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
.2 ~ ~3.
.224.
ULAU SPEAKS TO HIS BARONS & MAKES READY ,MARCO POLO he sees that they are all assembled there he says and speaks in such manner: Fair
z brothers and sons and friends, says he, you know that in all the days of my life you
z have supported and helped me on all my occasions. Up to this day you have helped me to win many battles, nor were you ever in any battle which we have not won. And so we are come as far as here to fight with this great man of a Berca. And well
z I know and it is the truth that he has as many people as we have and more, but not
z so valiant and good. For I tell you quite truly that if they were twice as many people as they are, yet we should put them to the flight' and to discomfiture with those good people whom we have. And because we know by our spies that they will come to the battle three days from now, at which I have great gladness, therefore I pray each one that he be well prepared on that day and that he set his mind to do well just as you are used to do. And I wish to remind you of one thing
z only, that it is better worth to die on the field to maintain his honour and position,
z if it cannot be otherwise, than that defeat should turn upon us . And therefore let each behave himself in such a way that our honour may be saved and that our enemy may be defeated and dead. Then Ulau is silent at that point. In such way as [io7d] you have heard both these great lords make speech and waited for the day named to come when the battle ought to be. And each of the barons' prepares himself the best he can with all the things of which they knew that they had need.
ERE HE SPEAKS OF THE GREAT BATTLE WHICH WAS BETWEEN ULAU AND BERCA. And when the day named that the battle ought to be was come
z .l .. Ulau gets up early in the morning and has all his people armed. And he arranges and draws up his battalions as best he knew, well and wisely like a wise man that he was. Moreover I tell you quite truly that he made thirty battalions
z and in each he put i0000 horsemen, for you may know as I have told you that he
z could have about 300000 horsemen. And he put in each a good leader and good captain. And when he had drawn up and ordered' his business well and wisely he commands his squadrons to ride forward toward the enemy . And his people did his commandment for they set themselves immediately on the road at full speed and go to half way between the one camp and the other. And there they stop and waited for the enemy to come to the battle. In such manner as you have heard they waited. And on the other side the king Berca gets up the same morning with all his people and they are armed and prepared very well. And you may know that he draws up and makes his battalions [io8a] well and wisely. And he made thirty-five battalions, for
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1 a la uoie perhaps read a la fuie cf. Z p. cxxiii.
2 chascunes de baroes 3 afire esascries B.: atiré et asciréS
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