Pages from the Glittering Darkness

Many historians, practioners, philosophers, and fools (me) have pondered the reality of the 'secret thrust.' The thrust that would hit and defeat all comers, the unbeatable attack. That for which there is no defense. We can even easily see where this famous idea of swordplay has so deeply permeated our modern way of thinking that it is this very same question which lies at the heart of our Homeland Security acts and whatever our most recent Space Weapons program is. It is the ideal of having the 'trick' that will insure you are the victor of any conflict. I do feel that it has lost a great deal of its appeal in the modern context. But I am a man of the blade, and not the gun. If there is a 'Secret Thrust' in fencing, I most certainly do not know it.. To my thinking, the 'secret thrust' is the thrust which you kept secret from your enemy during your conversation of blades.. it is the hidden touch that springs from the caresses of Sentiment du Fer. Its that shot between the eyes that good Don Q. of Johnstown has been nailing me with left and right all summer. That is the Secret Thrust. It can also be related to an honest knowledge of ones ability and wealth of training to promote sense memory. This can be illustrated in two ways.. the parry or thrust that manifested completely out of a reactionary muscle memory and was not part of a considered sequence of engagement.. (If this happens to you, and its not slop.. you know what I mean.) Or, the simply possession of a greater amount of experience, knowledge, and training than your opponent; thus allowing you the ability to draw upon that experience and utilize maneuvers, parrys, ect that are alien to your opponent, and therefore.. Secret.

A Secret is defined as much by what you know.. as by what you do not.

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• #1 Comment from slacbacmac 
  9/16/03 3:28 PM | Permalink

  to know that you don't know a secret is also a good secret...and the beginning of true knowledge. And the secret unknown to the opponent is that one knows one-self completely, yet reveals it not. Huh? something like that...