Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 369 (Color Image)

0369	Marco Polo : vol.1

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THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WORLD. TOOK A CITY IN ÇIPINGU • i 6 o

so much that they came to the ships of their enemies and, not finding them occupied z

by any of the enemy, they climb up there all immediately. And they could well do

this with ease because they find none who should defend them from them,, for all z

had pursued them straight on that side by which they had fled, nor had they thought of this, •

believing that they would take them starved and weak and tired without resistance. And what VB

shall I tell [73a] you about it ? When they were on the ships they did nothing else but FB

immediately • hoist the sails and left that island and like wry valiant men go off to the VB VB

other great island of the enemies. • And they went down to the land all inimediately, and FB Z FB FB

with the standards and with the ensigns of the lord of the said island which were FB V

on the ships they go off to the capital city. And those who had stayed in the city who did z FB

not guard against this, for they saw that they were their ships, and their standards corning, VB FB

believe truly that these were their people. So they opened the gates and let them enter FB VA

into the town. And they, who find no men there but old ones and women,' • were so z LT

strong that they drove out those whorl, they found in the gate, and so took the forts as soon as FB

they were in it and chase all people out of it except only some fair young women VB

who were there, whom they kept to serve them. It seemed well to them not to keep VB VB

them for their need so that in any case the victuals which were in the land should suffice

them for a longer time. • And they did this for fear of treason[also] . In such way as you FB

have heard the men of the great Kaan took that city. And when the lord and the

people of the island saw that they had lost their city and their fleet and that the affair FB

was gone in such a way, seeing the courage and cunning of the Tartars, confessing their vs

mistake, full of bitterness; when they had learned of the taking of the city and the fathers or

soils driven out and the women kept, to their extreme disgrace, and especially the king, they

wished to die of grief, knowing that so great a mistake with their so extreme disgrace of the VB

father-land was come about not through the power of the enemy but only through lack of prudence.

But yet certain brave citizens encouraged the king, [saying]that this was not a time to lament,

but to put themselves all in one mind to avenge themselves of so great an injury, nor to think

of any other thing. They come back to their island with other ships which were left FB

to then,, • having found many of their ships about those harbours, because owing to the vast VB

multitude of ships the Tartars, who were only thirty thousand and also like men who flee, had

not been able to take them all away. So having gone on board of then, as best they could they

carried themselves over to the island, and • the king gathered froin other islands round about • all FB VB FB

his host immediately, and with so great a number of men that it was a wonderful thing had vB

i FB: nul Rebelle

2 V: non trouo alguna fernena seno vna uechia This is given as an example of the strange corruptions with which V is filled. cf. B. p. clxxv.

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