Preview
  • Paradoxes of Defence

  • By: George Silver
  • Narrated by: Ben Crystal
  • Length: 2 hrs and 22 mins
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars (4 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Paradoxes of Defence

By: George Silver
Narrated by: Ben Crystal
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.50

Buy for $19.50

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Paradoxes of Defence was first published in London in 1599. It was written by George Silver, an English gentleman, who was appalled at the influx of Italian rapier fencing into England, and set out his arguments in favor of the traditional English weapons: the short sword, the short staff, the forrest bill, the morris pike, and all manner of additional arms such as daggers, bucklers, and targes. He rails against the fashionable new style on the grounds that it is both dangerous to the practitioners, and of no use in warfare.

Whether he was right or wrong, history was against him and the fashionable Italian rapier took over. But his work offers a vital window into the theory and practice of martial arts in England in Tudor times, and ironically provides much of what we know about several Italian rapier masters: Rocco Bonetti, Vincentio Saviolo, and Jeronimo Saviolo.

In this edition, the text has narrated by Ben Crystal in original pronunciation. The original text includes marginalia, which have been incorporated into the audio files.

We have also produced a version that has been modernized and edited by Guy Windsor, and narrated in modern pronunciation by Jonathan Hartman.

©2021 Spada Press (P)2021 Spada Press
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Paradoxes of Defence

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

ease of listning

love the layout and details this covers. Great listen. it covers his dislike of Italian sword work.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!