 An influential English translation by Thomas Hoby was published in 1561.The book is organized as a series of conversations that were supposed to have taken place over four nights in 1507 between the courtiers of the Duchy of Urbino, at a time when Castiglione was himself a member of the Duke's Court), although he is not portrayed as one of the interlocutors.In the book, the courtier is described as having a cool mind, a good voice (with beautiful, elegant and brave words) along with proper bearing and gestures.