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Polearms of Paulus Hector Mair opens with a foreword by John Clements surveying the use of polearms in Renaissance Europe, including historical accounts of duels settled by staff, halberd and poleax.
The Introduction continues with a fascinating history of the manuscripts themselves, followed by detailed descriptions of the authors' methodology. Knight also explains how the illustrations, taken from the Dresden codices, C93 and C94, were meticulously restored to give a clear view of the techniques. "The reconstruction of plates is one of the first of its kind in modern fight-book publication, an excellent idea," remarked one reader. "The drawings are very clearly rendered, and [the authors] give an excellent description of why and how this was done," wrote another. Chapters 2 thru 6 begin with a translation of Mair's introductory remarks on the weapons featured, a brief essay on their history and anatomy, and guidance for the reader on how to proceed with his training.
Each technique is presented in a two-page spread, with the original Latin and German text on one side, the restored illustration and instructions on the other. To make Mair's instructions easier to understand, the authors combined their Latin and German translations into one clear, plain English version. One reviewer commented that the authors have "done a great job of the translation of the Latin and German into English. That is, not a half-hearted, hedging-bets literal translation, but one that reads as modern English." Knight's literal Latin and Hunt's literal German translations are included in the Appendices.
The authors also worked closely with the publisher to ensure that the page layouts suit the practical needs of both the martial artist and the scholar. "I very much like the layout," wrote one reader. "Rather than distract with cool but hard to read fonts, the book is put together for me to read it and use it. I'm a martial artist, not a bibliophile; I don't want a coffee table volume, I want a usable treatise. The original text is included along with the English translation, and all arranged to minimize page-turning. In all, an excellent job."
As one scholar remarked, the "ability to see the three languages together is very valuable, especially for any others who may be interested in taking a crack at the rest of the Mair. I also applaud [the authors'] decision to include the literal translations in the back of the book, so one can easily check the translation itself. An excellent effort, and very well done!" "The making of multiple transcriptions (Latin & German) from the various versions of Mair and multiple translations (a "workable" plus a literal) for each play was a smart choice, offering many facets to a given play. The format and layout were simple and well done," wrote another. In addition to literal translations of the Latin and German texts of Mair's Opus, the Appendices include concise glossaries, a register, and full bibliography. This amazing volume, a labor of love of the arts of combat, belongs in the library of everyone with an interest in historical fencing, Asian stick or staff fighting, or Renaissance martial arts. Order now! |
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In
the Introduction, Knight presents an overview of Mair's life
within the greater context of the German Reformation. "The
historical context in the Introduction was helpful; it gave
me insights to things that I had not considered previously,"
wrote one reviewer.
