Kublai's Empire
Kublai Khan paints a sickening image of his empire, which, according to him, is "rotting like a corpse in a swamp, whose contagion infects the crows that peck it as well as the bamboo that grows, fertilized by its humors." Placing the corpse in a swamp reinforces the sense of decay, as it emphasizes that both flesh and environment are rotten. By using this simile, he highlights the decayed state of his realm, which has a destructive effect on bordering territories as well. As the corpse cannot be revived, the emperor implicitly acknowledges that the state of his empire cannot be improved.
The Meditation
Marco Polo and the emperor's deep state of meditation is visualized by an impressionistic image with elements that convey a feeling of relaxation, as the environment is quiet and the action is slow: "They were silent, their eyes half-closed, reclining on cushions, swaying in hammocks, smoking long amber pipes."
Hypatia
Hypatia is a paradox image, as the function of the buildings is inverted. For example, the palace, which connotes royalty and therefore leads Polo to the conclusion that the Sultan must be there, houses convicts as it is used as a prison. Another paradox image is the cemetery, which is supposed to be quiet; however, in Hypatia, it is full of music: "From grave to grave flute trills, harp chords answer one another."
Theodora
The image of Theodora illustrates the effects of disturbing the balance of nature: "When the sky was cleared of condors, they had to face the propagation of serpents; the spiders' extermination allowed the flies to multiply into a black swarm; the victory over the termites left the city at the mercy of the woodworms. One by one the species incompatible to the city had to succumb and were extinguished." After that, the city is overrun by rats, which emphasizes its decaying state. However, the inhabitants are finally able to kill even this threat "with an extreme massacre," which creates a sense of violence and ruthlessness. Eventually, the only inhabitants are humans, with animals only living as illustrations in books.
