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
one, suffer for all of them? But Lord my God! Do not reject me to the
end, but as Thy will, O Lord, is done, so also is Thy mercy to us, Thy
slaves!”
The battle being over, the Pólovtses scattered, and went to their
tents. Ígor was captured by the Targólans, by a man named Chilbúk;
his brother Vsévolod was taken by Román Kzich, Svyatosláv Ólgovich
by Eldechyúk of the Boburchéviches, and Vladímir by Kópti of the
Ulashéviches. Then Konchák took care of Ígor on the battlefield, for
he was wounded. Of the many prisoners taken but few could run away,
God being willing, for it was not possible for anyone to escape, being
surrounded on all sides by the Pólovts army as with mighty walls; and
yet there escaped about fifteen of us Russians, and fewer Kovúans, but
the rest were drowned in the sea.
At that time Grand Prince Vsévolod’s son Svyatosláv had gone to
Koráchev[21] to collect warriors in the upper lands, wishing in the
summer to go to the Don against the Pólovtses. When Svyatosláv returned
and was at Nóvgorod Syéverski, he heard that his brothers had gone
against the Pólovtses, without his knowledge, and he was displeased.
Svyatosláv was travelling in boats, and when he arrived in Chernígov,
Byelovolód Prosóvich came to him and told him what had happened with
the Pólovtses. When Svyatosláv heard that, he sighed much and, wiping
off his tears, he said: “O beloved brothers and sons and men of the
Russian land! Oh, that God would grant me to crush the pagans! But
they, impulsive in their youth, have opened the gates into the Russian
land. The will of the Lord be on everything! However sorry I was for
Ígor, I am more sorry for Ígor, my brother!”
After that Svyatosláv sent his son Olég and Vladímir into the
Posémie,[22] for when the cities of the Posémie heard of the disaster,
they were disturbed, and there was a sorrow and heavy anguish upon
them, such as had never before been in the whole Posémie, in Nóvgorod
Syéverski and in the whole district of Chernígov. They had heard that
their princes had been taken prisoners, and the druzhína had been
captured, and killed; and they became restless, as if in turbid water,
and the cities revolted, and many had no care for their relatives,
but they renounced their souls, weeping for their princes. After that
Svyatosláv sent to David of Smolénsk, saying: “We had intended to go
against the Pólovtses, and pass the summer on the Don; but now the
Pólovtses have vanquished Ígor, and his brother with his son; now come,
brother, to protect the Russian land!” And David came to the Dnieper,
and there arrived also other help, and they stopped at Trepól, but
Yarosláv collected his troops at Chernígov.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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