Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
969–974: Olga's Death and Sviatoslav on the Danube
969–974: Olga's Death and Sviatoslav on the Danube of 46. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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В лѣто 6477. Рече Святославъ къ матери своей и къ боярам своимъ: «Не любо ми есть в Киевѣ жити, хочю жити в Переяславци в Дунаи, яко то есть среда земли моей, яко ту вся благая сходяться: от Грѣкъ паволокы, золото, вино и овощи разноличьнии, и и-Щеховъ и изъ Угоръ — серебро и комони, изъ Руси же — скора, и воскъ, и медъ и челядь». И рече ему мати: «Видиши ли мя болну сущю, камо хощеши от мене?» — бѣ бо разболѣлася уже. Рече же ему: «Погребъ мя, иди аможе хощеши». И по трехъ днехъ умре Олга. И плакася по ней сынъ ея, и внуци ея и людье вси плачемъ великим и, несъше, погребоша ю на мѣстѣ. И бѣ заповѣдала Олга не творити трызны над собою, бѣ бо имущи прозвутера, и тъ похорони блажену Олгу.
Си бысть предътекущия хрестьяньской земли, аки дѣньница пред солнцем и аки заря предъ свѣтомъ. Си бо сияше аки луна в нощи, тако и си в невѣрныхъ человѣцѣхъ свѣтяшеся аки бисеръ въ калѣ: калнѣ бо бѣша грѣхом, не омовени святымъ кресщением. Си бо омыся святою купѣлью, съвлечеся грѣховныя одежда ветхаго человѣка Адама, и въ новый Адамъ облѣчеся, еже есть Христосъ. Мы же речемъ къ ней: «Радуйся, руское познание къ Богу, начатокъ примирению быхом». Си пѣрвое вниде въ царство небесное от Руси, сию бо хвалять рустии сынове акы началницю, ибо по смерти моляшеся къ Богу за Русь. Праправеднихъ бо душа не умирают, якоже рече Соломонъ: «Похваляему правѣдному възвеселятся людье», бесмертье бо есть память его, яко от Бога познавается и от человѣкъ. Се бо вси человѣци прославляют, видяще лежащю в тѣлѣ за многа лѣта, рече бо пророкъ: «Прославляюща мя прославлю». О сяковыхъ бо Давидъ глаголаше: «В память вѣчную будеть правѣдникъ, от слуха зла не убоится; готово серце его уповати на Господа, утвѣрдися сердце его и не подвижится». Соломонъ бо рече: «Праведници въ вѣкы живуть, и от Господа мьзда имъ есть и строение от Вышняго. Сего ради приимут царствие красотѣ и вѣнѣць доброты от рукы Господня, яко десницею защитить я и мышьцею покрыеть я». Защитилъ бо есть силою блаженую Ольгу от противника и супостата дьявола.
В лѣто 6478. Святославъ посади Ярополка в Кыевѣ, а Олга в Деревѣхъ. В се же время придоша людье новъгородьстии, просяще князя себѣ: «Аще не поидете к нам, то налѣземъ князя себѣ». И рече к нимъ Святославъ: «А бы кто к вам шелъ». И отпрѣся Ярополкъ и Олгъ. И рече Добрыня: «Просите Володимиря». Володимиръ бо бѣ от Малуши, милостьницѣ Ольжины; сестра же бѣ Добрыня, отець же бѣ има Малъко Любчанинъ, и бѣ Добрыня уй Володимеру. И рѣша новгородци Святославу: «Въдай ны Володимира». И пояша новгородьци Володимира себѣ, и иде Володимиръ съ Добрынею, уемъ своим, к Новугороду, а Святославъ къ Переяславцю.
В лѣто 6479. Прииде Святославъ Переяславцю, и затворишася болгаре в городѣ. И изълѣзоша болгаре на сѣчу противу Святославу, и бысть сѣча велика, и одолѣваху болгаре. И рече Святославъ воем своимъ: «Уже нам здѣ пасти, потягнемъ мужьскы, братье и дружино!». И к вечеру одолѣ Святославъ и взя город копьем, рькя: «Се городъ мой!». И посла къ грѣком, глаголя: «Хощю на вы ити и взяти городъ вашь, яко и сий». И ркоша грѣци: «Мы недужи противу вамъ стати, но возми на нас дань и на дружину свою, и повѣжьте ны, колько васъ, да вдамы по числу на головы». Се же ркоша грѣци, льстячи подъ русью: суть бо грѣци мудри и до сего дни. И рече имъ Святославъ: «Есть нас 20 тысящь» и прирече 10 тысящь, бѣ бо руси 10 тысящь толко.
И пристроиша грѣци 100 тысящь на Святослава и не даша дани. И поиде Святославъ на грѣкы, и изидоша противу руси. Видѣвъ же русь и убояшася зѣло множьства вой, и рече Святославъ: «Уже намъ нѣкамо ся дѣти, и волею и неволею стати противу. Да не посрамим земли Руские, но ляжемы костью ту, и мертьвы бо сорома не имаеть. Аще ли побѣгнемъ, то срамъ нам. И не имамъ убѣгнути, но станемъ крѣпко, азъ же предъ вами поиду: аще моя глава ляжеть, то промыслите о себѣ». И ркоша вои: «Идеже глава твоя ляжеть, ту и главы наша сложим». И исполчишася русь и грѣци противу. И сразистася полка, и оступиша грѣци русь, и бысть сѣча велика, и одолѣ Святославъ, и грѣци побѣгоша.
И поиде Святославъ, воюя, къ городу и другая городы разбивая, иже стоять пусты и до днешьнего дне.
И съзва цесарь в полату бояры своя и рече имъ: «Что створим? Не можемъ стати противу ему». И ркоша ему бояре: «Посли к нему дары, искусимъ ̀и, любезнивъ ли есть злату, или паволокам?». Послаша к нему злато и паволокы и мужа мудра и рькоша ему: «Глядай взора его и лица его и смысла его». Онъ же, вземъ дары, приде къ Святославу. И яко придоша грѣци с поклоном, рече: «Въведете я сѣмо». И придоша, и поклонишася ему, и положиша предъ ним злато и паволокы. И рече Святославъ, прочь зря: «Похороните!». Отроци же Святославли, вземше, похорониша. Сли же цесаревы възвратишася къ цесарю и съзва цесарь бояры. И ркоша же послании, яко «Придохомъ к нему и въдахомъ дары, и не позрѣ на ня и повелѣ схоронити».
И рече единъ: «Искуси ̀и единою и еще — посли ему оружье». Они же послушаша его и послаша ему мечь и ино оружье. Онъ же, приимъ, нача любити, и хвалити, и цѣловати цесаря. И придоша опять къ цесарю и повѣдаша вся бывшая. И ркоша бояре: «Лють сей мужь хощеть быти, яко имѣния не брежет, а оружье емлеть. Имися по дань». И посла цесарь, глаголя сице: «Не ходи къ городу, но възми дань и еже хощеши», за маломъ бо бѣ не дошелъ Цесаря-града. И вдаша ему дань; имашеть же и за убьеныя, глаголя, яко «Родъ его възметь». Възя же и дары многы и възвратися в Переяславѣць с похвалою великою. Видѣвъ же мало дружины своея, рече в себе: «Егда како, прелѣстивше, изъбьють дружину мою и мене», бѣша бо мьнози погыбли на полку.
И рече: «Поиду в Русь и приведу боле дружины».
И посла слы къ цесареви в Дерестѣръ, бѣ бо ту цесарь, ркя сице: «Хочю имѣти миръ с тобою твердъ и любовь». Се же слышавъ, цесарь радъ бысть и посла дары къ нему болша пѣрвыхъ. Святославъ же прия дары и поча думати съ дружиною своею, ркя сице: «Аще не створимъ мира съ цесаремъ, а увѣсть цесарь, яко мало нас есть и, пришедше, оступят ны в городѣ. А Руская земля далече есть, а печенѣзи с нами ратни, а кто ны поможет? Но створим миръ с цесаремъ, се бо ны ся по дань ялъ, и то буди доволно намъ. Аще ли начнет не управляти дани, то изнова изъ Руси, съвокупивше вои множайша, и придемъ къ Цесарюграду». И люба бысть рѣчь си дружинѣ, и послаша лѣпьшии мужи къ цесареви, и придоша въ Дерьстеръ, и повѣдаша цесареви. Цесарь же наутрѣя призва я, и рече цесарь: «Да глаголють сли руссции». Они же ркоша: «Тако глаголеть князь нашь: хочю имѣти любовь съ царем грѣцькымъ свѣршену прочая вся лѣта». Цесарь же, радъ бывъ, повелѣ письцю писати на харотью вься рѣци Святославли. И начаша глаголати сли вся рѣчи, и нача писець писати. Глаголя сице:
«Равно другаго свѣщания, бывшаго при Святославѣ, велицѣмь князи рустѣмъ и при Свѣнгельдѣ, писано при Феофилѣ синкелѣ и ко Иоану, нарѣцаемому Цимьскому, цесарю грѣцкому, в Дерьстрѣ, мѣсяца иулия, индикта 14, в лѣто 6479.
Азъ Святославъ, князь рускый, якоже кляхся, и утвѣржаю на свѣщании семъ роту свою и хочю имѣти миръ и свѣршену любовь съ всякымъ и великымъ цесаремь грѣцьким и съ Васильем и съ Костянтином, и съ богодохновенными цесари, и съ всими людми вашими, иже суть подо мною Русь, бояре и прочии, до конца вѣка. Яко николиже помышляю на страну вашю, ни сбираю людий, ни языка иного приведу на страну вашю и елико есть подъ властию грѣцькою, ни на власть Коръсуньскую и елико есть городовъ ихъ, ни на страну Болъгарьску. Да аще инъ кто помыслит на страну вашю, да язъ буду противенъ ему и бьюся с ним. Якоже и кляхся азъ к цесаремь грѣцьскымъ, и со мною бояре и русь вся, да хранимъ правая свѣщания. Аще ли от тѣхъ самѣхъ и преждереченыхъ не храним, азъ же и со мною и подо мною, да имѣемъ клятву от Бога, в неже вѣруемъ — в Перуна и въ Волоса, бога скотья, да будем золотѣ, якоже золото се, и своимъ оружьемь да иссѣчени будемъ, да умремъ. Се же имѣете во истину, якоже створихъ нынѣ к вамъ, и написахъ на харотьи сей и своими печатьми запечатахомъ».
Створивъ же миръ Святославъ съ грѣкы и поиде в лодьяхъ къ порогом. И рече ему воевода отень и Свѣнгелдъ: «Поиди, княже, около на конех, стоять бо печенѣзи в порозѣхъ». И не послуша его и поиде въ лодьяхъ. Послаша же переяславци къ печенѣгом, глаголя: «Идеть Святославъ в Русь, възем имѣнье много у грѣкъ и полонъ бещисленъ, а с маломъ дружины». Слышавше же печенѣзи се, заступиша порогы. И приде Святославъ къ порогомъ, и не бѣ лзѣ проити пороговъ. И ста зимовать въ Бѣлобережьи, не бѣ в них брашна, и бысть гладъ великъ, яко по полугривнѣ голова коняча, и зимова Святославъ. Веснѣ же приспѣвъши, поиде Святославъ в порогы.
В лѣто 6480. Приде Святославъ в порогы, и нападе на ня Куря, князь печенѣжьскый, и убиша Святослава, и взяша голову его, и во лбѣ его здѣлаша чашю, оковавше лобъ его, и пьяху в немъ. Свѣнгелдъ же приде къ Киеву къ Ярополку. И бысть всѣхъ лѣт княжения Святославля лѣт 28.
В лѣто 6481. Нача княжити Ярополкъ.
В лѣто 6482.
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Old East Slavic text of the Hypatian Codex (O. V. Tvorogov’s 1997 edition, pinned Russian Wikisource revision), covering the undated introduction and every annal from 6360 to 6625 (852–1117 CE). Worker drafts were checked against the source paragraph by paragraph before publication. Years keep the chronicle’s own reckoning from the creation of the world; subtract 5508 for the approximate year CE, as the chapter titles do.
In the year 6477. Sviatoslav said to his mother and to his boyars: “I do not like to live in Kyiv; I wish to live in Pereiaslavets on the Danube, for that is the middle of my land: there all good things come together—from the Greeks silks, gold, wine and fruits of many kinds; from the Czechs and from the Magyars, silver and horses; from Rus', furs and wax and honey and slaves.” His mother said to him: “Do you see me ill? Where do you mean to go from me?”—for she had already fallen sick. And she said: “Bury me, then go where you wish.” After three days Olga died. Her son wept for her, and her grandsons and all the people wept with great weeping; they bore her and buried her on the spot. Olga had commanded that no funeral feast be held over her, for she had a priest, and he buried the blessed Olga.
She was the forerunner of the Christian land, like the morning star before the sun, like the dawn before the light. She shone like the moon in the night; so she shone among unbelieving men, like a pearl in the mire, for they were befouled with sin, unwashed by holy baptism. She washed in the holy font, stripped off the sinful garment of the old Adam, and was clothed in the new Adam, which is Christ. To her we say: “Rejoice, the knowledge of God in Rus', the beginning of our reconciliation.” She was the first from Rus' to enter the kingdom of heaven; the sons of Rus' praise her as their leader, for after her death she prayed to God for Rus'. For the souls of the just do not die, as Solomon said: “When the righteous is praised, the people rejoice”; for his memory is immortality, since he is known both of God and of men. All people glorify her, seeing how she lies in her body for many years; for the prophet said: “Those who glorify me I will glorify.” Of such David spoke: “The righteous will be in everlasting memory; he will not fear an evil report; his heart is ready to hope in the Lord; his heart is established and will not be moved.” Solomon said: “The righteous live forever; their reward is from the Lord, and their keeping from the Most High. Therefore they will receive the kingdom of beauty and the crown of loveliness from the hand of the Lord, for with his right hand he will shield them, and with his arm he will cover them.” For by might he has shielded the blessed Olga from her adversary and foe, the devil.
In the year 6478. Sviatoslav set Yaropolk to reign in Kyiv, and Oleg in Dereva. At that time the men of Novgorod came asking a prince for themselves: “If you do not come to us, we will find ourselves a prince.” Sviatoslav said to them: “If only someone would go to you!” And Yaropolk and Oleg refused. Then Dobrynia said: “Ask for Vladimir.” Vladimir was the son of Malusha, Olga's favorite; Dobrynia was her brother, and their father was Malko the man of Liubech, and Dobrynia was Vladimir's uncle. The Novgorodians said to Sviatoslav: “Give us Vladimir.” And the Novgorodians took Vladimir for themselves, and Vladimir went with Dobrynia, his uncle, to Novgorod, and Sviatoslav to Pereiaslavets.
In the year 6479. Sviatoslav came to Pereiaslavets, and the Bulgars shut themselves in the city. The Bulgars came out to battle against Sviatoslav, and there was a great battle, and the Bulgars were prevailing. Sviatoslav said to his troops: “We must fall here; let us fight like men, brothers and comrades!” Toward evening Sviatoslav prevailed and took the city by the spear, crying: “This city is mine!” He sent to the Greeks, saying: “I mean to come against you and take your city, as I took this one.” The Greeks said: “We are too weak to stand against you; but take tribute from us and for your retinue, and tell us how many you are, that we may give by the number of heads.” The Greeks said this to deceive the Rus', for the Greeks are crafty to this day. Sviatoslav said to them: “We are 20 thousand,” adding 10 thousand, for the Rus' were only 10 thousand.
The Greeks assembled 100 thousand against Sviatoslav and gave no tribute. Sviatoslav marched against the Greeks, and the Greeks came out against the Rus'. The Rus' saw the multitude of the host and were sore afraid. Sviatoslav said: “There is nowhere for us to go; we must stand against them, willing or no. Let us not shame the land of Rus'; let us lie down here as bones, for the dead have no shame. If we flee, it is shame upon us; and we cannot flee away. Let us stand firm—I will go before you; if my head falls, then look to yourselves.” The troops said: “Where your head falls, there we will lay our own.” The Rus' and the Greeks drew up against one another; the armies clashed, and the Greeks surrounded the Rus'; there was a great battle, and Sviatoslav prevailed, and the Greeks fled.
Sviatoslav marched on toward the city, waging war, and wrecked other towns as he went—towns that stand empty to this day.
The emperor summoned his boyars to the palace and said: “What are we to do? We cannot stand against him.” The boyars said to him: “Send him gifts; let us test him—is he fond of gold, or of silks?” They sent him gold and silks, with a wise man, and said to him: “Watch his gaze and his face and his mind.” He took the gifts and came to Sviatoslav. When the Greeks came in with a bow, he said: “Bring them in here.” They came, bowed to him, and laid the gold and silks before him. Sviatoslav said, looking away: “Take them away.” Sviatoslav's attendants took them and put them away. The emperor's men returned to the emperor, and the emperor summoned the boyars. The envoys said: “We came to him and gave the gifts, and he did not look at them, but ordered them hidden.”
One of them said: “Test him once more—send him weapons.” They obeyed and sent him a sword and other weapons. He took them and began to admire and praise them, and sent his greetings to the emperor. They came again to the emperor and told all that had happened. The boyars said: “This man means to be fierce: he cares nothing for riches, but lays hold on weapons. Agree to pay him tribute.” The emperor sent word, saying: “Do not go on to the city, but take tribute and whatever you wish,” for he had all but reached Constantinople. They gave him tribute; he took payment also for the slain, saying that their kindred would take it up. He took many gifts besides and returned to Pereiaslavets with great glory. Seeing how small his retinue was, he said to himself: “Some day they will beguile me and destroy my retinue and me,” for many had perished in the battle.
And he said: “I will go to Rus' and bring more troops.”
He sent envoys to the emperor at Dorostolon, for the emperor was there, saying: “I wish to have firm peace and friendship with you.” Hearing this, the emperor rejoiced and sent him gifts greater than before. Sviatoslav took the gifts and began to take counsel with his retinue, saying: “If we do not make peace with the emperor, and the emperor learns how few we are, he will come and besiege us in the city. The land of Rus' is far away, and the Pechenegs are at war with us—who will help us? Let us make peace with the emperor: he has already pledged himself to pay us tribute, and that will be enough for us. But if he stops paying the tribute, then again from Rus', gathering a greater host, we will come to Constantinople.” The speech pleased the retinue, and they sent the best men to the emperor; they came to Dorostolon and told the emperor. The emperor called them the next morning and said: “Let the envoys of Rus' speak.” They said: “Thus speaks our prince: I wish to have friendship with the Greek emperor, made firm for all the years to come.” The emperor, glad, ordered a scribe to write on parchment all the words of Sviatoslav. The envoys began to say all the words, and the scribe began to write, as follows:
“Memorandum of a second treaty, made under Sviatoslav, grand prince of Rus', and under Sveneld; written under Theophilos the syncellus, to John, called Tzimiskes, emperor of the Greeks, at Dorostolon, in the month of July, indiction 14, in the year 6479.”
“I, Sviatoslav, prince of Rus', as I have sworn, confirm my oath by this treaty, and wish to have peace and perfect friendship with every great emperor of the Greeks, with Basil and with Constantine, and with the divinely-inspired emperors, and with all your people; and so do all under me, the Rus', the boyars and the rest, to the end of the age. Let me never plot against your land, nor gather men, nor bring another people against your land and all that is under Greek rule, nor against the realm of Korsun and however many of their towns there be, nor against the land of Bulgaria. And if another plots against your land, then I will stand against him and fight him. As I have sworn to the Greek emperors—and with me my boyars and all Rus'—so may we keep the rightful agreements. But if we fail to keep these same things said before—I and those with me and under me—may we have the oath of the god we believe in, in Perun and in Volos, god of cattle: may we turn yellow as this gold, and be cut down by our own weapons, and die. May you hold this in truth, as I have now done toward you: I have written it on this parchment and sealed it with my own seals.”
Having made peace with the Greeks, Sviatoslav set off in boats for the rapids. His father's commander Sveneld said to him: “Go around, prince, on horseback: the Pechenegs are standing at the rapids.” He did not listen, and went in the boats. The men of Pereiaslavets sent to the Pechenegs, saying: “Sviatoslav is coming to Rus', with much wealth taken from the Greeks and captives beyond number, and a small retinue.” Hearing this, the Pechenegs blocked the rapids. Sviatoslav came to the rapids, and it was not possible to pass them. He stopped to winter at Beloberezhie; there was no food among them, and there was a great famine, so that a horse's head cost half a grivna; and Sviatoslav wintered there. When spring came, Sviatoslav set out for the rapids.
In the year 6480. Sviatoslav came to the rapids, and Kurya, prince of the Pechenegs, fell upon him; they killed Sviatoslav and took his head, and made a cup of his skull, sheathing the skull with metal, and drank from it. Sveneld came to Kyiv, to Yaropolk. And the whole of Sviatoslav's reign was 28 years.
In the year 6481. Yaropolk began to reign.
In the year 6482.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Old East Slavic text of the Hypatian Codex, paragraph for paragraph, and checked against the source before publication.
In the year 6477. Sviatoslav said to his mother and to his boyars: “I do not like to live in Kyiv. I want to live in Pereiaslavets on the Danube. That is the middle of my land, for all good things come together there: silks, gold, wine, and many kinds of fruit from the Greeks; silver and horses from the Czechs and the Magyars; and hides, wax, honey, and servants from Rus'.” His mother said to him: “Do you see me sick—where do you want to go from me?” She was already gravely ill. Then she said: “Bury me, and go wherever you wish.” Three days later Olga died. Her son, her grandsons, and all the people wept for her with great weeping; they carried her and buried her there. Olga had commanded that no funeral feast be held over her, for she had a priest, and he buried the blessed Olga.
She was the forerunner of the Christian land, like the day-star before the sun and like the dawn before the light. She shone like the moon in the night; so she shone among unbelieving people like a pearl in the mud, for they were filthy with sin, not washed by holy baptism. She washed herself in the holy font, stripped off the sinful garment of the old man Adam, and put on the new Adam, who is Christ. We say to her: “Rejoice, the Rus' knowledge of God, for we have the beginning of reconciliation.” She was the first from Rus' to enter the kingdom of heaven. The sons of Rus' praise her as their leader, for after death she prayed to God for Rus'. The souls of the righteous do not die, as Solomon said: “When the righteous is praised, the people rejoice,” for the memory of the righteous is immortality: he is known of God and of men. All people glorify her, seeing her lying in her body through many years. The prophet said: “Those who honor me, I will honor.” David said of such people: “The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance; he will not be afraid of an evil report. His heart is ready to hope in the Lord; his heart is established and will not be moved.” Solomon said: “The righteous live forever; their reward is from the Lord, and their keeping from the Most High. Therefore they will receive a glorious kingdom and a crown of beauty from the Lord's hand, for with his right hand he will shield them, and with his arm he will cover them.” By his power he shielded the blessed Olga from the adversary and enemy, the devil.
In the year 6478. Sviatoslav seated Yaropolk in Kyiv and Oleg in the Derevlianians' land. At that time the people of Novgorod came, asking a prince for themselves: “If you do not come to us, we will find a prince for ourselves.” Sviatoslav said to them: “Would anyone go to you?” Yaropolk and Oleg both refused. Dobrynia said: “Ask for Vladimir.” Vladimir was the son of Malusha, Olga's favorite. Malusha was Dobrynia's sister; their father was Malko of Liubech, and Dobrynia was Vladimir's uncle. The people of Novgorod said to Sviatoslav: “Give us Vladimir.” They took Vladimir for themselves, and Vladimir went with his uncle Dobrynia to Novgorod, while Sviatoslav went to Pereiaslavets.
In the year 6479. Sviatoslav came to Pereiaslavets, and the Bulgars shut themselves in the town. The Bulgars came out to battle against Sviatoslav, and there was a great battle, and the Bulgars were winning. Sviatoslav said to his troops: “Here we must fall. Let us fight like men, brothers and retinue!” By evening Sviatoslav was winning and took the town by the spear, saying: “This town is mine!” He sent word to the Greeks: “I want to march against you and take your city as I took this one.” The Greeks said: “We are too weak to stand against you. Take tribute from us and from your retinue. But tell us how many you are, so we may give it by the number of heads.” The Greeks said this to deceive the Rus', for the Greeks are cunning to this day. Sviatoslav said to them: “There are 20 thousand of us,” and he added 10 thousand, for the Rus' were only 10 thousand.
The Greeks prepared 100 thousand against Sviatoslav and gave no tribute. Sviatoslav marched against the Greeks, and they came out against the Rus'. The Rus' saw the great mass of troops and were very afraid. Sviatoslav said: “Now we have nowhere to go. Willing or unwilling, we must stand against them. Let us not shame the land of Rus'. Let us lay our bones here, for the dead feel no shame. If we run, that is disgrace for us. We cannot run away. Let us stand firm, and I will go ahead of you. If my head falls, then look to yourselves.” The troops said: “Where your head lies, there we will lay our own.” The Rus' and the Greeks drew up their battle lines against each other. The armies clashed, and the Greeks surrounded the Rus'. There was a great battle, and Sviatoslav won, and the Greeks fled.
Sviatoslav marched on toward the city, waging war, and tore down other towns too; they still stand empty to this day.
The emperor called his boyars together in the palace and said to them: “What shall we do? We cannot stand against him.” The boyars said to him: “Send him gifts. Let us test him: does he love gold or silks?” They sent him gold and silks and a wise man, and told him: “Watch his gaze, his face, and his thoughts.” Taking the gifts, he came to Sviatoslav. When the Greeks came in with a bow, Sviatoslav said: “Bring them in here.” They came in, bowed to him, and set the gold and silks before him. Sviatoslav, looking away to the side, said: “Hide them away.” Sviatoslav's attendants took them and hid them. The emperor's messengers went back to the emperor, and the emperor called the boyars together. The messengers said: “We came to him and handed over the gifts, and he did not look at them; he ordered them hidden away.”
One of them said: “Test him once more—send him weapons.” They did as he said and sent him a sword and other weapons. He took them and began to love and praise them and to honor the emperor. They came again to the emperor and reported everything that had happened. The boyars said: “This man wants to be fierce, for he cares nothing for riches but takes up weapons. Agree to pay him tribute.” The emperor sent word to him: “Do not come to the city. Take the tribute and whatever you want,” for he had come within a little of reaching Constantinople. They gave him the tribute. He also took payment for the killed, saying: “His kin will take it.” He took many gifts besides and returned to Pereiaslavets with great glory. Seeing how few his retinue was, he said to himself: “At some point they will trick us and kill my retinue and me,” for many had been killed in battle.
He said: “I will go back to Rus' and bring more troops.”
He sent messengers to the emperor at Dorostolon, for the emperor was there, saying: “I want to have firm peace and friendship with you.” When the emperor heard this, he was glad and sent him gifts greater than the first ones. Sviatoslav accepted the gifts and began to take counsel with his retinue, saying: “If we do not make peace with the emperor, the emperor will learn how few we are. He will come and surround us in the town. The land of Rus' is far away, and the Pechenegs are at war with us. Who would help us? Let us make peace with the emperor: he has already bound himself to pay us tribute, and that will be enough for us. If he stops paying the tribute, then once more from Rus', gathering a greater force, we will come to Constantinople.” This speech pleased the retinue. They sent their best men to the emperor; they came to Dorostolon and told the emperor. The next day the emperor summoned them and said: “Let the envoys of Rus' speak.” They said: “Thus our prince says: ‘I want to have friendship with the Greek emperor, made complete for all the years to come.’” The emperor, glad, ordered a scribe to write all of Sviatoslav's words on parchment. The envoys began to speak all the words, and the scribe began to write. This is what they said:
“Copy of another treaty, made under Sviatoslav, grand prince of Rus', and under Sveneld; written under Theophilos the syncellus and to John, called Tzimiskes, emperor of the Greeks, at Dorostolon, in the month of July, indiction 14, in the year 6479.
“I, Sviatoslav, prince of Rus', as I have sworn, confirm my oath in this treaty. I want to have peace and complete friendship with every great emperor of the Greeks, with Basil and with Constantine, and with the God-inspired emperors, and with all your people, and I with all the Rus' under me, boyars and the rest, until the end of the age. I will never plot against your land, nor gather troops, nor bring another people against your land or any part of it under Greek rule, nor against the Korsun region and however many towns it has, nor against the land of Bulgaria. If anyone else plots against your land, then I will stand against him and fight him. Thus I swore to the Greek emperors, and with me the boyars and all the Rus', and we will keep this treaty as written. If we and those with me and under me do not keep what has been said above, may we receive the oath of the God in whom we believe—in Perun and in Volos, the god of cattle—and may we be yellow like this gold, and be cut down by our own weapons, and die. May you hold this as truth, as I have now done before you, and as I have written on this parchment and sealed with my seals.”
Having made peace with the Greeks, Sviatoslav set off in boats toward the rapids. His father's commander and Sveneld said to him: “Go around, prince, on horseback; the Pechenegs are standing at the rapids.” He did not listen to them and went in his boats. The men of Pereiaslavets sent word to the Pechenegs: “Sviatoslav is coming to Rus', carrying much wealth taken from the Greeks and countless captives, and he has a small retinue with him.” Hearing this, the Pechenegs blocked the rapids. Sviatoslav came to the rapids, and there was no way to pass them. He stopped to spend the winter at Beloberezhie. There was no food, and a great famine set in: a horse's head cost half a grivna. Sviatoslav wintered there. When spring came, Sviatoslav set off toward the rapids.
In the year 6480. Sviatoslav came to the rapids, and Kurya, the Pecheneg prince, fell upon him. They killed Sviatoslav and took his head. They made a cup of his skull, bound it in metal, and drank from it. Sveneld came to Kyiv to Yaropolk. All the years of Sviatoslav's reign came to 28 years.
In the year 6481. Yaropolk began to reign.
In the year 6482.