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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
86 INTRODUCTION
version, and those founded on it, including Ramusio, the names
appear in the correcter forms Bolgana or Balgana and Cogacin.
Now all the forms Bolgana, Balgana, Bolgara, and Cogatra,
Cocacin appear in the Geographic Text.
Kaikhátú Kaan appears in the Pauthier MSS. as Chiato, in
the Pipinian as Acatu, in the Ramusian as Chiacato. All three
forms, Chiato, Achatu, and Quiacatu are found in the Geographic
Text.
The city of Koh-banan appears in the Pauthier MSS. as
Cabanant, in the Pipinian and Ramusian editions as Cobinam or
Cobinan. Both forms are found in the Geographic Text.
The city of the Great Kaan (Khanbalig) is called in the
Pauthier MSS. Cambaluc, in the Pipinian and Ramusian less
correctly Cambalu. Both forms appear in the Geographic Text.
The aboriginal People on the Burmese Frontier who received
from the Western officers of the Mongols the Persian name
(translated from that applied by the Chinese) of Zardandán, or
Gold-Teeth, appear in the Pauthier MSS. most accurately as
Zardandan, but in the Pipinian as Ardandan (still further
corrupted in some copies into Arcladam). Now both forms
are found in the Geographic Text. Other examples might be
given, but these I think may suffice to prove that this Text was
the common source of both classes.
In considering the question of the French original too we must
remember what has been already said regarding Rusticien de
Pise and his other French writings ; and we shall find hereafter
an express testimony borne in the next generation that Marco's
Book was composed in vz1lgari Gallico.
54. But, after all, the circumstantial evidence that has been
adduced from the texts themselves is the most conclusive. We
Greatly have then every reason to believe both that the work
diffused em-
ployment of was written in French, and that an existing 'French
French in
that age. Text is a close representation of it as originally com-
mitted to paper. And that being so we may cite some
circumstances to show that the use of French or quasi-French for
the purpose was not a fact of a very unusual or surprising nature.
The French language had at that time almost as wide, perhaps
relatively a wider, diffusion than it has now. It was still spoken
at the Court of England, and still used by many English writers,
of whom the authors or translators of the Round Table
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