Marco Polo and his exploration across Asia Before Marco Polo died, a priest approached his deathbed, asking him if he would admit that his stories were false . It is said that Marco Polo responded with these words: "I have not told half of what I saw." As an internationally renowned merchant, traveler and storyteller, Marco Polo and his travel tales of Asia made an instant impression on medieval Europe by providing them with ideas, influences and images from the Far East little known. In 1254, Marco Polo was born into a prosperous merchant family in Venice, Italy. Because his mother died quite young and his father and uncle, Niccolò and Matteo, were constantly traveling in Asia, Marco was primarily raised by his extended family. He had solid training and interest. in literature and world religions manifested itself later in his future works. In 1271, Niccolò and Matteo Polo returned to Asia, this time taking the young Marco with them. The Polos crossed the Middle East by land routes later known as the Silk Road. . In Description of the world, March....