Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
980–982: Vladimir Takes Kyiv
980–982: Vladimir Takes Kyiv of 46. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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В лѣто 6488. Приде Володимиръ с варягы къ Новугороду и рече посадником Ярополъчимъ: «Идете къ брату моему и речете ему: Володимиръ идеть на тя, пристраивайся противу бится». И сѣде в Новѣгородѣ.
И посла к Роговолоду Полотьску, глаголя: «Хощю пояти дщерь твою женѣ». Онъ же рече дъщери своей: «Хощеши ли за Володимира?». Она же рече: «Не хощю розути Володимера, но Ярополка хочю». Бѣ бо Рогъволодъ перешелъ изъ заморья, имяше волость свою Полотьскѣ, а Туръ Туровѣ, от него же и туровци прозвашася. И приидоша отроци Володимири и повѣдаша ему всю рѣчь Рогнѣдину, дщери Рогъволожѣ, князя полотьского. Володимиръ же събра вои многы, варягы и словѣны, и чюдь и кривичи, и поиде на Рогъволода. В се же время хотяху вести Рогънѣдь за Ярополка. И приде Володимиръ на Полотескъ, и уби Рогъволода и сына его два, и дщерь его Рогънѣдь поя женѣ.
И поиде на Ярополка. И приде Володимиръ къ Киеву съ вои многыми, и не може Ярополкъ стати противу Володимиру, и затворися Ярополкъ въ Киевѣ съ людьми своими и съ Блудом; и стояше Володимиръ, обрывся на Дорогожичи, межи Дорогожичемъ и Капичемъ, и есть ровъ и до сего дне. Володимиръ же посла къ Блуду, воеводѣ Ярополчю, с лѣстью глаголя: «Поприяй ми! Аще убью брата своего, имѣти тя начну въ отца мѣсто своего, и многу честь возмеши от мене: не я бо почалъ братью бити, но онъ. Азъ же того убояхъся и придохъ на нь». И рече Блудъ къ посланымъ Володимиром: «Азъ буду ти въ приязнь». О злая лѣсть чловѣчьская! Якоже Давидъ глаголеть: «Ядый хлѣбъ мой, възвеличилъ есть на мя лѣсть». Сьи убо лукавоваше на князя лѣстью. И пакы: «Языкы своими льшаху. Суди имъ, Боже, да отпадут от мыслий своих; по множьству нечестиа их изърини я, яко прогнѣваша тя, Господи». И пакы тоже рече Давидъ: «Мужи крови льстиви не припловят дний своих».
Се есть свѣтъ золъ, еже свѣщевають […] на кровопролитье, то суть неистовии, иже приимъше от князя или от господина своего честь и дары, ти мыслят о главѣ князя своего на погубление, горьше суть таковии бѣсовъ. Якоже и Блудъ предасть князя своего, приимъ от него чести многы, сь бо бысть повиненъ крови той. Се бо Блудъ затворивъся съ Ярополком, слаше къ Володимиру часто, веля ему приступати къ городу бранью, самъ мысля убити Ярополка; гражаны же не лзѣ убити его. Блуд же не възмогъ, како бы ̀и погубити, замысли лѣстью, веля ему не изълазити на брань изъ града. И рече же Блудъ Ярополку: «Киянѣ слются къ Володимирю, глаголюще: „Приступай къ городу бранью, яко предамы ти Ярополка“. Побѣгни изъ града». И послуша его Ярополкъ и бѣжа изъ града, и, пришедъ, затворися въ градѣ Родѣнѣ на устьи Ръси, а Володимиръ вниде в Киевъ, и осѣдяху Ярополка в Роднѣ. И бѣ гладъ великъ в немъ, и есть притча и до сего дне: бѣда аки в Роднѣ. И рече Блудъ Ярополку: «Видиши ли, колко вой у брата твоего? Намъ ихъ не перебороти. И твори миръ съ братомъ своимъ», льстя подъ ним, се рече.
И рече Ярополкъ: «Тако буди». И посла Блудъ къ Володимеру, глаголя, яко «Събыся мысль твоя, яко приведу Ярополка к тебѣ, и пристрой убити ̀и». Володимиръ же, то слышавъ, въшедъ въ дворъ теремьный отень, о немьже преже сказахом, сѣде ту с вои и съ дружиною своею. И рече Блудъ Ярополку: «Поиди къ брату своему и рьци ему: что ми ни вдаси, то язъ прииму». Поиде же Ярополкъ, и рече ему Варяжько: «Не ходи, княже, убьють тя; побѣгъни в печенѣгы и приведеши воя». И не послуша его. И приде Ярополкъ къ Володимиру, и яко полѣзе въ двѣри, подъяста и́ два варяга мечема подъ пазусѣ. Блудъ же затвори двѣри и не дасть по немъ внити своимъ. И тако убьенъ бысть Ярополкъ. Варяжько же, видѣвъ, яко убьенъ бысть Ярополкъ, бѣжа съ двора в Печенѣги и мьного воева с печенѣгы на Володимира, и одва приваби ̀и, заходивъ к нему ротѣ. Володимиръ же залѣже жену братьню грѣкиню, и бѣ непраздна, от нея же роди Святополка.
От грѣховнаго бо корене злый плодъ бываеть: понеже была бѣ мати его черницею, а второе — Володимиръ залеже ю не по браку, прелюбодѣйчищь бысть убо. Тѣмьже и отець его не любяше, бѣ бо от двою отцю — от Ярополка и от Володимира.
Посемъ рѣша варязи Володимеру: «Се град нашь, и мы прияхом ̀и, да хощем имати откупъ на них по 2 гривнѣ от человѣка». И рече имъ Володимиръ: «Пожьдете, даже вы куны сберут за мѣсяць». И жьдаша за мѣсяць, и не дасть имъ. И рѣша варязи: «Съльстилъ еси нами, да покажи ны путь въ грѣкы». Онъ же рече: «Идете». Изъбра от нихъ мужа добры и смыслены и храбъры и раздая имъ грады; прочии же идоша Цесарюграду. И посла пред ними слы, глаголя сице цесареви: «Се идуть к тебѣ варязи, не мози ихъ дѣржати в городѣ, или то створят ти въ градѣ, яко здѣ, но расточи я раздно, а семо не пущай ни единого».
И нача княжити Володимиръ въ Киевѣ одинъ и постави кумиры на холъму внѣ двора теремнаго: Перуна деревяна, а голова его серебряна, а усъ золот, и Хоръса, и Дажьбога, и Стрибога и Сѣмарьгла, и Мокошь. И жряхут имъ, наричуще богы, и привожаху сыны своя, и жряху бѣсомъ, и осквѣрняху землю требами своими. И осквѣрнися требами земля Русская и холмъ тъ. Но преблагый Богъ не хотяй смерти грѣшником: на томъ холмѣ нынѣ церкы есть святаго Василья, якоже послѣдѣ скажем. Мы же на преднее възвратимся.
Володимиръ же посади Добрыню, уя своего, в Новѣгородѣ. И пришед Добрыня Новугороду, постави Перуна кумиръ надъ рѣкою Волховомъ, и жряхуть ему людье новгородьстии акы Богу.
Бѣ же Володимиръ побѣженъ похотью женьскою. Быша ему водимыя: Рогънѣдь, юже посади на Лыбеди, идеже есть нынѣ селце Передславино, от нея же роди 4 сыны: Изеслава, Мьстислава, Ярослава, Всеволода, и двѣ дщери; от грѣкини — Святополка; от чехыни — Вышеслава; а от другия — Святослава, а от болъгарыни — Бориса и Глѣба. И наложьниць у него 300 въ Вышегородѣ, 300 в Бѣлѣгородѣ, а 200 на Берестовѣмъ в сельци, еже зовут и нынѣ Берестовое. И бѣ несытъ блуда, и приводя к себѣ мужьскыя жены и дѣвици растляя. Бѣ бо женолюбець, яко и Соломонъ: бѣ бо у Соломона, рече, женъ 700, а наложьниць 300. Мудръ же бѣ, а на конѣць погибе; сь же бѣ невеглас, на конѣць обрѣте спасение. «Велий бо Господь, и велья крѣпость его, и разуму его нѣсть числа!» Зло бо есть женьская прелѣсть, якоже рече Соломонъ, покаявся, о женахъ: «Не внимати злѣ женѣ, медъ бо каплеть от устъ ея, жены любодѣица, во время наслажаеть твой гортань, послѣдѣ же горьчѣе желчи обрящеши. Прилѣпляющаяся ей вънидутъ съ смертью въ адъ. На пути бо животъныя не находит, блудна бо теченья ея и неблагоразумна». Се же рече Соломонъ о прелюбодѣицах.
О добрыхъ же женахъ рече: «Дражьши есть каменья многоценьнаго. Радуется о ней мужь ея. Дѣеть бо мужеви своему благо все житье. Обрѣтши волну и ленъ, створить благопотребная рукама своима. Бысть яко корабль, куплю дѣющь, издалеча събираеть себѣ богатьство, и въстаеть из нощи, и даеть брашно дому и дѣло рабынямъ. Видѣвши тяжание, куповаше, от дѣлъ руку своею насадить тяжание. Препоясавши крѣпько чресла своя, и утвѣрьди мышьци свои на дѣло. И вкуси, яко добро дѣлати, и не угасает свѣтилникъ ея всю нощь. Руцѣ свои простираеть на полезная, локти же свои утвѣржает на веретено. Руцѣ свои отвѣрзаеть убогимъ, плодъ же простре нищим. Не печеться о дому своемъ мужь ея, егда кдѣ будет. Сугуба одѣнья створит мужю своему, очерьвлена и багъряна себѣ одѣнья. Възоренъ бываеть въ вратѣхъ мужь ея, внегда аще сядеть на соньмищи съ старци и съ жители земля. Опоны створи и отдасть в куплю. Уста же своя отвѣрзе смыслено и въ чинъ молвить языкомъ своим. Въ крѣпость и в лѣпоту облечеся. Милостыня ея въздвигоша чада ея, обогатѣша, и мужь ея похвали ю. Жена бо разумлива благословлена есть, боязнь же Господню да хвалит. Дадите ей от плода устъну ея, да хвалять въ вратѣхъ мужа ея».
В лѣто 6489. Иде Володимиръ к ляхомъ и зая грады ихъ: Перемышль, Червенъ и ины городы, иже суть и до сего дне подъ Русью. Семъ же лѣтѣ и вятичи побѣди и възложи на ня дань от плуга, якоже отець его ималъ.
В лѣто 6490. Заратишася вятичи, и иде на ня Володимеръ и победи я въторое.
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 6488. Vladimir came with Varangians to Novgorod and said to Yaropolk's governors: “Go to my brother and tell him: Vladimir is marching against you—make ready to meet him in battle.” And he settled in Novgorod.
And he sent to Rogvolod in Polotsk, saying: “I wish to take your daughter to wife.” Rogvolod said to his daughter: “Do you wish to marry Vladimir?” She said: “I do not wish to pull the boots off Vladimir—I want Yaropolk.” Rogvolod had come from across the sea and held his domain in Polotsk, while Tur held Turov, from whom the Turovians take their name. Vladimir's attendants came and told him all of Rogneda's speech, the daughter of Rogvolod, prince of Polotsk. Vladimir gathered many troops—Varangians and Slovenes, Chud and Krivichians—and marched against Rogvolod. At that very time they were preparing to give Rogneda to Yaropolk in marriage. Vladimir came to Polotsk, slew Rogvolod and his two sons, and took his daughter Rogneda to wife.
And he marched against Yaropolk. Vladimir came to Kyiv with many troops, and Yaropolk could not stand against Vladimir, and shut himself up in Kyiv with his men and with Blud. Vladimir stood besieging him, entrenched at Dorogozhichi, between Dorogozhichi and Kapich, and the trench is there to this day. Vladimir sent to Blud, Yaropolk's voivode, with deceitful words: “Be my helper! If I kill my brother, I will hold you in place of my father, and you will receive great honor from me: it was not I who began the slaying of brothers, but he. I feared that, and so I marched against him.” Blud said to Vladimir's messengers: “I will be your friend.” O the wicked deceit of men! As David says: “He who ate my bread has lifted up deceit against me.” This man plotted treachery against his prince. And again: “They beguiled with their tongues. Judge them, O God, that they may fall from their own devices; for the multitude of their ungodliness cast them out, for they have provoked you, O Lord.” And again David said the same: “Men of blood and deceit will not live out their days.”
This is evil counsel, when men take counsel […] for bloodshed. Such men are frenzied: having received honor and gifts from their prince or their lord, they plot against the head of their prince to destroy him, and such men are worse than demons. So did Blud betray his prince, though he had received many honors from him; he was guilty of that blood. Blud, shut up with Yaropolk, sent often to Vladimir, urging him to storm the city, while he himself meant to kill Yaropolk, but because of the townspeople he could not kill him. Blud, unable to bring about his ruin, devised treachery, counseling him not to go out of the city to battle. Blud said to Yaropolk: “The men of Kyiv are sending to Vladimir, saying: ‘Storm the city, and we will deliver Yaropolk to you.’ Flee the city.” Yaropolk obeyed him and fled the city, and coming to the town of Rodnia at the mouth of the Ros he shut himself in there, while Vladimir entered Kyiv and besieged Yaropolk in Rodnia. There was great famine in the town, and the saying endures to this day: trouble as in Rodnia. And Blud said to Yaropolk: “Do you see how many troops your brother has? We cannot overcome them. Make peace with your brother.” He said this to deceive him.
Yaropolk said: “So be it.” Blud sent to Vladimir, saying: “Your design is fulfilled: I will bring Yaropolk to you—make ready to kill him.” Hearing this, Vladimir entered his father's tower court, of which we spoke before, and sat there with his troops and his retinue. Blud said to Yaropolk: “Go to your brother and say to him: whatever you give me, I will take.” Yaropolk set out, and Variazhko said to him: “Do not go, prince—they will kill you; flee to the Pechenegs and bring back troops.” But he did not listen to him. Yaropolk came to Vladimir, and as he stepped through the doors two Varangians lifted him on their swords under the arms. Blud shut the doors and would not let his men go in after him. So Yaropolk was slain. Variazhko, seeing Yaropolk slain, fled from the court to the Pechenegs and waged much war on Vladimir with them, and Vladimir barely won him back by swearing him an oath. Vladimir lay with his brother's wife, a Greek, and she was with child, and of her Sviatopolk was born.
From a sinful root an evil fruit comes: first because his mother had been a nun, and second because Vladimir lay with her outside of marriage—so Sviatopolk was a child of adultery. For that reason his father did not love him, for he was of two fathers—from Yaropolk and from Vladimir.
Then the Varangians said to Vladimir: “This city is ours, and we took it; we wish to take ransom from them, 2 grivnas from each man.” Vladimir said to them: “Wait until they gather kunas for you within a month.” They waited a month, and he gave them nothing. The Varangians said: “You have deceived us. Show us the way to the Greeks.” He said: “Go.” He chose from among them men good and wise and brave and gave them towns; the rest went on to Constantinople. And he sent messengers ahead to say to the emperor: “Varangians are coming to you; do not keep them in the city, or they will do to your city as they did here; scatter them apart, and do not let a single one come this way.”
And Vladimir began to rule in Kyiv alone, and he set up idols on the hill outside the tower court: Perun of wood, his head of silver and his beard of gold, and Khors, Dazhbog, Stribog, and Simargl, and Mokosh. They sacrificed to them, calling them gods, and brought their sons and sacrificed to demons, defiling the earth with their sacrifices. And the land of Rus' was defiled with sacrifices, and that hill as well. But the all-gracious God, who does not desire the death of sinners: on that hill there now stands the church of St. Basil, as we shall tell later. But let us return to the former things.
Vladimir set Dobrynia, his uncle, over Novgorod. Coming to Novgorod, Dobrynia set up an idol of Perun above the river Volkhov, and the people of Novgorod sacrificed to him as to a god.
Vladimir, moreover, was overcome by desire for women. His women were these: Rogneda, whom he settled on the Lybid, where the hamlet of Predslavino now stands; she bore him 4 sons—Iziaslav, Mstislav, Yaroslav, Vsevolod—and two daughters. From the Greek woman—Sviatopolk; from a Czech woman—Vysheslav; from another—Sviatoslav; from a Bulgar woman—Boris and Gleb. He had 300 concubines in Vyshhorod, 300 in Bilhorod, and 200 at Berestovo in the country estate that is called Berestovo to this day. And he was insatiable in debauchery, bringing to himself married women and defiling virgins. He was a lover of women, as Solomon also was: Solomon, it is said, had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon was wise, yet in the end he perished; this man was without understanding, yet in the end he found salvation. “Great is the Lord, and great is his might, and of his understanding there is no measure!” Evil is the enticement of women, as Solomon said in repentance, concerning women: “Give no heed to an evil woman, for honey drops from the lips of an adulteress; for a time she sweetens your throat, but afterward you will find her more bitter than gall. Those who cling to her go down with death to hell. She does not find the path of life, for her course is wanton and without understanding.” This Solomon said of adulteresses.
Of good wives he said: “She is more precious than costly stones. Her husband rejoices in her, for she does her husband good all her life. Finding wool and flax, she makes with her own hands things good to use. She is like a merchant ship engaged in trade, gathering her wealth from afar. She rises in the night and gives food to her house and work to her maids. Seeing a field, she buys it, and from the labor of her hands she plants a vineyard. Girding her loins with strength, she makes her arms strong for work. She finds that her gain is good, and her lamp is not put out all night. She stretches her hands to what is useful and sets her arms to the spindle. She opens her hands to the poor and stretches forth her fruit to the needy. Her husband is not anxious for his house, wherever he may be. She makes double garments for her husband, and scarlet and purple garments for herself. Her husband is honored in the gates when he sits in council with the elders and the dwellers of the land. She makes coverlets and gives them to be sold. She opens her mouth with wisdom and speaks in order the teaching of her tongue. She is clothed in strength and beauty. Her almsgiving has raised up her children and made them rich, and her husband praises her. A prudent woman is blessed, let her praise the fear of the Lord. Give her of the fruit of her lips, and let her husband be praised in the gates.”
In the year 6489. Vladimir marched against the Poles and took their towns: Peremyshl, Cherven, and other towns that are under Rus' to this day. In the same year he defeated the Viatichians also, and laid on them tribute from the plow, as his father had taken.
In the year 6490. The Viatichians rose in war, and Vladimir marched against them and defeated them a second time.
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 6488. Vladimir came with Varangians to Novgorod and said to Yaropolk's governors: “Go to my brother and tell him: Vladimir is coming against you—get ready to fight him.” And Vladimir took up his seat in Novgorod.
And he sent to Rogvolod in Polotsk, saying: “I want to take your daughter as my wife.” Rogvolod asked his daughter: “Do you want to marry Vladimir?” She answered: “I do not want to pull off Vladimir's boots; I want Yaropolk.” Rogvolod had come from across the sea and held his domain in Polotsk, and Tur held his in Turov, from whom the Turovians took their name. Vladimir's messengers came back and reported to him all of Rogneda's speech—Rogneda, the daughter of Rogvolod, prince of Polotsk. Vladimir gathered many troops—Varangians, and Slovenes, and Chud, and Krivichians—and marched on Rogvolod. At that very time they were going to lead Rogneda to Yaropolk as his bride. Vladimir came to Polotsk, killed Rogvolod and his two sons, and took his daughter Rogneda as his wife.
And he marched on Yaropolk. Vladimir came to Kyiv with many troops. Yaropolk could not stand against Vladimir, and he shut himself up in Kyiv with his men and with Blud. Vladimir stood in siege, having dug in at Dorogozhichi, between Dorogozhichi and Kapich; the ditch is there to this day. Vladimir sent to Blud, Yaropolk's military commander, with deceitful words: “Take my side! If I kill my brother, I will keep you in place of my father, and you will get great honor from me. I did not start the killing among brothers—he did. I feared that, and so I came against him.” Blud said to Vladimir's messengers: “I will be your friend.” O the evil deceit of men! As David says: “The man who ate my bread has raised deceit against me.” This man was plotting deceit against the prince. And again: “They deceived me with their tongues. Judge them, God, that they may fall from their own designs; cast them out for the multitude of their ungodliness, for they have provoked you, Lord.” And again David said the same: “Men of blood and deceit will not live out their days.”
This is evil counsel, when men plot […] for bloodshed; such men are frenzied. Those who take honor and gifts from a prince or from their own lord, and then plot to destroy their prince, are worse than demons. So Blud betrayed his prince, after receiving many honors from him; he was guilty of that blood. Blud, shut up in Kyiv with Yaropolk, kept sending word to Vladimir, ordering him to assault the city, while he himself meant to kill Yaropolk; but because of the townspeople he could not kill him. Blud could not find a way to destroy him, so he planned deceit: he ordered Yaropolk not to go out of the city to battle. And Blud said to Yaropolk: “The people of Kyiv are sending word to Vladimir, saying: ‘Attack the city, for we will hand Yaropolk over to you.’ Flee the city.” Yaropolk obeyed him and fled the city; he came and shut himself in the town of Rodnia at the mouth of the Ros, and Vladimir entered Kyiv, and they besieged Yaropolk in Rodnia. There was a great famine in the town, and there is a saying to this day: “trouble like at Rodnia.” And Blud said to Yaropolk: “Do you see how many troops your brother has? We cannot beat them. Make peace with your brother”—he said this, deceiving him.
Yaropolk said: “So be it.” Blud sent word to Vladimir: “Your plan has come true—I will bring Yaropolk to you; get ready to kill him.” Hearing this, Vladimir went into his father's palace court, of which we spoke before, and sat there with his troops and his retinue. Blud said to Yaropolk: “Go to your brother and tell him: whatever you give me, I will accept.” Yaropolk set out, and Variazhko said to him: “Do not go, prince—they will kill you. Flee to the Pechenegs and bring back troops.” But he did not listen to him. Yaropolk came to Vladimir, and as he passed through the doors, two Varangians lifted him on their swords under his arms. Blud shut the doors and did not let his own men enter after him. And so Yaropolk was killed. Variazhko, seeing that Yaropolk had been killed, fled from the court to the Pechenegs and fought against Vladimir with the Pechenegs for a long time, and Vladimir barely won him back by swearing an oath to him. Vladimir then took his brother's Greek wife, who was already pregnant, and she bore Sviatopolk.
From a sinful root comes an evil fruit: first, his mother was a nun; and second, Vladimir lay with her outside marriage—so Sviatopolk was a child of adultery. That is why his father did not love him: he was from two fathers, from Yaropolk and from Vladimir.
After that the Varangians said to Vladimir: “This city is ours, and we took it, and we want to take a ransom from its people: 2 grivnas from each man.” Vladimir said to them: “Wait until they have gathered the kunas for a month.” They waited a month, and he gave them nothing. The Varangians said: “You have deceived us. Show us the way to the Greeks.” He said: “Go.” He chose from among them men who were good, wise, and brave and gave them towns to hold; the rest went on to Constantinople. Vladimir sent messengers ahead of them with this message for the emperor: “Varangians are coming to you. Do not keep them in the city, or they will do to your city what they did here. Scatter them in different places, and do not let a single one of them come here.”
And Vladimir began to rule alone in Kyiv. He set up idols on the hill outside the palace court: Perun of wood, with a silver head and a golden mustache, and Khors, and Dazhbog, and Stribog, and Simargl, and Mokosh. People sacrificed to them, calling them gods, and brought their sons and sacrificed them to demons, and they defiled the earth with their offerings. The land of Rus' was defiled by the offerings, and that hill too. But the all-good God, who does not want the death of sinners—on that hill there is now the church of St. Basil, as we shall tell later. But let us return to the earlier story.
Vladimir put Dobrynia, his uncle, in charge in Novgorod. Dobrynia came to Novgorod and set up an idol of Perun above the Volkhov River, and the people of Novgorod sacrificed to it as to a god.
Vladimir was overcome by desire for women. His acknowledged wives were these: Rogneda, whom he settled on the Lybid, where the little village of Predslavino stands now; from her he had 4 sons—Iziaslav, Mstislav, Yaroslav, and Vsevolod—and 2 daughters. From the Greek woman—Sviatopolk. From the Czech woman—Vysheslav. From another woman—Sviatoslav. From the Bulgarian woman—Boris and Gleb. He had 300 concubines in Vyshhorod, 300 in Bilhorod, and 200 at Berestovo in the little village that is still called Berestovo. He was insatiable in debauchery: he brought married women to himself and corrupted young girls. He was a lover of women, like Solomon: Solomon, it is said, had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon was wise, yet he perished in the end; Vladimir was unlearned, yet in the end he found salvation. “Great is the Lord, and great is his might, and of his understanding there is no number!” For the lure of women is an evil thing, as Solomon said when he repented, about women: “Give no heed to an evil woman, for honey drips from the lips of an adulterous woman; for a time she delights your throat, but afterward you will find her more bitter than gall. Those who cling to her go down with death into hell. She does not find the path of life, for her ways are wanton and without sense.” This Solomon said about adulteresses.
About good wives he said: “She is more precious than any costly stone. Her husband rejoices in her, for she does her husband good all the days of her life. She finds wool and flax and makes useful things with her own hands. She is like a merchant ship doing trade: from far away she gathers wealth for herself. She rises in the night and gives food to her household and work to her maidservants. When she sees something worth buying, she buys it, and from the work of her own hands she plants what she has gained. She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong for work. She finds that working is good, and her lamp does not go out all night. She stretches her hands out to what is useful, and sets her elbows to the spindle. She opens her hands to the poor and stretches out her fruit to the needy. Her husband does not worry about his home, wherever he may be. She makes double garments for her husband, and scarlet and crimson clothing for herself. Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits in council with the elders and the people of the land. She makes coverlets and sells them. She opens her mouth with wisdom and speaks in order with her tongue. She is clothed in strength and beauty. Her almsgiving lifted up her children, and they grew rich, and her husband praised her. A sensible wife is blessed, and let her praise the fear of the Lord. Give her of the fruit of her lips, and let her husband be praised in the gates.”
In the year 6489. Vladimir went against the Poles and took their towns: Peremyshl, Cherven, and other towns that are under Rus' to this day. In the same year he also defeated the Viatichians and laid tribute on them from each plow, as his father had taken.
In the year 6490. The Viatichians rose in rebellion, and Vladimir marched against them and defeated them a second time.