The Game of Chess

[living according to] his heart’s desire, and that he shamefully endured the king’s harmful severity. And because he rebuked the king's conduct in life, which was reprehensibly wicked and evil in its deeds. For he had unjustly and like a tyrantoriginal: "wüterich". A term used for a bloodthirsty ruler or a person acting with senseless rage. killed many of his wise men who had rebuked him for his misdeeds. Now the common people said to him [Xerxes]: "It would be better for you to die than for him to lead such a shameful life as he carries out." And it is said that he does this upon your advice; for thus did Theodorus of CyreneTheodorus Cyreneus: a Greek philosopher known as "the Atheist" who was famous for his bluntness toward royalty. whom King Lysimachus hung on a cross because he rebuked his evil life. He spoke openly to one of the king's counselors who stood before him in purple and costly garmentsoriginal: "rücher wat". "Wat" is an archaic Germanic term for clothing or attire.: "I do not care whether I rot in the air or in the ground." Of this same master it is said that he struck out his own eyes so that he would not have to see the wicked prospering.