In Museo Civico, Venice
Ab ynsula Pentain cerca 100 mil. versus Syroch est ynsula JAUA que licet
Minor dicatur per respectum alterius supradicte est in circuitus [sic]
2000 mil. et plus. In ipsa enim sunt 8 regna singuli[2] et reges, et
habet quodlibet regnum per se proprium ydeoma, et est in ipsa tesaurus
multus valde et species magni valoris multe, et lignum aloes et spica,
et multe diverse species que nunquam in nostris partibus apportantur. Et
est hec ynsula in tantum versus meridiem possita quod Polus Articus
breviter non apparet.
10. VERSION PRINTED IN THE NOVUS ORBIS OF GRYNAEUS.
Ultra insulam PETAN, per Sirochum navigando, est JAUA MINOR, centum
distans milliaribus a PETAN: et haec in circuitu continere dicitur
circiter duo millia milliarium. Dividitur insula in octo regna, habetque
linguam propriam. Producit etiam varia aromata, qualia in his nostris
partibus nunquam visa sunt.... Protenditur haec insula in tantum ad
Austrum, ut Polus Arcticus, et stelle ejus minime videri possent. Ego
Marcus fui in hac insula, lustravique sex ejus regna, nempe regnum
Ferlech, Basman, Samara, Dragoiam, Lambri, et Fansur. In aliis vero
duobus non fui.
[1] Omitted in MS. or at least in my transcript.
[2] Word doubtful.
APPENDIX E. - The Preface of Friar Pipino to his Latin Version of Marco
Polo. (Circa 1315-1320.)
"The Book of that prudent, honourable, and most truthful gentleman, MESSER
MARCO POLO of Venice, concerning the circumstances and manners of the
Regions of the East, which he conscientiously wrote and put forth in the
Vulgar Tongue, I, FRIAR FRANCESCO PIPINO of Bologna, of the Order of the
Preaching Friars, am called upon by a number of my Fathers and Masters to
render faithfully and truthfully out of the vulgar tongue into the Latin.
And this, not merely because they are themselves persons who take more
pleasure in Latin than in vernacular compositions, but also that those
who, owing to the diversity of languages and dialects, might find the
perusal of the original difficult or impossible, may be able to read the
Book with understanding and enjoyment.
"The task, indeed, which they have constrained me to undertake, is one
which they themselves could have executed more competently, but they were
averse to distract their attention from the higher contemplations and
sublime pursuits to which they are devoted, in order to turn their
thoughts and pens to things of the earth earthy. I, therefore, in
obedience to their orders, have rendered the whole substance of the Book
into such plain Latin as was suited to its subject.
"And let none deem this task to be vain and unprofitable; for I am of
opinion that the perusal of the Book by the Faithful may merit an
abounding Grace from the Lord; whether that in contemplating the variety,
beauty, and vastness of God's Creation, as herein displayed in His
marvellous works, they may be led to bow in adoring wonder before His
Power and Wisdom; or, that, in considering the depths of blindness and
impurity in which the Gentile Nations are involved, they may be
constrained at once to render thanks to God Who hath deigned to call His
faithful people out of such perilous darkness into His marvellous Light,
and to pray for the illumination of the hearts of the Heathen.
