Gorgeous quote, Judy.
Fencing was one of the only sports in which I showed some ability.
(The other was horse riding, and I'm baffled how Sidney wrote while
riding - how did he manage his quill and inkpot? or did he simply
compose in his head?) I've never used a sabre though. The Japanese
sword arts are also deeply fascinating. Christopher Ross's book
Mishima's Sword is well worth reading for anyone even marginally
interested in this. And in Mishima, another sportsman/artist, though
someone probably you wouldn't want to emulate...
A
On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 6:37 AM, Judy Prince
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Is either of those used in the sport (not the illegal activity) known as
> fencing? I've watched friends fence and been mighty impressed. Sabre
> sounds awesome, please narrate a session of it, so I can figure out how it's
> gone about. What really intrigues me is tilting; one would have to be an
> accomplished rider as well as sword-handler. Ah, the good ole days! <g>
>
> 2008/8/24 Roger Day <[log in to unmask]>
>
>> I used to be a fairly good swordsman myself - foil and sabre were my
>> weapons of choice.
>>
>> Roger
>>
>> On Sun, Aug 24, 2008 at 10:52 AM, Judy Prince
>> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> > "Sprezzatura"----variously defined as "nonchalance", "the finest art that
>> > hides its art", "studied casualness", "an aristocratic indifference
>> towards
>> > one's own works", "the appearance of careless gaiety", "skill in seeming
>> > effortlessness in horsemanship, sword display, singing, dancing,
>> speaking,
>> > and writing so as to catch the eye of those higher in the hierarchy, and
>> > especially that of the prince"----gives us Baldassari Castiglione's
>> keyword
>> > for the ultimate courtier of the Renaissance.
>> > Philip Sidney, often said to be The Courtier in Elizabeth's England,
>> studied
>> > to be such. He wrote his poems, emphasising that they were trifles, many
>> > written slapdash as he rode his horse near Wilton House, on his sister
>> Mary,
>> > Countess of Pembroke's estate (her husband, Henry Herbert, Earl of
>> > Pembroke). Sidney was superiorly skilled in riding, swordplay and
>> military
>> > campaigns as well as in writing poetry and argumentation. He was an
>> > influential and prototypic blend of sportsman and artist.
>> > Have sport and art ever been far separate from governing, from politics,
>> > from jockeying that impossible perfection of skills requisite to "play on
>> > The Big Team" or, similarly, to make way for a new Big Team?
>> >
>> > Athletes and poets may train while wisely sequestered, but their aim is
>> to
>> > connect to others, to _show_ their skill and power, and to gain from the
>> > show material as well as immaterial rewards. Much can be said about the
>> > intrinsic joy of athletic and poetic acts---and it is real---but we can't
>> > set aside the existence of the extrinsic goals of the performers.
>> >
>> > Judy
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> My Stuff: http://www.badstep.net/
>> "I began to warm and chill
>> to objects and their fields"
>> Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
>>
>
--
Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au
Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com
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