 87 | The one who binds you above Changing through finds him quickly. |
About pulling all hits
| 88 | Do the Pulls close to the binding on End well to find |
| 89 | [The] Pull, if he hits it, pull more If he works, find him, injure him |
| 90 | Pull all hits If you want to ape the masters. |
About the running through
| 91 | Run through, let hang You want to wrestle with the pommel grip |
| 92 | Whoever [comes] strongly against you Remember the Running through with that. |
About the slicing off
| 93 | Slice off the hard ones From below in both movements |
| 94 | The Slices are four With two below and two above. |
About pressing[17] hands
| 95 | Reverse your edge Very quickly into the Crosswise |
| 95a | And move close to the man Jab already with the hilt |
| 95b | If you don’t want to scream[18] Then you have two attacks. |
About the two hangings
| 95c | Whoever wants to be too strong for you Hang, attack him from above |
| 96 | Two hangings arise From one hand from the ground |
| 97 | Yet in all movements You can thus be soft or hard. |
About the spreading[19] window
| 98 | To conduct the spreading window Stand joyfully, observe his actions |
| 99 | Whoever moves himself at you, pull away Strike him on top so that it snaps |
| 100 | Look and shoo away no man It does not damage whatever he can |
| 101 | If you have correctly understood this He cannot come to the strike. |
The conclusion of the Zettel
| 102 | Whoever breaks well And finally narrates/informs |
| 103 | And breaks it especially Everything into three windings |
| 104 | Whoever hangs well And adds windings to that |
| 105 | And gains with eight With correct consideration |
| 106 | So that each one, [Of] the windings themselves I consider to be triple |
| 107 | Thus, their numbers are twenty- And-four singularly counted |
| 108 | From both sides Eight windings with steps. |
So says Hans Talhoffer,
God keep us all from perjury/bodily injury.
- ↑ With full extension
- ↑ Or “crush”
- ↑ Or “twirl”
- ↑ Or “This is the about the Wrath cut, which slices apart.”
- ↑ Or “wind more broadly”
- ↑ I.e. to the action described next
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 remen => räumen, meaning “to make space, clear away, evacuate”.
- ↑ Or “to the right”
- ↑ Or “slow”
- ↑ Fehler is the opposite of a Treffer, which is something that hits or succeeds. The Fehler is the losing throw in dice, the missed shot in archery and shooting. It is, however, an action that might hit, but it is assumed that it will miss.
- ↑ Or “destroy”
- ↑ Or “skill”
- ↑ Whatever comes from the Skull cut.
- ↑ Or “flee”
- ↑ Or “counters”
- ↑ Or “him”
- ↑ Or “crushing”
- ↑ Or “yell”
- ↑ Or “spraying”, or possibly “speaking”
