The Game of Chess Moralized

the ways; and of the truth he also says elsewhere: "Truth goes before him in his presence." A reference to Psalm 89:14: "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face." ¶ And of goodness and of mercy he also said: "Mercy and goodness met him, and truth and peace have kissed." A reference to Psalm 85:10: "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." And concerning this same thing, Seneca Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 4 BC – AD 65), a Roman Stoic philosopher whose writings on clemency were influential in medieval political thought. says: truth must be his throne, and in him must shine mercy, truth, and gentleness debonnairete: a Middle French term combining nobility of spirit with kindness and clemency. For gentleness and mercy do not belong so much to a [private] person as they do to a king and a prince. And he who wishes to be loved by his people must govern gently, for sweetness, pity, and humility sometimes restrain the offensive outrages of strangers and soften the hearts of enemies. ¶ Concerning this, Valerius Valerius Maximus, a 1st-century Roman author whose collection of historical anecdotes was a standard textbook for moral education in the Middle Ages. tells a piteous example; for in that time there was a youth of noble lineage who was very ardently enamored with the daughter of Pisistratus Pisistratus (d. 527 BC), the ruler of ancient Athens. The text follows the medieval custom of calling ancient rulers "Dukes.", Duke of Athens and of the Athenians, who was beautiful and well-born. This youth waited in watch so much that he found the maiden alone except for her mother, and he did enough that he kissed her. Because of this, the mother was very sorrowful and very angry, and requested of the Duke that the youth should have his head cut off. And the Duke replied: "If we thus kill those who love us, by what death shall we make those die who hate us?" And this word spoken from the mouth of the prince came from a root of gentleness, and thus the Duke peacefully suffered the love of his daughter and the kiss. And this same Duke had a friend who was named Areste, and this Areste once moved against the Duke in anger, so that he...