. They wererobbed as soon as they got into Christian territory, but they stillmanaged to reach home in 1295, with plenty of rich goods. According toGiovanni Battista Ramusio, one of the early editors of Marco's book, thePolos strode into Venice looking like rugged Mongols(Stefoff 17). Havingthought them dead, their relatives at first did not recognize them, thenwere astounded, and then were disgusted by their shabby appearance. Yet,according to Ramusio, the scorn changed to delight when the returnedtravelers invited everyone to a homecoming banquet, ripped apart their oldclothes, and let all the hidden jewels clatter to the table(Great Livesfrom History 1676).The rest of the world might have learned little about the Polos'travels if fate had not intervened in Marco's life. In his early forties,Marco was not yet ready to settle down. Perhaps he was restless forfurther adventure, or perhaps he felt obliged to fulfill his civic dutiesto his native city-state. In any event, he became involved in navalwarfare between Venetians and their trading rivals, the Genoese, and wascaptured. In 1298, the great traveler across Asia and emissary of the khanfound himself rotting in a prison in Genoa-an experience that could haveended tragically but instead took a lucky turn. In prison Marco met a mannamed Rustichello from Persia, who was a writer of romances(Stefoff 21).To pass the time, Marco dictated his observations about Asia toRustichello, who, in writing them down, probably employed the ItalianizedOld French that was the language of medieval romances. Their book was sooncirculating, since Marco remained in prison only a year or so, very likelygaining his freedom when the Venetians and Genoese made peace in1299(Rugoff 32).After his prison experience, Marco was content to lead a quietlife in Venice with the rest of his family and bask in his almost instantliterary fame. He married Donata Badoer, a member of the Venetianaristocracy. eventually grew up...
