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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
RAMUSIO'S ITALIAN VERSION
99
atmosphere and scenery of the Badakhshan plateaux (i. p. 158,
and of the benefit that Messer Marco's health derived from a
visit to them ? In this version alone again we have an account
of the oppressions exercised by Kúblái's Mahomedan Minister
Ahmad, telling how the Cathayans rose against him and murdered
him, with the addition that Messer Marco was on the spot when
all this happened. Now not only is the whole story in sub-
stantial accordance with the Chinese Annals, even to the name
of the chief conspirator,* but those annals also tell of the cour-
ageous frankness of " Polo, assessor of the Privy Council," in
opening the Kaan's eyes to the truth.
Many more such examples might be adduced, but these will
suffice. It is true that many of the passages peculiar to the
Ramusian version, and indeed the whole version, show a freer
utterance and more of a literary faculty than we should attribute
to Polo, judging from the earlier texts. It is possible, however,
that this may be almost, if not entirely, due to the fact that the
version is the result of a double translation, and probably of an
editorial fusion of several documents ; processes in which angu-
larities of expression would be dissolved.-
* JVangcJzeu in the Chinese Annals ; Vanclzu in Ramusio. I assume that Polo's G'anchu was pronounced as in English ; for in Venetian the clz very often' has that sound. But I confess that I can adduce no other instance in Ramusio where I
suppose it to have this sound, except in the initial sound of Cliinclzitalas and twice in Clzoiaclz (see II. 364).
Professor Bianconi, who has treated the questions connected with the Texts of Polo with honest enthusiasm and laborious detail, will admit nothing genuine in the Ramusian interpolations beyond the preservation of some oral traditions of Polo's supplementary recollections. But such a theory is out of the question in face of a chapter like that on Ahmad.
t Old Purchas appears to have greatly relished Ramusio's comparative lucidity : " I found (says he) this Booke translated by Master Hakluyt out of the Latine (i.e. among Elakluyt's MS. collections). But where the blind leade the blind both fall : as here the corrupt Latine could not but yeeld a corruption of truth in English. Ramusio, Secretarie to the Decemviri in Venice, found a better Copie and published the same, whence you have the worke in manner new : so renewed, that I have found the Proverbe true, that it is better to pull downe an old house and to build it anew, then to repaire it ; as I also should have done, had I knowne that which in the event I found. The Latine is Latten, compared to Ramusio's Gold. And hee wl~icl~ hath the Latine bath but Marco Polo's carkasse or not so much, but a few bones, yea, sometimes stones rather then bones ; things divers, averse, adverse, perverted in manner, disjoynted in manner, beyond beliefe. I have scene some Authors maymed, but never any so mangled and so mingled, so present and so absent, as this vulgar Latine of Marco Polo ; not so like himselfe, as the Three Polo's were
at their returne to Venice, where none knew them Much are wee beholden
to Ramusio, for restoring this Pole and Load-starre of Asia, out of that mirie poole or puddle in which he lay drouned." (III. p. 65.)
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