The Tale of Bygone Years - Oleg's death. Oleg's death from his horse. The story of Oleg the Prophet in Nestor’s chronicle “The Tale of Bygone Years”

And Oleg, the prince, lived in Kyiv, having peace with all countries. And autumn came, and Oleg remembered his horse, which he had previously set to feed, having decided never to mount it. For he asked the wise men and wizards: “Why will I die?” And one magician said to him: “Prince! Will you die from your beloved horse on which you ride?” These words sunk into Oleg’s soul, and he said: “I will never sit on him and see him again.” And he ordered to feed him and not to take him to him, and he lived for several years without seeing him, until he went against the Greeks. And when he returned to Kyiv and four years had passed, in the fifth year he remembered his horse, from which the wise men predicted his death. And he called the elder of the grooms and said: “Where is my horse, which I ordered to feed and take care of?” He answered: “He died.” Oleg laughed and reproached that magician, saying: “The magicians say wrong, but it’s all a lie: the horse died, but I’m alive.” And he ordered him to saddle his horse: “Let me see his bones.” And he came to the place where his bare bones and bare skull lay, got off his horse, laughed and said: “Should I accept death from this skull?” And he stepped on the skull with his foot, and a snake crawled out of the skull and bit him on the leg. And that’s why he got sick and died. All the people mourned him with great lamentation, and they carried him and buried him on a mountain called Shchekovitsa; His grave exists to this day and is known as Oleg’s grave. And all the years of his reign were thirty and three.

It is not surprising that magic comes true from sorcery. So it was during the reign of Domitian that a certain sorcerer named Apollonius of Tyana was known, who went around and performed demonic miracles everywhere - in cities and villages. Once, when he came from Rome to Byzantium, those living there begged him to do the following: he drove out many snakes and scorpions from the city so that they would not harm people and curbed the rage of horses in front of the boyars. So he came to Antioch, and, begged by those people - the Antiochians, who were suffering from scorpions and mosquitoes, he made a copper scorpion, and buried it in the ground, and placed a small marble pillar over it, and ordered the people to take sticks and walk around the city and call out, shaking those sticks: “Be a city without a mosquito!” And so the scorpions and mosquitoes disappeared from the city. And they asked him about the earthquake that threatened the city, and, sighing, he wrote the following on the tablet: “Alas for you, unfortunate city, you will be shaken a lot and you will be burned by fire, the one who will mourn you will mourn on the banks of the Orontes.” About (Apollonius) the great Anastasius of the City of God said: “The miracles created by Apollonius are even still performed in some places: some - to drive away four-legged animals and birds that could harm people, others - to hold back river streams, bursting from the banks, but others to the destruction and detriment of people, although to curb them. Not only did demons perform such miracles during his lifetime, but also after his death, at his tomb, they performed miracles in his name in order to deceive miserable people. , often caught by the devil in them." So, who will say anything about works created by magic temptation? After all, Apollonius was skilled in magical seduction and never took into account the fact that in madness he indulged in a wise trick; but he should have said: “With only a word I do what I wanted,” and not perform the actions expected of him. Everything happens by God’s permission and by the creation of demons - by all such deeds our Orthodox faith is tested, that it is firm and strong, staying near the Lord and not being carried away by the devil, his ghostly miracles and satanic deeds perpetrated by the enemies of the human race and the servants of evil. It happens that some prophesy in the name of the Lord, like Balaam, and Saul, and Caiaphas, and even cast out demons, like Judas and the sons of Skevabel. Because grace repeatedly acts on the unworthy, as many testify: for Balaam was alien to everything - both righteous living and faith, but nevertheless grace appeared in him to convince others. And Pharaoh was the same, but the future was revealed to him too. And Nebuchadnezzar was a lawbreaker, but the future of many generations was also revealed to him, thereby testifying that many who have perverse concepts, even before the coming of Christ, perform signs not of their own free will to deceive people who do not know good. Such was Simon the Magus, and Menander, and others like him, because of whom it was truly said: “Do not deceive with miracles...”.

Per year 6421 (913). After Oleg, Igor began to reign. At the same time, Constantine, the son of Leon, began to reign. And the Drevlyans shut themselves away from Igor after Oleg’s death.

Per year 6422 (914). Igor went against the Drevlyans and, having defeated them, imposed on them a tribute greater than Oleg’s. That same year, Simeon of Bulgaria came to Constantinople and, having made peace, returned home.

Per year 6423 (915). The Pechenegs came to the Russian land for the first time and, having made peace with Igor, went to the Danube. At the same time, Simeon came, capturing Thrace; The Greeks sent for the Pechenegs. When the Pechenegs arrived and were about to march against Simeon, the Greek commanders quarreled. The Pechenegs, seeing that they were quarreling among themselves, went home, and the Bulgarians fought with the Greeks, and the Greeks were killed. Simeon captured the city of Hadrian, which was originally called the city of Orestes, the son of Agamemnon: for Orestes once bathed in three rivers and got rid of his illness here - that’s why he named the city after himself. Subsequently, Caesar Hadrian renovated it and named it Adrian after himself, but we call it Hadrian-city.

Per year 6424 (916).

Per year 6425 (917).

Per year 6426 (918).

Per year 6427 (919).

Per year 6428 (920). The Greeks installed Tsar Roman. Igor fought against the Pechenegs.

Per year 6429 (921).

Per year 6430 (922).

Per year 6431 (923).

Per year 6432 (924).

Per year 6433 (925).

Per year 6434 (926).

Per year 6435 (927).

Per year 6436 (928).

Per year 6437 (929). Simeon came to Constantinople, and captured Thrace and Macedonia, and approached Constantinople in great strength and pride, and created peace with Roman the Tsar, and returned home.

Per year 6438 (930).

Per year 6439 (931).

Per year 6440 (932).

Per year 6441 (933).

Per year 6442 (934). For the first time, the Ugrians came to Constantinople and captured all of Thrace; Roman made peace with the Ugrians.

Per year 6444 (936).

Per year 6445 (937).

6446 (938) per year.

Per year 6447 (939).

Per year 6448 (940).

Per year 6449 (941). Igor went against the Greeks. And the Bulgarians sent news to the king that the Russians were coming to Constantinople: 10 thousand ships. And they came and sailed and began to fight the country of Bithynia, and captured the land along the Pontic Sea to Heraclius and to the Paphlagonian land, and they captured the entire country of Nicomedia, and they burned the entire Court. And those who were captured - some were crucified, while others, standing them in front of them, shot, grabbed, tied their hands back and drove iron nails into their heads. Many holy churches were set on fire, monasteries and villages were burned, and a lot of wealth was seized on both banks of the Court. When warriors came from the east - Panfir the Demestic with forty thousand, Phocas the Patrician with the Macedonians, Fedor the Stratelates with the Thracians, and high-ranking boyars with them, they surrounded Rus'. The Russians, after consulting, came out against the Greeks with weapons, and in a fierce battle they barely defeated the Greeks. The Russians returned to their squad in the evening and at night, getting into the boats, sailed away. Theophanes met them in boats with fire and began to shoot fire at the Russian boats with pipes. And a terrible miracle was seen. The Russians, seeing the flames, rushed into the sea water, trying to escape, and so those who remained returned home. And, having come to their land, they told - each to their own - about what had happened and about the fire of the rooks. “It’s as if the Greeks had lightning from heaven,” they said, “and, releasing it, they burned us; that’s why they didn’t defeat them.” Igor, having returned, began to gather many soldiers and sent them overseas to the Varangians, inviting them to attack the Greeks, again planning to go against them.

And the year is 6430 (942). Simeon went against the Croats, and the Croats defeated him, and died, leaving Peter, his son, as prince over the Bulgarians.

The founder of the great Kievan Rus, Prince Oleg the Prophet, went down in history as one of the most significant persons for the Russian people. Numerous campaigns, a trade route with Byzantium and the introduction of writing for the Russian people, all these are the merits of the prince, who, according to legend, could foresee his future, which was the success of his reign.

One of the most famous and to this day princes of ancient Rus' is Prince Oleg the Prophet. Who replaced the no less great Rurik and brought quite a few victories to his people. One of the most famous achievements of the hero Prophetic Oleg is the creation of Kievan Rus itself and the appointment of the great city of Kyiv as its center. Oleg began to be called the Prophetic, only because he could predict the future. He spoke very skillfully about future events, and this was most likely not because he had supernatural powers, but because he thought logically and was a good psychologist. The prince was not only the sovereign of his state, but also a kind of sorcerer and sorcerer for the people, because people believed that the power to rule the Russian people was given to him from above. There is a legend that a snake brought death to the Prophetic Oleg and he died from its bite. It was the death of the great king that became the reason for the composition of many songs and legends. Not only songs about his exploits, but also about his death, have become obligatory in history, because it is very disappointing that such a great Russian sovereign became a victim of a snake.

Legend has it that the reign of the prince passed when Rurik was dying. It was on his deathbed that he said that he would bequeath the rule to him, because his son was still small, and the Prophetic Oleg was his guardian and confidant of the family. Only to him could Rurik entrust his two most expensive treasures. This is his still very young son and the state for which he had big plans. And he did not let his comrade down, he became a great commander, he earned the love of his people and served Rus' for almost 33 years. If we take a superficial look at the achievements of the Russian commander, then his greatest victories in life were the rule in Novgorod, Lyubich and the creation of Kievan Rus. But no less important events in his life were the campaigns against Byzantium, the imposition of tribute on the East Slavic tribes and the trade routes that the campaign against Byzantium opened. This very campaign opened up a lot of new and interesting things for the Russians, not only in terms of trade, but also in art.

His exploits began with the campaign against the Krivichi in 882, during which he captured Smolensk. Afterwards, his path was set down along the Dnieper. Which brought him the capture of Lubitsch. And subsequently, he deceived both the life and the throne of the Russian princes Askold and Dir, who ruled Russia before him. After which the Prophetic Oleg became not only the prince of Novgorod, but also the prince of Kyiv. It was from this moment that, according to historical facts, it is believed that the creation of the great Kievan Rus began.

Further, the year 907 became a significant date for the Prince of Novgorod and Kyiv Prophetic Oleg. When he led the army of Kyiv and the Varangians on a long campaign to Byzantium. The army completely devastated the city of Constantinople, and after that a treaty was drawn up and adopted, very beneficial for Rus', according to which the Russian people who went to Byzantium with trade affairs had privileges even greater than those of the citizens of the state.

No less famous was the agreement between the Prophetic Oleg and the Greek rulers, which was concluded in 912, after Constantinople was besieged, and the Byzantines had since capitulated. But even there there was still not a word about the real heir and actual ruler of Rus', Igor. Even during the reign of the Prophetic Prince, all the people understood that it was he who was the founder of their state. History also understands for certain that Oleg first created the state, then expanded its borders, showed everyone that the Ruriks were a completely legitimate power of the Russian people. And most importantly, he dared to challenge the Khazars. Before Igor's guardian began to rule, the Khazars collected huge tribute from the entire Slavic people. Not only did they steal from people, they also wanted Russians to practice their religion, Judaism.

“The Tale of Bygone Years” is the most reliable source of information about the Prophetic Sovereign of the Russian people, but only the most basic deeds of the hero are described there. A huge gap of a whole 21 years exists in the chronicle and for what reason the clerks bypassed this year of the prince’s reign is not known to this day. But even since that time, many things that were significant for history happened, because every decision of the prince changed the course of all history and the entire people. A very important factor, which was revealed many years later, was that from 885 to 907 in this period there was not only a campaign against the Khazars, but also the defeat of the Radimichi.

Video: Documentary about Oleg the Prophet

But the chronicle was written by purely Russian people and therefore they considered it necessary to record those events that only 100% concerned the Russian people and Oleg. A very important detail was the passage of the emigrating people of Hungarians (Hungarians) near Kiev in 898. No less important was the arrival of Igor's future wife, Princess Olga, in 903. By birth the bride's name was Beautiful, but by the will of the Prince of Novgorod they began to call her first Volga, and then Olga. Few people knew that the girl was actually the daughter of the Prophetic Oleg, and so that no one would know the truth, they began to call her by a different name. The girl was not only the daughter of Prophetic Oleg, but also the granddaughter of Gostomysl, it was he who invited Rurik many years ago to become the head of the government of Rus'.

Rurik handed over the rule of the state to his son on his deathbed, and thus Oleg continued the Gostomysl dynasty through his wife, and took Rurik’s place. It turned out that neither the line of rule of the Rurik dynasty nor Gostomysl was ever interrupted.

As a result, an important question always arose about who had more rights to rule the Russian state, Oleg or Gostomysl. No one knew for sure whether it was true or rumor that Olga is Oleg’s daughter and Gostomysl’s granddaughter, because if this is true, then it turns out that the husband of that same daughter is Oleg. And he can compare with anyone from the Rurik dynasty. And it turns out that he has completely legal rights to inherit the throne, and not just a verbal donation of Russian land by Rurik. But they always tried to avoid this fact in the chronicles, so that the Novgorod retinue would not lay claim to significant government positions in Kyiv.

And the most unexpected and pleasant event that the reign of the Prophetic Tsar brought was that, with his help, the Russian people learned what writing is. Cyril and Methodius, also in the Tale of Bygone Years, are recorded as the creators of writing among the Slavs. Such an act of the prince was truly great; only 90 years later could he surpass in importance the prince, Vladimir, who adopted Christianity for the Russian people. Oleg accepted written reforms, ABCs and the alphabet, which is still present in people's lives to this day.

During the period when Rurik appeared in Novgorod, the brothers Cyril and Methodius appeared on Ladoga. There is no difference in time, only a difference in territorial space. Cyril began his mission in the south; in 860-801 he reached the Khazar Kaganate. There he tried to introduce writing, but not entirely successfully, and then he retired to a monastery for a while, where he began to create the alphabet and one of the brothers carried out these deeds in 862. This year was never even questioned, because then the campaign of both brothers took place already on hands with the alphabet to Moravia.

These events in the next few years would lead to the fact that both Bulgaria and Serbia began to use Slavic writing, but this happened 250 years later. But only the creation of writing could not lead to people becoming more literate; the sovereign’s decision was needed that this was a necessity and his authority was directly needed.

The hero sorcerer was very adamant, and although he accepted the alphabet from the missionaries, he categorically rejected their teachings. At that time there was only one faith, pagan, and the pagans treated Christians very badly; the people even then were simply not ready for such a faith. Catholic missionaries suffered a lot from the Baltic Slavs. After all, they indiscriminately carried out reprisals against them. Then there was a big confrontation, and the guardian of young Igor played an important role in this struggle.

Even when the Grand Duke died, he became the one who launched the process of creating a great state and this process was no longer reversible, since the ground for him was already so solid that it could not be crushed. Even Karamzin once said that Russia had many worthy rulers and sovereigns in its history, but none of them achieved such services to the state as Prince Oleg did for Rus'.

The great ruler Prophetic Oleg deserves that to this day people bow their heads with gratitude before his person and deeds in the name of Kievan Rus. He became the one who created the state of Rus' from scratch. He paved the most profitable trade routes in the history of the Russian people, he was the prince of two states at the same time and married his daughter to the legitimate heir of Kievan Rus. Not to mention the introduction of writing, which became the beginning of literacy training for ordinary people.

Here is evidence from past years about when the name “Russian Land” was first mentioned and where the name “Russian Land” comes from and who first began to reign in Kyiv - we will tell a story about this.

About the Slavs

After the flood and death of Noah, his three sons divide the Earth among themselves and agree not to trespass into each other's possessions. They cast lots. Japheth gets the northern and western countries. But humanity on Earth is still united and in a field near Babylon for more than 40 years it has been building a pillar to heaven. However, God is dissatisfied; he destroys the unfinished pillar with a strong wind and scatters people across the Earth, dividing them into 72 nations. From one of them come the Slavs, who live in the domains of the descendants of Japheth. Then the Slavs come to the Danube, and from there they disperse throughout the lands. The Slavs settle peacefully along the Dnieper and receive names: some are Polyans because they live in the fields, others are Derevlyans because they sit in the forests. Compared to other tribes, the Polyans are meek and quiet, they are bashful in front of their daughters-in-law, sisters, mothers and mothers-in-law, and, for example, the Derevlyans live bestially: they kill each other, eat all kinds of uncleanness, do not know marriage, but, pouncing, kidnap the girls.

About the journey of the Apostle Andrew

The Holy Apostle Andrew, teaching the Christian faith to the peoples along the Black Sea coast, comes to Crimea and learns about the Dnieper, that its mouth is not far, and sails up the Dnieper. He stops for the night under deserted hills on the shore, and in the morning he looks at them and turns to the disciples around him: “Do you see these hills?” And he prophesies: “The grace of God will shine on these hills - a great city will arise and many churches will be erected.” And the apostle, arranging a whole ceremony, ascends the hills, blesses them, puts up a cross and prays to God. Kyiv will indeed appear in this place later.

The Apostle Andrew returns to Rome and tells the Romans that in the land of the Slovenes, where Novgorod will later be built, something strange happens every day: the buildings are made of wood, not stone, but the Slovenes heat them with fire, without fear of fire, take off their clothes and appear completely naked , not caring about decency, they douse themselves with kvass, moreover, henbane kvass (intoxicating), begin to slash themselves with flexible branches and finish themselves off so much that they crawl out barely alive, and in addition they douse themselves with ice water - and suddenly come to life. Hearing this, the Romans are amazed why the Slovenians are torturing themselves. And Andrei, who knows that this is how the Slovenians “worry,” explains the riddle to the slow-witted Romans: “This is ablution, not torment.”

About Kie

Three brothers live in the land of glades, each with his family sits on his own Dnieper hill. The first brother's name is Kiy, the second is Shchek, the third is Khoriv. The brothers create a city, call it Kyiv after their older brother and live in it. And near the city there is a forest in which clearings catch animals. Kiy travels to Constantinople, where the Byzantine king shows him great honor. From Constantinople, Kiy comes to the Danube, he likes one place, where he builds a small town nicknamed Kievets. But local residents do not allow him to settle there. Kiy returns to his lawful Kyiv, where he ends his life with dignity. Shchek and Khoreb also die here.

About the Khazars

After the death of the brothers, a Khazar detachment stumbles into the clearing and demands: “Pay us tribute.” The glades consult and give a sword from each hut. The Khazar warriors bring this to their prince and elders and boast: “Behold, they have collected some new tribute.” The elders ask: “Where from?” The warriors, obviously not knowing the name of the tribe that gave them tribute, only answer: “Collected in the forest, on the hills, above the Dnieper River.” The elders ask: “What did they give you?” The warriors, not knowing the names of the things they brought, silently show their swords. But the experienced elders, having guessed the meaning of the mysterious tribute, predict to the prince: “An ominous tribute, oh prince. We got it with sabers, a weapon sharp on one side, but these tributaries have swords, a double-edged weapon. They will begin to take tribute from us.” This prediction will come true, the Russian princes will take possession of the Khazars.

About the name “Russian Land”. 852−862

This is where the name “Russian Land” first begins to be used: the Byzantine chronicle of that time mentions the campaign of a certain Rus' against Constantinople. But the land is still divided: the Varangians take tribute from the northern tribes, including the Novgorod Slovenes, and the Khazars take tribute from the southern tribes, including the Polyans.

The northern tribes expel the Varangians beyond the Baltic Sea, stop giving them tribute and try to govern themselves, but do not have a common set of laws and therefore are drawn into civil strife, waging a war of self-destruction. Finally, they agree among themselves: “Let’s look for a single prince, but outside of us, so that he will rule us and judge based on the law.” The Estonian Chud, the Novgorod Slovenes, the Krivichi Slavs and the Finno-Ugric all send their representatives overseas to other Varangians, whose tribe is called “Rus”. This is the same common name as the names of other nationalities - “Swedes”, “Normans”, “English”. And the four tribes listed above offer the following to Rus': “Our land is large in space and rich in grain, but there is no state structure in it. Come to us to reign and rule." Three brothers with their families get down to business, take all of Rus' with them and arrive (to a new place): the eldest of the brothers - Rurik - sits down to reign in Novgorod (among the Slovenes), the second brother - Sineus - in Belozersk (among the Ves), and the third brother - Truvor - is in Izborsk (among the Krivichi). Two years later, Sineus and Truvor die, all power is concentrated by Rurik, who distributes the cities to the control of his Varangian Rus. From all those Varangians-Russ the name (of the new state) arises - “Russian Land”.

About the fate of Askold and Dir. 862−882

Rurik has two boyars in his employ - Askold and Dir. They are not relatives of Rurik at all, so they ask him for leave (for service) in Constantinople along with their families. They sail along the Dnieper and see a town on a hill: “Whose town is this?” The residents answer them: “There lived three brothers - Kiy, Shchek, Khoriv - who built this town, but died. And we sit here without a ruler, paying tribute to our brothers’ relatives - the Khazars.” Here Askold and Dir decide to stay in Kyiv, recruit many Varangians and begin to rule the land of the glades. And Rurik reigns in Novgorod.

Askold and Dir go to war against Byzantium, two hundred of their ships besiege Constantinople. The weather is calm and the sea is calm. The Byzantine king and the patriarch pray for deliverance from godless Rus' and, singing, dip the robe of the Holy Mother of God into the sea. And suddenly a storm, wind, and huge waves arise. Russian ships are swept away, brought to the shore and broken. Few people from Rus' manage to escape and return home.

Meanwhile, Rurik dies. Rurik has a son, Igor, but he is still very young. Therefore, before his death, Rurik transfers the reign to his relative Oleg. Oleg with a large army, which includes the Varangians, Chud, Slovenes, the whole, Krivichi, captures the southern cities one after another. He approaches Kyiv and learns that Askold and Dir are illegally reigning. And he hides his warriors in the boats, swims up to the pier with Igor in his arms and sends an invitation to Askold and Dir: “I am a merchant. We sail to Byzantium, and submit to Oleg and Prince Igor. Come to us, your relatives." (Askold and Dir are obliged to visit the arriving Igor, because by law they continue to obey Rurik and, therefore, his son Igor; and Oleg seduces them, calling them his younger relatives; in addition, it is interesting to see what goods the merchant is carrying.) Askold and Dir come to the boat. Then hidden warriors jump out of the boat. They carry Igor out. The trial begins. Oleg exposes Askold and Dir: “You are not princes, not even from a princely family, And I am from a princely family. But here is Rurik’s son.” Both Askold and Dir are killed (as impostors).

About Oleg's activities. 882−912

Oleg remains to reign in Kyiv and proclaims: “Kyiv will be the mother of Russian cities.” Oleg is indeed building new cities. In addition, he conquers many tribes, including the Derevlians, and takes tribute from them.

With an unprecedentedly large army - two thousand ships alone - Oleg goes to Byzantium and comes to Constantinople. The Greeks are closing the entrance to the bay near which Constantinople is located with chains. But the cunning Oleg orders his warriors to make wheels and put ships on them. A fair wind is blowing towards Constantinople. The warriors raise the sails in the field and rush towards the city. The Greeks see and are afraid, and ask Oleg: “Don’t destroy the city, we’ll give whatever tribute you want.” And as a sign of submission, the Greeks bring him treats - food and wine. However, Oleg does not accept the treat: it turns out that poison was mixed into it. The Greeks are completely frightened: “This is not Oleg, but an invulnerable saint, God himself sent him to us.” And the Greeks beg Oleg to make peace: “We’ll give you everything you want.” Oleg sets the Greeks to give tribute to all the soldiers on his two thousand ships - twelve hryvnia per person, and forty soldiers per ship - and another tribute for the large cities of Rus'. To commemorate the victory, Oleg hangs his shield on the gates of Constantinople and returns to Kyiv, bringing gold, silks, fruits, wines and all kinds of decorations.

People call Oleg “the prophetic”. But then an ominous sign appears in the sky - a star in the form of a spear. Oleg, now living in peace with all countries, remembers his favorite war horse. He hasn’t mounted this horse for a long time. Five years before the campaign against Constantinople, Oleg asked the wise men and wizards: “What am I going to die from?” And one of the magicians said to him: “You will die from the horse that you love and ride on” (that is, from any such horse, moreover, not only living, but also dead, and not only the whole, but also part of it). Oleg only understood with his mind, and not with his heart, what was said: “I will never mount my horse again and I will not even see him,” - he ordered the horse to be fed, but not to be led to him. And now Oleg calls the oldest of the grooms and asks: “Where is my horse, which I sent to feed and protect?” The groom replies: “He’s dead.” Oleg begins to mock and insult the magicians: “But the wise men predict incorrectly, they are all lies - the horse is dead, but I am alive.” And he arrives at the place where the bones and empty skull of his beloved horse lie, dismounts and mockingly says: “And from this skull I was threatened with death?” And tramples the skull with his foot. And suddenly a snake pokes out of his skull and stings him in the leg. Because of this, Oleg falls ill and dies. The magic comes true.

About the death of Igor. 913−945

After Oleg's death, the unlucky Igor finally begins to reign, who, although he had already become an adult, was subordinate to Oleg.

As soon as Oleg dies, the Derevlyans close themselves off from Igor. Igor goes against the Derevlyans and imposes a tribute on them greater than Oleg’s.

Then Igor goes on a march to Constantinople, having ten thousand ships. However, the Greeks, from their boats through special pipes, begin to throw the burning composition at the Russian boats. Russians jump into the sea from the flames of the fires, trying to swim away. The survivors return home and tell of a terrible miracle: “The Greeks have something like lightning from heaven, they send it and burn us.”

Igor takes a long time to gather a new army, not disdaining even the Pechenegs, and again goes to Byzantium, wanting to take revenge for his shame. His ships literally cover the sea. The Byzantine king sends his noblest boyars to Igor: “Do not go, but take the tribute that Oleg took. I’ll also add to that tribute.” Igor, having only reached the Danube, convenes a squad and begins to consult. The fearful squad declares: “What more do we need? We won’t fight, but we’ll get gold, silver and silk. Who knows, who will defeat him - whether we or they. What, someone will come to an agreement with the sea? After all, we are not passing on land, but over the depths of the sea - common death for all.” Igor follows the lead of the squad, takes gold and silk from the Greeks for all the soldiers, turns back and returns to Kyiv.

But Igor’s greedy squad annoys the prince: “Even your governor’s servants are dressed up, but we, the prince’s squad, are naked. Come, prince, with us for tribute. And you will get it, and so will we.” And again, Igor follows the lead of the squad, goes to collect tribute from the Derevlyans, and arbitrarily increases the tribute, and the squad also inflicts other violence on the Derevlyans. With the collected tribute, Igor was about to head to Kyiv, but after some reflection, wanting more than he managed to collect for himself, he turns to the squad: “You and your tribute return home, and I will return to the Derevlyans and collect more for myself.” And with a small remnant of the squad he turns back. The Derevlyans find out about this and confer with Mal, their prince: “Once a wolf gets into the habit of the sheep, he will slaughter the entire herd if he is not killed. So is this one: if we don’t kill him, he will destroy us all.” And they send to Igor: “Why are you going again? After all, he took all the tribute.” But Igor just doesn’t listen to them. Then, having gathered, the Derevlyans leave the city of Iskorosten and easily kill Igor and his squad - the people of Mal are dealing with a small number of people. And Igor is buried somewhere under Iskorosten.

About Olga's revenge. 945−946

While Oleg was still alive, Igor was given a wife from Pskov, named Olga. After the murder of Igor, Olga is left alone in Kyiv with her baby Svyatoslav. The Derevlyans are making plans: “Since they killed the Russian prince, we will marry his wife Olga to our prince Mal, and we will do with Svyatoslav as we want.” And the villagers send a boat with twenty of their noble people to Olga, and they sail to Kyiv. Olga is informed that the Derevlyans have unexpectedly arrived. Clever Olga receives the Derevlyans in a stone tower: “Welcome, guests.” The Derevlyans answer impolitely: “Yes, you’re welcome, princess.” Olga continues the ceremony of receiving the ambassadors: “Tell me, why did you come here?” The Derevlyans rudely lay out: “The independent Derevlyan land sent us, decreeing the following. We killed your darkness because your husband, like a hungry wolf, grabbed and robbed everything. Our princes are rich, they made the Derevlyansky land prosperous. So you should go for our prince Mal.” Olga replies: “I really like the way you speak. My husband cannot be resurrected. Therefore, I will pay special honors to you in the morning in the presence of my people. Now go and lie down in your boat for the greatness to come. In the morning I will send people for you, and you say: “We will not ride on horses, we will not ride in carts, we will not go on foot, but carry us in a boat.” And Olga lets the Derevlyans lie down in the boat (thus becoming a funeral boat for them), and orders them to dig a huge and vertical grave hole in the courtyard in front of the tower. In the morning, Olga, sitting in the mansion, sends for these guests. The people of Kiev come to the villagers: “Olga is calling you to show you the greatest honor.” The Derevlyans say: “We won’t ride on horses, we won’t ride on carts, we won’t go on foot, but carry us in a boat.” And the people of Kiev carry them in a boat, the villagers sit proudly, arms akimbo and smartly dressed. They bring them to Olga’s yard and, together with the boat, throw them into the pit. Olga leans close to the pit and inquires: “Have you been given a worthy honor?” The Derevlyans are only now realizing: “Our death is more shameful than Igor’s death.” And Olga orders them to be buried alive. And they fall asleep.

Now Olga sends a demand to the Derevlyans: “If you ask me in accordance with the marriage rules, then send the most noble people so that I can marry your prince with great honor. Otherwise, the people of Kiev won’t let me in.” The Derevlyans elect the most noble people who rule the Derevlyan land, and send for Olga. The matchmakers arrive, and Olga, according to guest custom, first sends them to the bathhouse (again with vindictive ambiguity), inviting them: “Wash yourself and appear before me.” They heat up the bathhouse, the villagers climb into it, and as soon as they begin to wash themselves (like the dead), the bathhouse is locked. Olga orders it to be set on fire, first of all from the doors, and the villagers are all burned (after all, according to custom, the dead were burned).

Olga informs the Derevlyans: “I’m already heading to you. Prepare a lot of intoxicating mead in the city where you killed my husband (Olga does not want to pronounce the name of the city she hates). I must cry over his grave and mourn my husband.” The villagers bring a lot of honey and boil it. Olga with a small retinue, as befits a bride, lightly, comes to the grave, mourns her husband, orders her people to pour a high grave mound and, exactly following the customs, only after they finish pouring, orders a funeral feast. The villagers sit down to drink. Olga orders her servants to look after the Derevlyans. The villagers ask: “Where is our squad that was sent for you?” Olga answers ambiguously: “They are coming behind me with my husband’s squad” (the second meaning: “They are following without me with my husband’s squad,” that is, both of them are killed). When the Derevlyans get drunk, Olga tells her servants to drink for the Derevlyans (to remember them as if they were dead and thereby complete the funeral feast). Olga leaves, ordering her squad to flog the Derevlyans (the game that ends the funeral feast). Five thousand Derevlyans were cut off.

Olga returns to Kyiv, gathers many soldiers, goes to the Derevlyanskaya land and defeats the Derevlyans who opposed her. The remaining villagers shut themselves up in Iskorosten, and Olga cannot take the city for the whole summer. Then she begins to persuade the city’s defenders: “How long will you wait? All your cities have surrendered to me, they give tribute, they cultivate their lands and fields. And you will die of hunger without giving tribute.” The Derevlyans admit: “We would be glad to give only tribute, but you will still avenge your husband.” Olga insidiously assures: “I have already taken revenge for the shame of my husband and will not take revenge anymore. I will take tribute from you little by little (I will take tribute from Prince Mal, that is, I will deprive you of your independence). Now you have neither honey nor fur, that’s why I ask little of you (I won’t let you leave the city for honey and furs, but I ask Prince Mal from you). Give me three pigeons and three sparrows from each courtyard; I will not impose a heavy tribute on you, like my husband, therefore I ask little of you (Prince Mal). You are exhausted in the siege, which is why I ask little of you (Prince Mal). I’ll make peace with you and go” (either back to Kyiv, or again to the Derevlyans). The villagers rejoice, collect three doves and three sparrows from the courtyard and send them to Olga. Olga reassures the Derevlyans who came to her with a gift: “Now you have already submitted to me. Let's go into town. In the morning I will retreat from the city (Iskorosten) and go to the city (either to Kyiv, or to Iskorosten).” The villagers joyfully return to the city, tell the people Olga’s words as they understood them, and they rejoice. Olga gives each of the warriors a dove or a sparrow, orders them to tie tinder to each dove or sparrow, wrap it in a small scarf and wrap it with thread. When it begins to get dark, the prudent Olga orders the soldiers to release pigeons and sparrows with their tinder on fire. Pigeons and sparrows fly to their city nests, pigeons to dovecotes, sparrows to the eaves. This is why dovecotes, cages, sheds, and haylofts catch fire. There is no yard where it is not on fire. But it is impossible to extinguish the fire, since all the wooden yards are burning at once. The Derevlyans run out of the city, and Olga orders her soldiers to grab them. He takes the city and completely burns it, captures the elders, kills some of the other people, gives some into slavery to his soldiers, imposes a heavy tribute on the remaining Derevlyans and goes throughout the entire Derevlyan land, establishing duties and taxes.

About Olga's baptism. 955−969

Olga arrives in Constantinople. Comes to the Byzantine king. The king talks with her, is surprised at her intelligence and hints: “It is fitting for you to reign in Constantinople with us.” She immediately takes the hint and says: “I am a pagan. If you intend to baptize me, then baptize me yourself. If not, then I will not be baptized.” And the Tsar and the Patriarch baptize her. The Patriarch teaches her about faith, and Olga, bowing her head, stands listening to the teaching, like a sea sponge fed with water. She is given the name Elena in baptism, the patriarch blesses her and releases her. After baptism, the king calls her and directly announces: “I take you as my wife.” Olga objects: “How can you take me as your wife, since you yourself baptized me and named me your spiritual daughter? This is illegal among Christians, and you know it yourself.” The self-confident king is annoyed: “You switched me, Olga!” He gives her many gifts and sends her home. As soon as Olga returns to Kyiv, the Tsar sends envoys to her: “I gave you a lot of things. You promised, upon returning to Rus', to send me many gifts.” Olga replies sharply: “Wait for my appointment as long as I waited for you, then I’ll give it to you.” And with these words he wraps up the ambassadors.

Olga loves her son Svyatoslav, prays for him and for people all nights and days, feeds her son until he grows up and matures, then sits with her grandchildren in Kyiv. Then she becomes ill and dies three days later, having bequeathed not to perform funeral feasts for her. She has a priest who buries her.

About Svyatoslav's wars. 964−972

The matured Svyatoslav gathers many brave warriors and, wandering swiftly, like a cheetah, wages many wars. On a campaign, he does not carry a cart with him, he does not have a boiler, he does not cook meat, but he will thinly cut horse meat, or animal, or beef, bake it on coals and eat it; and does not have a tent, but he lays down felt, and the saddle is in his head. And his warriors are the same steppe dwellers. He sends threats to countries: “I will attack you.”

Svyatoslav goes to the Danube, to the Bulgarians, defeats the Bulgarians, takes eighty cities along the Danube and sits down to reign here in Pereyaslavets. For the first time, the Pechenegs attacked the Russian land and besieged Kyiv. The people of Kiev send to Svyatoslav: “You, prince, are looking for and defending someone else’s land, but abandoned your own, and we were almost captured by the Pechenegs. If you don’t come back and defend us, if you don’t feel sorry for your fatherland, then the Pechenegs will capture us.” Svyatoslav and his squad quickly mount their horses, ride to Kyiv, gather soldiers and drive the Pechenegs into the field. But Svyatoslav declares: “I don’t want to stay in Kyiv, I will live in Pereyaslavets on the Danube, for this is the center of my land, for all the goods are brought here: from Byzantium - gold, silks, wines, various fruits: from the Czech Republic - silver; from Hungary - horses; from Rus' - furs, wax, honey and slaves."

Svyatoslav leaves for Pereyaslavets, but the Bulgarians close themselves in the city from Svyatoslav, then go out to battle with him, a big battle begins, and the Bulgarians almost overcome, but by the evening Svyatoslav still wins and breaks into the city. Immediately Svyatoslav rudely threatens the Greeks: “I will go against you and conquer your Constantinople, like this Pereyaslavets.” The Greeks slyly suggest: “Since we are not able to resist you, then take tribute from us, but just tell us how many troops you have, so that we, based on the total number, can give for each warrior.” Svyatoslav names the number: “We are twenty thousand” - and adds ten thousand, because Rus' has only ten thousand. The Greeks put up one hundred thousand against Svyatoslav, but do not give tribute. A huge number of Greeks see Rus' and are afraid. But Svyatoslav makes a courageous speech: “We have nowhere to go. We must resist the enemy both willingly and unwillingly. We will not disgrace the Russian land, but we will lie here with our bones, for we will not disgrace ourselves by being dead, and if we run, we will be disgraced. We will not run away, but we will stand strong. I will go ahead of you." A great battle takes place, and Svyatoslav wins, and the Greeks flee, and Svyatoslav approaches Constantinople, fighting and destroying cities.

The Byzantine king calls his boyars to the palace: “What to do?” The boyars advise: “Send gifts to him, let’s find out whether he is greedy for gold or silk.” The Tsar sends gold and silks to Svyatoslav with a certain wise courtier: “Watch how he looks, what is the expression of his face and the course of his thoughts.” They report to Svyatoslav that the Greeks have arrived with gifts. He orders: “Enter.” The Greeks put gold and silks in front of him. Svyatoslav looks to the side and says to his servants: “Take it away.” The Greeks return to the Tsar and the boyars and tell about Svyatoslav: “They gave him gifts, but he didn’t even look at them and ordered them to be taken away.” Then one of the messengers suggests to the king: “Check him again - send him a weapon.” And they bring Svyatoslav a sword and other weapons. Svyatoslav receives him and praises the king, conveying his love and kisses to him. The Greeks return to the king again and tell everything. And the boyars convince the tsar: “How fierce is this warrior, since he neglects values ​​and values ​​weapons. Give him tribute." And they give Svyatoslav tribute and many gifts.

With great glory, Svyatoslav comes to Pereyaslavets, but sees how little squad he has left, since many died in battle, and decides: “I’ll go to Rus', I’ll bring more troops. The Tsar will find out that we are few in number and will besiege us in Pereyaslavets. But the Russian land is far away. And the Pechenegs are fighting with us. Who will help us? Svyatoslav sets off in boats to the Dnieper rapids. And the Bulgarians from Pereyaslavets send a message to the Pechenegs: “Svyatoslav will sail past you. Goes to Rus'. He has a lot of wealth taken from the Greeks, and countless prisoners, but not enough troops.” The Pechenegs are entering the rapids. Svyatoslav stops for the winter at the rapids. He runs out of food, and such severe hunger begins in the camp that further on a horse’s head costs half a hryvnia. In the spring, Svyatoslav nevertheless sails through the rapids, but the Pecheneg prince Kurya attacks him. They kill Svyatoslav, take his head, scrape out a cup in his skull, bind the outside of the skull and drink from it.

About the baptism of Rus'. 980−988

Vladimir was the son of Svyatoslav and only Olga’s housekeeper. However, after the death of his more noble brothers, Vladimir begins to reign alone in Kyiv. On a hill near the princely palace he places pagan idols: wooden Perun with a silver head and golden mustache, Khors, Dazhbog, Stribog, Simargla and Mokosh. They make sacrifices by bringing their sons and daughters. Vladimir himself is seized by lust: in addition to four wives, he has three hundred concubines in Vyshgorod, three hundred in Belgorod, two hundred in the village of Berestovo. He is insatiable in fornication: he brings married women to himself, and corrupts girls.

The Volga Bulgar-Mohammedans come to Vladimir and offer: “You, O prince, are wise and reasonable, but you do not know the whole doctrine. Accept our faith and honor Mohammed." Vladimir asks: “What are the customs of your faith?” The Mohammedans answer: “We believe in one God. Mohammed teaches us to circumcise our secret members, not to eat pork, and not to drink wine. Fornication can be done in any way. After death, Mohammed will give each Mohammedan seventy beauties, the most beautiful of them will add the beauty of the rest - this is how everyone will have a wife. And whoever is wretched in this world is also so there.” It is sweet for Vladimir to listen to the Mohammedans, because he himself loves women and many fornications. But what he doesn’t like is circumcision of members and not eating pork. And regarding the ban on drinking wine, Vladimir says this: “The joy of Rus' is drinking, we cannot live without it.” Then the envoys of the Pope come from Rome: “We worship one God, who created the heavens, the earth, the stars, the month and all living things, and your gods are just pieces of wood.” Vladimir asks: “What are your prohibitions?” They answer: “Whoever eats or drinks anything, everything is for the glory of God.” But Vladimir refuses: “Get out, because our fathers did not recognize this.” The Khazars of the Jewish faith come: “We believe in the one God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Vladimir asks: “Where is your main land?” They answer: “In Jerusalem.” Vladimir sarcastically asks: “Is it there?” The Jews justify themselves: “God was angry with our fathers and scattered us across different countries.” Vladimir is indignant: “Why do you teach others, but you yourself are rejected by God and scattered? Maybe you’re offering us a similar fate?”

After this, the Greeks send a certain philosopher who retells the Old and New Testaments to Vladimir for a long time, shows Vladimir the curtain on which the Last Judgment is depicted, on the right the righteous joyfully ascend to heaven, on the left sinners wander to hellish torment. The cheerful Vladimir sighs: “It’s good for those on the right; bitter for those on the left.” The philosopher calls: “Then be baptized.” However, Vladimir puts it off: “I’ll wait a little longer.” He sends the philosopher off with honor and convenes his boyars: “What smart things can you say?” The boyars advise: “Send ambassadors to find out who outwardly serves their god.” Vladimir sends ten worthy and intelligent: “Go first to the Volga Bulgarians, then look at the Germans, and from there go to the Greeks.” After the journey, the messengers return, and Vladimir convenes the boyars again: “Let’s listen to what they have to say.” The messengers report: “We saw that the Bulgarians were standing in the mosque without a belt; bow and sit down; they look here and there like mad; there is no joy in their service, only sadness and a strong stench; so their faith is not good. Then they saw the Germans performing many services in churches, but they did not see any beauty in these services. But when the Greeks brought us to where they serve their God, we were confused whether we were in heaven or on earth, for nowhere on earth is there a sight of such beauty that we cannot even describe. The Greek service is the best of all.” The boyars add: “If the Greek faith had been bad, your grandmother Olga would not have accepted it, and she was wiser than all our people.” Vladimir hesitantly asks: “Where will we receive baptism?” The boyars answer: “Yes, wherever you want.”

And a year passes, but Vladimir still does not get baptized, but unexpectedly goes to the Greek city of Korsun (in Crimea), besieges it and, looking up to heaven, promises: “If I take it, then I will be baptized.” Vladimir takes the city, but again does not get baptized, but in search of further benefits, he demands from the Byzantine kings-co-rulers: “Your glorious Korsun took. I heard that you have a girl sister. If you don’t give her in marriage to me, then I will do to Constantinople the same thing as to Korsun.” The kings answer: “It is not right for Christian women to marry pagans. Be baptized, then we’ll send your sister.” Vladimir insists: “First send your sister, and those who came with her will baptize me.” The kings send their sister, dignitaries and priests to Korsun. The Korsunians meet the Greek queen and escort her to the chamber. At this time, Vladimir’s eyes hurt, he cannot see anything, he is very worried, but does not know what to do. Then the queen forces Vladimir: “If you want to get rid of this disease, then immediately be baptized. If not, you will not get rid of the disease.” Vladimir exclaims: “Well, if this is true, then the Christian God will truly be the greatest.” And he orders himself to be baptized. The Korsun bishop and the Tsarina's priests baptize him in the church, which stands in the middle of Korsun, where the market is. As soon as the bishop lays his hand on Vladimir, he immediately receives his sight and leads the queen to the marriage. Many of Vladimir’s squad are also baptized.

Vladimir, with the queen and the Korsun priests, enters Kiev, immediately orders to overthrow the idols, chop some up, burn others, Perun orders the horse to be tied to the tail and dragged to the river, and makes twelve men beat him with sticks. They throw Perun into the Dnieper, and Vladimir orders the specially assigned people: “If he gets stuck somewhere, push him away with sticks until he carries him through the rapids.” And they carry out the orders. And the pagans mourn Perun.

Then Vladimir sends out announcements throughout Kyiv on his behalf: “Rich or poor, even a beggar or a slave, whoever is not on the river in the morning, I will consider my enemy.” People go and reason: “If this were not for the good, then the prince and the boyars would not have been baptized.” In the morning, Vladimir with the Tsaritsyns and the Korsun priests goes out to the Dnieper. Countless people gather. Some enter the water and stand: some up to their necks, others up to their chests, children close to the shore, babies held in their arms. Those who do not fit in are wandering around waiting (or: the baptized are standing at the ford). The priests are doing prayers on the shore. After baptism, people go to their homes.

Vladimir orders the cities to build churches in the places where idols used to stand, and to bring people to baptism in all cities and villages, begins to collect children from his nobility and send them to study in books. The mothers of such children cry for them as if they were dead.

About the fight against the Pechenegs. 992−997

The Pechenegs arrive, and Vladimir goes against them. On both sides of the Trubezh River, at the ford, troops stop, but each army does not dare to cross to the opposite side. Then the Pechenezh prince drives up to the river, calls Vladimir and suggests: “Let’s put up your fighter, and I’ll put up mine. If your fighter strikes mine on the ground, then we will not fight for three years; If my fighter hits you, then we will fight for three years.” And they leave. Vladimir sends heralds around his camp: “Is there anyone who could fight the Pechenegs?” And there is no one who wants it anywhere. And in the morning the Pechenegs come and bring their wrestler, but ours don’t have one. And Vladimir begins to grieve, still continuing to appeal to all his soldiers. Finally, one old warrior comes to the prince: “I went to war with four sons, and the youngest son remained at home. Since childhood, there has been no one who could overcome it. Once I grumbled at him when he wrinkled the leather, and he got angry at me and, out of frustration, tore the rawhide sole with his hands.” This son is brought to the delighted prince, and the prince explains everything to him. But he is not sure: “I don’t know if I can fight the Pechenegs. Let them test me. Is there a big and strong bull? They find a big and strong bull. This younger son orders the bull to be enraged. They apply a hot iron to the bull and let it go. When a bull rushes past this son, he grabs the bull by the side with his hand and tears off the skin and meat, as much as he can grab with his hand. Vladimir allows: “You can fight the Pechenegs.” And at night he orders the soldiers to get ready to immediately rush at the Pechenegs after the fight. In the morning the Pechenegs come and call: “What, still no fighter? And ours is ready.” Both Pecheneg troops converge and release their fighter. He is huge and scary. A wrestler from Vladimir Pecheneg comes out and sees him and laughs, because he looks ordinary. They mark the area between both troops and let the fighters in. They begin to fight, grab each other tightly, but ours strangles the Pecheneg with his hands to death and throws him to the ground. Our people let out a cry, and the Pechenegs flee. The Russians chase them, flog them and drive them away. Vladimir rejoices, builds a city at that ford and names it Pereyaslavts, because our young man seized the glory from the Pecheneg hero. Vladimir makes both this young man and his father great people, and he himself returns to Kyiv with victory and great glory.

Three years later, the Pechenegs come near Kyiv, Vladimir with a small squad goes against them, but cannot withstand the fight, runs, hides under a bridge and barely escapes from the enemies. Salvation occurs on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord, and then Vladimir promises to build a church in the name of the Holy Transfiguration. Having gotten rid of the Pechenegs, Vladimir builds a church and organizes a grand celebration near Kiev: he orders three hundred cauldrons of honey to be boiled; convenes his boyars, as well as mayors and elders from all cities and many more people; distributes three hundred hryvnia to the poor. After celebrating eight days, Vladimir returns to Kyiv and again organizes a big celebration, convening countless people. And he does this every year. Allows every beggar and wretched to come to the prince's court and receive everything they need: drink, food, and money from the treasury. He also orders the carts to be prepared; load them with bread, meat, fish, various fruits, barrels of honey, barrels of kvass; drive around Kyiv and call out: “Where are the sick and infirm, who cannot walk and get to the princely court?” He orders them to distribute everything they need.

And there is a constant war with the Pechenegs. They come and besiege Belgorod for a long time. Vladimir cannot send help because he has no soldiers, and there are a huge number of Pechenegs. There is severe famine in the city. The townspeople decide at the meeting: “After all, we will die of hunger. It’s better to surrender to the Pechenegs - they will kill someone, and leave someone to live.” One older man, who was not present at the veche, asks: “Why was the veche meeting?” He is informed that the people will surrender to the Pechenegs in the morning. Then the old man asks the city elders: “Listen to me, don’t give up for three more days, but do what I tell you.” They promise. The old man says: “Scrape at least a handful of oats, or wheat, or bran.” They find it. The old man tells the women to make a chatterbox on which to cook jelly, then he orders them to dig a well, insert a vat into it, and fill the vat with the chatterbox. Then the old man orders to dig a second well and insert a vat there too. And he sends them out to look for honey. They find a basket of honey that was hidden in the prince's cellar. The old man orders to prepare a honey decoction and fill the vat in the second well with it. In the morning he orders to send for the Pechenegs. The sent townspeople come to the Pechenegs: “Take hostages from us, and you - about ten people - enter our city and see what is happening there.” The Pechenegs triumph, thinking that the townspeople will surrender, take hostages from them, and themselves send their noble people to the city. And the townspeople, taught by the smart old man, tell them: “Why are you ruining yourself? Can you stand us? Stand still for at least ten years - what can you do for us? Our food comes from the ground. If you don’t believe me, then see with your own eyes.” The townspeople lead the Pechenegs to the first well, scoop up the mash with a bucket, pour it into pots and cook jelly. After that, taking the jelly, they approach the second well with the Pechenegs, scoop up the honey broth, add it to the jelly and begin to eat - themselves first (not poison!), followed by the Pechenegs. The Pechenegs are surprised: “Our princes will not believe this unless they try it themselves.” The townspeople fill them with a whole pot of jelly and honey infusion from the wells. Some of the Pechenegs with the pot return to their princes: they, having cooked, eat and also marvel; then they exchange hostages, lift the siege of the city and go home.

About reprisals against the Magi. 1071

A sorcerer comes to Kyiv and in front of the people predicts that in four years the Dnieper will flow back and the countries will change places: the Greek land will take the place of the Russian land, and the Russian land will take the place of the Greek, and other lands will change places. The ignorant believe the sorcerer, but real Christians mock him: “The demon amuses itself with you to your destruction.” This is what happens to him: he goes missing overnight.

But two wise men appear in the Rostov region during a bad harvest and announce: “We know who is hiding the bread.” And walking along the Volga, no matter which volost they come to, they immediately accuse noble women, supposedly she is hiding bread, that one is hiding honey, that one is hiding fish, and that one is hiding furs. Hungry people bring their sisters, mothers and wives to the wise men, and the wise men bring a woman’s shoulder They seem to cut through and (supposedly from the inside) take out either bread or fish. The Magi kill many women and take their property for themselves.

These magicians come to Beloozero, and with them there are already three hundred people. At this time, Jan Vyshatich, the governor of the Kyiv prince, collects tribute from the Belozersk residents. Yan finds out that these Magi are just the stinkers of the Kyiv prince, and sends an order to the people accompanying the Magi: “Give them over to me.” But people don't listen to him. Then Jan himself comes to them with twelve warriors. The people, standing near the forest, are ready to attack Ian, who approaches them only with a hatchet in his hand. Three people from those people come forward, approach Ian and intimidate him: “If you are going to death, don’t go.” Ian orders them killed and approaches the others. They rush at Jan, the leading one misses with an ax, and Jan, intercepting him, hits him with the back of the same ax and orders the warriors to chop down the others. People run away into the forest, killing Yanov's priest in the process. Yan enters Belozersk and threatens the residents: “If you don’t grab the Magi, I won’t leave you for a year.” The Belozero people go, capture the magicians and bring them to Yan.

Jan interrogates the Magi: “Why did you kill so many people?” The Magi answer: “Those are hiding the bread. When we destroy such people, there will be a harvest. If you wish, we will take grain, or fish, or something else out of a person right in front of you.” Ian denounces: “This is a complete deception. God created man from the earth, man is riddled with bones and blood veins, there is nothing else in him.” The Magi object: “It is we who know how man was created.” Ian says: “So what do you think?” The Magi rant: “God washed himself in the bathhouse, sweated, dried himself with a rag and threw it from heaven to earth. Satan argued with God over who should create a man from a Rag. And the devil created man, and God put his soul into him. That’s why when a person dies, the body goes to the ground, and the soul goes to God.” Jan exclaims: “What god do you believe in?” The Magi call it: “Into the Antichrist.” Ian asks: “Where is he?” The Magi answer: “He sits in the abyss.” Jan pronounces his verdict: “What kind of god is this, since he sits in the abyss? This is a demon, a former angel, cast out of heaven for his arrogance and waiting in the abyss for God to come down from heaven and imprison him in chains along with the servants who believe in this Antichrist. And you, too, will have to accept torment from me here, and after death there.” The Magi boast: “The gods inform us that you cannot do anything to us, for we must answer only to the prince himself.” Jan says: “The gods are lying to you.” And he orders them to be beaten, to tear out their beards with tongs, to insert a gag into their mouths, to tie them to the sides of the boat and to send this boat in front of him along the river. After some time, Jan asks the Magi:

“What do the gods say to you now?” The Magi answer: “The gods tell us that we will not live from you.” Ian confirms: “That’s what they tell you correctly.” But the magicians promise Yan: “If you let us go, then much good will come to you. And if you destroy us, you will receive a lot of grief and evil.” Jan rejects: “If I let you go, then God will bring me harm. And if I destroy you, then I will have a reward.” And he turns to the local guides: “Which of you had relatives killed by these wise men? And those around them admit - one: “I have a mother,” another: “Sister,” a third: “Children.” Yang calls: “Avenge your own.” The victims grab the Magi, kill them and hang them on an oak tree. The next night the bear climbs the oak tree, gnaws at them and eats them. This is how the Magi died - they foresaw for others, but did not foresee their own death.

Another sorcerer begins to excite people already in Novgorod, he seduces almost the entire city, acts like some kind of god, claiming that he foresees everything, and blasphemes the Christian faith. He promises: “I will cross the Volkhov River, as if on dry land, in front of everyone.” Everyone believes him, unrest begins in the city, they want to kill the bishop. The bishop puts on his robe, takes the cross, goes out and says: “Whoever believes the sorcerer, let him follow him. Whoever believes (in God), let him follow the cross.” People are divided in two: the Novgorod prince and his squad gather with the bishop, and the rest of the people go to the sorcerer. Clashes occur between them. The prince hides the ax under his cloak and comes to the sorcerer: “Do you know what will happen in the morning and until the evening?” The Magus boasts: “I will see through everything.” The prince asks: “Do you know what will happen now?” The sorcerer puts on airs: “I will perform great miracles.” The prince grabs an ax, cuts the sorcerer, and he falls dead. And people disperse.

About the blinding of the Terebovl prince Vasilko Rostislavich. 1097

The following princes gather in the city of Lyubech for a council to maintain peace among themselves: the grandchildren of Yaroslav the Wise from his various sons Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Vladimir Vsevolodovich (Monomakh), Davyd Igorevich, Davyd Svyatoslavich, Oleg Svyatoslavich and the great-grandson of Yaroslav, the son of Rostislav Vladimirovich Vasilko Rostislavich. The princes persuade each other: “Why are we destroying the Russian land by quarreling among ourselves? But the Polovtsians strive to divide our land and rejoice when there are wars between us. From now on, we will unite unanimously and preserve the Russian land. Let everyone own only his own fatherland.” And on that they kiss the cross: “From now on, if any of us goes against anyone, then we will all be against him, and the honorable cross, and the entire Russian land.” And after kissing, they go their separate ways.

Svyatopolk and Davyd Igorevich return to Kyiv. Someone is setting Davyd up: “Vladimir conspired with Vasilko against Svyatopolk and you.” Davyd believes the false words and tells Svyatopolk against Vasilko: “He conspired with Vladimir and is making an attempt on me and you. Take care of your head." Svyatopolk believes David in confusion. Davyd suggests: “If we don’t capture Vasilko, then there will be no princedom either for you in Kyiv, or for me in Vladimir-Volynsky.” And Svyatopolk listens to him. But Vasilko and Vladimir know nothing about this.

Vasilko comes to worship at the Vydubitsky Monastery near Kiev. Svyatopolk sends to him: “Wait until my name day” (in four days). Vasilko refuses: “I can’t wait, as if there were no war at home (in Terebovlya, west of Kyiv”). Davyd says to Svyatopolk: “You see, he does not consider you, even when he is in your homeland. And when he goes into his possessions, you will see for yourself how he will occupy your cities, and you will remember my warning. Call him now, grab him and give him to me.” Svyatopolk sends to Vasilko: “Since you won’t wait for my name day, then come right now - we’ll sit together with Davyd.”

Vasilko goes to Svyatopolk, on the way he is met by a warrior and dissuaded: “Don’t go, prince, they’ll grab you.” But Vasilko doesn’t believe it: “How will they catch me? They just kissed the cross.” And he arrives with a small retinue to the prince’s court. Meets him

Svyatopolk, they enter the hut, Davyd also comes, but sits like a mute. Svyatopolk invites: “Let’s have breakfast.” Vasilko agrees. Svyatopolk says: “You sit here, and I’ll go and give orders.” And it comes out. Vasilko tries to talk with David, but he does not talk or listen out of horror and deceit. After sitting for a while, Davyd gets up: “I’ll go get Svyatopolk, and you sit.” And it comes out. As soon as Davyd comes out, Vasilko is locked up, then they put him in double shackles and put him on guard for the night.

The next day, Davyd invites Svyatopolk to blind Vasilko: “If you don’t do this and let him go, then neither you nor I will reign.” That same night, Vasilka is transported in chains on a cart to a town ten miles from Kyiv and taken to some hut. Vasilko sits in it and sees that the shepherd Svyatopolk is sharpening a knife, and guesses that they are going to blind him. Then the grooms sent by Svyatopolk and David come in, spread out the carpet and try to throw Vasilko onto it, who is struggling desperately. But others also pounce, knock Vasilko down, tie him up, grab a board from the stove, put it on his chest and sit at both ends of the board, but they still can’t hold it. Then two more are added, remove the second board from the stove and crush Vasilko so fiercely that his chest cracks. Holding a knife, the shepherd dog approaches Vasilko Svyatopolkov and wants to stab him in the eye, but misses and cuts his face, but again plunges the knife into the eye and cuts out the apple of the eye (rainbow with a pupil), then the second apple. Vasilko lies as if dead. And, like a dead man, they take him with the carpet, put him on a cart and take him to Vladimir-Volynsky.

On the way, we stop for lunch at the market in Zvizhden (a town west of Kiev). They pull off Vasilko’s bloody shirt and give it to the priest to wash. She, having washed it, puts it on it and begins to mourn Vasilko as if he were dead. Vasilko, waking up, hears crying and asks: “Where am I?” They answer him: “In Zvizhden.” He asks for water and, after drinking, comes to his senses, feels his shirt and says: “Why did they take it off me? May I accept death in this bloody shirt and stand before God.”

Then Vasilko is hastily brought along the frozen road to Vladimir-Volynsky, and Davyd Igorevich is with him, as if with some kind of catch. Vladimir Vsevolodovich in Pereyaslavets learns that Vasilko has been captured and blinded, and is horrified: “Such evil has never happened in the Russian land, neither under our grandfathers, nor under our fathers.” And he immediately sends to Davyd Svyatoslavich and Oleg Svyatoslavich: “Let’s get together and correct this evil that has been created in the Russian land, moreover, between us, brothers. After all, now brother will begin to stab brother, and the Russian land will perish - our enemies, the Polovtsians, will take it.” They gather and send to Svyatopolk: “Why did you blind your brother?” Svyatopolk justifies himself: “It was not I who blinded him, but Davyd Igorevich.” But the princes object to Svyatopolk: “Vasilko was not captured and blinded in David’s city (Vladimir-Volynsky), but in your city (Kyiv) he was captured and blinded. But since Davyd Igorevich did this, grab him or drive him away.” Svyatopolk agrees, the princes kiss the cross in front of each other and make peace. Then the princes expel Davyd Igorevich from Vladimir-Volynsky, give him Dorogobuzh (between Vladimir and Kiev), where he dies, and Vasilko reigns again in Terebovlya.

About the victory over the Polovtsians. 1103

Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and Vladimir Vsevolodovich (Monomakh) with their squads are conferring in a single tent about a campaign against the Polovtsians. Svyatopolk’s squad makes an excuse: “It’s spring now - we’ll damage the arable land, we’ll ruin the smerds.” Vladimir shames them: “You feel sorry for the horse, but don’t you feel sorry for the stinker himself? After all, the smerd will begin to plow, but a Polovtsian will come, kill the smerd with an arrow, take his horse, go to his village and seize his wife, children and all his property.” Svyatopolk says: “I’m already ready.” They send to other princes: “Let’s go against the Polovtsians - either live or die.” The assembled troops reach the Dnieper rapids and from the island of Khortitsa they gallop across the field for four days.

Having learned that Rus' is coming, countless numbers of Polovtsians gather for advice. Prince Urusoba suggests: “Let’s ask for peace.” But the young people say to Urusoba: “If you are afraid of Rus', then we are not afraid. Let's defeat them." And the Polovtsian regiments, like a vast pine thicket, are advancing on Rus', and Rus' opposes them. Here, from the sight of the Russian warriors, great horror, fear and trembling attacks the Polovtsians, they seem to be in a drowsiness, and their horses are sluggish. Ours, on horseback and on foot, are vigorously advancing on the Polovtsians. The Polovtsians flee, and the Russians flog them. In the battle, twenty Polovtsian princes are killed, including Urusoba, and Beldyuz is taken prisoner.

The Russian princes who defeated the Polovtsians are sitting, they bring Beldyuz, and he offers gold, and silver, and horses, and cattle for himself. But Vladimir says to Beldyuz: “How many times have you sworn (not to fight) and still attacked Russian land. Why didn’t you punish your sons and your family not to break the oath and you shed Christian blood? Now let your blood be on your head.” And he orders Beldyuz to be killed, who is cut into pieces. The princes take cattle, sheep, horses, camels, yurts with property and slaves and return to Rus' with a huge number of captives, with glory and a great victory.

Retold by A. S. Demin.

Per year 6454 (946). Olga and her son Svyatoslav gathered many brave warriors and went to Derevskaya land. And the Drevlyans came out against her. And when both armies came together to fight, Svyatoslav threw a spear at the Drevlyans, and the spear flew between the horse’s ears and hit the horse’s legs, for Svyatoslav was still a child. And Sveneld and Asmud said: “The prince has already begun; Let us follow, squad, the prince.” And they defeated the Drevlyans. The Drevlyans fled and locked themselves in their cities. Olga rushed with her son to the city of Iskorosten, since they killed her husband, and stood with her son near the city, and the Drevlyans shut themselves up in the city and staunchly defended themselves from the city, for they knew that, having killed the prince, they had nothing to hope for. And Olga stood all summer and could not take the city, and she planned this: she sent to the city with the words: “What do you want to wait until? After all, all your cities have already surrendered to me and agreed to tribute and are already cultivating their fields and lands; and you, refusing to pay tribute, are going to die of hunger.” The Drevlyans replied: “We would be happy to pay tribute, but you want to avenge your husband.” Olga told them that “I had already taken revenge for my husband’s insult when you came to Kyiv, and the second time, and the third time when I held a funeral feast for my husband. I don’t want to take revenge anymore, I just want to take a small tribute from you and, having made peace with you, I’ll leave.” The Drevlyans asked: “What do you want from us? We are happy to give you honey and furs." She said: “Now you have neither honey nor furs, so I ask you for a little: give me three pigeons and three sparrows from each household. I don’t want to impose a heavy tribute on you, like my husband, which is why I ask little of you. You are exhausted in the siege, that’s why I ask you for this little thing.” The Drevlyans, rejoicing, collected three doves and three sparrows from the courtyard and sent them to Olga with a bow. Olga told them: “Now you have already submitted to me and my child - go to the city, and tomorrow I will retreat from it and go to my city.” The Drevlyans joyfully entered the city and told the people about everything, and the people in the city rejoiced. Olga, having distributed the soldiers - some with a dove, some with a sparrow, ordered to tie a tinder to each dove and sparrow, wrapping it in small handkerchiefs and attaching it to each with a thread. And, when it began to get dark, Olga ordered her soldiers to release pigeons and sparrows. The pigeons and sparrows flew to their nests: the pigeons into the dovecotes, and the sparrows under the eaves, and so they caught fire - where were the dovecotes, where were the cages, where were the sheds and haylofts, and there was no yard where it was not burning, and it was impossible to extinguish it, since All the yards immediately caught fire. And the people fled from the city, and Olga ordered her soldiers to grab them. And how she took the city and burned it, took the city elders captive, and killed other people, and gave others into slavery to her husbands, and left the rest to pay tribute.

And she imposed a heavy tribute on them: two parts of the tribute went to Kyiv, and the third to Vyshgorod to Olga, for Vyshgorod was the city of Olgin. And Olga went with her son and her retinue across the Drevlyansky land, establishing tributes and taxes; and her camp sites and hunting grounds have been preserved. And she came to her city of Kyiv with her son Svyatoslav, and stayed here for a year.

Per year 6455 (947). Olga went to Novgorod and established churchyards and tributes along Msta, and along Luga - dues and tributes, and her traps were preserved throughout the land, and there are testimonies about her, and her places and graveyards, and her sleigh stands in Pskov to this day, and There are places for catching birds along the Dnieper, and along the Desna, and her village Olzhichi has survived to this day. And so, having established everything, she returned to her son in Kyiv, and there she remained with him in love.

Per year 6456 (948).

Per year 6457 (949).

6458 (950) per year.

Per year 6459 (951).

Per year 6460 (952).

6461 (953) per year.

Per year 6462 (954).

Per year 6463 (955). Olga went to the Greek land and came to Constantinople. And then there was Tsar Constantine, the son of Leo, and Olga came to him, and, seeing that she was very beautiful in face and intelligent, the Tsar marveled at her intelligence, talking with her, and said to her: “You are worthy to reign with us in our capital.” . She, having thought it over, answered the king: “I am a pagan; If you want to baptize me, then baptize me yourself, otherwise I won’t be baptized.” And the king and the patriarch baptized her. Having been enlightened, she rejoiced in soul and body; and the patriarch instructed her in the faith and said to her: “Blessed are you among the Russian women, because you loved the light and left the darkness. The Russian sons will bless you until the last generations of your grandchildren.” And he gave her commandments about church rules, and about prayer, and about fasting, and about almsgiving, and about maintaining bodily purity. She stood with her head bowed, listening to the teaching like a watered sponge; and bowed to the patriarch with the words: “Through your prayers, lord, may I be saved from the snares of the devil.” And she was given the name Elena in baptism, just like the ancient queen - the mother of Constantine the Great. And the patriarch blessed her and released her. After baptism, the king called her and told her: “I want to take you as my wife.” She answered: “How do you want to take me when you yourself baptized me and called me daughter? But Christians are not allowed to do this - you know it yourself.” And the king said to her: “You have outwitted me, Olga.” And he gave her numerous gifts - gold, and silver, and fibers, and various vessels; and released her, calling her his daughter. She, getting ready to go home, came to the patriarch and asked him to bless the house, and said to him: “My people and my son are pagans, may God protect me from all evil.” And the patriarch said: “Faithful child! You were baptized in Christ and put on Christ, and Christ will preserve you, as He preserved Enoch in the time of the forefathers, and then Noah in the ark, Abraham from Abimelech, Lot from the Sodomites, Moses from Pharaoh, David from Saul, the three youths from the furnace, Daniel from beasts, so he will deliver you from the wiles of the devil and from his snares.” And the patriarch blessed her, and she went in peace to her land and came to Kyiv. This happened as in the time of Solomon: the Ethiopian queen came to Solomon, seeking to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and saw great wisdom and miracles: in the same way, this blessed Olga was looking for real divine wisdom, but that (the Ethiopian queen) was human, and this one was God’s. “For those who seek wisdom will find.” “Wisdom proclaims in the streets, on ways raises his voice, preaches on the city walls, speaks loudly at the city gates: How long will the ignorant love ignorance?(). This same blessed Olga, from an early age, sought with wisdom what is best in this world, and found a pearl of great value - Christ. For Solomon said: "The desire of the faithful good for the soul"(); And: "Incline your heart to ponder" (); “I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find me.”(). The Lord said: “He who comes to me I will not cast out” ().

This same Olga came to Kyiv, and the Greek king sent envoys to her with the words: “I have given you many gifts. You told me: when I return to Rus', I will send you many gifts: servants, wax, furs, and warriors to help.” Olga answered through the ambassadors: “If you stand with me in Pochaina as much as I do in Court, then I will give it to you.” And she dismissed the ambassadors with these words.

Olga lived with her son Svyatoslav and taught him to accept baptism, but he did not even think of listening to this; but if someone was going to be baptized, he did not forbid it, but only mocked him. “For to unbelievers the Christian faith is foolishness”; "For don't know, don't understand those who walk in darkness" (), and do not know the glory of the Lord; "Hearts have become hardened their, it's hard for my ears to hear them, but the eyes see” (). For Solomon said: "The works of the wicked are far from understanding"(); “Because I called you and did not listen to me, I turned to you and did not listen, but rejected my advice and did not accept my reproofs”; “They hated wisdom and the fear of God they did not choose for themselves, they did not want to accept my advice, they despised my reproofs.”(). So Olga often said: “I have come to know God, my son, and I rejoice; If you know it, you will also begin to rejoice.” He did not listen to this, saying: “How can I alone accept a different faith? And my squad will mock.” She told him: “If you are baptized, then everyone will do the same.” He did not listen to his mother, continuing to live according to pagan customs, not knowing that whoever does not listen to his mother will fall into trouble, as it is said: “If anyone does not listen to his father or mother, he will suffer death.” Svyatoslav, moreover, was angry with his mother, but Solomon said: “He who teaches the wicked will cause trouble for himself, but he who reproaches the wicked will be insulted; For reproofs are like plagues to the wicked. Do not reprove the evil, lest they hate you” (). However, Olga loved her son Svyatoslav and used to say: “God’s will be done; If God wants to have mercy on my family and the Russian land, then he will put in their hearts the same desire to turn to God that he gave to me.” And, saying this, she prayed for her son and for people every night and day, raising her son until he reached manhood and came of age.

Per year 6464 (956).

Per year 6465 (957).

Per year 6466 (958).

Per year 6467 (959).

Per year 6468 (960).

Per year 6469 (961).

Per year 6470 (962).

Per year 6471 (963).

Per year 6472 (964). When Svyatoslav grew up and matured, he began to gather many brave warriors, and was fast, like a pardus, and fought a lot. On campaigns, he did not carry carts or cauldrons with him, did not cook meat, but thinly sliced ​​horse meat, or animal meat, or beef and fried it over coals, and ate it like that; He did not have a tent, but slept, spreading a sweatcloth with a saddle in his head - all his other warriors were the same, and he sent them to other lands with the words: “I want to go against you.” And he went to the Oka River and the Volga, and met the Vyatichi, and said to the Vyatichi: “Who are you giving tribute to?” They answered: “We give the Khazars a cracker from a plow.”

Per year 6473 (965). Svyatoslav went against the Khazars. Having heard, the Khazars came out to meet them, led by their prince Kagan, and agreed to fight, and in the battle Svyatoslav defeated the Khazars, and took their capital and the White Vezha. And he defeated the Yases and Kasogs.

Per year 6474 (966). Svyatoslav defeated the Vyatichi and imposed tribute on them.

Per year 6475 (967). Svyatoslav went to the Danube to attack the Bulgarians. And both sides fought, and Svyatoslav defeated the Bulgarians, and took 80 of their cities along the Danube, and sat down to reign there in Pereyaslavets, taking tribute from the Greeks.

Per year 6476 (968). The Pechenegs came to the Russian land for the first time, and Svyatoslav was then in Pereyaslavets, and Olga and her grandchildren, Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir, locked themselves in the city of Kyiv. And the Pechenegs besieged the city with great force: there were countless numbers of them around the city, and it was impossible to leave the city or send messages, and the people were exhausted from hunger and thirst. And the people from that side of the Dnieper gathered in boats and stood on the other bank, and it was impossible for any of them to get to Kyiv, or from the city to them. And the people in the city began to grieve and said: “Is there anyone who could cross to the other side and tell them: if you don’t approach the city in the morning, we will surrender to the Pechenegs.” And one youth said: “I will make my way,” and they answered him: “Go.” He left the city, holding a bridle, and ran through the Pecheneg camp, asking them: “Has anyone seen a horse?” For he knew Pecheneg, and they took him for one of their own. And when he approached the river, he threw off his clothes, rushed into the Dnieper and swam. Seeing this, the Pechenegs rushed after him, shot at him, but could not do anything to him, On the other side they noticed this, drove up to him in a boat, took him into the boat and brought him to the squad. And the youth said to them: “If you don’t approach the city tomorrow, the people will surrender to the Pechenegs.” Their commander, named Pretich, said: “We will go tomorrow in boats and, having captured the princess and princes, we will rush to this shore. If we don’t do this, then Svyatoslav will destroy us.” And the next morning, close to dawn, they sat down in the boats and blew a loud trumpet, and the people in the city shouted. The Pechenegs decided that the prince had come, and ran away from the city in all directions. And Olga came out with her grandchildren and people to the boats. The Pechenezh prince, seeing this, returned alone to the governor Pretich and asked: “Who came?” And he answered him: “People of the other side (Dnieper).” Pretich replied: “I am his husband, I came with an advance detachment, and behind me is an army with the prince himself: there are countless of them.” He said this to scare them. The Prince of Pecheneg said to Pretich: “Be my friend.” He replied: “I will do so.” And they shook hands with each other, and the Pecheneg prince gave Pretich a horse, a saber and arrows. The same one gave him chain mail, a shield and a sword. And the Pechenegs retreated from the city, and it was impossible to water the horse: the Pechenegs stood on Lybid. And the people of Kiev sent to Svyatoslav with the words: “You, prince, are looking for someone else’s land and taking care of it, but you left your own, and the Pechenegs, and your mother, and your children almost took us. If you don’t come and protect us, they will take us. Don’t you feel sorry for your fatherland, your old mother, your children?” Hearing this, Svyatoslav and his retinue quickly mounted their horses and returned to Kyiv; He greeted his mother and children and lamented what he had suffered from the Pechenegs. And he gathered soldiers and drove the Pechenegs into the steppe, and peace came.

Per year 6477 (969). Svyatoslav said to his mother and his boyars: “I don’t like to sit in Kyiv, I want to live in Pereyaslavets on the Danube - for there is the middle of my land, all the good things flow there: from the Greek land - gold, grass, wine, various fruits, from the Czech Republic and from Hungary silver and horses, from Rus' furs and wax, honey and slaves.” Olga answered him: “You see, I’m sick; where do you want to go from me? - because she was already sick. And she said: “When you bury me, go wherever you want.” Three days later, Olga died, and her son, and her grandchildren, and all the people cried for her with great tears, and they carried her and buried her in the chosen place, but Olga bequeathed not to perform funeral feasts for her, since she had a priest with her - he buried blessed Olga.

She was the forerunner of the Christian land, like the morning star before the sun, like the dawn before the dawn. She shone like the moon in the night; so she shone among the pagans, like pearls in the mud; At that time people were polluted with sins and not washed by holy baptism. This one washed herself in the holy font, and threw off the sinful clothes of the first man Adam, and put on the new Adam, that is, Christ. We appeal to her: “Rejoice, Russian knowledge of God, the beginning of our reconciliation with him.” She was the first of the Russians to enter the kingdom of heaven, and the Russian sons praise her - their leader, for even after death she prays to God for Rus'. After all, the souls of the righteous do not die; as Solomon said: “The people rejoice to the praised righteous man"(); the memory of the righteous is immortal, since he is recognized by both God and people. Here all the people glorify her, seeing that she has been lying for many years, untouched by decay; for the prophet said: “I will glorify those who glorify Me”(). David said about such people: “The righteous will be remembered forever, he will not fear bad rumors; his heart is ready to trust in the Lord; his heart is established and will not flinch" (). Solomon said: “The righteous live forever; their reward is from the Lord and the care of them is from the Most High. Therefore they will receive the kingdom beauty and the crown of kindness from the hand of the Lord, for he will cover them with his right hand and protect them with his arm.”(). After all, he protected this blessed Olga from the enemy and adversary - the devil.

Per year 6478 (970). Svyatoslav put Yaropolk in Kyiv, and Oleg with the Drevlyans. At that time, the Novgorodians came, asking for a prince: “If you don’t come to us, then we will get ourselves a prince.” And Svyatoslav said to them: “Who would go to you?” And Yaropolk and Oleg refused. And Dobrynya said: “Ask Vladimir.” Vladimir was from Malusha, Olgina’s housekeeper. Malusha was Dobrynya’s sister; his father was Malk Lyubechanin, and Dobrynya was Vladimir’s uncle. And the Novgorodians said to Svyatoslav: “Give us Vladimir.” He answered them: “Here he is for you.” And the Novgorodians took Vladimir to themselves, and Vladimir went with Dobrynya, his uncle, to Novgorod, and Svyatoslav went to Pereyaslavets.

Per year 6479 (971). Svyatoslav came to Pereyaslavets, and the Bulgarians locked themselves in the city. And the Bulgarians went out to battle with Svyatoslav, and the slaughter was great, and the Bulgarians began to prevail. And Svyatoslav said to his soldiers: “Here we will die; Let us stand courageously, brothers and squad!” And in the evening Svyatoslav prevailed, took the city by storm, and sent it to the Greeks with the words: “I want to go against you and take your capital, like this city.” And the Greeks said: “We cannot bear to resist you, so take tribute from us and for your entire squad and tell us how many of you there are, and we will give according to the number of your warriors.” This is what the Greeks said, deceiving the Russians, for the Greeks are deceitful to this day. And Svyatoslav said to them: “We are twenty thousand,” and added ten thousand: for there were only ten thousand Russians. And the Greeks set one hundred thousand against Svyatoslav, and did not give tribute. And Svyatoslav went against the Greeks, and they came out against the Russians. When the Russians saw them, they were very frightened by such a great number of soldiers, but Svyatoslav said: “We have nowhere to go, whether we want it or not, we must fight. So we will not disgrace the Russian land, but we will lie here as bones, for the dead know no shame. If we run, it will be a shame for us. So let’s not run, but we’ll stand strong, and I’ll go ahead of you: if my head falls, then take care of your own.” And the soldiers answered: “Where your head lies, there we will lay our heads.” And the Russians became angry, and there was a cruel slaughter, and Svyatoslav prevailed, and the Greeks fled. And Svyatoslav went to the capital, fighting and destroying cities that stand empty to this day. And the king called his boyars into the chamber and said to them: “What should we do: we can’t resist him?” And the boyars said to him: “Send gifts to him; Let's test him: does he love gold or pavoloki? And he sent gold and grass to him with a wise husband, instructing him: “Watch his appearance, his face, and his thoughts.” He, taking the gifts, came to Svyatoslav. And they told Svyatoslav that the Greeks had come with a bow, and he said: “Bring them in here.” They entered and bowed to him, and laid gold and pavoloks before him. And Svyatoslav said to his youths, looking to the side: “Hide it.” The Greeks returned to the king, and the king summoned the boyars. The messengers said: “We came to him and presented gifts, but he didn’t even look at them - he ordered them to be hidden.” And one said: “Test him again: send him a weapon.” They listened to him, and sent him a sword and other weapons, and brought them to him. He took it and began to praise the king, expressing love and gratitude to him. Those sent to the king returned again and told him everything that had happened. And the boyars said: “This man will be cruel, for he neglects wealth and takes weapons. Agree to the tribute." And the king sent to him, saying: “Don’t go to the capital, take as much tribute as you want,” for he did not reach Constantinople a little. And they gave him tribute; He also took it from the slain, saying: “He will take his family for the slain.” He took a lot of gifts and returned to Pereyaslavets with great glory. Seeing that he had few squads, he said to himself: “Lest they kill both my squad and me by some cunning.” since many died in battle. And he said: “I’ll go to Rus', I’ll bring more squads.”

And he sent ambassadors to the king in Dorostol, for the king was there, saying: “I want to have lasting peace and love with you.” The king, hearing this, rejoiced and sent him more gifts than before. Svyatoslav accepted the gifts and began to think with his squad, saying this: “If we do not make peace with the king and the king finds out that we are few, then they will come and besiege us in the city. But the Russian land is far away, and the Pechenegs are hostile to us, and who will help us? Let us make peace with the king: after all, they have already committed to pay us tribute, and that is enough for us. If they stop paying us tribute, then again from Rus', having gathered many soldiers, we will go to Constantinople.” And this speech was loved by the squad, and they sent the best men to the king, and came to Dorostol, and told the king about it. The next morning the king called them to him and said: “Let the Russian ambassadors speak.” They began: “This is what our prince says: “I want to have true love with the Greek king for all future times.” The tsar was delighted and ordered the scribe to write down all of Svyatoslav’s speeches on the charter. And the ambassador began to make all the speeches, and the scribe began to write. He said this:

“A list from the agreement concluded under Svyatoslav, the Grand Duke of Russia, and under Sveneld, written under Theophilus Sinkel to John, called Tzimiskes, King of Greece, in Dorostol, the month of July, 14 indictment, in the year 6479. I, Svyatoslav, Prince of Russia, As I swore, I confirm my oath with this agreement: I want, together with all the Russian subjects to me, with the boyars and others, to have peace and true love with all the great Greek kings, with Vasily and with Constantine, and with the God-inspired kings, and with all your people until the end of the world. And I will never plot against your country, and I will not gather soldiers against it, and I will not bring another people against your country, not the one that is under Greek rule, nor the Korsun country and all the cities there, nor the Bulgarian country. And if anyone else plans against your country, then I will be his opponent and I will fight with him. As I already swore to the Greek kings, and with me to the boyars and all the Russians, may we keep the agreement unchanged. If we do not comply with any of what was said earlier, may I and those who are with me and under me be cursed by the god in whom we believe - in Perun and Volos, the god of cattle, and may we be yellow as gold , and we will be flogged with our weapons. Do not doubt the truth of what we have promised you today, and have written in this charter and sealed it with our seals.”

Having made peace with the Greeks, Svyatoslav set off in boats to the rapids. And his father’s governor Sveneld said to him: “Go around, prince, the rapids on horseback, for the Pechenegs are standing at the rapids.” And he did not listen to him, and went in the boats. And the Pereyaslavl people sent to the Pechenegs to say: “Here Svyatoslav with a small army is coming past you to Rus', having taken from the Greeks a lot of wealth and countless prisoners.” Hearing about this, the Pechenegs entered the rapids. And Svyatoslav came to the rapids, and it was impossible to pass them. And he stopped to spend the winter in Beloberezhye, and they ran out of food, and they had a great famine, so they paid half a hryvnia for a horse’s head, and here Svyatoslav spent the winter.

Per year 6480 (972). When spring came, Svyatoslav went to the rapids. And Kurya, the prince of Pecheneg, attacked him, and they killed Svyatoslav, and took his head, and made a cup from the skull, bound it, and drank from it. Sveneld came to Kyiv to Yaropolk. And all the years of Svyatoslav’s reign were 28.

Per year 6481 (973). Yaropolk began to reign.

Per year 6482 (974).

Per year 6483 (975). One day Sveneldich, named Lyut, left Kyiv to hunt and chased an animal into the forest. And Oleg saw him and asked his friends: “Who is this?” And they answered him: “Sveneldich.” And, attacking, Oleg killed him, since he himself was hunting there. And because of this, hatred arose between Yaropolk and Oleg, and Sveneld constantly persuaded Yaropolk, trying to avenge his son: “Go against your brother and seize his volost.”

Per year 6484 (976).

Per year 6485 (977). Yaropolk went against his brother Oleg in Derevskaya land. And Oleg came out against him, and both sides became angry. And in the battle that began, Yaropolk defeated Oleg. Oleg and his soldiers ran to a city called Ovruch, and a bridge was thrown across the ditch to the city gates, and people, crowded on it, pushed each other down. And they pushed Oleg off the bridge into the ditch. Many people fell, and horses crushed people. Yaropolk, entering the city of Oleg, seized power and sent to look for his brother, and they looked for him, but did not find him. And one Drevlyan said: “I saw how they pushed him off the bridge yesterday.” And Yaropolk sent to find his brother, and they pulled the corpses out of the ditch from morning until noon, and found Oleg under the corpses; They took him out and laid him on the carpet. And Yaropolk came, cried over him and said to Sveneld: “Look, this is what you wanted!” And they buried Oleg in a field near the city of Ovruch, and his grave remains near Ovruch to this day. And Yaropolk inherited his power. Yaropolk had a Greek wife, and before that she was a nun; at one time his father Svyatoslav brought her and married her to Yaropolk, for the sake of her beauty. When Vladimir in Novgorod heard that Yaropolk had killed Oleg, he got scared and fled overseas. And Yaropolk planted his mayors in Novgorod and alone owned the Russian land.

Per year 6486 (978).

Per year 6487 (979).

Per year 6488 (980). Vladimir returned to Novgorod with the Varangians and said to the mayors of Yaropolk: “Go to my brother and tell him: “Vladimir is coming at you, get ready to fight him.” And he sat down in Novgorod.

And he sent to Rogvolod in Polotsk to say: “I want to take your daughter as my wife.” The same one asked his daughter: “Do you want to marry Vladimir?” She replied: “I don’t want to take off the shoes of the slave’s son, but I want it for Yaropolk.” This Rogvolod came from across the sea and held his power in Polotsk, and Tury held power in Turov, and the Turovites were nicknamed after him. And the youths of Vladimir came and told him the whole speech of Rogneda, the daughter of the Polotsk prince Rogvolod. Vladimir gathered many warriors - Varangians, Slovenians, Chuds and Krivichs - and went against Rogvolod. And at this time they were already planning to lead Rogneda after Yaropolk. And Vladimir attacked Polotsk, and killed Rogvolod and his two sons, and took his daughter as his wife.

And he went to Yaropolk. And Vladimir came to Kyiv with a large army, but Yaropolk could not come out to meet him and shut himself up in Kyiv with his people and Blud, and Vladimir stood, entrenched, on Dorozhych - between Dorozhych and Kapic, and that ditch exists to this day. Vladimir sent to Blud, the governor of Yaropolk, saying cunningly: “Be my friend! If I kill my brother, then I will honor you as a father, and you will receive great honor from me; It wasn’t I who started killing my brothers, but he. I, being afraid of this, opposed him.” And Blud said to the Vladimirov ambassadors: “I will be with you in love and friendship.” O evil deceit of man! As David says: “The man who ate my bread brought up a slander against me.” This same deceit plotted treason against his prince. And again: “They flattered with their tongue. Condemn them, O God, that they may renounce their plans; Because of the multitude of their wickedness, reject them, for they have angered you, O Lord.” And the same David also said: “A man who is quick to shed blood and is treacherous will not live even half his days.” The advice of those who push for bloodshed is evil; madmen are those who, having accepted honors or gifts from their prince or master, plot to destroy the life of their prince; They are worse than demons. So Blud betrayed his prince, having received much honor from him: that is why he is guilty of that blood. Blud shut himself up (in the city) together with Yaropolk, and he, deceiving him, often sent to Vladimir with calls to attack the city, plotting at that time to kill Yaropolk, but because of the townspeople it was impossible to kill him. Blud could not destroy him in any way and came up with a trick, persuading Yaropolk not to leave the city for battle. Blud said to Yaropolk: “The people of Kiev are sending to Vladimir, telling him: “Approach the city, we will betray Yaropolk to you.” Run away from the city." And Yaropolk listened to him, ran out of Kyiv and shut himself up in the city of Rodna at the mouth of the Ros River, and Vladimir entered Kyiv and besieged Yaropolk in Rodna. And there was a severe famine there, so the saying has remained to this day: “Trouble is like in Rodna.” . And Blud said to Yaropolk: “Do you see how many warriors your brother has? We can't defeat them. Make peace with your brother,” he said, deceiving him. And Yaropolk said: “So be it!” And he sent Blud to Vladimir with the words: “Your thought has come true, and when I bring Yaropolk to you, be ready to kill him.” Vladimir, having heard this, entered his father’s courtyard, which we have already mentioned, and sat down there with the soldiers and his retinue. And Blud said to Yaropolk: “Go to your brother and tell him: “Whatever you give me, I will accept.” Yaropolk went, and Varyazhko told him: “Don’t go, prince, they will kill you; run to the Pechenegs and bring soldiers,” and Yaropolk did not listen to him. And Yaropolk came to Vladimir; when he entered the door, two Varangians lifted him with their swords under his bosoms. Fornication shut the doors and did not allow his followers to enter after him. And so Yaropolk was killed. Varyazhko, seeing that Yaropolk was killed, fled from the courtyard of that tower to the Pechenegs and fought for a long time with the Pechenegs against Vladimir, with difficulty Vladimir attracted him to his side, giving him an oath promise, Vladimir began to live with his brother’s wife - a Greek, and She was pregnant, and Svyatopolk was born from her. From the sinful root of evil comes fruit: firstly, his mother was a nun, and secondly, Vladimir lived with her not in marriage, but as an adulterer. That is why his father did not like Svyatopolk, because he was from two fathers: from Yaropolk and from Vladimir.

After all this, the Varangians said to Vladimir: “This is our city, we have captured it, we want to take a ransom from the townspeople at two hryvnias per person.” And Vladimir told them: “Wait a month until they collect the kuns for you.” And they waited a month, and Vladimir did not give them a ransom, and the Varangians said: “He deceived us, so let us go to the Greek land.” He answered them: “Go.” And he chose from among them good, intelligent and brave men and distributed cities to them; the rest went to Constantinople to the Greeks. Vladimir, even before them, sent envoys to the king with the following words: “Here the Varangians are coming to you, don’t even think of keeping them in the capital, otherwise they will do you the same evil as here, but they settled them in different places, and don’t let them come here.” one."

And Vladimir began to reign in Kyiv alone, and placed idols on the hill behind the tower courtyard: a wooden Perun with a silver head and a golden mustache, and Khors, Dazhbog, and Stribog, and Simargl, and Mokosh. And they made sacrifices to them, calling them gods, and brought their sons and daughters, and made sacrifices to demons, and desecrated the earth with their sacrifices. And the Russian land and that hill were defiled with blood. But the all-good God did not want the death of sinners, and on that hill now stands the Church of St. Basil, as we will tell about this later. Now let's return to the previous one.

Vladimir put Dobrynya, his uncle, in Novgorod. And, having come to Novgorod, Dobrynya placed an idol over the Volkhov River, and the Novgorodians offered sacrifices to him as to a god.

Vladimir was overcome by lust, and he had wives: Rogneda, whom he settled on Lybid, where the village of Predslavino is now located, from her he had four sons: Izyaslav, Mstislav, Yaroslav, Vsevolod, and two daughters; from a Greek woman he had Svyatopolk, from a Czech woman - Vysheslav, and from another wife - Svyatoslav and Mstislav, and from a Bulgarian woman - Boris and Gleb, and he had 300 concubines in Vyshgorod, 300 in Belgorod and 200 in Berestov, in the village, which They call it now Berestovoe. And he was insatiable in fornication, bringing married women to him and corrupting girls. He was as much a womanizer as Solomon, for they say that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. He was wise, but in the end he died. This one was ignorant, but in the end he found eternal salvation. “Great is the Lord... and great is His strength and understanding He has no end! (). Female seduction is evil; This is how Solomon, having repented, said about the wives: “Do not listen to the evil wife; for honey drips from the lips of her wife adulterers; just for a moment delights your larynx, but afterwards is more bitter than bile will become... Those who are close to her will go to hell after death. She does not follow the path of life, her dissolute life unreasonable"(). This is what Solomon said about adulteresses; and about good wives he said this: “She is more valuable than a valuable stone. Her husband rejoices over her. After all, she makes his life happy. Taking out wool and flax, he creates everything he needs with his own hands. She, like a merchant ship engaged in trade, collects wealth for herself from afar, and gets up while it is still night, and distributes food in her house and business to her slaves. Seeing a field, he buys: from the fruits of his hands he will plant arable land. Having firmly girded his waist, he will strengthen his hands for the work. And she tasted that it was good to work, and her lamp did not go out all night. He stretches out his hands to what is useful, he directs his elbows towards the spindle. He stretches out his hands to the poor, gives fruit to the beggar. Her husband does not care about his house, because no matter where he is, all her household will be clothed. She will make double robes for her husband, and scarlet and scarlet robes for herself. Her husband will be visible to everyone at the gate when he sits in council with the elders and inhabitants of the land. She will make the bedspreads and sell them. He opens his lips with wisdom, he speaks with dignity with his tongue. She clothed herself with strength and beauty. Her children extol her mercies and delight her; her husband praises her. Blessed is the wise woman, for she will praise the fear of God. Give her of the fruit of her mouth, and let her husband be glorified at the gate" ().

Per year 6489 (981). Vladimir went against the Poles and captured their cities, Przemysl, Cherven and other cities that are still under Russia. In the same year, Vladimir defeated the Vyatichi and imposed tribute on them - from each plow, just as his father took it.

Per year 6490 (982). The Vyatichi rose up in war, and Vladimir went against them and defeated them a second time.

Per year 6491 (983). Vladimir went against the Yatvingians, and defeated the Yatvingians, and conquered their land. And he went to Kyiv, making sacrifices to the idols with his people. And the elders and boyars said: “Let’s cast lots for the boy and the girl; on whomever it falls, we will slaughter him as a sacrifice to the gods.” At that time there was only one Varangian, and his courtyard stood where now is the Church of the Holy Mother of God, which Vladimir built. That Varangian came from the Greek land and professed the Christian faith. And he had a son, beautiful in face and soul, and the lot fell on him, out of the envy of the devil. For he who had power over everyone could not stand him, and this one was like a thorn in his heart, and the accursed one tried to destroy him and set people on. And those sent to him, having come, said: “The lot fell on your son, the gods chose him for themselves, so let us make a sacrifice to the gods.” And the Varangian said: “These are not gods, but a tree: today it exists, but tomorrow it will rot; They do not eat, do not drink, do not speak, but are made of wood by hands. There is only one God, the Greeks serve and worship him; He created the sky, and the earth, and the stars, and the moon, and the sun, and man, and destined him to live on earth. What did these gods do? They are made by themselves. I will not give my son to the demons.” The messengers left and told the people everything. They took up arms and attacked him and destroyed his yard. The Varangian stood in the entryway with his son. They told him: “Give me your son, let us bring him to the gods.” He answered: “If they are gods, then let them send one of the gods and take my son. Why do you perform demands on them?” And they clicked and cut the canopy under them, and so they were killed. And no one knows where they were placed. After all, there were ignorant and unchristian people then. The devil rejoiced at this, not knowing that his death was already close. So he tried to destroy the entire Christian race, but was driven out of other countries by an honest cross. “Here,” thought the accursed man, “I will find a home for myself, for here the apostles did not teach, for here the prophets did not foretell,” not knowing that the prophet said: “And I will call people who are not mine my people”; about the apostles it is said: “Their words spread throughout the whole earth, and their words to the end of the world.” Even if the apostles themselves were not here, their teaching, like trumpet sounds, is heard in churches throughout the universe: with their teaching we defeat the enemy - the devil, trampling him under our feet, just as these two of our fathers trampled, accepting the heavenly crown along with the holy martyrs and the righteous.

Per year 6492 (984). Vladimir went to Radimichi. He had a governor, Wolf Tail; and Vladimir sent Wolf Tail ahead of him, and he met the Radimichi on the Pishchan River, and defeated the Radimichi Wolf Tail. That is why the Russians tease the Radimichi, saying: “The Pischants are running from the wolf’s tail.” There were Radimichi from the family of Poles, they came and settled here and pay tribute to Rus', and they still carry the cart to this day.

Per year 6493 (985). Vladimir went against the Bulgarians in boats with his uncle Dobrynya, and brought the Torks along the shore on horses; and defeated the Bulgarians. Dobrynya said to Vladimir: “I examined the prisoners: they were all wearing boots. We can’t give these tributes - let’s go and look for some bast shoes.” And Vladimir made peace with the Bulgarians, and swore an oath to each other, and the Bulgarians said: “Then there will be no peace between us when the stone floats and the hops sink.” And Vladimir returned to Kyiv.

Per year 6494 (986). The Bulgarians of the Mohammedan faith came, saying: “You, prince, are wise and sensible, but you do not know the law, believe in our law and bow to Mohammed.” And Vladimir asked: “What is your faith?” They answered: “We believe in God, and Mohammed teaches us this: to perform circumcision, not to eat pork, not to drink wine, but after death, he says, you can commit fornication with your wives. Mohammed will give each of them seventy beautiful wives, and he will choose one of them, the most beautiful, and put on her the beauty of all; she will be his wife. Here, he says, one should indulge in all fornication. If anyone is poor in this world, then he is poor in the next,” and they told all sorts of other lies that are embarrassing to write about. Vladimir listened to them, since he himself loved wives and all fornication; That’s why I listened to them to my heart’s content. But here’s what he didn’t like: circumcision and abstinence from pork, and about drinking, on the contrary, he said: “Rus' has joy in drinking: we cannot live without it.” Then foreigners came from Rome and said: “We have come, sent by the pope,” and turned to Vladimir: “This is what the pope says to you: “Your land is the same as ours, and your faith is not like our faith, since our faith - light; We bow to God, who created heaven and earth, the stars and the month and everything that breathes, and your gods are just trees.” Vladimir asked them: “What is your commandment?” And they answered: “Fasting according to strength: “if anyone drinks or eats, then all this is for the glory of God,” as our teacher Paul said.” Vladimir said to the Germans: “Go where you came from, for our fathers did not accept this.” Hearing about this, the Khazar Jews came and said: “We heard that the Bulgarians and Christians came, each teaching you their faith. Christians believe in the one whom we crucified, and we believe in the one God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” And Vladimir asked: “What is your law?” They answered: “Be circumcised, do not eat pork or hare, and keep the Sabbath.” He asked: “Where is your land?” They said: “In Jerusalem.” And he asked: “Is she really there?” And they answered: “God was angry with our fathers and scattered us across various countries for our sins, and gave our land to the Christians.” Vladimir said to this: “How do you teach others, but you yourself are rejected by God and scattered? If God loved you and your law, then you would not have been scattered throughout foreign lands. Or do you want the same for us?”

Then the Greeks sent a philosopher to Vladimir, who said: “We heard that the Bulgarians came and taught you to accept your faith; their faith defiles heaven and earth, and they are cursed above all people, they became like the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, on whom the Lord threw a burning stone and drowned them, and drowned, so the day of their destruction awaits these too, when God comes to judge the nations and destroys them. all those who commit lawlessness and do evil. For, having washed themselves, they pour this water into their mouths, smear it on their beard and remember Mohammed. Likewise, their wives create the same filth, and even greater..." Hearing about this, Vladimir spat on the ground and said: “This matter is unclean.” The philosopher said: “We also heard that they came to you from Rome to teach you their faith. Their faith differs slightly from ours: they serve on unleavened bread, that is, on wafers, which God did not command, commanding that they serve on bread, and taught the apostles, taking the bread: “This is my body, broken for you...”. In the same way he took the cup and said: “This is my blood of the new testament.” Those who do not do this believe incorrectly.” Vladimir said: “The Jews came to me and said that the Germans and Greeks believe in the one whom they crucified.” The philosopher replied: “We truly believe in him; Their prophets predicted that he would be born, and others - that he would be crucified and buried, but on the third day he would rise and ascend to heaven. They beat some prophets and tortured others. When their prophecies came true, when he descended to earth, he was crucified and, having risen, ascended to heaven, God expected repentance from them for 46 years, but they did not repent, and then he sent the Romans against them; and they destroyed their cities, and scattered them to other lands, where they remain in slavery.” Vladimir asked: “Why did God come down to earth and accept such suffering?” The philosopher answered: “If you want to listen, then I will tell you in order from the very beginning why God came to earth.” Vladimir said: “I’m glad to listen.” And the philosopher began to speak like this:

“In the beginning, on the first day, God created the heavens and the earth. On the second day he created a firmament in the midst of the waters. On the same day the waters divided - half of them rose to the firmament, and half descended under the firmament. On the third day he created the sea, rivers, springs and seeds. On the fourth day - the sun, moon, stars, and God decorated the sky. The first of the angels, the elder of the rank of angels, saw all this, and thought: “I will descend to earth and take possession of it, and I will be like God, and I will set my throne on the northern clouds.” And he was immediately cast out of heaven, and after him fell those who were under his command - the tenth angelic rank. The name of the enemy was Satanail, and in his place God put the elder Michael. Satan, having been deceived in his plan and deprived of his original glory, called himself an adversary to God. Then, on the fifth day, God created whales, fish, reptiles and feathered birds. On the sixth day God created animals, livestock, and creeping things on the earth; created man too. On the seventh day, that is, Saturday, God rested from his work. And God planted a paradise in the east in Eden, and brought into it the man whom he had created, and commanded him to eat the fruits of every tree, but not to eat the fruits of one tree - the knowledge of good and evil. And Adam was in paradise, he saw God and praised him when the angels praised him, and God brought a dream to Adam, and Adam fell asleep, and God took one rib from Adam, and created him a wife, and brought her into paradise to Adam, and said Adam: “This is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; she will be called a woman.” And Adam named the cattle and the birds, the beasts and the creeping things, and even gave names to the angels themselves. And God subjugated the beasts and cattle to Adam, and he possessed them all, and everyone listened to him. The devil, seeing how God honored man, became jealous of him, transformed into a serpent, came to Eve and said to her: “Why don’t you eat from the tree that grows in the middle of paradise?” And the wife said to the serpent: “God said: “Do not eat, but if you eat, you will die.” And the serpent said to his wife: “You will not die by death; for God knows that on the day on which you eat from this tree, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” And the wife saw that the tree was edible, and she took it and ate the fruit, and gave it to her husband, and they both ate, and the eyes of both were opened, and they realized that they were naked, and they sewed themselves a girdle from the leaves of the fig tree. And God said: “Cursed is the earth because of your deeds; you will be filled with sorrow all the days of your life.” And the Lord God said: “When you stretch out your hands and take from the tree of life, you will live forever.” And the Lord God expelled Adam from paradise. And he settled opposite paradise, weeping and cultivating the earth, and Satan rejoiced at the curse of the earth. This is our first fall and bitter reckoning, our falling away from the angelic life. Adam gave birth to Cain and Abel, Cain was a plowman, and Abel a shepherd. And Cain offered the fruits of the earth as a sacrifice to God, and God did not accept his gifts. Abel brought the firstborn lamb, and God accepted Abel’s gifts. Satan entered Cain and began to incite him to kill Abel. And Cain said to Abel: “Let’s go into the field.” And Abel listened to him, and when they left, Cain rose up against Abel and wanted to kill him, but did not know how to do it. And Satan said to him: “Take a stone and hit him.” He took the stone and killed Abel. And God said to Cain: “Where is your brother?” He answered: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” And God said: “Your brother’s blood cries out to me; you will groan and shake until the end of your life.” Adam and Eve cried, and the devil rejoiced, saying: “Whom God honored, I made him fall away from God, and now I have brought grief upon him.” And they cried for Abel for 30 years, and his body did not decay, and they did not know how to bury him. And by the command of God, two chicks flew in, one of them died, the other dug a hole and put the deceased in it and buried him. Seeing this, Adam and Eve dug a hole, put Abel in it and buried him weeping. When Adam was 230 years old, he gave birth to Seth and two daughters, and took one Cain, and the other Seth, and that is why people began to be fruitful and multiply on the earth. And they did not know Him who created them, they were filled with fornication, and all uncleanness, and murder, and envy, and people lived like cattle. Only Noah alone was righteous among the human race. And he gave birth to three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. And God said: “My spirit will not dwell among people”; and again: “I will destroy what I have created, from man to beast.” And the Lord God said to Noah: “Build an ark 300 cubits long, 80 cubits wide, and 30 high”; The Egyptians call a cubit a fathom. Noah spent 100 years making his ark, and when Noah told people that there would be a flood, they laughed at him. When the ark was made, the Lord said to Noah: “Go into it, you, and your wife, and your sons, and your daughters-in-law, and bring to you two of every beast, and of every bird, and of every creeping thing.” And Noah brought in whom God commanded him. God brought a flood on the earth, all living things drowned, but the ark floated on the water. When the water subsided, Noah came out, his sons and his wife. From them the earth was populated. And there were many people, and they spoke the same language, and they said to each other: “Let us build a pillar up to heaven.” They began to build, and their elder was Nevrod; and God said: “Behold, people and their vain plans have multiplied.” And God came down and divided their speech into 72 languages. Only Adam's tongue was not taken from Eber; This one of all remained uninvolved in their crazy deed and said this: “If God had ordered people to create a pillar up to the sky, then God himself would have commanded with his word, just as he created the sky, the earth, the sea, everything visible and invisible.” That is why his language did not change; from him came the Jews. So, people were divided into 71 languages ​​and dispersed to all countries, and each people adopted its own character. According to their teaching, they sacrificed to groves, wells and rivers and did not know God. From Adam to the flood, 2242 years passed, and from the flood to the division of nations, 529 years. Then the devil misled people even more, and they began to create idols: some wooden, others copper, others marble, and some gold and silver. And they bowed to them, and brought their sons and daughters to them, and slaughtered them before them, and the whole earth was desecrated. Serukh was the first to make idols; he created them in honor of dead people: some former kings, or brave people and magicians, and adulterous wives. Serukh begat Terah, and Terah begat three sons: Abraham, Nahor and Aaron. Terah made graven images, having learned this from his father. Abraham, having begun to understand the truth, looked at the sky and saw the stars and the sky, and said: “Truly it is God who created the heavens and the earth, but my father deceives people.” And Abraham said: “I will test the gods of my father,” and turned to his father: “Father! Why are you deceiving people by making wooden idols? He is the God who created the heavens and the earth.” Abraham took fire and lit the idols in the temple. Aaron, Abraham's brother, seeing this and honoring the idols, wanted to take them out, but he himself was immediately burned and died before his father. Before this, the son did not die before the father, but the father before the son; and from then on, sons began to die before their fathers. God loved Abraham and said to him: “Get out of your father’s house and go to the land that I will show you, and I will make you a great nation, and generations of men will bless you.” And Abraham did as God commanded him. And Abraham took his nephew Lot; this Lot was both his brother-in-law and nephew, since Abraham took for himself the daughter of his brother Aaron, Sarah. And Abraham came to the land of Canaan to a tall oak tree, and God said to Abraham: “To your descendants I will give this land.” And Abraham bowed to God.

Abraham was 75 years old when he left Harran. Sarah was barren and suffered from childlessness. And Sarah said to Abraham: “Come in to my handmaid.” And Sarah took Hagar and gave her to her husband, and Abraham went in to Hagar, and Hagar conceived and gave birth to a son, and Abraham named him Ishmael; Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born. Then Sarah conceived and gave birth to a son, and called his name Isaac. And God commanded Abraham to circumcise the boy, and he was circumcised on the eighth day. God loved Abraham and his tribe, and called them his people, and calling them his people, he separated them from others. And Isaac grew to manhood, and Abraham lived 175 years, and died, and was buried. When Isaac was 60 years old, he gave birth to two sons: Esau and Jacob. Esau was deceitful, but Jacob was righteous. This Jacob worked for his uncle for seven years, seeking his youngest daughter, and Laban, his uncle, did not give her to him, saying: “Take the eldest.” And he gave him Leah, the eldest, and for the sake of the other he said to him: “Work for seven more years.” He worked another seven years for Rachel. And so he took for himself two sisters and fathered eight sons from them: Reuben, Simeon, Leugia, Judah, Isachar, Zaulon, Joseph and Benjamin, and from two slaves: Dan, Nephthalim, Gad and Asher. And from them came the Jews, and Jacob, when he was 130 years old, went to Egypt, along with his entire family, numbering 65 souls. He lived in Egypt for 17 years and died, and his descendants were in slavery for 400 years. After these years, the Jews became stronger and multiplied, and the Egyptians oppressed them as slaves. During these times, Moses was born to the Jews, and the Magi said to the Egyptian king: “A child has been born to the Jews who will destroy Egypt.” And the king immediately ordered all Jewish children born to be thrown into the river. Moses' mother, frightened by this destruction, took the baby, put him in a basket and, carrying it, placed it near the river. At this time, the daughter of Pharaoh Fermufi came to bathe and saw a crying child, took him, spared him, and gave him the name Moses, and nursed him. That boy was handsome, and when he was four years old, Pharaoh’s daughter brought him to her father. Pharaoh, seeing Moses, fell in love with the boy. Moses, somehow grabbing the king’s neck, dropped the crown from the king’s head and stepped on it. The sorcerer, seeing this, said to the king: “O king! Destroy this youth, but if you don’t destroy him, then he himself will destroy all of Egypt.” The king not only did not listen to him, but, moreover, ordered not to destroy the Jewish children. Moses grew to manhood and became a great man in Pharaoh's house. When a different king became in Egypt, the boyars began to envy Moses. Moses, having killed an Egyptian who had offended a Jew, fled from Egypt and came to the land of Midian, and when he walked through the desert, he learned from the angel Gabriel about the existence of the whole world, about the first man and what happened after him and after the flood, and about the confusion of languages, and who lived how many years, and about the movement of the stars, and about their number, and about the measure of the earth, and all wisdom. Then God appeared to Moses with fire in the thorn bush and said to him: “I saw the misfortunes of my people in Egypt and came down to free them from the power of Egypt, to lead them out of this land. Go to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and tell him: “Release Israel, so that they may perform the demands of God for three days.” If the king of Egypt does not listen to you, then I will beat him with all my miracles.” When Moses came, Pharaoh did not listen to him, and God unleashed 10 plagues on him: first, bloody rivers; secondly, toads; thirdly, midges; fourthly, dog flies; fifthly, cattle pestilence; sixth, abscesses; seventhly, hail; eighth, locusts; ninth, three-day darkness; tenth, pestilence on people. That’s why God sent ten plagues on them because they drowned Jewish children for 10 months. When the pestilence began in Egypt, Pharaoh said to Moses and his brother Aaron: “Get away quickly!” Moses, having gathered the Jews, left Egypt. And the Lord led them through the desert to the Red Sea, and a pillar of fire walked ahead of them at night, and a pillar of cloud during the day. Pharaoh heard that the people were running, and he pursued them and pressed them to the sea. When the Jews saw this, they cried out to Moses: “Why did you lead us to death?” And Moses cried to God, and the Lord said: “Why are you calling to me? Strike the sea with your rod." And Moses did so, and the waters parted in two, and the children of Israel entered into the sea. Seeing this, Pharaoh pursued them, and the children of Israel crossed the sea on dry land. And when they came ashore, the sea closed over Pharaoh and his soldiers. And God loved Israel, and they walked from the sea three days through the wilderness, and came to Marah. The water here was bitter, and the people grumbled against God, and the Lord showed them a tree, and Moses put it in the water, and the water was sweet. Then the people again grumbled against Moses and Aaron: “It was better for us in Egypt, where we ate meat, onions and bread to our full.” And the Lord said to Moses: “I heard the murmur of the children of Israel,” and gave them manna to eat. Then he gave them the law on Mount Sinai. When Moses went up the mountain to God, the people cast the head of a calf and worshiped it as if it were a god. And Moses cut off three thousand of these people. And then the people again grumbled against Moses and Aaron, because there was no water. And the Lord said to Moses: “Strike the stone with the rod.” And Moses answered: “What if he does not give up water?” And the Lord was angry with Moses because he did not exalt the Lord, and he did not enter the promised land because of the murmuring of the people, but he led him to Mount Ham and showed him the promised land. And Moses died here on the mountain. And Joshua took power. This one entered the promised land, defeated the Canaanite tribe and installed the sons of Israel in their place. When Jesus died, judge Judas took his place; and there were 14 other judges. With them, the Jews forgot God, who brought them out of Egypt, and began to serve demons. And he became angry and handed them over to the foreigners for plunder. When they began to repent, God had mercy on them; and when he delivered them, they again turned away to serve the demons. Then there was the judge Elijah the priest, and then the prophet Samuel. And the people said to Samuel: “Appoint us a king.” And the Lord was angry with Israel, and made Saul king for them. However, Saul did not want to submit to the law of the Lord, and the Lord chose David and made him king of Israel, and David pleased God. God promised this David that God would be born from his tribe. He was the first to prophesy about the incarnation of God, saying: “From the womb before the morning star he begat you.” So he prophesied for 40 years and died. And after him, his son Solomon prophesied, who created a temple for God and called it the Holy of Holies. And he was wise, but in the end he sinned; reigned for 40 years and died. After Solomon, his son Rehoboam reigned. Under him, the Jewish kingdom was divided into two: one in Jerusalem, and another in Samaria. Jeroboam reigned in Samaria. servant of Solomon; He created two golden calves and placed them - one in Bethel on the hill, and the other in Dan, saying: “These are your gods, O Israel.” And people worshiped, but forgot God. So in Jerusalem they began to forget God and worship Baal, that is, the god of war, in other words, Ares; and they forgot the God of their fathers. And God began to send prophets to them. The prophets began to denounce them for lawlessness and serving idols. They, being exposed, began to beat the prophets. God was angry with Israel and said: “I will cast myself aside and call other people who will obey me. Even if they sin, I will not remember their iniquity.” And he began to send prophets, telling them: “Prophesy about the rejection of the Jews and the calling of new nations.”

Hosea was the first to prophesy: ​​“I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel... I will break the bow of Israel... I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, but, sweeping away, I will reject them,” says the Lord. “And they will be wanderers among the nations.” Jeremiah said: “Even if Samuel and Moses rebel... I will not have mercy on them.” And the same Jeremiah also said: “Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I have sworn by my great name that my name will not be pronounced by the lips of the Jews.” Ezekiel said: “Thus says the Lord Adonai: “I will scatter you, and scatter all your remnant to all the winds... Because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your abominations; I will reject you... and I will not have mercy on you." Malachi said: “Thus says the Lord: “My favor is no longer with you... For from the east to the west my name will be glorified among the nations, and in every place they offer incense to my name and a pure sacrifice, for my name is great among the nations.” . For this reason I will give you over to be reproached and to be scattered among all nations." Isaiah the great said: “Thus says the Lord: “I will stretch out my hand against you, I will rot and scatter you, and I will not gather you again.” And the same prophet also said: “I have hated the holidays and the beginning of your months, and I do not accept your Sabbaths.” Amos the prophet said: “Hear the word of the Lord: “I will lift up mourning for you; the house of Israel has fallen and will rise no more.” Malachi said: “This is what the Lord says: “I will send a curse on you and curse your blessing... I will destroy it and it will not be with you.” And the prophets prophesied many things about their rejection.

God commanded the same prophets to prophesy about the calling of other nations in their place. And Isaiah began to cry out, saying: “From me will come the law and my judgment - a light for the nations. My truth will soon draw near and rise... and the people trust in my arm.” Jeremiah said: “Thus says the Lord: “I will make a new covenant with the house of Judah... Giving them laws for their understanding, and writing them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Isaiah said: “The former things have passed away, but I will proclaim the new things.” Before the announcement, it was revealed to you. Sing a new song to God." “My servants will be given a new name, which will be blessed throughout the whole earth.” “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The same prophet Isaiah says: “The Lord will bare his holy arm before the eyes of all nations, and all the ends of the earth will see salvation from our God.” David says: “Praise the Lord, all nations, glorify him, all people.”

So God loved the new people and revealed to them that He would come to them, appear as a man in the flesh and redeem Adam through suffering. And they began to prophesy about the incarnation of God, before others, David: “The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” And again: “The Lord said to me: “You are my son; Today I have given birth to you." Isaiah said: “Neither an ambassador nor a messenger, but God himself, when he comes, will save us.” And again: “A child will be born to us, dominion is on his shoulders, and the angel will call his name great light... Great is his power, and his world has no limit.” And again: “Behold, a virgin will conceive, and they will call his name Immanuel.” Micah said: “You, Bethlehem, the house of Ephraim, are you not great among the thousands of Judah? From you will come one who is to be a ruler in Israel, and whose departure will be from the days of eternity. Therefore he places them until the time of giving birth to those who give birth, and then their remaining brothers will return to the children of Israel.” Jeremiah said: “This is our God, and no one else can compare with him. He found all the ways of wisdom and gave it to his youth Jacob... After that he appeared on earth and lived among people.” And again: “He is a man; who will know what he is? for he dies like a man.” Zechariah said: “They did not listen to my son, and I will not hear them, says the Lord.” And Hosea said, “Thus says the Lord: My flesh is of them.”

They also prophesied his suffering, saying, as Isaiah said: “Woe to their soul! For they made a council of evil, saying, “Let us bind the righteous.” And the same prophet also said: “Thus says the Lord: “...I do not resist, I will not speak contrary. I gave my backbone to be wounded, and my cheeks to be slaughtered, and I did not turn away my face from abuse and spitting." Jeremiah said: “Come, let us put the tree for his food and tear his life out of the ground.” Moses said about his crucifixion: “See your life hanging before your eyes.” And David said: “Why are the nations in turmoil?” Isaiah said: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.” Ezra said: “Blessed is he who stretched out his hands and saved Jerusalem.”

And about the resurrection David said: “Arise, O God, judge the earth, for you will inherit among all nations.” And again: “It is as if the Lord arose from sleep.” And again: “May God rise again, and may his enemies be scattered.” And again: “Arise, O Lord my God, that thy hand may be exalted.” Isaiah said: “You who have gone down into the land of the shadow of death, light will shine on you.” Zechariah said: “And you, for the sake of the blood of your covenant, freed your prisoners from the pit in which there was no water.”

And they prophesied a lot about him, and everything came true.”

Vladimir asked: “When did this come true? And did all this come true? Or will it only come true now?” The philosopher answered him: “All this had already come true when he became incarnate. As I already said, when the Jews beat the prophets, and their kings transgressed the laws, (God) handed them over to be plundered, and were taken captive to Assyria for their sins, and were in slavery there for 70 years. And then they returned to their land, and they did not have a king, but the bishops ruled over them until the foreigner Herod began to rule over them.

During the reign of this latter, in the year 5500, Gabriel was sent to Nazareth to the Virgin Mary, who was born in the tribe of David, to say to her: “Rejoice, joyful one. The Lord is with you! And from these words she conceived the Word of God in her womb, and gave birth to a son, and named him Jesus. And then the wise men came from the east, saying: “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For they saw his star in the east and came to worship him.” Hearing about this, King Herod came into confusion, and all Jerusalem with him, and, calling the scribes and elders, asked them: “Where is Christ born?” They answered him: “In Jewish Bethlehem.” Herod, hearing this, sent with the order: “Beat all babies under two years old.” They went and destroyed the babies, and Mary, frightened, hid the baby. Then Joseph and Mary, taking the baby, fled to Egypt, where they stayed until the death of Herod. In Egypt, an angel appeared to Joseph and said: “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel.” And, returning, he settled in Nazareth. When Jesus grew up and was 30 years old, he began to work miracles and preach the kingdom of heaven. And he chose 12, and called them his disciples, and began to perform great miracles - raising the dead, cleansing lepers, healing the lame, giving sight to the blind - and many other great miracles that the former prophets predicted about him, saying: “He healed our ailments and took our illnesses upon himself.” And he was baptized in the Jordan by John, showing renewal to new people. When he was baptized, the heavens were opened, and the Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and a voice said: “Behold my beloved son, whom I have been pleased with.” And he sent his disciples to preach the kingdom of heaven and repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And he was going to fulfill the prophecy, and began to preach about how it was fitting for the son of man to suffer, be crucified, and rise on the third day. When he taught in church, the bishops and scribes were filled with envy and wanted to kill him, and, seizing him, they took him to the governor Pilate. Pilate, having realized that they had brought him without guilt, wanted to let him go. They told him: “If you let this one go, you will not be Caesar’s friend.” Then Pilate ordered him to be crucified. They took Jesus and led him to the place of execution, and there they crucified him. There was darkness throughout the entire earth from the sixth hour to the ninth, and at the ninth hour Jesus gave up his spirit, the Church curtain was torn in two, many dead rose up, whom he commanded to enter heaven. They took him down from the cross, put him in a coffin, and the Jews sealed the coffin with seals, set a guard, saying: “Lest his disciples steal him.” He rose again on the third day. Having risen from the dead, he appeared to his disciples and told them: “Go to all nations and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” He stayed with them for 40 days, coming to them after his resurrection. When 40 days had passed, he commanded them to go to the Mount of Olives. And then he appeared to them, and blessed them, and said: “Be in the city of Jerusalem until I send you the promise of my father.” And having said this, he ascended to heaven, and they bowed to him. And they returned to Jerusalem, and were always in the church. After fifty days, the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. And when they received the promise of the Holy Spirit, they dispersed throughout the world, teaching and baptizing with water.”

Vladimir asked: “Why was he born of a wife, crucified on a tree and baptized with water?” The philosopher answered him: “That’s why. At first, the human race sinned with a wife: the devil deceived Adam with Eve, and he lost paradise, and so God took revenge: through the wife there was the initial victory of the devil, because of the wife Adam was initially expelled from paradise; God also became incarnate through his wife and commanded the faithful to enter heaven. And he was crucified on the tree because Adam ate from the tree and because of it he was expelled from paradise; God accepted suffering on the tree, so that the devil would be defeated by the tree, and the righteous would be saved by the tree of life. And renewal by water took place because under Noah, when people’s sins multiplied, God brought a flood to the earth and drowned people with water; That’s why God said: “Just as I destroyed people with water for their sins, so now again with water I will cleanse people from their sins - the water of renewal”; for the Jews in the sea were cleansed from the Egyptian evil disposition, for water was created first; it is said: the Spirit of God hovered over the waters, and therefore they are now baptized with water and spirit. The first transformation was also by water, to which Gideon gave a prototype in the following way: when an angel came to him, telling him to go to Madimian, he, testing, turned to God, laying a fleece on the threshing floor, and said: “If there is dew on all the earth, and the fleece is dry..." And so it was. This was also a prototype that all other countries were previously without dew, and the Jews were without fleece, but after that dew fell on other countries, which is holy baptism, and the Jews were left without dew. And the prophets predicted that renewal would come through water. When the apostles taught the universe to believe in God, we, the Greeks, accepted their teaching, and the universe believes their teaching. God also established one day, on which, having descended from heaven, He will judge the living and the dead and will reward everyone according to their deeds: to the righteous - the kingdom of heaven, indescribable beauty, endless joy and eternal immortality; for sinners - fiery torment, a never-ending worm and torment without end. Such will be the torment of those who do not believe our God Jesus Christ: those who are not baptized will be tormented by fire.”

And, having said this, the philosopher showed Vladimir the curtain on which the judgment seat of the Lord was depicted, pointed out to him the righteous on the right, going to heaven in joy, and the sinners on the left, going to torment. Vladimir, sighing, said: “It’s good for those on the right, woe to those on the left.” The philosopher said: “If you want to stand on the right side of the righteous, then be baptized.” This sank into Vladimir’s heart, and he said: “I’ll wait a little longer,” wanting to find out about all the faiths. And Vladimir gave him many gifts and released him with great honor.

Per year 6495 (987). Vladimir summoned his boyars and city elders and told them: “The Bulgarians came to me, saying: “Accept our law.” Then the Germans came and praised their law. The Jews came for them. After all, the Greeks came, scolding all the laws and praising their own, and they spoke a lot, telling from the beginning of the world, about the existence of the whole world. They speak wisely, and it is wonderful to hear them, and everyone loves to listen to them, they also talk about another world: if someone, they say, converts to our faith, then, having died, he will rise again, and he will not die forever; if it is in a different law, then in the next world he will burn in fire. What do you recommend? What will you answer? And the boyars and elders said: “Know, prince, that no one scolds his own, but praises him. If you want to truly find out everything, then you have husbands: send them, find out who has what service and who serves God in what way.” And their prince and all the people liked their speech; They chose 10 glorious and intelligent men, and told them: “Go first to the Bulgarians and test their faith.” They set out, and when they came to them, they saw their bad deeds and worship in the mosque, and returned to their land. And Vladimir told them: “Go again to the Germans, look out and they have everything, and from there go to the Greek land.” They came to the Germans, saw their church service, and then came to Constantinople and appeared before the Tsar. The king asked them: “Why did you come?” They told him everything. Hearing this, the king rejoiced and on the same day did them great honors. The next day he sent to the patriarch, saying to him: “The Russians have come to find out about our faith, prepare the clergy and dress yourself in the holy vestments so that they can see the glory of our God.” Hearing about this, the patriarch ordered to convene the clergy, performed a festive service according to custom, and censers were lit, and singing and choirs were organized. And he went with the Russians to the church, and they placed them in the best place, showing them the beauty of the church, the singing and the hierarchal service, the presence of the deacons, and telling them about serving their God. They were in admiration, marveled and praised their service. And kings Vasily and Constantine called them and said to them: “Go to your land,” and they sent them away with great gifts and honor. They returned to their land. And the prince called his boyars and elders, and Vladimir said: “The men we sent have come, let’s listen to everything that happened to them,” and he turned to the ambassadors: “Speak before the squad.” They said: “We went to Bulgaria, watched how they prayed in the temple, that is, in the mosque, standing there without a belt; Having bowed, he sits down and looks here and there like a madman, and there is no joy in them, only sadness and a great stench. Their law is not good. And we came to the Germans, and saw various services in their churches, but we did not see any beauty. And we came to the Greek land, and led us to where they serve their God, and we did not know whether we were in heaven or on earth: for there is no such spectacle and such beauty on earth, and we do not know how to tell about it - We only know that God is with the people there, and their service is better than in all other countries. We cannot forget that beauty, for every person, if he tastes the sweet, will not then take the bitter; So we can no longer stay here.” The boyars said: “If the Greek law had been bad, then your grandmother Olga would not have accepted it, but she was the wisest of all people.” And Vladimir asked: “Where will we be baptized?” They said: “Where you like.”

And when a year passed, in 6496 (988) Vladimir went with an army to Korsun, a Greek city, and the Korsunites shut themselves up in the city. And Vladimir stood on the other side of the city at the pier, within an arrow's flight from the city, and they fought hard from the city. Vladimir besieged the city. People in the city began to become exhausted, and Vladimir said to the townspeople: “If you don’t give up, then I’ll stand idle for three years.” They did not listen to him, but Vladimir, having prepared his army, ordered an embankment to be poured to the city walls. And when they poured it, they, the Korsunites, dug under the city wall, stole the poured earth, and carried it into the city, and dumped it in the middle of the city. The soldiers sprinkled even more, and Vladimir stood. And then a certain Korsun man, named Anastas, shot an arrow, writing on it: “Dig up and take over the water, it comes through pipes from the wells that are behind you from the east.” Vladimir, having heard about this, looked at the sky and said: “If this comes true, I myself will be baptized!” And he immediately ordered to dig across the pipes and took over the water. The people were exhausted from thirst and gave up. Vladimir entered the city with his retinue and sent to the kings Vasily and Constantine to say: “Your glorious city has already been taken; I heard that you have a maiden sister; If you don’t give it up for me, then I will do to your capital the same as I did to this city.” And when the kings heard this, they were saddened and sent him the following message: “It is not fitting for Christians to marry their wives to pagans. If you are baptized, then you will receive it, and you will receive the kingdom of heaven, and you will be of the same faith with us. If you don’t do this, then we won’t be able to marry your sister to you.” Hearing this, Vladimir said to those sent to him from the kings: “Tell your kings this way: I am baptized, for I have already tested your law and I love your faith and worship, which the men we sent told me about.” And the kings were glad when they heard this, and begged their sister, named Anna, and sent them to Vladimir, saying: “Be baptized, and then we will send our sister to you.” Vladimir answered: “Let those who came with your sister baptize me.” And the kings listened and sent their sister, dignitaries and elders. She didn’t want to go, saying: “I’m walking like crazy, it would be better for me to die here.” And the brothers said to her: “Perhaps by you God will turn the Russian land to repentance, and you will save the Greek land from a terrible war. Do you see how much evil Rus' has done to the Greeks? Now, if you don’t go, they will do the same to us.” And they barely forced her. She boarded the ship, said goodbye to her neighbors with tears, and set off across the sea. And she came to Korsun, and the Korsun people came out to meet her with a bow, and brought her into the city, and sat her in a chamber. By divine providence, Vladimir’s eyes were hurt at that time, and he couldn’t see anything, and he grieved greatly, and didn’t know what to do. And the queen sent to him to say: “If you want to get rid of this disease, then be baptized quickly; If you don’t get baptized, you won’t be able to get rid of your illness.” Hearing this, Vladimir said: “If this really comes true, then the Christian God is truly great.” And he ordered himself to be baptized. The bishop of Korsun with the Tsarina’s priests, having announced, baptized Vladimir. And when he laid his hand on him, he immediately received his sight. Vladimir, feeling his sudden healing, glorified God: “Now I have recognized the true God.” Many of the warriors, seeing this, were baptized. He was baptized in the church of St. Basil, and that church stands in the city of Korsun in the middle of the city, where the Korsun people gather for bargaining; Vladimir’s chamber stands on the edge of the church to this day, and the Tsarina’s chamber is behind the altar. After the baptism, the queen was brought in for the marriage. Those who do not know the truth say that Vladimir was baptized in Kyiv, while others say in Vasilevo, and others will say differently. When Vladimir was baptized and taught him the Christian faith, they told him this: “Let no heretics deceive you, but believe, saying this: “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth” - and to the end this is a symbol of faith. And again: “I believe in one God the Father unbegotten and in one Son begotten, in one Holy Spirit proceeding: three perfect natures, mental, separated in number and nature, but not in the divine essence: for God is divided inseparably and united without confusion, The Father, God the Father, eternally existing, abides in fatherhood, unbegotten, without beginning, the beginning and first cause of everything, only by his unbegetting he is older than the Son and the Spirit; from him the Son is born before all times. The Holy Spirit proceeds outside of time and outside of the body; together there is the Father, together the Son, together the Holy Spirit. The Son is subordinate to the Father, differing only in birth from the Father and the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is like the Father and the Son and eternally coexists with them. For to the Father is fatherhood, to the Son is sonship, and to the Holy Spirit is procession. Neither the Father passes into the Son or the Spirit, nor the Son into the Father or the Spirit, nor the Spirit into the Son or into the Father: for their properties are unchanged... Not three Gods, but one God, since the deity is one in three persons. By the desire of the Father and the Spirit to save his creation, without changing the human seed, he descended and entered, as a divine seed, into the most pure virgin’s bed and took on animate, verbal and mental flesh, which had not existed before, and God incarnate appeared, was born in an indescribable way, preserving indestructible the virginity of the mother, having undergone neither confusion, nor confusion, nor change, but remaining as it was, and becoming what it was not, taking on the appearance of a slave - in fact, and not in the imagination, to everyone except sin, appearing like us (people). .. He was born of his own free will, he felt hungry of his own will, he felt thirst of his own free will, he was sad of his own free will, he was afraid of his own free will, he died of his own free will - he died in reality, and not in the imagination; He experienced all the genuine torments inherent in human nature. When he was crucified and tasted death, a sinless one, he rose again in his own body, not knowing corruption, ascended into heaven, and sat down to the right of the Father, and will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; as he ascended with his flesh, so he will descend... I confess the same baptism with water and spirit, I approach the most pure mysteries, I truly believe in body and blood... I accept church traditions and venerate the most venerable icons, I venerate the most venerable tree and every cross, holy relics and sacred vessels. I also believe in the seven councils of the holy fathers, of which the first was in Nicaea 318 fathers, who cursed Arius and preached the immaculate and right faith. The Second Council in Constantinople of 150 holy fathers who cursed the Doukhobor Macedonius, who preached the consubstantial Trinity. The third council in Ephesus, 200 holy fathers against Nestorius, having cursed him, preached the Holy Mother of God. The Fourth Council in Chalcedon 630 holy fathers against Eutuchus and Dioscorus, whom the holy fathers cursed, proclaiming our Lord Jesus Christ as perfect God and perfect man, The Fifth Council in Constantinople 165 holy fathers against the teachings of Origen and against Evagrius, whom the holy fathers cursed. Sixth Council in Constantinople 170 holy fathers against Sergius and Kur, cursed by the holy fathers. Seventh Council of Nicaea 350 holy fathers who cursed those who do not worship the holy icons.”

Do not accept the teachings from the Latins - their teaching is distorted: when they enter the church, they do not worship icons, but, standing, they bow and, having bowed, write a cross on the ground, and kiss, and when they get up, they stand on it with their feet - so that when they lie down , they kiss him, and when they get up, they trample on him. The apostles did not teach this; the apostles taught to kiss the erected cross and honor icons. For Luke the Evangelist was the first to paint the icon and send it to Rome. As Vasily says: “The honoring of the icon goes to its prototype. Moreover, they call the earth mother. If the earth is their mother, then their father is heaven; from the beginning God created heaven, and likewise the earth. So they say: “Our Father, who art in heaven.” If, in their opinion, the earth is the mother, then why do you spit on your mother? Do you immediately kiss and desecrate her? The Romans had not done this before, but they decreed correctly at all councils, converging from Rome and from all dioceses. At the first council in Nicaea against Arius (pope), the Roman Sylvester sent bishops and presbyters, from Alexandria Athanasius, and from Constantinople Mitrofan sent bishops from himself and thus corrected the faith. At the second council - from Rome Damasus, and from Alexandria Timothy, from Antioch Meletius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory the Theologian. At the third council - Celestine of Rome, Cyril of Alexandria, Juvenal of Jerusalem. At the fourth council - Leo of Rome, Anatoly of Constantinople, Juvenal of Jerusalem. At the fifth council - the Roman Vigilius, Eutychius of Constantinople, Apollinaris of Alexandria, Domninus of Antioch. At the sixth council - Agathon from Rome, George from Constantinople, Theophan of Antioch, and monk Peter from Alexandria. At the seventh council - Adrian from Rome, Tarasius from Constantinople, Politian of Alexandria, Theodoret of Antioch, Elijah of Jerusalem. They all met with their bishops, strengthening their faith. After this last council, Peter the Great entered Rome with others, seized the throne and corrupted the faith, rejecting the throne of Jerusalem, Alexandria, Constantinople and Antioch. They outraged all of Italy, spreading their teachings everywhere. Some priests serve while married to only one wife, while others serve after being married up to seven times; and one should beware of their teaching. They also forgive sins during the offering of gifts, which is worst of all. May God protect you from this."

After all this, Vladimir took the queen, and Anastas, and the priests of Korsun with the relics of St. Clement, and Thebes, his disciple, took both church vessels and icons for blessing. He also built a church in Korsun on a mountain, which they built in the middle of the city, stealing the earth from the embankment: that church still stands today. Setting out, he captured two copper idols and four copper horses, which even now stand behind the Church of the Holy Mother of God and about which the ignorant think that they are marble. Korsun gave it to the Greeks as a vein for the queen, and he himself returned to Kyiv. And when he arrived, he ordered the idols to be overturned - some to be chopped up, and others to be burned. Perun ordered that the horse be tied to the tail and dragged from the mountain along the Borichev road to the Stream and ordered 12 men to beat him with sticks. This was done not because the tree felt anything, but to reproach the demon who deceived people in this image - so that he would accept retribution from people. “Great are you, O Lord, and wonderful are your works!” Yesterday he was still honored by people, but today he is scolded. When Perun was dragged along the Stream to the Dnieper, the infidels mourned him, since they had not yet received holy baptism. And, having dragged it, they threw it into the Dnieper. And Vladimir assigned people to him, telling them: “If he lands somewhere on the shore, push him away. And when the rapids pass, then just leave him.” They did what they were ordered. And when they let Perun in and he passed the rapids, the wind threw him onto the sandbank, and that’s why the place became known as the Perunya Shoal, as it is called to this day. Then Vladimir sent throughout the city to say: “If someone does not come to the river tomorrow - be it rich, or poor, or beggar, or slave - he will be my enemy.” Hearing this, the people went with joy, rejoicing and saying: “If this were not good, our prince and the boyars would not have accepted it.” The very next day, Vladimir went out with the priests of Tsaritsyn and Korsun to the Dnieper, and countless people gathered there. They entered the water and stood there, some up to their necks, others up to their chests, the young ones near the shore up to their chests, some holding babies, and the adults wandering around, while the priests, standing, said prayers. And joy was visible in heaven and on earth over so many souls being saved; and he said, groaning: “Woe is me! I'm driven out of here! Here I thought I would find a home for myself, for there was no apostolic teaching here, they did not know God here, but I rejoiced in the service of those who served me. And now I am defeated by the ignorant, and not by the apostles and not by the martyrs; I will no longer be able to reign in these countries.” The people, having been baptized, went home. Vladimir was glad that he knew God himself and his people, looked up to heaven and said: “Christ God, who created heaven and earth! Look at these new people and let them, Lord, know you, the true God, just as Christian countries have known you. Establish in them correct and unwavering faith, and help me, Lord, against the devil, so that I may overcome his wiles, trusting in you and in your strength.” And having said this, he ordered the churches to be cut down and placed in the places where the idols had previously stood. And he built a church in the name of St. Basil on the hill where the idol of Perun and others stood and where the prince and the people performed their services for them. And in other cities they began to build churches and appoint priests in them and bring people to baptism in all cities and villages. He sent to collect children from the best people and send them to book education. The mothers of these children wept for them; for they were not yet established in the faith and wept over them as if they were dead.

When they were given bookish teaching, the prophecy in Rus' came true, which said: “In those days the deaf words of the book will be heard, and the tongue of the tongue-tied will be clear.” They had not heard the teachings of the books before, but according to God’s dispensation and by His mercy, God had mercy on them; as the prophet said: “I will have mercy on whomever I want.” For he had mercy on us through holy baptism and renewal of the spirit, according to God’s will, and not according to our works. Blessed be the Lord, who loved the Russian land and enlightened it with holy baptism. That is why we worship him, saying: “Lord Jesus Christ! How can I repay you for everything that you have given to us sinners? We do not know what reward to give you for your gifts. “For great art thou, and marvelous are thy works: there is no limit to thy greatness. Generation after generation will praise your deeds.” I will say with David: “Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us shout to our God and Savior. Let us come before his face with praise."; "Praise Him, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.”, because "delivered us from our enemies"(), that is, from pagan idols. And we will also say with David: “Sing a new song to the Lord; sing to the Lord, all the earth; sing to the Lord, bless His name, preach His salvation day by day. Proclaim His glory among the nations, His wonders among all people, for the Lord is great and greatly to be praised.” (), "And there is no end to his greatness"(). What a joy! Not one or two are saved. The Lord said: “There is joy in heaven over one repentant sinner” (). Here, not one or two, but countless numbers approached God, enlightened by holy baptism. As the prophet said: “I will sprinkle you with clean water, and be cleansed both from your idolatry and from your sins.” Another prophet also said: "Who is God like you, forgiving sins and not imputing a crime..? for he who wills it is merciful. He will convert and will have mercy on us... and will cast our sins into the depths of the sea.”(). For the Apostle Paul says: “Brothers! All of us who were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death; Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”(). And further: “The ancient is gone, now everything is new” (). “Now salvation has come near us... the night has passed and the day has drawn near”(). Let us cry out to the Lord our God: “Blessed be the Lord, who did not give us as prey to their teeth!.. The snare was broken, and we were delivered.” from the devil's deception (). “And their memory disappeared with a noise, but the Lord abides forever."(), glorified by Russian sons, glorified in the Trinity, and demons are cursed by faithful husbands and faithful wives who accepted baptism and repentance for the remission of sins - new Christian people, chosen by God."

Vladimir himself was enlightened, and his sons, and his land. He had 12 sons: Vysheslav, Izyaslav, Yaroslav, Svyatopolk, Vsevolod, Svyatoslav, Mstislav, Boris, Gleb, Stanislav, Pozvizd, Sudislav. And he planted Vysheslav in Novgorod, Izyaslav in Polotsk, and Svyatopolk in Turov, and Yaroslav in Rostov. When the eldest Vysheslav died in Novgorod, he planted Yaroslav in it, and Boris in Rostov, and Gleb in Murom, Svyatoslav in the Drevlyansky land, Vsevolod in Vladimir, Mstislav in Tmutarakan. And Vladimir said: “It’s not good that there are few cities near Kyiv.” And he began to build cities along the Desna, and along Ostro, and along Trubezh, and along Sula, and along Stugna. And he began to recruit the best men from the Slavs, and from the Krivichi, and from Chud, and from the Vyatichi, and he populated the cities with them, since there was a war with the Pechenegs. And he fought with them and defeated them.

Per year 6497 (989). After this, Vladimir lived in Christian law, and planned to create a church of the Most Holy Theotokos, and sent to bring craftsmen from the Greek land. And he began to build it, and when he finished building, he decorated it with icons, and entrusted it to Anastas of Korsun, and appointed Korsun priests to serve in it, giving it everything that he had taken before in Korsun: icons, vessels and crosses.

Per year 6499 (991). Vladimir founded the city of Belgorod, and recruited people for it from other cities, and brought many people to it, because he loved that city.

6500 (992) per year. Vladimir went against the Croats. When he returned from the Croatian war, the Pechenegs arrived on the other side of the Dnieper from Sula; Vladimir opposed them and met them at Trubezh at the ford, where Pereyaslavl is now. And Vladimir stood on this side, and the Pechenegs on that side, and ours did not dare to cross to that side, nor those to this. And the Pechenezh prince drove up to the river, called Vladimir and told him: “Let your husband out, and I let them fight. If your husband throws mine to the ground, then we will not fight for three years; If our husband leaves yours on the ground, then we will ruin you for three years.” And they separated. Vladimir, returning to his camp, sent heralds around the camp with the words: “Is there such a man who would fight the Pechenegs?” And couldn't be found anywhere. The next morning the Pechenegs arrived and brought their husband, but ours did not have it. And Vladimir began to grieve, sending his entire army, and one old husband came to the prince and said to him: “Prince! I have one younger son at home; I went out with four, and he stayed at home. Since childhood, no one has thrown him to the ground. Once I scolded him, and he kneaded the skin, so he got angry with me and tore the skin with his hands.” Hearing about this, the prince was delighted, and they sent for him, and brought him to the prince, and the prince told him everything. He answered: “Prince! I don’t know if I can fight him, but test me: is there a big and strong bull?” And they found a bull, big and strong, and he ordered to enrage the bull; They laid a red-hot iron on him and let the bull go. And the bull ran past him, and grabbed the bull by the side with his hand and tore out the skin and meat, as much as his hand grabbed. And Vladimir told him: “You can fight him.” The next morning the Pechenegs came and began to call: “Where is the husband? Ours is ready!” Vladimir ordered that same night to put on armor, and both sides met. The Pechenegs released their husband: he was very big and scary. And Vladimir’s husband stepped out, and the Pechenegs saw him and laughed, for he was of average height. And they measured the space between both armies and sent them against each other. And they grabbed each other and began to squeeze each other tightly, and Pechenezhin’s husband strangled him to death with his hands. And threw him to the ground. And our people called, and the Pechenegs ran, and the Russians chased after them, beating them, and drove them away. Vladimir was delighted and founded a city at that ford and called it Pereyaslavl, for that youth took over the glory. And Vladimir made him a great man, and his father too. And Vladimir returned to Kyiv with victory and great glory.

Per year 6502 (994).

Per year 6503 (995).

Per year 6504 (996). Vladimir saw that the church had been built, entered it and prayed to God, saying: “Lord God! Look from the sky and behold. And visit your garden. And complete what your right hand has planted - these new people, whose hearts you have turned to the truth, to know you, the true God. Look at your church, which I, your unworthy servant, created, in the name of the ever-virgin Mother of God who gave birth to you. If anyone prays in this church, then hear his prayer, for the sake of the prayer of the Most Pure Mother of God.” And, having prayed to God, he said this: “I give the church of this holy Mother of God a tenth of the wealth of mine and my cities.” And he ordered it this way, writing a spell in this church, saying: “If anyone cancels this, let him be cursed.” And he gave a tenth to Anastas Korsunyan. And on that day he organized a great holiday for the boyars and elders of the city, and distributed a lot of wealth to the poor.

After this, the Pechenegs came to Vasilev, and Vladimir came out against them with a small squad. And they came together, and Vladimir could not resist them, he ran and stood under the bridge, barely hiding from the enemies. And then Vladimir promised to build a church in Vasilevo in the name of the Holy Transfiguration, for it was on the day when that slaughter took place, the Transfiguration of the Lord. Having escaped danger, Vladimir built a church and held a great celebration, brewing 300 measures of honey. And he called his boyars, mayors and elders from all the cities and many people, and distributed 300 hryvnia to the poor. The prince celebrated for eight days, and returned to Kyiv on the day of the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God, and here again he organized a great celebration, summoning countless people. Seeing that his people were Christians, he rejoiced in soul and body. And he did this all the time. And since he loved reading books, he one day heard the Gospel: "Blessed are the merciful, for those(); He also heard the words of Solomon: “He who gives to the poor lends to God” (). Hearing all this, he ordered every beggar and needy person to come to the prince’s court and take everything they needed, drink and food, and money from the treasury. He also arranged this: saying that “the weak and sick cannot get to my yard,” he ordered carts to be equipped and, putting on them bread, meat, fish, various fruits, honey in barrels, and kvass in others, to be transported around the city, asking, “Where is the sick, the beggar, or the one who cannot walk?” And they distributed everything they needed. And he did something even more for his people: every Sunday he decided to organize a feast in his courtyard in the gridnice, so that the boyars, and gridians, and sotskys, and tenths, and the best men would come there - both with the prince and without the prince. There was a lot of meat there - beef and game - everything was in abundance. When they got drunk, they would begin to grumble against the prince, saying: “Woe to our heads: he gave us wooden spoons to eat, not silver.” Hearing this, Vladimir ordered to look for silver spoons, saying: “I won’t find a squad with silver and gold, but with a squad I will get silver and gold, just as my grandfather and father with a squad looked for gold and silver.” For Vladimir loved the squad and consulted with them about the structure of the country, and about the war, and about the laws of the country, and lived in peace with the surrounding princes - with Boleslav of Poland, and with Stephen of Hungary, and with Andrew of Bohemia. And there was peace and love between them. Vladimir lived in the fear of God. And the robberies increased greatly, and the bishops said to Vladimir: “Behold, the robbers have multiplied; Why don’t you execute them?” He answered: “I’m afraid of sin.” They said to him: “You have been appointed by God to punish the evil, and to show mercy to the good. You should execute the robbers, but after investigating.” Vladimir rejected the Virs and began to execute the robbers, and the bishops and elders said: “We have many wars; if we had money, it would be used for weapons and horses.” And Vladimir said: “So be it.” And Vladimir lived according to the behests of his father and grandfather.

Per year 6505 (997). Vladimir went to Novgorod for northern warriors against the Pechenegs, since at that time there was a continuous great war. The Pechenegs found out that there was no prince, they came and stood near Belgorod. And they did not allow them to leave the city, and there was a strong famine in the city, and Vladimir could not help, since he had no soldiers, and there were many Pechenegs. And the siege of the city dragged on, and there was severe famine. And they gathered a veche in the city and said: “We will soon die of hunger, but there is no help from the prince. Is it better for us to die like this? Let's surrender to the Pechenegs - some will be left alive and some will be killed; We’re still dying of hunger.” And so they decided at the meeting. There was one elder who was not at that meeting, and he asked: “What was the meeting about?” And the people told him that tomorrow they wanted to surrender to the Pechenegs. Hearing about this, he sent for the city elders and told them: “I heard that you want to surrender to the Pechenegs.” They answered: “People will not tolerate hunger.” And he said to them: “Listen to me, do not give up for three more days and do what I tell you.” They happily promised to obey. And he said to them: “Gather at least a handful of oats, wheat or bran.” They happily went and collected. And he ordered the women to make a chatterbox, which they use to cook jelly, and ordered them to dig a well and insert a tub into it, and pour it into the chatterbox. And he ordered to dig another well and insert a tub into it, and ordered to look for honey. They went and took a basket of honey, which was hidden in the prince's medusha. And he ordered that a sweet meal be made from it and poured into a tub in another well. The very next day he ordered to send for the Pechenegs. And the townspeople said, having come to the Pechenegs: “Take hostages from us, and enter about ten people into the city to see what is happening in our city.” The Pechenegs were delighted, thinking that they wanted to surrender to them, took hostages, and they themselves chose the best husbands in their clans and sent them to the city to see what was happening in the city. And they came to the city, and the people said to them: “Why are you destroying yourselves? Can you stand us? If you stand there for 10 years, what will you do to us? For we have food from the earth. If you don’t believe me, then see with your own eyes.” And they led them to the well, where there was a jelly jar, and they scooped them up with a bucket and poured them into patches. And when they had cooked the jelly, they took it, and came with them to another well, and drew their fill from the well, and began to eat first themselves, and then the Pechenegs. And they were surprised and said: “Our princes will not believe us unless they taste it themselves.” The people poured them a pot of jelly and fed them from the well and gave them to the Pechenegs. They returned and told everything that had happened. And, having cooked it, the Pecheneg princes ate it and marveled. And taking their hostages and letting the Belgorod ones go, they got up and went home from the city.

Per year 6506 (998).

Per year 6507 (999).

6508 (1000) per year. Malfrida passed away. That same summer, Rogneda, Yaroslav’s mother, also died.

6509 (1001) per year. Izyaslav, father of Bryachislav, son of Vladimir, passed away.

6510 (1002) per year.

6511 (1003) per year. Vseslav, son of Izyaslav, grandson of Vladimir, passed away.

Per year 6512 (1004).

6513 (1005) per year.

Per year 6514 (1006).

6515 (1007) per year. The saints were transferred to the Church of the Holy Mother of God.

6516 (1008) per year.

6517 (1009) per year.

6518 (1010) per year.

6519 (1011) per year. Queen Anna of Vladimir passed away.

6520 (1012) per year.

Per year 6521 (1013).

Per year 6522 (1014). When Yaroslav was in Novgorod, he gave, according to the condition, two thousand hryvnia to Kyiv from year to year, and distributed a thousand to the squad in Novgorod. And so all the Novgorod mayors gave this, but Yaroslav did not give this to his father in Kyiv. And Vladimir said: “Clear the paths and pave the bridges,” for he wanted to go to war against Yaroslav, against his son, but he got sick.

6523 (1015) per year. When Vladimir was about to go against Yaroslav, Yaroslav, sending overseas, brought the Varangians, because he was afraid of his father; but God did not give joy. When Vladimir fell ill, Boris was with him at that time. Meanwhile, the Pechenegs went on a campaign against Rus', Vladimir sent Boris against them, and he himself became very ill; of this illness and died on the fifteenth day of July. He died on Berestov, and his death was concealed, since Svyatopolk was in Kyiv. At night they dismantled the platform between the two cages, wrapped it in a carpet and lowered it to the ground with ropes; then, placing him on a sleigh, they took him and placed him in the Church of the Holy Mother of God, which he himself had once built. Having learned about this, countless people came together and cried for him - the boyars as for the intercessor of the country, and the poor as for their intercessor and provider. And they put him in a marble coffin and buried his body, the blessed prince, with tears.

This is the new Constantine of the great Rome; just as he was baptized himself and baptized his people, so this one did the same. Even if he had previously been in evil lustful desires, he subsequently zealously repented, according to the words of the apostle: “Where multiply, grace abounds there"(). It is worthy of surprise how much good he did for the Russian land by baptizing it. We Christians do not give him honors equal to his deed. For if he had not baptized us, then even now we would still be in the devil’s error, in which our first parents perished. If we had been diligent and prayed to God for him on the day of his death, then God, seeing how we honor him, would have glorified him: after all, we should pray to God for him, since through him we came to know God. May the Lord reward you according to your desire and fulfill all your requests - for the kingdom of heaven, which you wanted. May the Lord crown you together with the righteous, reward you with the delight of heavenly food and rejoicing with Abraham and other patriarchs, according to the word of Solomon: “Hope will not perish from the righteous” ().

The Russian people honor his memory, remembering holy baptism, and glorify God with prayers, songs and psalms, singing them to the Lord, new people, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, awaiting our hope, the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; He will come to reward everyone according to their labors with the inexpressible joy that all Christians are to receive.

What was the genre of chronicle in ancient Russian literature? The chronicle genre is a type of narrative literature in Russia of the 11th-17th centuries. These were weather (by year) records or a collection of various works, both all-Russian and local. The word summer (year) determined the sequence of records. Having recorded the events of one year, the chronicler designated that year and moved on to the next. Thus, a consistent picture of life events ended up in the hands of descendants. “The Tale of Bygone Years” is an all-Russian chronicle. How was the chronicle created? The chronicler monk wrote down the most important events day by day, indicating when they happened. Thus, history with its troubles and joys left its mark in the monastery cells. Unnamed chroniclers help us imagine the past: the chronicles include the lives of saints, the texts of treaties, and teachings. The chronicle code turned into a kind of textbook of wisdom. A special place in Russian chronicles is occupied by the “Tale of Bygone Years,” created in the 10s of the 12th century by the monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery Nestor. What is The Tale of Bygone Years about? Nestor defined his tasks as follows: “...where did the Russian land come from, who became the first to reign in Kyiv and how did the Russian land come into being.” In “The Tale...” the main theme is the theme of the Motherland. It is she who dictates the chronicler’s assessment of events: the need for harmony between the princes is affirmed, the discord between them is condemned, and a call is made for unity in the fight against external enemies. The events of history follow each other. The history of the reign of all rulers contains both a description of events and an assessment of their actions. Retell an excerpt from the chronicle from the perspective of Prince Oleg. In the textbook there is a story about the death of Prince Oleg from his horse. It is impossible to retell it entirely from the prince’s perspective, but up to the point where he dies from a snake bite, it is possible. “For many years I lived in peace with my neighbors, and for many years my beloved horse carried me along the roads of my homeland. But one day the magicians predicted my death from this horse, and I decided to part with it. I regretted that I would never sit on it again or even see it again. When, after a long hike, I returned home and found out that my horse had died long ago, I laughed at the words of the magician. Then I decided to see the horse's bones." We can finish our story here, since it is impossible to continue it further on behalf of Oleg - we know that the prince died from the bite of a snake that crawled out of the skull of his horse. What can attract a modern reader in the chronicle narrative? The chronicle attracts readers with the perfection of its form, which conveys to us the manner of narration of a distant era, but even more so because it tells us about the events of a distant time, about people and their