One of these was called Jaspar, the second
Melchior, and the third Balthasar. Messer Marco Polo asked a great many
questions of the people of that city as to those Three Magi, but never one
could he find that knew aught of the matter, except that these were three
kings who were buried there in days of old. However, at a place three
days' journey distant he heard of what I am going to tell you. He found a
village there which goes by the name of CALA ATAPERISTAN,[NOTE 1] which is
as much as to say, "The Castle of the Fire-worshippers." And the name is
rightly applied, for the people there do worship fire, and I will tell you
why.
They relate that in old times three kings of that country went away to
worship a Prophet that was born, and they carried with them three manner
of offerings, Gold, and Frankincense, and Myrrh; in order to ascertain
whether that Prophet were God, or an earthly King, or a Physician. For,
said they, if he take the Gold, then he is an earthly King; if he take the
Incense he is God; if he take the Myrrh he is a Physician.
So it came to pass when they had come to the place where the Child was
born, the youngest of the Three Kings went in first, and found the Child
apparently just of his own age; so he went forth again marvelling greatly.
The middle one entered next, and like the first he found the Child
seemingly of his own age; so he also went forth again and marvelled
greatly. Lastly, the eldest went in, and as it had befallen the other two,
so it befell him. And he went forth very pensive. And when the three had
rejoined one another, each told what he had seen; and then they all
marvelled the more. So they agreed to go in all three together, and on
doing so they beheld the Child with the appearance of its actual age, to
wit, some thirteen days.[NOTE 2] Then they adored, and presented their
Gold and Incense and Myrrh. And the Child took all the three offerings,
and then gave them a small closed box; whereupon the Kings departed to
return into their own land.
NOTE 1. - Kala' Atishparastan, meaning as in the text. (Marsden.)
NOTE 2. - According to the Collectanea ascribed to Bede, Melchior was a
hoary old man; Balthazar in his prime, with a beard; Gaspar young and
beardless. (Inchofer, Tres Magi Evangelici, Romae, 1639.)
CHAPTER XIV.
WHAT BEFELL WHEN THE THREE KINGS RETURNED TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
And when they had ridden many days they said they would see what the Child
had given them. So they opened the little box, and inside it they found a
stone. On seeing this they began to wonder what this might be that the
Child had given them, and what was the import thereof. Now the
signification was this: when they presented their offerings, the Child had
accepted all three, and when they saw that they had said within themselves
that He was the True God, and the True King, and the True Physician.[NOTE
1] And what the gift of the stone implied was that this Faith which had
begun in them should abide firm as a rock. For He well knew what was in
their thoughts. Howbeit, they had no understanding at all of this
signification of the gift of the stone; so they cast it into a well. Then
straightway a fire from Heaven descended into that well wherein the stone
had been cast.
And when the Three Kings beheld this marvel they were sore amazed, and it
greatly repented them that they had cast away the stone; for well they
then perceived that it had a great and holy meaning. So they took of that
fire, and carried it into their own country, and placed it in a rich and
beautiful church. And there the people keep it continually burning, and
worship it as a god, and all the sacrifices they offer are kindled with
that fire. And if ever the fire becomes extinct they go to other cities
round about where the same faith is held, and obtain of that fire from
them, and carry it to the church. And this is the reason why the people of
this country worship fire. They will often go ten days' journey to get of
that fire.[NOTE 2]
Such then was the story told by the people of that Castle to Messer Marco
Polo; they declared to him for a truth that such was their history, and
that one of the three kings was of the city called SABA, and the second of
AVA, and the third of that very Castle where they still worship fire, with
the people of all the country round about.[NOTE 3]
Having related this story, I will now tell you of the different provinces
of Persia, and their peculiarities.
NOTE 1. - "Mire." This was in old French the popular word for a Leech;
the politer word was Physicien. (N. et E. V. 505.)
Chrysostom says that the Gold, Myrrh, and Frankincense were mystic gifts
indicating King, Man, God; and this interpretation was the usual one.
Thus Prudentius: -
"Regem, Deumque adnunciant
Thesaurus et fragrans odor
Thuris Sabaei, at myrrheus
Pulvis sepulchrum praedocet." (Hymnus Epiphanius.)
And the Paris Liturgy: -
"Offert Aurum Caritas,
Et Myrrham Austeritas,
Et Thus Desiderium.
Auro Rex agnoscitur,
Homo Myrrha, colitur
Thure Deus gentium."
And in the "Hymns, Ancient and Modern": -
"Sacred gifts of mystic meaning:
Incense doth their God disclose,
Gold the King of Kings proclaimeth,
Myrrh His sepulchre foreshows."
NOTE 2. - "Feruntque (Magi), si justum est credi, etiam ignem caelitus
iapsum apud se sempiternis foculis custodire, cujus portionem exiguam, ut
faustam praeisse quondam Asiaticis Regibus dicunt." (Ammian.
