The date of the Translation of Polo is not known, but it may be supposed
to have been executed about the above date, probably in the Monastery of
Lismore (county of Waterford).
From the extracts that have been translated for me, it is obvious that the
version was made, with an astounding freedom certainly, from Friar
Francesco Pipino's Latin.
Both beginning and end are missing. But what remains opens thus; compare
it with Friar Pipino's real prologue as we give it in the Appendix![20]
"[Irish uncial text:
riguib ocus tassech na cathar sin. bai bratair rigui anaibit san fnses
inn cathr intansin. ba eoluc dano ss' nahilberlaib fransiscus aainm.
bhur iarum du ambant na maste ucut ocus cuingst fair inleabor doclod
fcula otengaid natartaired cg inteng laitanda]." &c.
- "Kings and chieftains of that city. There was then in the city a
princely Friar in the habit of St. Francis, named Franciscus, who was
versed in many languages. He was brought to the place where those nobles
were, and they requested of him to translate the book from the Tartar
(!) into the Latin language. 'It is an abomination to me,' said he, 'to
devote my mind or labour to works of Idolatry and Irreligion.' They
entreated him again. 'It shall be done,' said he; 'for though it be an
irreligious narrative that is related therein, yet the things are
miracles of the True God; and every one who hears this much against the
Holy Faith shall pray fervently for their conversion. And he who will
not pray shall waste the vigour of his body to convert them.' I am not
in dread of this Book of Marcus, for there is no lie in it. My eyes
beheld him bringing the relics of the holy Church with him, and he left
[his testimony], whilst tasting of death, that it was true. And Marcus
was a devout man. What is there in it, then, but that Franciscus
translated this Book of Marcus from the Tartar into Latin; and the years
of the Lord at that time were fifteen years, two score, two hundred, and
one thousand" (1255).
It then describes Armein Bec (Little Armenia), Armein Mor (Great
Armenia), Musul, Taurisius, Persida, Camandi, and so forth. The last
chapter is that on Abaschia: -
"ABASCHIA also is an extensive country, under the government of Seven
Kings, four of whom worship the true God, and each of them wears a
golden cross on the forehead; and they are valiant in battle, having
been brought up fighting against the Gentiles of the other three kings,
who are Unbelievers and Idolaters. And the kingdom of ADEN; a Soudan
rules over them.
"The king of Abaschia once took a notion to make a pilgrimage to the
Sepulchre of Jesus. 'Not at all,' said his nobles and warriors to him,
'for we should be afraid lest the infidels through whose territories you
would have to pass, should kill you. There is a Holy Bishop with you,'
said they; 'send him to the Sepulchre of Jesus, and much gold with
him'" -
The rest is wanting.
[1] In the following citations, the Geographic Text (G. T.) is quoted by
page from the printed edition (1824); the Latin published in the same
volume (G. L.) also by page; the Crusca, as before, from Bartoli's
edition of 1863. References in parentheses are to the present
translation: -
A. Passages showing the G. L. to be a translation from the Italian,
and derived from the same Italian text as the Crusca.
Page
(1). G.T. 17 (I. 43). Il hi se laborent le souran tapis
dou monde.
Crusca, 17 .. E quivi si fanno i sovrani tappeti
del mondo.
G.L. 311 .. Et ibi fiunt soriani et tapeti
pulcriores de mundo.
(2). G.T. 23 (I. 69). Et adonc le calif mande par tuit les
cristiez ... que en sa tere estoient.
Crusca, 27 .. Ora mando lo aliffo per tutti gli
Cristiani ch' erano di la.
G.L. 316 .. Or misit califus pro Christianis
qui erant ultra fluvium
(the last words being clearly a
misunderstanding of the Italian di la).
(3). G.T. 198 (II. 313). Ont sosimain (sesamum) de coi il
font le olio.
Crusca, 253 .. Hanno sosimai onde fanno l' olio.
G.L. 448 .. Habent turpes manus (taking sosimani
for sozze mani "Dirty hands"!).
(4). Crusca, 52 (I. 158). Cacciare e uccellare v' e lo migliore
del mondo.
G.L. 332 .. Et est ibi optimum caciare et ucellare.
(5). G.T. 124 (II. 36). Adonc treuve ... une Provence qe est
encore de le confin dou Mangi.
Crusca, 162-3 .. L' uomo truova una Provincia ch' e
chiamata ancora delle confine de' Mangi.
G.L. 396 .. Invenit unam Provinciam quae vocatur
Anchota de confinibus Mangi.
(6). G.T. 146 (II. 119.) Les dames portent as jambes et es
braces, braciaus d'or et d'arjent de
grandisme vailance.
Crusca, 189 .. Le donne portano alle braccia e alle
gambe bracciali d'oro e d'ariento
di gran valuta.
G.L. 411 .. Dominae eorum portant ad brachia et
ad gambas brazalia de auro et de
argento magni valoris.
B. Passages showing additionally the errors, or other peculiarities
of a translation from a French original, common to the Italian and the
Latin.
(7). G.T. 32 (I. 97.) Est celle plaingne mout chaue (chaude).
Crusca, 35 .. Questo piano e molto cavo.
G.L. 322 .. Ista planities est multum cava.
(8). G.T. 36 (I. 110). Avent por ce que l'eive hi est amer.
Crusca, 40 .. E questo e per lo mare che vi viene.
G.L. 324 .. Istud est propter mare quod est ibi.
(9). G.T. 8 (I. 50.) Un roi qi est apeles par tout tens
Davit Melic, que veut a dir en fransois
Davit Roi.
Crusca, 20 .. Uno re il quale si chiama sempre
David Melic, cio e a dire in francesco
David Re.
G.L. 312 .. Rex qui semper vocatur David Mellic,
quod sonat in gallico David Rex.
