IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WORLD, THE RELIGION OF CUBLAI •8 o
ill nor disloyalty as Naian did who was a traitor and disloyal against his lord, so FR that it would not do anything for hint who did evil. And he has indeed had that of which he was worthy . Such words there were between the great Kaan and the Christians about the Cross which Naian had carried on his ensign, so that they were no more FR reproached by the Saracens, because they had heard well the speech of the great Kaan to the Christians; • nor i fter that did any dare any more to speak evil to them nor to tempt there from v their faith, but they stayed quiet and in peace.'
EiOW THE GREAT KAAN RETURNS TO THE CITY OF CAMBALUC. And when . $I
the great Kaan had conquered all the domain of Naian and won and had vB y the victory in the battle in such way as you have heard above, • he determined y VB to go home, and on the way back he reached Ciandu2 his most noble city which abounds very greatly in all good things and is the most delightful country of all the hunting countries, more than any other land. And therefore they stay there some days to the very great refreshment of all his army and with very great pleasure. And when his army was rested, then he goes back with great pomp and triumph to the capital city of Cambaluc, and it was in the month R R
of November, and there he stays in great enjoyment and with great feasting & happiness, • y
ordered throughout the city for the great victory, •till the month of February and March, when VB R
our Easter is; whereupon learning that this was one of our principal feasts he made all the Christians come to hint, and desired them to bring the book in which are the four Gospels, which he had tensed many times with great ceremony, kissed it devoutly, and desired that all his barons and lords who were present should do the same. And he always observes this custom at the chief feasts of the Christians, as is Easter and the Nativity. He does the like at the chief feasts of the Saracens, Jews, & Idolaters. And being asked about the reason, he said: There are four prophets who are worshipped and to whom everybody does reverence. The Christians say their God was Jesus Christ; the Saracens Mahomet; the Jews Moses; and the idolaters Sagamoni Burcan,3 who was the first god of the idols; and I do honour and reverence to all four, that is to him who is the greatest in heaven and more true, and him I pray to help me. But by that which the great Kaan showed he holds the Christian faith for the truer and better, because he says that it commands nothing which is not full of all goodness and holiness. And by no means would he endure the Christians to carry the Cross before them, and this because on it was scourged and dead such and so great a man as was Christ.
Someone could say, Since he holds the faith of Christ as the best, why does he not attach himself to it and become a Christian? The reason is this, according to what he said to Master Nicolau and Mafeu when he sent them as ambassadors to the Pope, who at times began some
' VB gives this passage with considerable verbal additions.
2 Canialoti See PN.
3 Sogomombar Can
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