ANST - Points of Honor?

[Chris and Elisabeth Zakes]

At 03:27 PM 1/19/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Chris and Elisabeth Zakes wrote:
>
>> A "point of honor" is when one fighter gains an advantage over his
>> opponent, then discards it. For example, if he takes his opponent's arm,
>> then throws away his own shield. In some areas, the herald or marshal will
>> specifically announce these actions. They're also known as "acts of
chivalry".
>> 
>> The debate is over whether or not they *should* be announced.
>> 
>>         -Tivar Moondragon
>
>Hmm. I think the debate is still over whether they should be done at all.
>
>If I am fighting you, Don Tivar, on the field and I, a rather inexperienced
>fighter, take your arm should I then throw away my dagger? I would think that
>that action might be considered a rash, stupid and perhaps an insulting
>thing to do rather than a point of honor. I am in effect saying that I
>don't need the dagger to best you and so I'll just even things up a bit.
>
>Stefan li Rous


I see this as a personal and philososophical or pragmatic decision. If
you've taken my arm in a rapier and dagger bout, you could:

Be practical and sensible and *keep* the advantage you've acquired over a
more experienced opponent. I certainly wouldn't fault you for doing so.

As a gesture of (take your pick) panache, arrogance, courtesy, stupidity or
"that's what heroes do" throw away your dagger. I would "salute your
courtesy", because that's how I would interpret what you did, and continue
the fight. Again, I wouldn't fault you for it.

It's a very personal decision that I don't think can be defined by custom,
though. 

I've been in places where any such act was routinely announced as an "act
of chivalry" or "point of honor", regardless of the fighter's motivations.
That *can* be defined by custom. At one point in Ansteorra's history, such
announcements were routine, now they're not; but the acts themselves still
happen.

	-Tivar Moondragon


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