This is a game similar to gioco dell’oca [Game of the Goose] with 63 numbered cells, counter-clockwise, centripetal. The “oca” [goose] cells are substituted with “travaglio” [work] cells (that do not retain the classical placement of the game of the goose) at numbers 4, 12, 17, 23, 30, 34, 41, 48 and 57. Game of the Goose is the oldest dated “percourso” [path] game (1570s) in Europe. Filosofia Cortesana was presented to the King of Spain as a gift from the Medici in 1588.
BOARD TRANSLATIONS by FleurtyHerald:
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” [Make haste slowly]. On the right: a female figure with hair half-shaved with writing “No me pierdas” [Do not miss 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” [You will never reach great things, if you think of the price].
Caselle/Casa [Spaces]: The youngest goes first. Roll the dice and move your piece the same amount of spaces. Follow the directions on the space.
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 view] 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 Pay].”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 es basura” [All the work and seeking for the 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” [Pay]. “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 is 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 2]. “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” [The thankless forget all the good that was given to 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. Pay]. “CHE DIRANNO” [What they will 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 they will say’, you take what they want to give you] with a man sitting next to a chopped down tree shown.
Caselle 39 – “Al Prodigo n.7. Paga” [To the Profligate n.7]. “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 not easy when there is no food or drink].
Caselle 43 – “Alla Adulatione n.10 Paga” [To adulation n.10. Pay]. “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. Pay]. “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 times]. “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.
Caselle 55 – “Alla diligentia n.20 Paga” [Go to diligence n.20. Pay]. “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”[???????] 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 shown.
Caselle 60 – “Limosina et alla sorte 53” [Beg for luck at n.53]. “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” [Victory]. “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.
La Bella Donna 