“The life of a courtier is a serious, melancholy game, which requires attention and application: you must arrange the pieces and have a plan, a good one, better than your opponent's; to go one way, to return another, to foresee from afar; if you make one wrong step, you can lose everything.”Jean de La Bruyère · Caracterele · 1688 · Despre curte, 2
At court, life is a strategic and somber game where a single misstep can lead to total loss.
La Bruyère describes the court as a human chess game: every move counts, and the player must have a better plan than the opponent. The mechanism is constant competition for the favor of power, where any wrong step—a misplaced word or a mistaken alliance—can lead to downfall. For example, a courtier who reveals ambition too early may be eliminated by more skillful rivals.
Why it matters In any hierarchical organization, from corporation to politics, success requires strategy, patience, and awareness that one wrong step can undo years of work.