Anthology of Russian literature from the earliest period to the present time, volume 1 (of 2) : $b From the tenth century to the close of the eighteenth centuryWiener, Leo
General
Anthology of Russian literature from the earliest period to the present time, volume 1 (of 2) : $b From the tenth century to the close of the eighteenth century
Wiener, Leo
Russia -- Literary collections; Russian literature -- Translations into English
A Korsún man, by the name of Nastás, shot an arrow upon which was
written as follows: “It is by the wells that are behind you in the
east, that the water is led by pipes into the city; dig them up, and
stop the supply!” Hearing this, Vladímir looked to the heavens and
said: “If it shall come to pass, I will be baptised,” and immediately
he ordered the pipes to be dug up, and the water was intercepted. The
people were exhausted with thirst, and they surrendered themselves.
Vladímir entered the city with his druzhína, and he sent word to the
Emperors Basil and Constantine: “I have taken your famous city. I hear
you have a sister who is still a maiden. If you will not give her to me
for a wife, I shall do unto your city as I have done unto this.”
And they heard the tsar, and were sad, and gave the following answer:
“It does not behoove Christians to give in marriage to a pagan. If you
will receive the baptism, you shall get her, and you will receive the
kingdom of heaven, and will be of one faith with us. If you do not wish
to do so, we cannot give you our sister.”
Hearing this, Vladímir said to the messengers of the Emperors: “Tell
your Emperors that I will be baptised, that I have inquired before
these days into your faith, and am pleased with your belief and divine
service, from what the men that had been sent by us have told me.”
Which when the Emperors heard, they were glad and persuaded their
sister, by the name of Anna, and sent to Vladímir saying: “Receive the
baptism, and then we will send our sister to you.”
But Vladímir answered: “Let them come with your sister to baptise me!”
The Emperors obeyed, and sent their sister and a few high officers and
presbyters. She did not want to go: “It is as if I were going into
captivity,” she said. “It were better if I died here.” And her brothers
said to her: “Perchance God will through you turn the Russian land to
repentance, and free Greece from a dire war. Do you not see how much
evil the Russians have caused to the Greeks? If you will not go, they
will do even thus to us.” They persuaded her with difficulty. She
boarded a boat, kissed her relatives under tears and went across the
sea. She arrived at Korsún, and the Korsúnians met her with honours,
and led her into the city and seated her in the palace.
By God’s will, Vladímir was at that time ailing with his eyes, and he
could not see, and was much worried. The empress sent to him saying:
“If you want to be rid of your disease, be baptised at once. If not,
you will not be rid of it.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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