Part II · IX. Reminiscences

(1) Of Vseslav.

In the seventh age of Troyan Vseslav cast his lots for the Maiden dear to him.

He with wiles at the last tore himself free: and galloped to the city of Kiev; with his weapon took hold of the golden throne of Kiev; galloped from them like a wild beast at midnight from Belgorod, swathed himself in a blue mist, rent asunder his bonds into three parts, opened wide the gates of Novgorod, shattered the Glory of Yaroslav [the First]; galloped like a wolf from Dudutki to the Nemiga.

On the Nemiga the sheaves are laid out with heads; men thresh with flails in hedgerows; on the barn-floor they spread out life; they winnow the soul from the body.

On the blood-stained Nemiga the banks were sown with bane, — sown with the bones of the sons of Russia.

Prince Vseslav was a judge to his subjects, he appointed cities for the princes: but he himself at night raced like a wolf from Kiev to the Idol [or, (accepting the reading of the text unaltered) — to the Lord] of Tmutarakan, raced, like a wolf across the path of the great Khors.

To him at Polotsk they rang the bells early for matins at Saint Sophia; and he at Kiev heard the sound.

Although his wise soul were in a hardy [or precious] body, yet he often endured misfortunes. To him thou, oh wizard Boyan, didst first thoughtfully speak the refrain: — "Neither the crafty man nor the experienced, nor a bird nor a minstrel can escape God's judgments."

(2) Of Saint Vladimir.

Ah, moan for the Russian land [ye who] remember the first epoch and the first princes!

It was useless to nail down that olden-time Vladimir to the mountains of Kiev; his banners now have become, some of them Rurik's and others of them David's; but [their banners] waver to and fro at the hafts at variance one with the other!