Forte (fencing)
Encyclopedia
In fencing
, forte (from the Romance
root meaning "strong") is "the strong part" of the blade — the one third closest to the hilt. The "strength" refers to the control established over the opponent's weapon upon contact of one's forte with the opponent's foible (a situation of favourable lever
age). See also parry
and malparry.
Capo Ferro defines the forte as the blade from the hilt to the middle. From the middle to the top is known as the debole (Chapter 3 verse 37).
, that is used for offensive actions.
Italian fencing master Capo Ferro
defined the forte as the blade from the hilt to the middle. From the middle to the top is known as the debole. For the debole only, the edges are labeled true and false, the former being the lower edge when the sword is held horizontally. The flats of the sword are not named.
By contrast, fencing master Salvator Fabris
divides the debole into two sections, the third and fourth part (the first and second are divisions of the forte). The third part, midway to 3/4 of the way to the tip, is ineffective but not entirely useless for defense. The fourth part, containing the tip, can only be used for offense. For cuts, Fabris recommends that a portion of both the third and fourth part be used.
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
, forte (from the Romance
Romance languages
The Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...
root meaning "strong") is "the strong part" of the blade — the one third closest to the hilt. The "strength" refers to the control established over the opponent's weapon upon contact of one's forte with the opponent's foible (a situation of favourable lever
Lever
In physics, a lever is a rigid object that is used with an appropriate fulcrum or pivot point to either multiply the mechanical force that can be applied to another object or resistance force , or multiply the distance and speed at which the opposite end of the rigid object travels.This leverage...
age). See also parry
Parry (fencing)
A parry is a fencing bladework manoeuvre intended to deflect or block an incoming attack.-Execution:To execute a parry, fencers strike the opponent's foible, or the area near the tip of the blade, with their forte, or the part of the blade near the handle of the sword...
and malparry.
Capo Ferro defines the forte as the blade from the hilt to the middle. From the middle to the top is known as the debole (Chapter 3 verse 37).
Debole
The debole is the part of the sword, especially a rapierRapier
A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...
, that is used for offensive actions.
Italian fencing master Capo Ferro
Ridolfo Capo Ferro
Ridolfo Capoferro or Capo Ferro of Cagli was a fencing master in the city of Siena best known for his rapier fencing manual published in 1610....
defined the forte as the blade from the hilt to the middle. From the middle to the top is known as the debole. For the debole only, the edges are labeled true and false, the former being the lower edge when the sword is held horizontally. The flats of the sword are not named.
By contrast, fencing master Salvator Fabris
Salvator Fabris
Salvator Fabris was an Italian fencing master from Padua. During his life he taught in various European countries, most notably in Denmark where he was the fencing instructor of King Christian IV. It was during his time in Copenhagen that he published his treatise on rapier fencing, Lo Schermo,...
divides the debole into two sections, the third and fourth part (the first and second are divisions of the forte). The third part, midway to 3/4 of the way to the tip, is ineffective but not entirely useless for defense. The fourth part, containing the tip, can only be used for offense. For cuts, Fabris recommends that a portion of both the third and fourth part be used.