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La Filosofia Cortesana of Alonso de Barros

As researched by Signora Onorata Giata Alberti

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Fleurtyherald@gmail.com

Kingdom of Gleann Abhann

Kingdom A&S 2014

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Table of Contents

Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 3

Supporting Evidence .............................................................................................................................. 5

Game Play .................................................................................................................................................. 6

Game Board Translation....................................................................................................................... 6

Giata’s Redaction .................................................................................................................................. 12

Sources ..................................................................................................................................................... 13

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Introduction

In 1587 a tratadoa entitled “La Filosofia Cortesana Moralizadab”, was circulated in Spain. The booklet describes the rules of a board game of the same name, Filosofia Cortesanac, created by Alonso de Barros (Feros 2002, Martinez Millan 1996). Akin to the modern game titled “Life” or “Chutes and Ladders”, players use pieces to move along the path according to rolls of the die or instructions on the board (Burke 1996, Ruan 2011). The purpose of the game is to show how to survive and advance at court, achieving success among the pitfalls of life as a cortesanad (Martinez Millan 1996). The player mimics the progress of an ambitious courtier, handling the ups and downs of their courtly career. The challenges and rewards are reflected in the names of some of the casellee of the game which leads to and ends for the winner at the “Palm of Victory” (Ruan 2011).

In both the tratado (written in Spanish) and the game (written in Spanish and Italian) Barros shows his intimate knowledge of courtly life and of the deceptions and disappointments which come to its followers. In the game of courtly life, as in our own, there is only one winner, who can ascend to the number two spot (Martinez Millan 1996). Alonso de Barros perhaps speaks of his own experience when he labels life at court a “sea of suffering” across which the hard workers and the lucky can sail (Sieber 1998).

The origin of Filosofia Cortesana is the game called Gioco dell’Ocaf from Florence:

“It is clear that clever men, after the first invention of one thing, adding or changing on the same basic idea, find out other inventions. We know this happened for the Game of the Goose, at the time of our fathers: that game was invented in Florence and, since it was very much appreciated, Francesco de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, decided to send it to his Majesty Philip II of Spain. When it was published there, it gave the opportunity to some smart minds to invent other games little different from the first one, among which there is the game known as Courtly Philosophy, invented by Alonso de Barros from Spain.” – (Carrera 1617, p 25)

a Booklet (Florio 1611) b Moralization of Courtly Philosophy c Courtly Philosophy d Courtier (Florio 1611) e Spaces on the board, a diminutive meaning “little casa” or little houses f Game of the Goose, circa 1570 (Murray 1952)

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Figure 1 Excerpt from Il Gioco degli Scacchi by Pietro Carrera (1617)

The title of the game, Filosofia Cortesana, and the name of the author, Alonso de Barros, are both printed on the board. Filosofia Cortesana is similar to Gioco dell’Oca as they both have 63 numbered cells, arranged in a counter-clockwise circle that spirals inward. Gioco dell’Oca is the oldest dated percoursog game in Europe (Carrera 1617). The 63 caselle in Filosofia Cortesana represent “the years of life” (Murray 1952). Instead of oca cellsh, there are spaces named for travaglioi at numbers 4, 12, 17, 23, 30, 34, 41, 48 and 57. Filosofia Cortesana was presented to Philip II, the King of Spain, as a gift in 1588. The board was so large that de Barros instructed that it be nailed to a permanent table (Martinez Millan 1996).

Pieces called “chips” are used to mark the player on a caselle (Martinez Millan 1996). The chip could be made of metal, bone, or wood just for gaming or it could be a small token, such as a bean, ring, watch, or coin, that identified the player.(Martinez Millan 1996). The player rolls the dice, enters the first space by a “door of public opinion”, and lands on a caselle where he could receive money or be allowed to advance a certain number more (Ruan 2011). Conversely, after a few turns, the player could lose what he had already gained or be made to start the game over at the first space. Barros dedicated the booklet to Mateo Vazquez de Leca, Philip II’s secretary of state from 1573 - 1592 (Feros 2002).

g Path (Florio 1611) h Geese are traditionally printed at spaces 5, 9, 14, 18, 23, 27, 32, 36, 41, 45, 50, 54, 59, and 63 of Gioco dell’Oca i Work (Florio 1611)

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Supporting Evidence There is evidence of the popularity of the game Filosofia Cortesana in periodj. The famous author Miguel de Cervantes wrote an introductory poem to the tratado for the game five years after it was published:

El que navega por el golfo insano del mar de pretensiones verá el punto

del cortesano laberinto el hilo: felice ingenio y venturosa mano

que el deleite y provecho puso junto en juego alegre, en dulce y claro estilo.

(Martinez Millan 1998 p 458)

Giata’s Translation:

To sail through the insane Gulf of the sea of pretensions, seeing the eye

of the courtier’s labyrinth threaded

Happy is the witty and adventurous hand that puts delight and enjoyment together in happy play, in sweet and clear style

Cervantes and Barros were contemporaries, and certainly both felt the strain of court life and politics. Cervantes lack of family connections and his inability to attend a university led to his failure to find a patron (Sieber 1998). He felt the “insane gulf” of court life firsthand.

Barros gives, in his game, an inventory of the ways to succeed and his list is quite similar to the advice in Castiglione’s “The Book of the Courtier”. Barros is known to have owned that book and some scholar’s feel his approach to the “rules” of courtly life as laid out in his game mirror Castiglione’s “rules” of court (Burke 1996).

j Period is defined at pre-1700 A.D.

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Game Play

To traverse the Caselle/Casak two six-sided dice are required. The youngest goes first. Roll the dice and move your “chip” the same amount of spaces. Follow the directions on the space (Martinez Millan 1996).

Game Board Translation

Above “Filosofia Cortesana de Alonso de Barros” [Courtly philosophy by Alonso de Barros]. On the left: a dolphin and anchor with writing “Date prisa e espacio” [Hustle and set out or ‘make haste’]. On the right: a female figure with hair half-shaved with writing “No me pierdas” [Do not lose or ruin me].

Below “Criado del Rey Nuestro Senor/ Con su privilegio/ Con privilegio di Sua Ecc. A per X anni nel Regno di Napoli/ Marius Cartarius inc. Neap 1588” [Created with permission of our Lord the King - With exclusive right by his majesty for ten years in the kingdom of Naples - Engraved by Marius Cartarius -, Naples, 1588]. On the left, before casa 1: “Guarda l’fine” [Watch for the end]. From the swan’s trumpet: “Nosce te Ipsum” [Know thyself]. On the right: a hand points to a clock with writing “Haesta la postrera” [Until the last].

In the Center At the top on a banner: “Mare di soffrimento / chi pretende hà da soffrire / come chi nasce il morire” – “Mar de suffrimiento/ Quien pretende ha da suffrir/ Como el que nace morir” [The sea of suffering, whoever is ambitious will suffer, just as whoever is born will die]. At the bottom on the right a fisherman that holds a fish in one hand and loses a shoe with the writing: “Mai salirà gran costa / che mira quanto costa “ – “Nunca Subira gran cuesta / Quien mirare lo que cuesta” [He will never gain great heights, who looks at the cost].

k Spaces

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Figure 2 Filosofia Cortesana of 1588

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The Spaces

• Caselle 1 – “Guarda ai piedi la raggione / e alla ruota l’openione “ – “A los pies mira razon/ y la rueda la openion” [Watch the feet for reason and the wheel for the opinion] with a peacock shown.

• Caselle 4 – TRAVAGLIO: [Work] “Il travaglio all’hor ti sente / quand’il premio è poco o niente” – “Nunca se siente el trabajo / sino cuando el premio es bajo” [You feel your work when your gain is small or nothing] with a bull shown.

• Caselle 7 – Il PRODIGO: [The Profligate]. “Il prodigo ha gli amici allato / mentre mangia accompag(n)ato” – “El pródigo tiene amigos / qua(n)do come co(n) testigos” [The profligate has friends around whenever he eats with company] with a swan and wolves shown.

• Caselle 10 – “ADULATIONE” [Adulation]. “L’adulatione e inganno / u(v)endon la mostra bona è tristo pa(n)no”-”Vende adulation y e(n)ganno / muestra fina y falso pano” [Adulation and deception, they look good but are made of worthless tissue] with a mermaid looking into a mirror shown.

• Caselle 12 – “TRAVAGLIO” [Work]: “Frutti del trau(v)aglio giusto / sono honor utile et gusto” – “Frutos del trabajo justo / son honra, proveco y gusto” [The fruits of good work are honor, profit and pleasure] with bull shown.

• Caselle 15 – “Al priu(v)ato n.26. Paga” [Go to Private n. 26 and Payl].”PASSO DELLA SPERANZA” [Steps of Hope]. “Nulla spera(n)za buona s’intende / che dalla u(v)olunta d’altrui dipe(n)de” – “Ninguna esperança es buena / que esta en u(v)oluntad agena [Hope is never good when it depends on other people] with bridge shown.

• Caselle 17 – “TRAVAGLIO” [Work]. Vien da l’otio pou(v)ertade / dal trau(v)aglio facoltade” – “Del ocio nace pobreza / y del trabajo riqueza [Leisure breeds poverty; and from work comes wealth] with white bull shown.

• Caselle 20 – “DILIGENTIA” [Diligence]. “Quando il mondo si trau(v)aglia / cosa u(v)ana e come paglia” – “Quanto trabaja y procura / el mundo todo

l Go to caselle 26

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es basura” [When you work and search, the whole world is waste] with purple beetle shown.

• Caselle 23 – “TRAVAGLIO” [Work]. “Non si chiama quel trau(v)aglio / do(n)de uscirne posso et u(v)aalio” – “No es grande trabajo aquel / que basta a sacarnos de él” [It is not called work if you can quit when you want] with two White bulls shown.

• Caselle 26 – “Paga” [Paym]. “IL PRIVATO” [The Private]. “Non cercar mano aliena/se la tua non serà piena” – “No(n) pidas la mano agena/si la tuya non va llena” [Do not seek a strangers hands if yours are not full] with a man passing a bag to another shown.

• Caselle 28 – “SORTE” [Chance]. “A’cui fortuna è au(v)ara / la sorte diu(v)ien zara” – “Si no ay dicha en negociar / la suerte buelue açar” [If fortune frowns on you, luck becomes a hazard] with three die on a table shown.

• Caselle 30 – “TRAVAGLIO” [Work]. “S’arrende alfin fortuna / s’il trau(v)aglio l’importuna” – “Alfin se rinde fortuna / si el trabajo la importuna” [Fortune surrenders in the end, if work is done] with a bull pulling a plow with a rope .

• Caselle 32 – “Per la fune .1. et .2. fermesi / Para sogar .1. y .2. estese” [By the rope. Stop on 1 and 2n]. “POZZO DEL OBLIO” [Pit of oblivion]. “Pone in oblio l’ingrato / tutto il ben che li fu dato” – “Pone el ingrato en oluido / quanto bien hae recebido” [Place in oblivion the thankless, when good is given them] with a man climbing a rope out of the well shown.

• Caselle 34 – “TRAVAGLIO” [Work].“Il frutto della speme / con il trau(v)aglio viene” – “El fruto de la esperança / por el trabajo se alcança” [The fruit of hope is brought forth by work]” with bulls shown.

• Caselle 36 – “Alla sorte n.28. Paga” [Go to Chance n.28. Payo]. “CHE DIRANNO” [What will they say]”. “Chi seru’ a quel che diranno / pigli il soldo che li danno” – “El que siru(v)e al que diran / tome el pago q(ue) le dan” [If you think ‘what will they say’, you take what they want to give you] with a man sitting next to a chopped down tree shown.

m Lose a turn n Go to caselle 12 o Go to caselle 28 and roll the dice

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• Caselle 39 – “Al Prodigo n.7. Paga” [To the Profligate n.7. Payp]. “FALSA AMICITIA” [False friendship]. “Rendon gratie per aggraij / quando negotian gli sauij” – “Do(a)nda(o) gra(cia)s por agrauios / negocian los hon(m)bres sabios” [When wise men negotiate they trade thanks for insults] with birds playing with a wolf shown.

• Caselle 41 – “TRAVAGLIO” [Work]. “Trau(v)aglio e il non hau(v)ere / da poter mangiare e bere” – “Trabajo es no lo tener / el q(ue) del a de comer” [Work is to not have anything to eat].

• Caselle 43 – “Alla Adulatione n.10 Paga” [To adulation n.10. Payq]. “MUTANZA DI MINISTRI” [Change of ministers]. “Chi limita su speranza / soffra il colpo de mutanza” – “Qui(e)n limita su esperança / sufra el golpe de mudança” [Whoever limits his hopes suffers the blow of change] two men meeting shown.

• Caselle 46 – “Incomincia de nueu(v)e. Paga” [Restart from the beginning. Payr]. “MORTE DE LO U(V)ALITORE” [Death of the helper]. “L’huom chi in huomo si confida / resta cieca senza guida” – “El hombre que en ho(m)bres fia / queda qual ciego sin guia” [A man trusting in other men, remains as a blind man without a guide] a man at a grave is shown.

• Caselle 48 – “TRAVAGLIO” [Work]. “Ben che mobil sia fortuna / al trau(v)aglio è oportuna” – “Aunque fortuna es mudable / al trabajo es favorable” [Although fortune may change, work is always for the best] bulls shown.

• Caselle 51 – “Giuoca 2 volte” [Play two timess]. “CASA DELLA FORTUNA” [House of Fortune]. “Tutto sta à disposizione/di fortuna et permissione” – “Todo esta a dispusicion/de fortuna y permission” [All things are possible with fortune and permission] lady with wheel of fortune shown.

• Caselle 53 – “SORTE” [Chance]. ”Ogni sorte in mal fine cada / ou(v)e alberga pou(v)ertade” – “Qualquier suerte es de tristeza / en la casa do ay pobreza” [All luck is sadness (ends badly) in the house where there is poverty] table with three die shown.

p Go to caselle 7 q Go to caselle 10 r Go to caselle 1 s Roll the dice again

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• Caselle 55 – “Alla diligentia n.20 Paga” [Go to diligence n.20. Payt]. “PENSAR CHE” [Think It]. “Dal pensar che la u(v)entura / fugge et quella che tiene poco li dura” – “Del pense que huye u(v)entura / y la que tiene no dura”[Think aone who flees adventure, and the one who has it does not long endure it] a horse laying down is shown.

• Caselle 57 – “TRAVAGLIO” [Work]. “Il travaglio apporta palma / et fa relucer l’alma” – “El trabajo gana palma / y quita el orin del alma” [Work brings victory, and removes the rust of the soul] bulls are shownu.

• Caselle 60 – “Limosina et alla sorte 53” [Beg for luck at n.53v]. “CASA D’LA POVERTA” [House of Poverty]. “Povertà secca l’humore / alla radice del favore”-”Pobreza seca el humor / dela raiz del favor” [Poverty dries the humor at the root of luck] dead trees standing are shown.

• Caselle 63 – “VITORIA” [Victoryw]. “Quando ch’hai maggior fortuna / pensa che mobil e più che la luna”-”Quando tengas mas fortuna / mira que es como la luna”. “Ne il poco ne lassai” / “Ni lo mucho ni la(o) poco” [When you have good fortune, remember that it changes like the Moon, Not so much or so little] gate with a beautiful palm tree rising out of it shown.

t Go to caselle 20 u Roll the dice again v Go to caselle 53 and roll the dice w You must roll the exact number to land on this space and win the game. If you don’t roll the exact number move your token backwards in the spaces to account for the overage you rolled

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Giata’s Redaction

You Will Need:

• The game board • A pair of six-sided dice • A token to represent each player • A copy of the translations for each caselle

Directions:

If you are playing the gambling version have each player put their wager into a nearby (empty) cup. Whoever wins the game wins the contents of the cup.

If you are playing the drinking version be sure to have consensus on which caselle will require a drinkx.

The youngest goes first. Each player rolls the dice and moves their token the same amount of spaces. The player follows the instructions on the caselle.

When you land on a work space you may advance to the next travaglio caselle before you end your turn, if you are on the last travaglio caselle. When you land on a go to and pay space move your token to the listed caselle.

Buona fortuna!

x Travaglio and Paga spaces are suggested

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Sources

Burke, Peter. (1996).The Fortunes of the Courtier: the European Reception of Castiglione’s Cortegiano. Philadelphia: Penn State Press. p 87-8.

Carrera, Pietro. (1617). Il Gioco de gli Scacchi diviso in otto libriy. Militello:Italy. p 25.

Feros, Antonio. (2002) El Duque de Lerma: realeza y privanza en la Espana de Felipe IIz. Mardrid: Spain. p 328.

Martinez Millan, Jose.(1996). “Filosofía Cortesana de Alonso de Barros of 1587”. Política, religión e inquisición en la España moderna: homenaje a Joaquín Pérez Villanueva. (P. Fernandez Albaledejo, J. Martinez Millan, and V. Pinto Crespo, eds.). Madrid: Universidad Autonomoa de Madrid. pp 461-82.

Martinez Millan, Jose (ed.). (1998). Felipe II 1527-1598: Europa y La Monarquia Catolica. Madrid: Editorial Parteluz. p 458.

Murray, Harold. (1952). A History of Board Games Other Than Chess. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p 143.

Ruan. Felipe. (2011). Picaro and Cortesano: Identity and the Forms of Capital in Early Modern Spanish Picaresque Narrative and Courtesy Literature. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p 28.

Sieber, Harry. (1998). “The Magnificent Fountain, Literary Patronage in the Court of Philip III”. Bulletin of the Cervantes Society of America v18.2. p 85-116.

y The Game of Chess in Eight Books z The Duke of Lerma: Royalty and Influence in the Spain of Felipe II

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