Fabris -- Plate 21

This first wound shows a firm-footed attack of fourth against a third. Here is one way this wound may originate. Both fencers start in third. The opponent feints an attack to the inside, pushing forward and expecting our fencer to parry. But our fencer instead takes the tempo: he moves his hilt against the opponent’s point and lunges with the right foot, leaning forward with his body and turning his hand in fourth. This way, our fencer’s point meets the opponent in the tempo of his step forward. As you can see in the picture, the opponent cannot parry, since his foot is still in the air as he attempts to advance. Another manner in which this wound may occur is as follows. Both fencers are in third outside, and the opponent performs a cavazione to the inside, advancing with his sword and body. His design is to oblige our fencer to go to the parry, and then perform one of the following attacks: Wounding in the tempo of the parry by turning the hand from third to second while lowering the body. -Salvator Fab