Demi-Cercle
which, as its name expresses, is a half-circle, described by a sweep of the blade traversing the under line. Next comes the parade of
Octave
In this parade the hand is held as in Quarte; the hilt of the foil is kept lower than that of the opponent: the blade is almost horizontal, the point being only slightly lower than the hilt, and directed towards the body of the adversary.
Octave is extremely useful when the fencer misses his parade of Demi-cercle, as there is but a short distance for the point to traverse, and it generally meets the blade of the adversary before the point can be properly fixed. Moreover, it brings the point so near the adversary’s body, that he will not venture to make another thrust until he has removed the foil.
Thus I have enumerated, and partly explained, the forms and uses of these four parades: they are called Simple Parades, to distinguish them from another set of defensive movements, called