A Sample of the Translation

Fiore dei Liberi (ca 1409)

“Considering I, the aforementioned Fiore, that in this art few in the world shall find masters, and wishing that from me is made a memory in her (the art), I will make a book in all the art, and of all things which I know, and of weapons and of temper and of other things according to the order that yet I will give that high lord that over all the others on account of martial virtue in me places more and more merit concerning this.  From these, my book, for his nobility, that other lords which may never see him or see (him) in the future, that is my illustrious and eminent lord the powerful prince Sir Nicolo, Marquise d’Este, Lord of the noble city of Ferrara, of Modena, Reggio and Parma, etcetera, to whom God give good life and prosperous fortune with victory over his enemies, amen.  We remember the book second to the lord, an ornament of my Lord Marquise.  And we have acted that it does not lack anything in the art that I give back to myself, certain that my lord shall make to me good merit by his great nobility and courtesy.   

And it begins as to the wrestling, which is of two motivations.  That is of amusement and of wrath, that is, for the life, with every deception and falseness and cruelty that I am able to make to him.  And of that which he does for the life I wish to speak and show for consideration and especially to gain the prese (pushes, grips and throws) as are used when he fights for the life.  The man that wishes to wrestle wishes to be informed with whom he wrestles.  If the companion is stronger or if he is larger of body, and if he is too young or too old, also to see if he positions himself in a guard of wrestling, and of all these things concerning him, and of him, to see.”

Copyright Bob Charron 2001, all rights reserved