Libros de ajedrez, dados y tablas, sometimes called simply "The Alfonso MS" in historical gaming circles, is arguably the most important single source for medieval games. It was commissioned by King Alfonso X in the 13th century, and covers a large number of games.
Two of the more intriguing entries come at the end of the MS, and describe a pair of games based on astronomy. The first has been described in a number of sources, but the second -- a seven-sided tables game -- has been relatively neglected. Out of curiosity, I wanted to try the tables game out.
However, the MS has not been translated into English (or, more correctly, no translation has been published to date), and my poor language skills were not up to the task. So I put out a call for translators interested in trying it out. I got the following from Sue Kronenfeld, known as Lady Roselyne l'Estrangere in the SCA. My thanks to her for providing this valuable resource.
The following translation is based on the final few pages of the MS, specifically pages 95r to 97r. A low-resolution facsimile of these pages (and indeed, the entire book) can be found at Charles Knutson's Alfonso page. Note that Roselyne did the translation in plaintext. I have formatted the HTML to be somewhat similar to the original MS, to aid in visual correspondence between them; any formatting errors should please be brought to my attention.
This translation is based upon the transcription prepared by the Hispanic Seminary of Medieval Studies, Ltd. This transcription (along with transcriptions of the rest of the Alfonso corpus) is available on CD-ROM. Ordering details can be found at the transcription homepage. The translation follows the protocols laid down by the transcription. In particular, "%" is used to indicate breaks within a paragraph; in the original, the conventional chapter marker is used. I have introduced line breaks at these points solely for readability; there are no such breaks in the original (making for rather long paragraphs).
I'm translating tablero as board, and I'm usually leaving the word escaques (which means squares on a chess board) and tabla(s) (which also seems to mean a board of some kind). I'm not sure of the difference between tabla and tablero, but tablero seems always to mean board unambiguously. [Justin: actually, from context I think that "tabla" means a "tableman". That certainly is the sense that works in the second game, and I think it may make more sense than "board" in the first one as well.]
[pg. 95R]
This is the Board for escaques and for tablas, which is played using Astronomy.
All three types of Games that
are mentioned in the Books before this have been shown. Also in the
game of Escaques
% Now it is fitting that another
type of game<,> very noble and very strenuous and very elegant, and of
great intellect for the wise, and especially for those who know the
Art of Astronomy<,> be shown.
And this new game is made according to the seven heavens in which the
Seven planets are. And the eighth in which the twelve Signs and the
other fixed stars are. And showing for each one how their wanderings
go and how they are observed shedding their rays upon one another,
some
On the Sixths.
And there are seven aspects, two that are called sixths, which are of love, which are counted from the same sign to the third, such as if they count, from Aries to Gemini<,> which is the third ahead of it, or from Aquarius, which is the third behind.
On the Thirds.
And furthermore there are two thirds, as from Aries to Leo, which
is ahead, or from
On the quarters and on the opposition.
Furthermore there are two quarters which show themselves of hatred,
such as from Aries to Cancer or from
% And there
is an opposition which is made from the same sign to another which is
opposite it, such as from Aries to Libra or from Cancer to Capricorn.
On Corporeal Conjunction.
And [aside from this] there is corporeal conjunction<,> which is a union of two planets in a sign, and [sometimes] it shows love and [sometimes] hatred. And this is stronger than any aspect either for good or for ill. And this game is based on what we have now said here.
On the shape of the Board and on how it should be made.
This Board must be of Seven sides [on
the outside] because seven players have to play here<,> each with his
planet. And they have to have twelve (twelve) counters of whatever
value [are agreed] . And it has in it eight [concentric] circles,
according to how the eight heavens are.
% And the eighth circle has to
be [filled] and the forms of the twelve signs placed in it as they
should be, which are these: Aries,
% Taurus,
% Gemini,
% Cancer,
% Leo,
% Virgo,
% Libra,
% Scorpio,
% Sagittarius,
% Capricorn,
% Aquarius,
% Pisces. And it is divided into
twelve parts
[pg. 95V]
according to these twelve signs.
% And from the beginning of each Sign
a line comes out and divides the other seven circles, and reaches the
circle of the element of fire.
% And the other seven circles are
according to the
seven heavens, in which the seven planets are, and they are a little
hollowed out, and in each of them there is a square board <i.e. tabla>
which goes around
% And on these boards <i.e. tablas>
there are places
where they place the forms of the seven planets when they want to
play, and each of these boards
% And furthermore there are four
concentric circles which are according to the four elements, which are
inside these eight.
% The first is red which is for the
element of fire.
% The second is light purple for the
element of air.
% The third
is white, for the element of water.
% The fourth is round like a ball
and dun in color<,> which is for the element of earth.
On the partitioning of the seven circles, and how many spaces there are in them.
These seven aforesaid circles,
The first is divided into eighty-four spaces.
% The second is divided
into seventy-two spaces
The third is divided into sixty spaces.
% The fourth is divided into
fourty-eight spaces.
% The fifth is divided
into thirty-six spaces.
% The sixth is divided into twenty-four
spaces.
% The seventh is divided into twelve
spaces.
% And since you
want the Seven heavens to be divided into more spaces and they cannot
fit here on this board so as to be elegant let us take up those
divisions according to that smallest count which is fitting for this
game.
On the forms that the sages of old gave the seven planets, and on what colors they are. On the form of Saturn.
Saturn is the first<,> which is the highest of all<,> and they attach to him the form of some old and skinny man who goes bent and naked without underwear and wrapped in a black mantle on his head and who is woeful of countenance and holds his hand on his cheek like some care-worn man.
On the form of Jupiter.
Jupiter<,> who is next to him, has the appearance of a lord of middle age, and of cheerful countenance and dressed in green clothes<,> and who has on his head an ultramarine coif and holds a book before him.
On the form of Mars.
Mars has the appearance of some young man, and
On the form of the Sun.
The sun has the appearance of a young King who has a golden crown
on his head, and wears gleaming gold clothes, and holds in his left
hand a round apple, and in the other (a branch) a Branch with flowers
such as the Emperors
On the form of Venus.
Venus has the form of a very beautiful young woman and her long
very blond hair over her shoulders<,> and she wears on her head a
garland of Roses, and
On the form of Mercury.
Mercury has the appearance of a young lord, dressed in clothes of [pg. 96R] many colors, and he is writing in a Book.
On the form of the Moon.
The Moon has the appearance of a young woman, dressed in white, and she holds a picture of the Moon on her head with both her hands.
On how these seven Planets should be placed on the Board when they wish to begin to play with them.
In the first circle<,> which is closest to the circle of the Signs,
must be
% In the second
must be
% In the third
must be
% In the fourth must
be
% In the fifth must be
% In the sixth must be
% In the seventh must be
% And thus they must be
placed in their spaces. And because most of them have two (two)
spaces indicated in their Signs, let us put it
% Saturn in Aquarius.
% And Jupiter in Sagittarius.
% And Mars in Scorpio.
% And the Sun in Leo.
% And Venus in Taurus.
% And Mercury in Virgo.
% And the Moon in Cancer.
On how this game of escaques must be played with one die and not with more.
This game must be played in this way, that each of the players
throws their chance with the die on which there are seven surfaces and
% He who by chance happens
% And he who happens
% And he who happens
% And he who happens
% And
he who happens
% And he who
happens
% And he who happens
% And furthermore they will do battle,
and he
who wins it will have the hand, and throws the die, and shows you how
many points; he must go that many spaces with his planet. And if it
should not go enough spaces so as to leave the sign in which he is, he
neither gains nor loses, but if it will enter into another Sign, he
loses or gains according to the aspect that he happens on with the
other planets.
% And if this planet enters into
the sixth of the
other, he gains two twelves, and if it will enter into its third, he
gains three twelves. And if it will enter into its quarter, he loses
three twelves. And if it will enter into its opposition, he loses six
twelves. And if it will enter into its conjunction, he must pay
twelve.
% And in this manner the game must be
played.
% And this is
the shape of the board, and how the seven planets are placed on it.
[pg. 96V: seven men playing this game]
[pg. 97R]
This is the Board of the Tablas according to the nature of Escaques, which is played by Astronomy.
The Board for Tablas must be of seven sides, just like the Board
for Escaques, in the inside as on the outside, and of the part of the
side that is inside, it must have seven spaces.
% And this must be
% And
from that partition, there must be a long Line that reaches in the
middle of the [center] of the board.
% And each of the tablas of these
sides must be of the color of the planets. And there must be as many
tablas as spaces.
% And on each side there must be, pictured the
planet to which it belongs; that side
% Saturn with black.
% Jupiter with
green.
% Mars with red.
% The Sun with Yellow.
% Venus with purple.
% Mercury with many diverse colors.
% The moon white.
% And for this
reason those tablas that belong to that planet, must be of its
color.
% And the placement must be in this wise; let all seven tablas
be placed on the first space of the group of seven that is at the left
hand, and they must always play toward the right, according to the
points that the dice filled with the seven dots show, as we have
mentioned above. And the space on which they are (initially) placed on
the board does not count nor the other space that is on the right
hand, which is the placement of the other seven tablas, if no single
tablas should have ended up there that it may take the empty space<,>
so that it can end there, as the ?? will tell you.
% And the game is
in this wise, that each one of the players, should have seven tokens
of whatever value of moravedi† they agree on, or of whatever
coinage they wish, and if it will take the tabla of the other, it must
not return and it should take one token for itself and for as many as
it will take, and thus all go around, until the whole game concludes
with one of those who play, for this finishes with a victor.
% And
this is the shape of the Board and of the tablas.
[pg. 97V: seven men playing this game]
† maravedi - smallest spanish coin, worth 1/6 cent or 1/3 farthing