CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE VALIANT FEATS AND VICTORY OF KING NOGAI.
<+>(The deeds of Nogai surpass all; the enemy scatter like a flock, and
are pursued, losing 60,000 men, but Toctai escapes, and so do the two sons
of Totamangu.)
CHAPTER XXXIV. AND LAST
CONCLUSION.[1]
And now ye have heard all that we can tell you about the Tartars and the
Saracens and their customs, and likewise about the other countries of the
world as far as our researches and information extend. Only we have said
nothing whatever about the GREATER SEA and the provinces that lie round
it, although we know it thoroughly. But it seems to me a needless and
useless task to speak about places which are visited by people every day.
For there are so many who sail all about that sea constantly, Venetians,
and Genoese, and Pisans, and many others, that everybody knows all about
it, and that is the reason that I pass it over and say nothing of it.
Of the manner in which we took our departure from the Court of the Great
Kaan you have heard at the beginning of the Book, in that chapter where we
told you of all the vexation and trouble that Messer Maffeo and Messer
Nicolo and Messer Marco had about getting the Great Kaan's leave to go;
and in the same chapter is related the lucky chance that led to our
departure. And you may be sure that but for that lucky chance, we should
never have got away in spite of all our trouble, and never have got back
to our country again. But I believe it was God's pleasure that we should
get back in order that people might learn about the things that the world
contains. For according to what has been said in the introduction at the
beginning of the Book, there never was a man, be he Christian or Saracen
or Tartar or Heathen, who ever travelled over so much of the world as did
that noble and illustrious citizen of the City of Venice, Messer Marco the
son of Messer Nicolo Polo.
Thanks be to God! Amen! Amen!
[1] This conclusion is not found in any copy except in the Crusca Italian,
and, with a little modification, in another at Florence, belonging to
the Pucci family. It is just possible that it was the embellishment of
a transcriber or translator; but in any case it is very old, and
serves as an epilogue.
[Illustration: Asiatic Warriors of Polo's Age. (From a contemporary
Persian Miniature.)]
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A. - Geneaology of the House of Chinghiz, to end of Thirteenth
Century.
Supreme [KAANS] in large capitals. KHANS of KIPCHAK, CHAGATAI, and PERSIA
in small capitals. Numerals indicate order of succession. For other sons
of Kublai, see Book II., chapter ix.
Those who are mentioned by Marco Polo have a line under their names.
