junck-ritter:crosebastarda:One of my all time favorite quotes from one of my all time favorite m
junck-ritter: crosebastarda: One of my all time favorite quotes from one of my all time favorite masters “You might be curious about the little fork of wood drawn next to the figure of the first guard, since I have not explained its presence and it seems to be rather extraneous to our discussion. Therefore, let me explain that it is there to encourage by word and example those people who think themselves unfit to study arms because of their nature or some other inherent disposition. The stick is placed alongside the four guards because a piece of wood, taken unfinished from a tree and not having had any work done to it, provided that it is straight and strong enough to be used with a light hand, is quite sufficient to make all sorts of geometrical figures such as circles, squares, triangles, octagons (from which you can similarly make a proportional sphere), and so on. Similarly, anyone who has their eyes open will see that I am right when I say that a man, governing himself with reason and art, ought to perform this activity well.”[…] “I am only using this example to encourage everybody not to excuse themselves on account of some bodily inability or natural deficiency (the varieties of which are too numerous to discuss) from always practicing this art as best they can – for if used for the right reason and according to the principles of this work, it can, heaven permitting, prolong your life and, if it is in the stars, exchange life for death.” Camillo Agrippa, Treatise on the Science of Arms, with a Philosophical Dialogue. Translation by Ken Mondschein. Martial Arts are for Everyone. I have this page permanently bookmarked in my copy -- source link