[Artemisia] Quote Question

[Bruce Padget]

One of the more fun bits about reading period English texts is the
translation.  For example, Hoby's 1561 translation of The Courtier
says that a courtier should, "Play meanly at Chests."  Most readers
get that "chests" is an archaic spelling of "chess."  But most readers
need help to understand that "mean" meant "average" or "mediocre."

As a court herald, I sometimes had fun with this.  It was great to cry
into court, "His Awful Majesty [x], Terrible Ruler of these Lands!"
(His Majesty understood that these were compliments.)

Regards,
Niccolo
bapadget at gmail..com