But though we cannot accept the statement that Polo was taken prisoner at Ayas, in the spring of 1294, we may accept the passage as evidence from a contemporary source that he was taken prisoner in some sea-fight with the Genoese, and thus admit it in corroboration of the Ramusian Tradition of his capture in a sea-fight at Curzola in 1298, which is perfectly consistent with all other facts in our possession.

[1] In this part of these notices I am repeatedly indebted to Heyd.
    (See supra, p. 9.)

[2] On or close to the Hill called Monjoie; see the plan from Marino
    Sanudo at p. 18.

[3] “Throughout that year there were not less than 40 machines all at work
    upon the city of Acre, battering its houses and its towers, and
    smashing and overthrowing everything within their range.  There were at
    least ten of those engines that shot stones so big and heavy that they
    weighed a good 1500 lbs. by the weight of Champagne; insomuch that
    nearly all the towers and forts of Acre were destroyed, and only the
    religious houses were left.  And there were slain in this same war good
    20,000 men on the two sides, but chiefly of Genoese and Spaniards.”
    (Lettre de Jean Pierre Sarrasin, in Michel’s Joinville, p. 308.)

[4] The origin of these columns is, however, somewhat uncertain.
    [See Cicogna, I. p. 379.]

[5] In 1262, when a Venetian squadron was taken by the Greek fleet in
    alliance with the Genoese, the whole of the survivors of the captive
    crews were blinded by order of Palaeologus. (Roman. ii. 272.)

[6] See pp. 16, 41, and Plan of Ayas at beginning of Bk.  I.

[7] See Archivio Storico Italiano, Appendice, tom. iv.

[8] Niente ne resta a prender
        Se no li corpi de li legni: 
      Preixi som senza difender;
        De bruxar som tute degni!
         * * * *
      Como li fom aproximai
        Queli si levan lantor
      Como leon descaenai
        Tuti criando “Alor!  Alor!”

This Alor!  Alor! ("Up, Boys, and at ’em"), or something similar, appears to have been the usual war-cry of both parties.  So a trumpet-like poem of the Troubadour warrior Bertram de Born, whom Dante found in such evil plight below (xxviii. 118 seqq.), in which he sings with extraordinary spirit the joys of war:—­

      “Le us die que tan no m’a sabor
        Manjars, ni beure, ni dormir,
      Cum a quant ang cridar, ALOR! 
        D’ambas la partz; et aug agnir
          Cavals voits per l’ombratge....”

      “I tell you a zest far before
        Aught of slumber, or drink, or of food,
      I snatch when the shouts of ALOR
        Ring from both sides:  and out of the wood
        Comes the neighing of steeds dimly seen....”