When the Two Brothers got to the Great Kaan, he received them with great
honour and hospitality, and showed much pleasure at their visit, asking
them a great number of questions. First, he asked about the emperors, how
they maintained their dignity, and administered justice in their
dominions; and how they went forth to battle, and so forth. And then he
asked the like questions about the kings and princes and other potentates.
CHAPTER VI.
HOW THE GREAT KAAN ASKED ALL ABOUT THE MANNERS OF THE CHRISTIANS, AND
PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE POPE OF ROME.
And then he inquired about the Pope and the Church, and about all that is
done at Rome, and all the customs of the Latins. And the Two Brothers told
him the truth in all its particulars, with order and good sense, like
sensible men as they were; and this they were able to do as they knew the
Tartar language well.[NOTE 1]
NOTE 1. - The word generally used for Pope in the original is Apostoille
(Apostolicus), the usual French expression of that age.
It is remarkable that for the most part the text edited by Pauthier has
the correcter Oriental form Tatar, instead of the usual Tartar.
Tattar is the word used by Yvo of Narbonne, in the curious letter given
by Matthew Paris under 1243.
We are often told that Tartar is a vulgar European error. It is in any
case a very old one; nor does it seem to be of European origin, but rather
Armenian;[1] though the suggestion of Tartarus may have given it readier
currency in Europe.
