Passata Sotto
Passata Sotto
Passata sotto is an evasion of Italian rapier fencing in which the fencer places a hand on the ground and slips under the opponent's blade.
Quick Facts
About
Passata sotto is a defensive maneuver of Italian rapier fencing. The fencer lowers a hand to the ground, places it there, and lowers the body to slip under the opponent's incoming blade. It is often accompanied by a direct lunge. It lets the fencer evade the opponent's thrust by taking the whole body out of the blade's line. This differs from a parry, which deflects the blade: passata sotto does not block the attack, it dodges it. It is documented in Italian rapier fencing, among others in Ridolfo Capo Ferro. We have not been able to document the literal meaning of the name or who introduced the maneuver into Italian fencing.
Historical sources
- Gran Simulacro dell'Arte e dell'Uso della Scherma (Ridolfo Capoferro, 1610) — Ridolfo Capo Ferro, 1610