The Travels of Marco Polo

Title of work: The Travels of Marco Polo

Original title: Il Milione

Author Name: Marco Polo his amanuensis, Rustichello of Pisa.

ISBN: 978-1-4027-96302

Original language: Occitan

Translated by: Henty revised by Henri Cordier Yule

Publisher: Sterling Signature

Current edition Year: 2012

Years editions: 2012

Reading Year: 2016

Additional Information:

There are more than 80 manuscripts of this work and in most contradict or disagree with the chronology of the events giving rise to the legends of its veracity.

Summary of the book:

Even with all the mysteries and questions that exist around the figure of Marco Polo, on the existence and veracity of what supposedly dictated to his amanuensis, Rustichello of Pisa, or if Rustichello get carried away by hes own imagination. This is a fantastic work that allows us to awaken our imagination to visualize how could be the medieval Asia, that was visit by Marco, even though Marco omitted ovais things of the customs of China (Cathay and Mangi) as the characters of Chinese writing, printing or chopsticks. but he discussed other aspects of the life in Asia, such as paper currency, the Grand Canal, the structure of the Mongol army, a large number of animals including tigers and panthers, the existence of Japan (Cipango) and the system of the imperial postal.

The facts that have captured my imagination are the descriptions of deserts, the great battles, description of places like Island of Women or the Isle of Man, trade routes such as the silk route, the way armies organized before a battle, the vastness of deserts, as well as the extension of the cities that came to be more than a million and a half inhabitants. Or the opulence in which the rulers lived, also the descriptions of palaces and harems and the tragic way women were elected for the harems. Or the women warriors who only marry with the man who was able to defeat them in combat. Or as he explains acupuncture and hospitals.

Other things that have excited me, are the supernatural stories like those of Prester John, or the acts of levitation, telekinesis, Mirages, evil spirits, weather manipulation; all these phenomena made by Geniuses, Monks, Shamans, Healers, Demons and a great etc.

I find it disconcerting that are not important the description of the behavior as we headed south of the Star Polar or Polaris, and how he explain their movement getting close to the horizon or even disappears. For me this is a great point for Marco because as merchant had sailed enough to have heard of this phenomenon and not have to discuss it as something that surprises him.

This work is divided into four books. The first describes the lands of the Middle East and Central Asia that Marco crossed on his way to China. The second book talks about China and the court of Kublai Khan. The third focuses on the description of the coastal regions: Japan, India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, also the east coast of Africa including Madagascar. And in the last book the room, about the wars that held between the Mongols, and also describes Russia and other northern regions.