Wits

I was looking for the source of a common expression, something about a battle of wits with unarmed opponents (that I have yet to find), and found instead this interesting old quote by Lloyd Paul Stryker, a well known criminal barrister in New York in the 40's:

A trial is still an ordeal by battle. For the broadsword there is the weight of evidence; for the battle-ax the force of logic; for the sharp spear, the blazing gleam of truth; for the rapier, the quick and flashing knife of wit.