Where can I get a copy of Pietro Monte's works?

[Benjamin Smith]

Especially Colectanea? I've had a bugger of a time digging up a copy and I've decided to ask for help. The language it's written shouldn't be too much of a problem, a English or Spanish Translation would be preferred though.

Thanks in advance guys

Ben ARMA-Pullman

[Jon Pellett]

Hi

The Sala d'Arme Achille Marozzo has an excerpt from Monte up, but to get the whole thing, I don't know. I'd ask Steve Hick.He occasionally pops up here but you're most likely to find him on Swordforum.

Cheers

[steve hick]

Hi

The Sala d'Arme Achille Marozzo has an excerpt from Monte up, but to get the whole thing, I don't know. I'd ask Steve Hick.He occasionally pops up here but you're most likely to find him on Swordforum.

Cheers

Not many places in the States have it, I have mine from the Huntington Library in LA, but they, last I heard, were being difficult about it.

It is in Latin, not classical but renaissance, with lots of Spanish loan words, hard to do, unless you know Latin well, and have some experience in that sort of thing. And the printed version -- well the font is even difficult to read, unfriendly.

There is another work, which Prof. Anglo says is Monte, at the library of the monestary of San Lorenzo in El Escorial, which is in Spanish, and might be the original of the Collectanea, but its not been exhaustively compared against the published version, and formerly was considered to be rough notes on the published version. Its in Spanish, with lots of Italian loan words. I reference this in discussion as the "Psuedo Monte" as its not sure till its compared (and that comparison is published). And is also real confusing to read.

Somewhere out there is the accession information for both, I have it, but it would take me powering up an old computer to find it.

People are working on both, a number of people were or are working on translating the Collectanea, but its slow going, and some have dropped out. The Spanish group AEAA was working to transcribe the pseudo Monte, but that also has been languishing. Once that is done, I hope to have the transcription in full.

So that's where things are, as I know it.

[Benjamin Smith]

Thank you Mr. Hicks. As I will not be going to L.A. or Spain and it will be nearly four years before I finish my Ph.D. (they apparently restrict acess to other persons and require references in the field if you don't have one) it will probably be difficult, not to mention costly to acquire a copy. If you or someone else would be kind enough to let me know which AAEA is the one in reference (my first searches have been rather fruitless) I'll try contacting them.

Again thank you Mr. Hicks,

Ben Smith

[Denise Smith]

Please forgive my ignorance on the particulars of your quest and the fact that this has nothing to do with them.
I have a question for you if you don't mind.

You mentioned that you are working on a PhD and it obviously involves the topic related to ARMA... or at least the study of Western Martial Arts.
My first question is, do you study all this as a hobby or is this related to a career or job? The second is what other jobs and careers are out there that would involve the study of swords and Western martial Arts?

My son is a Junior in high school and he is trying to figure out how he can apply his interests in these things to 'the real world' and make it more than just a hobby.
He has expressed an interest in learning sword-smithing. He's very artistic, makes great grades in all his classes including his honors classes and is now pursuing an interest in music in his spare time.

Perhaps I should start a new thread topic?

[steve hick]

Thank you Mr. Hicks. As I will not be going to L.A. or Spain and it will be nearly four years before I finish my Ph.D. (they apparently restrict acess to other persons and require references in the field if you don't have one) it will probably be difficult, not to mention costly to acquire a copy. If you or someone else would be kind enough to let me know which AAEA is the one in reference (my first searches have been rather fruitless) I'll try contacting them.

Again thank you Mr. Hicks,

Ben Smith

Try contacting the Huntington anyway, tell them you are a PhD candidate. Get your advisor and another professor to be your bona fides.

As for Spain --
http://www.esgrimaantigua.com/EsgrimaComun.php

Steve

[Benjamin Smith]

Thanks again Mr. Hick.

In answer to your questions Denise, my degree actually only associates indirectly with WMA. I'm in Public History, which does a lot of field research, archival work, display preparation, curating, legal history research, and other such things. To be perfectly honest my relationship with the Medieval/Renaissance world is purely a hobby topic, though I do practice regularly. There are very few medieval/renaissance specialists in the history field that have anything to do with martial arts. They are either too out of shape, too snobbish, or more commonly too focussed on other elements of the periods to give it a second thought. There are literally dozens of experts in the fields in each of twenty or so countries which study the fields, and only a very small handful have ever heard of the subject, much less given it a second thought.
Only a few organizations use any sort of reputable methodology, most persons actively studying the subject are amateurs, who are niether willing to use consistent research methods, and document them, or who believe the absurd myths that have been spread since the eighteenth century. Consequently it will be a long time before there is any recognition for the work we do. Even ARMA needs to be more thorough in its documentation methods if we ever expect to get wide academic recognition, even if we are some of the best out there.

It is possible that I might someday get a job working in Mexico (working in the unpopular Cortez circuit, they hate him down there, but I can tell them why his 700 swordsmen and 400 soldiers of other varieties, cavalry, archers and gunners, artillery, etc..., were able to conquer the Nahuatl kingdoms. 9/10th's of every victory was attributed to the swordsmen by Bernal Diaz, who states, somewhat indirectly that the other elements were in support of the swordsmen, including their native allies). I might get to work in a museum with a significant medieval/renaissance element in the States (if the Metropolitan Museum of art or the Smithsonian will take me, I'm not sure if there are any others with long term exhibits), or in Europe, but the odds are slim, the market is glutted with dedicated medievalists from all sorts of backgrounds, and I would need a really lucky break.

Besides, I love to teach and I'm hoping to work at a College or University teaching history, and hopefully being one of the first to offer a class in, or write an academically recognized book about WMA with a significant training element.