The Game of Chess Moralized

[res]ponded that he could not do so until he had learned
the form and the manner of the game and become a student
to learn the game. And then after this, the philosopher
showed him and taught him point by point the form of the chessboard original: "tableier"
and the moves of the chess pieces original: "esches" and the customs of the king and of noble
men, the duties and the characteristics of the common
people according to morality, just as all those in the chapters
which follow [will show] more clearly. ¶ In this manner,
the philosopher led that king to know correction
and the improvement of manners and of virtue. And because
the king heard the correction of the philosopher—for which
he had made so many wise arguments—he commanded
the philosopher, while threatening him cruelly, that
he should tell him why he had newly
invented this game. To which the philosopher, Philometor, The text here identifies the philosopher as Philometor. In the medieval chess tradition, this name (meaning "lover of justice") is often used interchangeably with Xerces.
replied: "King, I gravely desire that you have a glorious
life, which you cannot have unless you are ennobled
by virtues and full of good manners and good
works, so that you may be well-loved by all the people.
And I desire willingly that you might be other than you
are, so that you, who rule over others by
force and not by right, might be ruler over yourself.
What a marvel! It is an unreasonable thing that
you, who cannot rule over yourself, should
and could rule over others. And know
well that the lordship and the empire which are
sustained by force and without righteousness
cannot long endure; and know that one of the causes why
I invented this game was to correct you. For the..."