L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 4 J o h n S t e i n b e c k o n c e o b s e r v e d , " P e o p l e d o n o t take journeys; it's the journeys that t a k e p e o p l e . " M a r c o Polo embodies "The Jour- n e y " — a l i f e - a l t e r i n g p a t h with an unknown destina- tion, personifying initiative, courage, and encounter. In the year 1271, a young M a r c o P o l o e m b a r k e d o n what would become a leg- endary expedition to China, joining his father Niccolò and uncle Matteo on a trading venture fraught with danger. This journey, however, was merely the starting point of an epic adventure. Over the ensuing years, Marco Polo would evolve from an intre- pid traveler into a trusted advisor and high official at the court of the Great Khan. Today, 700 years after his passing, Venice, his birth- p l a c e , c o m m e m o r a t e s h i s l e g a c y i n t h e m o s t f i t t i n g manner. "Revisiting Marco Polo's narrative today offers pro- f o u n d i n s i g h t s i n t o t h e e n d u r i n g s i g n i f i c a n c e o f cross-cultural interactions and the exploratory paths to the East. In an era where the globe seems entirely within our grasp, the genuine won- der and curiosity sparked by encounters with the unfamil- i a r — a f e e l i n g M a r c o P o l o knew well—remain as crucial as ever," says Mariacristi- na Gribaudi, president of Muve, who concludes that: " V i e w i n g t h e r e t e l l i n g o f Polo's voyages through exhi- bitions and initiatives by the F o n d a z i o n e M u s e i C i v i c i Venezia is a call to embrace discovery, knowledge, and understanding." The backdrop to Marco Polo's famed departure was set years earlier, with the ini- tial journey of his father Nic- colò, and uncle Matteo to C h i n a . E s t e e m e d a s m e r - chants between Greece and the Black Sea, their ventures took them to the vast and v a r i e d l a n d s c a p e o f A s i a , w h e r e t h e y w e r e w a r m l y r e c e i v e d b y t h e M o n g o l E m p e r o r K h u b i l a i . T h i s encounter laid the ground- work for a relationship that extended beyond commerce, as they later served as emis- saries to the Holy See upon their return to Europe. Fol- lowing the election of Pope Clement X, the Polo broth- ers were inspired to venture once again along the Silk Road, this time with young Marco in tow, embarking on a mission as ambassadors to the Khan in 1271. Leaving behind Venice, their caravan paused at the b u s t l i n g p o r t o f L a j a z z o , m o d e r n - d a y A y a s o n t h e Gulf of Alexandretta, thread- ing through Anatolia and Armenia, and navigating the complexities of the geopolit- ical landscape of their time. The journey took them from Mosul and Baghdad to Hor- muz on the Persian Gulf, a decision driven by the intent to continue their journey by sea. For some reason, this was not possible, so they returned to the "classic" Silk Road. The Polo family continued their journey through Persia and Khorasan (the north- eastern part of Iran), then a c r o s s A f g h a n i s t a n a n d Uzbekistan (passing through the busy Samarkand), later f a c i n g t h e c h a l l e n g e s o f crossing the Pamir Moun- tains (Tajikistan), which was no small feat as this leg of the journey kept them occu- pied for over a month. Upon r e a c h i n g t h e X i n j i a n g region, they finally saw the end of their journey: here was the Tarim Basin and the Gobi Desert. Having over- come this hurdle, they were able to sail down the Yellow River until they reached the court of the Great Khan at C a m b a l u c ( K h a n b a l i q ) , where Beijing stands today, after more than three and a half years of travel. "And indeed, I tell you that among all the lords of the world, none possess as much wealth as the Great Khan alone" (The Travels of M a r c o P o l o , C h a p t e r LXXXI). The Great Khan Kublai, the Mongol emper- or reigning over China at the time, saw in Marco a bright young man who was fluent in multiple languages. Thus, he entrusted him with many important tasks, including administrative management i n v a r i o u s p a r t s o f t h e Empire. Marco would only return to Venice in 1295, at around 40 years of age, after having s p e n t s e v e n t e e n y e a r s i n China and another six or seven traveling. It didn't take long for him to reac- q u a i n t h i m s e l f w i t h t h e a l l e y s a n d c a n a l s o f h i s hometown before he found himself back in action—this t i m e i n a n a v a l b a t t l e between the Venetians and the Genoese, during which he was captured. It was in captivity that he recounted his adventures to Rustichello da Pisa, a fellow prisoner. From these tales, The Trav- e l s o f M a r c o P o l o w a s born—a masterpiece of trav- el literature and among the first geographical encyclope- dias. A historical and carto- graphic treatise. A book of explorations, still considered today a cornerstone of Ital- ian literary culture for its significance. Alessandra Schiavon, the curator of the In the Footsteps of Marco Polo: Venice 1324-2024 series at the Ateneo Veneto, pro- vides a compelling perspec- tive. She quotes historian J a c q u e s L e G o f f , w h o describes "The Travels of Marco Polo" as "the most beautiful creation of a Mid- dle Ages that sought to rec- oncile wonder and reason through an imaginary of rar- ities, curiosities, scientific oddities, geographical and anthropological marvels." This seminal work, accord- ing to Schiavon, "eludes a singular definition. It did not serve as a literary model for its contemporaries upon its discovery. It was neither a novel nor a chivalric poem ( c o u r t l y l i t e r a t u r e u p t o Boiardo and Ariosto), nor an a l l e g o r i c a l j o u r n e y ( l i k e Dante's Divine Comedy), nor a collection of songs (in the s t y l e o f P e t r a r c h ) , n o r a c o m p i l a t i o n o f n o v e l l a s (from the Novellino to Boc- caccio): it did not aim at moral education or conver- sion, nor did it indulge in introspection." Instead, "The T r a v e l s o f M a r c o P o l o " s t a n d s a p a r t a s a u n i q u e blend of a travel notebook, a scientific treatise, a memoir, a travel guide, and a mer- chant's handbook. Schiavon emphasizes its unique place i n l i t e r a t u r e , n o t i n g i t s unmatched recounting of exceptional experiences. To grasp the breadth of Marco Polo's work, consider this excerpt from The Trav- els of Marco Polo: "In the year 1187, the Tartars elect- ed a king named Genghis K h a n . R e n o w n e d f o r h i s valor, wisdom, and bravery, his ascension to king drew T a r t a r s f r o m a c r o s s t h e world to his side, recogniz- ing him as their sovereign. G e n g h i s K h a n ' s r u l e w a s marked by fairness and jus- tice. The sheer number of Tartars who rallied to him was astonishing; seeing the vastness of his followers, he set out to conquer additional lands. I assure you, he suc- c e s s f u l l y s u b d u e d e i g h t provinces swiftly, without harming the vanquished or r e s o r t i n g t o p l u n d e r . Instead, he led them in fur- ther conquests, garnering the loyalty of many. Wit- n e s s i n g h i s b e n e v o l e n c e , people gladly rallied behind him. Overwhelmed by his growing force, Genghis Khan ambitiously proclaimed his Marco Polo, 700 years along the Silk Road LUCA FERRARI NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS CONTINUED TO PAGE 6 Marco Polo's caravan, in an illustration from the Catalan Atlas, circa 1375. Marco Polo (1254-1324) was a Venetian mer- chant traveler and the most famous Westerner to have traveled on the Silk Road. He excelled all the other travelers in his determination. Science History Images / Alamy Stock Photo

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