A to Z: Octave and Opposition

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My A to Z theme is fencing and swordplay, focusing mainly on fencing terminology, but with a few favorite movie fencing moments thrown into the mix too.

Octave: parry #8; blade down and to the outside, wrist supinated.

Parries cover the main 8 areas of the body in foil fencing. They are a bit different for sabre, but remain relatively the same. Octave remains the same for all three weapons.
A picture of the areas of the body for foil (although technically the low line area is still target and gets protected by septeme and octave):

 This is a textbook drawing of octave, or 8. The fencer on the right is demonstrating and octave parry. Interestingly enough, this drawing shows foil fencers wearing sabre vests . . . I guess those guys didn't want to think about the lower target area of the torso. (Ok, I just pointed, sorry, guys) Foil target area includes the whole torso, not just above the waist.

Opposition: holding the opponent's blade in a non-threatening line; a time-hit; any attack or counter-attack with opposition.

Before you watch this video I found on youtube, please note that these two gentlemen are fencing epee, the weapon in which the whole body is target (except the back of the head and neck).


When the coach (in black) talks about holding or grabbing the opponent's blade, he means grabbing it and holding it with his own blade. Opposition usually includes a press and slide type action, where the opponent's blade is pressed out of line (out of target area) and the attacker then slides their own blade down the weapon to hit their opponent. These two gentlemen are demonstrating it as a parry-riposte with opposition, but opposition can be started by the attacker before a parry.

Happy A to Z!

Don't let any opposition get in the way of your writing today! Just push it back, riposte, disengage, and attack that page!

Warning: There a huge number of "P" words in fencing tomorrow, including parry.