Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
1016–1025: Yaroslav, Sviatopolk, and Mstislav
1016–1025: Yaroslav, Sviatopolk, and Mstislav of 46. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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Въ лѣто 6524. Приде Ярославъ на Святополка, и сташа противу обаполъ Днѣпра, и не смѣаху ни си на они наити, и ни тѣи на сихъ, и стояша за 3 мѣсяцѣ противу собѣ. И воевода нача Святополчь, яздя вьзлѣ бѣрегъ, укаряти новгородци, глаголя: «Что приидосте с хромьцемь симъ, а вы плотници суще? А приставимъ вы хоромъ рубить нашихъ». Се слышавше новгородци и рѣша Ярославу, яко «Заутра перевеземься на нихъ; аще кто не поидеть с нами, то сами потнем». Бѣ бо уже въ заморозъ. И стояше Святополкъ межи двѣима озерома, и вьсю нощь упивься с дружиною своею. Ярославъ же заутра, исполчивъ дружину, противу свѣту перевезеся. И, высѣдше на брегъ, отринуша лодиа от берега и поидоша противу собѣ, и сьвькупившеся на мѣстѣ. И бысть сѣча зла, не бѣ лзѣ озеромъ помогати печенѣгомъ, и притиснуша Святополчи вои кь озеру, и вьступиша на ледъ, и обломися лед с вои Святополчи, и мнози потопоша въ водах, и одолѣвати нача Ярославъ. Видивъ же, Святополкъ побѣже, и одолѣ Ярославъ. Святополкъ же бѣжа в Ляхы. Ярославъ же сѣде в Кыевѣ на столѣ отни. Бѣ же тогда Ярославъ лѣт 28.
В лѣто 6525. Ярославъ въиде в Кыевъ, и погорѣша церкви.
В лѣто 6526. Поиде Болеславъ сь Святополкомъ на Ярослава с ляхы, Ярославъ же множество совокупи руси, варягы, словены, поиде противу Болеславу и Святополку. И приде Волыню, и сташа оба полъ рѣкы Буга. И бѣ у Ярослава корьмилець и воевода Буды, и нача Буды укаряти Болеслава, глаголя: «Да что ти пропоремь трескою чрево твое толъстое». Бѣ бо великъ и тяжекъ Болеславъ, яко ни на кони не моги сѣдѣти, но бяше смысленъ. И рече Болеславъ: «Аще вы сего укора […] не жаль, азъ единъ погибну!» И, вьсѣдъ на конь, вьбреде в рѣку, а по немь вои его. Ярослав же не утягну исполчитися, и побѣди Болеславъ Ярослава. Ярославъ же убѣжавь с четырми человѣкы к Новугороду. Болеслав же вниде в Кыевъ сь Святополкомъ. И рече Болеславъ: «Разведете дружину мою по городомъ на кормъ». И бысть тако.
Ярославу же прибѣгшу к Новугороду, хотяше бѣжати за море, и посадникъ Коснятинъ, сынъ Добрынъ, с новьгородци расѣкоша лодья Ярославлѣ, рекуще: «Можемь ся еще бити с Болеславомъ и сь Святополкомъ». И начаша скотъ брати от мужа по четыре куны, а от старостъ по 10 гривенъ, а от бояръ по осмидесять гривенъ. Приведоша варягы и вьдаша имъ скотъ, и совькупи Ярославъ воя многи. Болеслав же бѣ въ Кыевѣ сѣдя, безумный же Святополкъ рече: «Елико же ляховъ по городомъ, избивайте я». Избиша ляхы. Болеслав же бѣжа ис Кыева, възма имѣние и бояры Ярославлѣ и сестрѣ его, и Настаса пристави десятиньнаго кь имѣнию, бѣ бо ся ему вьвѣрилъ лестью. И людий множьство веде съ собою, и грады червѣньскыя зая собѣ, и приде въ свою землю. Святополкъ же нача княжити в Кыевѣ.
И поиде Ярославъ на Святополка, и побѣди Ярославъ Святополка, и бѣжа Святополкъ въ Печенѣгы.
В лѣто 6527. Приде Святополкъ с печенѣгы в силѣ тяжьцѣ, и Ярославъ собра множьство вой, и изыде противу ему на Алъто. Ярославъ же ста на мѣстѣ, идеже убиша Бориса, и вьздѣвъ руцѣ на небо, и рече: «Кровь брата моего вопиеть к тобѣ, Владыко! Мьсти от крове правѣднаго сего, якоже мьстилъ еси от крови Авелевы, положивъ на Каинѣ стѣнанье и трясение, — тако положи на семь. И, помолився, рекъ: «Брата моя! Аще есте отсюду тѣломъ отошла, то молитвою помозита ми на противнаго сего убийцю гордаго». И се ему рекшю, и поидоша противу собѣ, и покрыша поле Летьское обои от множьства вой. Бѣ же пяток тогда, вьсходящю солнцю, и совокупишася обои, и бысть сѣча зла, ака же не была в Руси, и за рукы емлюще сѣчахуся, и соступишася трижды, яко по удольемь кровь течаще. И кь вечеру одолѣ Ярославъ, а Святополкъ бѣжа. Бѣжащю же ему, и нападе на нь бѣсъ, и раслабѣша кости его, и не можаше сѣдѣти на кони, и ношахуть ̀и въ носилахъ. И принесоша ̀и к Берестью, бѣгающе с нимъ. Он же глаголаше: «Побѣгнете со мною, женуть по насъ». Отроци же его посылаху противу: «Еда кто женет по немь?» И не бѣ никогоже вьслѣдъ женущаго, и бѣжаху с нимь. Онъ же в немощи лежа, и, вьсхапився, глаголаше: «Осе женуть, оно женуть, побѣгнете». И не можаше стерпѣти на единомъ мѣстѣ и пробѣже Лядьскую землю, гонимъ гнѣвомъ Божиимъ, и пробѣже пустыню межи Чяхи и Ляхы, и ту испровѣрже животъ свой злѣ. «Его же и по правдѣ, яко неправѣдна, суду пришедшу по отшестьвии сего свѣта прияша муки сего, оканьнаго». Святополка «показываше явѣ посланая пагубная рана, въ смерть немилостивно вьгна», и по смерти вѣчно мучимъ есть и связанъ. Есть же могила его в пустыни той и до сихъ дний. Исходить же от ней смрадъ золъ. Се же Богъ показа на показание княземь рускымъ, да аще сице же створять, се слышавше, ту же казнь приимуть, но больши сея, понеже се вѣдуще бывшее, створити такое же зло братоубийство. 7 бо мьстий прия Каинъ, убивъ Авѣля, а Ламехъ 70, понеже бо Каинъ не вѣды мьщьния прияти от Бога, а Ламехъ вѣды казнь, бывшюю на прародителю его, створи убийство. «Рече бо Ламехъ своима женама: мужа убихъ въ вредъ мнѣ и уношю въ язву мнѣ, тѣмже, рече, 70 мьстий на мнѣ, понеже, рече, вѣдая, створихъ се». Ламехъ уби 2 брата Енохова, и поя собѣ женѣ ею; сьй же Святополкъ — новы Авимелех, иже ся родилъ от прелюбодѣанья, иже изби братью свою, сыны Гедеоновы, тако и сь бысть.
Ярославъ же, пришедъ, сѣде в Кыевѣ, утеръ пота с дружиною своею, показавъ побѣду и трудъ великъ.
В лѣто 6528. Родися у Ярослава сынъ, и нарече имя ему Володимиръ.
В лѣто 6529. Приде Брячислав, сынъ Изяславль, внукъ Володимеръ, на Новъгородъ, и зая Новъгородъ, поимъ множество новгородець, имѣние ихъ, поиде Полотьску опять. И пришедшю ему к Судмири рѣцѣ, Ярославъ […] выиде ис Кыева въ 7 день постиже и́ ту. И побѣди Ярославъ Брячислава и новьгородцѣ […] вороти […] к Новугороду, а Брячиславъ бѣжа къ Полотьску.
Въ лѣто 6530. Приде Ярославъ кь Берестью. Въ си же времена Мьстиславу сущю въ Тмуторокани, и поиде на касогы. Слышавъ же се, князь касожький Редедя изыиде противу ему. И ставшима обѣиима полкома противу собѣ, и рече Редедя кь Мьстиславу: «Что ради губивѣ дружину межи собою? Но снидевѣ сама бороться. Да аще одолѣешь ты, и возмеши имѣние мое, и жену мою и землю мою. Аще ли азъ одолѣю, то возму твое все». И рече Мьстиславъ: «Тако буди». И сьѣхастася, и рече Редедя кь Мьстиславу: «Не оружьемь ся бьевѣ, но борьбою». И яста ся бороти крѣпко, и надолзѣ борющимся има, и нача изнемогати Мьстиславъ: бѣ бо великъ и силень Редедя. И рече Мьстиславъ: «О пресвятая Богородице, помози ми. Аще бо одолѣю сему, сьзижю церковь въ имя твое». И се рекъ, удари имъ о землю. И вынемь ножь, удари ̀и въ гортань ножемь, и ту бысть зарѣзанъ Редедя. И вьшедъ в землю его, и взя все имѣние его, и жену его и дѣти его, и дань възложи на касогы. И пришедьшю к Тьмутороканю и заложи церковь святыя Богородица, и созда ю, яже стоить и до сего дни в Тмутороканѣ.
В лѣто 6531. Поиде Мьстиславъ на Ярослава с козары и сь касогы.
В лѣто 6532. Ярославу сущю в Новѣгородѣ, приде Мьстиславъ ис Тьмуторокана Кыеву, и не прияша его кыянѣ. Онъ же сѣде на столѣ Черниговѣ, Ярославу сущу в Новѣгородѣ тогда.
В се же лѣто вьсташа вьлъсви в суждалцихъ, избиваху старую чадь по дьяволю наученью и бѣсованию, глаголюще, яко си держать гобино. И мятежь великъ и голодъ въ всей странѣ той; идоша по Волзѣ вси людье въ Болъгары и привезоша жито, и тако ожиша. Слышавъ же Ярославъ вълъхвы ты, и приде к Суждалю, изьима волъхвы, расточи, и другия показни, рекъ сице: «Богъ наводить по грѣхомъ на куюждо землю гладомь, или моромъ, или ведромъ, или иною казнью, а человѣкъ не вѣсть ничтоже». И вьзвративъся Ярославъ и поиде к Новугороду, и посла Ярославъ за море по варяги.
И приде Акунъ с варягы, и бѣ Акунъ сь лѣпъ, и луда у него златомъ истькана. И приде ко Ярославу, и Ярославъ сь Акуномь поиде на Мьстислава. Мьстислав же, слышавь, изииде противу има кь Листьвну. Мьстислав же с вечера исполчи дружину, и постави сѣверъ въ чело противу варягомъ, а самъ ста с дружиною своею по крилома. И бывъши нощи, бысть тма, и громове, и молънья и дождь. И рече Мьстиславъ дружинѣ своей: «Поидемь на нѣ». И поиде Мьстиславъ и Ярославъ противу, и съступишася въ чело варязѣ сь сѣверомъ, и трудишася варязи, сѣкуще сѣверъ, и по семъ наступи Мьстиславъ с дружиною своею и нача сѣчи варягы. И бысть сѣча силна, яко посвѣтяше мъльнъя и блисташася оружья, и бѣ гроза велика и сѣча силна и страшна. Видѣв же Ярославъ, яко побѣжаемь есть, и побѣже сь Якуномъ, княземь варяжькимь, и Акунъ ту отбѣже луды златое. А Ярослав же приде к Новугороду, а Якунъ иде за море. Мьстислав же, о светъ заутра […] видѣ лежачи исѣчены от своихъ сѣвѣръ и варягы Ярославлѣ, и рече: «Кто сему не рад? Се лежить сѣверянинъ, а се варягъ, а своя дружина цѣла». И посла Мьстиславъ по Ярославѣ, глаголя: «Сѣди ты на столѣ своемь Кыевѣ, понеже ты еси старѣй братъ, а мнѣ буди ся сторона». И не смѣяше Ярославъ в Кыевъ ити, донележе смиристася. И сѣдяше Ярославъ в Новѣгородѣ, и бяху сѣдяще в Киевѣ мужи Ярославлѣ. В том же лѣтѣ родися у Ярослава другый сынъ, и нарече имя ему Изяславъ.
В лѣто 6533.
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 6524. Yaroslav came against Sviatopolk, and they took their stand facing one another on opposite banks of the Dnieper, and neither these dared to fall upon those, nor those upon these; and they stood facing each other for 3 months. And Sviatopolk's commander began, riding along the bank, to mock the men of Novgorod, saying: “Why have you come with this cripple? You are carpenters — let us set you to building our wooden houses.” The Novgorodians, hearing this, said to Yaroslav: “Tomorrow we will cross over against them; whoever does not go with us, him we will slay ourselves.” It was already the season of first frosts. Sviatopolk stood between two lakes, and all night he drank himself drunk with his retinue. Yaroslav, at dawn, having drawn up his retinue, crossed over before daybreak. When they had stepped ashore, they pushed the boats off from the bank and advanced against one another, and the two sides met on the field. There was a bitter slaughter, and the lakes gave the Pechenegs no way to help; Yaroslav's men pressed Sviatopolk's troops back to the lake, and they stepped onto the ice, and the ice broke under Sviatopolk's troops, and many drowned in the waters, and Yaroslav began to prevail. Seeing this, Sviatopolk fled, and Yaroslav prevailed. Sviatopolk fled to the Poles, and Yaroslav sat in Kyiv on his father's throne. Yaroslav was then 28 years old.
In the year 6525. Yaroslav entered Kyiv, and the churches burned.
In the year 6526. Boleslav marched with Sviatopolk against Yaroslav with the Poles, and Yaroslav gathered a great host of Rus', Varangians, and Slovenes, and marched against Boleslav and Sviatopolk, and came to Volhynia, and the two sides took their stand on opposite banks of the river Bug. Yaroslav had a foster father and commander, Budy, and Budy began to mock Boleslav, saying: “What if we split your fat belly with a pike?” Boleslav was huge and heavy, so that he could not sit a horse, but he was a man of sense. And Boleslav said: “If you feel no shame at this taunt […] — I will perish alone!” And mounting his horse, he rode into the river, and his troops after him. Yaroslav had no time to form his ranks, and Boleslav defeated Yaroslav. Yaroslav fled with four men to Novgorod. Boleslav entered Kyiv with Sviatopolk. And Boleslav said: “Quarter my retinue through the towns for provisioning.” And so it was.
When Yaroslav fled to Novgorod, he wished to flee overseas, but the governor Konstantin, son of Dobrynia, with the Novgorodians hacked up Yaroslav's boat, saying: “We can still fight against Boleslav and Sviatopolk.” And they began to collect money — four kunas from each man, 10 grivnas from each elder, and eighty grivnas from each boyar. They brought Varangians and paid them the money, and Yaroslav gathered many troops. Meanwhile Boleslav sat in Kyiv, and the senseless Sviatopolk said: “Whatever Poles there are in the towns, kill them.” And the Poles were killed. Boleslav then fled from Kyiv, taking Yaroslav's wealth and boyars and his sister as well, and set Nastas, the keeper of the tithe, over the property, for he had entrusted himself to him through flattery. And he led a great multitude away with him, seized the Cherven towns for himself, and came to his own land. And Sviatopolk began to rule in Kyiv.
And Yaroslav marched against Sviatopolk, and Yaroslav defeated Sviatopolk, and Sviatopolk fled to the Pechenegs.
In the year 6527. Sviatopolk came with the Pechenegs in mighty force, and Yaroslav gathered a multitude of troops and marched out against him to the Alta. Yaroslav took his stand on the spot where Boris had been killed, and lifting his hands to heaven, said: “The blood of my brother cries out to you, Master! Avenge the blood of this righteous man, as you avenged the blood of Abel, laying upon Cain groaning and trembling — so lay it upon this man.” And he prayed, saying: “My brothers! Though you have departed from here in body, help me in prayer against this proud murderer.” And when he had said this, the two sides advanced against one another, and both armies covered the field of the Alta by their multitude. It was then a Friday, and as the sun rose the two hosts met, and there was a slaughter such as had never been in Rus'; they cut each other down hand to hand, and closed in battle three times, and the blood ran through the hollows. By evening Yaroslav prevailed, and Sviatopolk fled. And as he fled, a devil fell upon him, and his bones grew weak, and he could not sit on a horse, and they carried him on a litter. And they brought him to Brest, fleeing with him. He kept saying: “Flee with me — they pursue us!” His servants sent men out ahead: “Is anyone perhaps pursuing him?” And there was no one pursuing behind, yet they fled on with him. And he lay in his weakness and, starting up, kept saying: “Here they pursue! There they pursue! Flee!” He could not bear to remain in one place, and he fled through the Polish land, driven by the wrath of God, and fled through the wilderness between the Czechs and the Poles, and there he wickedly gave up his life. “And as was just, since he was unrighteous, when judgment came after his departure from this world, he received the torments of the accursed one.” For Sviatopolk “the ruinous wound, sent against him, showed forth plainly, driving him mercilessly to death,” and after death he is tormented and bound eternally. His grave is in that wilderness to this day, and an evil stench comes out of it. God showed this as a warning to the princes of Rus': that if they do the like, having heard of this, they will receive the same punishment, and greater than this, for knowing what had happened they would commit the same evil of fratricide. For Cain received 7 vengeances when he killed Abel, and Lamech 70, for Cain did not know that he would receive vengeance from God, while Lamech, knowing the punishment that had fallen on his forefather, committed murder. “For Lamech said to his two wives: I have slain a man to my hurt and a youth to my wound; therefore, he said, 70 vengeances upon me, for, he said, I did this knowingly.” Lamech killed the 2 brothers of Enoch and took their wives for himself. This Sviatopolk was a new Abimelech, born of adultery, who slew his brothers, the sons of Gideon — so it was with this man too.
And Yaroslav came and sat in Kyiv, wiping away the sweat with his retinue, having shown forth victory and great toil.
In the year 6528. A son was born to Yaroslav, and he named him Vladimir.
In the year 6529. Briachislav, son of Iziaslav, grandson of Vladimir, came against Novgorod and seized Novgorod, taking a multitude of Novgorodians and their property, and set out back for Polotsk. And when he had come to the river Sudomir, Yaroslav […] came out from Kyiv on the 7th day and overtook him there. And Yaroslav defeated Briachislav, and turned the Novgorodians […] back […] to Novgorod, and Briachislav fled to Polotsk.
In the year 6530. Yaroslav came to Brest. At the same time, Mstislav being in Tmutorokan, he marched against the Kasogians. Hearing this, Rededia, prince of the Kasogians, came out against him. And when the two armies had taken their stand facing one another, Rededia said to Mstislav: “Why should we destroy our retinues between us? Let us come down ourselves and wrestle. If you prevail, you shall take my property, and my wife, and my land. If I prevail, I will take all that is yours.” And Mstislav said: “So be it.” And they rode against each other, and Rededia said to Mstislav: “Let us not fight with weapons, but by wrestling.” And they took hold and wrestled hard, and as they wrestled long, Mstislav began to weaken, for Rededia was huge and strong. And Mstislav said: “O most holy Mother of God, help me! If I prevail over this man, I will build a church in your name.” And having said this, he flung him to the ground; and drawing a knife, he stabbed him in the throat, and so Rededia was slain. And he went into his land and took all his property, and his wife, and his children, and laid tribute upon the Kasogians. And when he came to Tmutorokan, he laid the foundations of the church of the Holy Mother of God and built it, and it stands to this day in Tmutorokan.
In the year 6531. Mstislav marched against Yaroslav with the Khazars and the Kasogians.
In the year 6532. Yaroslav being in Novgorod, Mstislav came from Tmutorokan to Kyiv, and the men of Kyiv did not receive him. And he sat on the throne in Chernihiv, Yaroslav being in Novgorod at that time.
In the same year sorcerers arose in Suzdal, killing the old and honored folk at the devil's prompting and instigation, saying that they hoarded the abundance. And there was great tumult and famine throughout that land; and all the people went down the Volga to the Bulgars and brought back grain, and so they lived again. Hearing of those sorcerers, Yaroslav came to Suzdal, seized the sorcerers, dispersed them, and punished others, saying this: “God, according to sins, brings upon every land famine, or pestilence, or drought, or some other punishment, and man knows nothing of it.” And Yaroslav returned and went to Novgorod, and Yaroslav sent overseas for Varangians.
And Akun came with the Varangians, and Akun was blind, and his mantle was woven with gold. He came to Yaroslav, and Yaroslav marched with Akun against Mstislav. Mstislav, hearing of it, came out against them to Listven. Mstislav drew up his retinue in the evening, placing the Severianians in the front rank against the Varangians, while he himself took his stand with his own retinue on the wings. And when night had come, there was darkness, and thunder, and lightning, and rain. And Mstislav said to his retinue: “Let us fall upon them.” And Mstislav and Yaroslav advanced against each other, and the Varangians met the Severianians front to front, and the Varangians labored hard, cutting down the Severianians, and then Mstislav pressed forward with his retinue and began to cut down the Varangians. And there was a fierce battle, so that the lightning flashed and the weapons gleamed, and there was a great storm, and the slaughter was fierce and terrible. Seeing that his side was being defeated, Yaroslav fled with Yakun, the Varangian prince, and Akun fled, leaving behind his gold-woven mantle. And Yaroslav came to Novgorod, and Yakun went overseas. At daybreak Mstislav […] saw lying slain his own Severianians and Yaroslav's Varangians, and said: “Who would not rejoice at this? Here lies a Severianian, and here a Varangian, and my own retinue is whole.” And Mstislav sent for Yaroslav, saying: “Sit in Kyiv on your throne, for you are the elder brother, and let this side be mine.” And Yaroslav did not dare go to Kyiv until they were reconciled. And Yaroslav sat in Novgorod, and Yaroslav's men sat in Kyiv. In that same year a second son was born to Yaroslav, and he named him Iziaslav.
In the year 6533.
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 6524. Yaroslav came against Sviatopolk, and they stood facing each other on opposite banks of the Dnieper. Neither side dared cross to the other, and they stood against each other for 3 months. Sviatopolk's commander began riding along the bank, mocking the men of Novgorod, and saying: “Why have you come with this cripple? You are carpenters! Let us set you to cutting timber for our houses.” The men of Novgorod heard this and said to Yaroslav: “Tomorrow we will cross over to them. If anyone does not go with us, we will kill him ourselves.” It was already at the first frost. Sviatopolk stood between two lakes, and he drank all night with his retinue. In the morning Yaroslav drew up his retinue in battle order and crossed against the dawn. Landing on the bank, they pushed the boats away from the shore and moved toward the enemy, and the two sides met at that place. There was a fierce slaughter. The lake left the Pechenegs no way to help. Yaroslav's men pressed Sviatopolk's troops to the lake, and they stepped onto the ice; the ice broke with Sviatopolk's troops on it, and many drowned in the water, and Yaroslav began to win. Sviatopolk saw this and fled, and Yaroslav won. Sviatopolk fled to the Poles. Yaroslav sat in Kyiv on his father's throne. Yaroslav was then 28 years old.
In the year 6525. Yaroslav entered Kyiv, and the churches burned.
In the year 6526. Boleslav set out with Sviatopolk against Yaroslav with the Poles. Yaroslav gathered a great host of Rus', Varangians, and Slovenes, and marched against Boleslav and Sviatopolk. He came to Volhynia, and the two sides took their stand on opposite banks of the Bug River. Yaroslav had a foster-father and commander named Budy, and Budy began to mock Boleslav, saying: “What if we pierce your fat belly with a pike?” Boleslav was big and heavy, so that he could not even sit a horse, but he was clever. Boleslav said: “If this insult […] does not pain you—then I will perish alone!” He mounted a horse and waded into the river, and his troops after him. Yaroslav did not manage to form up in time, and Boleslav defeated Yaroslav. Yaroslav fled to Novgorod with four men. Boleslav entered Kyiv with Sviatopolk. Boleslav said: “Send my retinue out through the towns to be fed.” And it was so.
When Yaroslav fled to Novgorod, he wanted to run overseas, but the governor Konstantin, son of Dobrynia, and the men of Novgorod chopped up Yaroslav's boats, saying: “We can still fight Boleslav and Sviatopolk.” They began collecting money: four kunas from each man, ten grivnas from each elder, and eighty grivnas from each boyar. They brought Varangians, paid them the money, and Yaroslav gathered many troops. While Boleslav was sitting in Kyiv, the senseless Sviatopolk said: “Wherever there are Poles in the towns, kill them.” They killed the Poles. Boleslav fled from Kyiv, taking Yaroslav's property and boyars and his sisters, and he put Nastas, the keeper of the tithe, in charge of the property, for Nastas had won his trust by deceit. He led a great crowd of people away with him, seized the Cherven towns for himself, and came back to his own land. Sviatopolk began to rule in Kyiv.
Yaroslav marched on Sviatopolk and defeated him, and Sviatopolk fled to the Pechenegs.
In the year 6527. Sviatopolk came with the Pechenegs in great force. Yaroslav gathered a multitude of troops and went out against him to the Alta. Yaroslav took his stand on the spot where they had killed Boris. Lifting his hands to heaven, he said: “The blood of my brother cries out to you, Master! Avenge the blood of this righteous man, as you avenged the blood of Abel, laying on Cain groaning and trembling—so lay it on this one.” And when he had prayed, he said: “My brothers! Though you have gone from here in body, help me by your prayers against this proud murderer.” When he had said this, the two sides moved against each other, and both covered the Alta field with the multitude of their troops. It was then a Friday, and the sun was rising, and the two sides met. There was a slaughter such as had never been seen in Rus'. They seized each other by the hands and cut each other down; they closed three times, and blood flowed through the hollows. By evening Yaroslav had won, and Sviatopolk fled. As he fled, a demon fell on him, his bones went limp, and he could not sit on a horse; they carried him on a litter. They carried him to Brest, fleeing with him. He kept saying: “Run with me—they are chasing us.” His retainers kept sending men ahead to ask whether anyone was pursuing him. No one was following, yet they ran on with him. He lay in his weakness, and, starting up, would say: “Here they chase us, there they chase us—run!” He could not bear to stay in one place. He ran through the Polish land, driven by God's wrath, and ran through the wilderness between the Czechs and the Poles, and there he threw his life away in misery. And this was just: he was unrighteous, so when judgment came after he left this world, he received the torments of the damned. The destroying wound sent against Sviatopolk showed itself plainly and drove him without mercy into death; after death he is tortured and bound forever. His grave is in that wilderness to this day, and a foul stench comes out of it. God made this an example for the princes of Rus': if they hear of this and still do the same, they will receive the same punishment, and greater than this, because they know what happened and still commit such evil fratricide. Cain received 7-fold vengeance for killing Abel, and Lamech 70-fold: Cain did not know that vengeance would come from God, but Lamech knew the punishment that had come on his forefather and still committed murder. For Lamech said to his two wives: “I killed a man to my harm and a young man to my wound; therefore, seventy-fold vengeance is on me, because, knowing it, I did this.” Lamech killed the two brothers of Enoch and took both of their wives for himself. This Sviatopolk was a new Abimelech, who was born from adultery and killed his brothers, the sons of Gideon; so it was with this one too.
Yaroslav came and sat in Kyiv, wiping away sweat together with his retinue, having shown victory and great toil.
In the year 6528. A son was born to Yaroslav, and he named him Vladimir.
In the year 6529. Briachislav, son of Iziaslav and grandson of Vladimir, came against Novgorod. He seized Novgorod, took many men of Novgorod and their property, and set out for Polotsk again. When he came to the Sudomir River, Yaroslav […] came out of Kyiv, and on the 7th day caught up with him there. Yaroslav defeated Briachislav and brought the men of Novgorod […] back […] to Novgorod, and Briachislav fled to Polotsk.
In the year 6530. Yaroslav came to Brest. At that time Mstislav was in Tmutorokan, and he marched against the Kasogians. Hearing this, Rededia, the prince of the Kasogians, came out against him. When the two armies stood facing each other, Rededia said to Mstislav: “Why should we destroy our retinues against each other? Let the two of us come down and wrestle. If you win, you will take my property, my wife, and my land. If I win, I will take everything of yours.” Mstislav said: “So be it.” They rode toward each other, and Rededia said to Mstislav: “We will not fight with weapons, but in a wrestling bout.” And they began to wrestle hard. They wrestled a long time, and Mstislav began to weaken, for Rededia was big and strong. Mstislav said: “O most holy Mother of God, help me! If I defeat this man, I will build a church in your name.” Having said this, he struck him to the ground. Then he drew a knife and cut Rededia's throat with it, and there Rededia was killed. Mstislav went into his land and took all his property, his wife, and his children, and he laid tribute on the Kasogians. When he came back to Tmutorokan, he laid the foundations of the church of the Holy Mother of God and built it, and it still stands in Tmutorokan to this day.
In the year 6531. Mstislav marched against Yaroslav with the Khazars and the Kasogians.
In the year 6532. While Yaroslav was in Novgorod, Mstislav came from Tmutorokan to Kyiv, but the men of Kyiv did not receive him. He sat on the throne in Chernihiv, while Yaroslav was in Novgorod at that time.
In that same year sorcerers rose up in the Suzdal land. At the devil's prompting and instigation they killed the old leading people, saying that they were holding back the grain stores. There was a great uprising and famine through that whole land. All the people went up the Volga to the Bulgars and brought back grain, and so they came back to life. Yaroslav heard about those sorcerers, came to Suzdal, seized them, and banished some, while he put others to death, saying this: “God brings famine, or plague, or drought, or some other punishment on every land for its sins, and man knows nothing of it.” Yaroslav turned back and went to Novgorod, and he sent overseas for Varangians.
Akun came with the Varangians. Akun was blind, and his cloak was woven with gold. He came to Yaroslav, and Yaroslav set out with Akun against Mstislav. Hearing of it, Mstislav came out against them to Listven. In the evening Mstislav drew up his retinue in battle order: he placed the Severianians in the front line against the Varangians, and he himself took position with his own retinue on the wings. Night came on, and there was darkness and thunder and lightning and rain. Mstislav said to his retinue: “Let us move against them.” Mstislav and Yaroslav moved against each other, and the Varangians met the Severianians in the front line. The Varangians toiled, cutting down the Severianians, and then Mstislav advanced with his own retinue and began cutting down the Varangians. There was a violent slaughter: the lightning flashed and the weapons gleamed; there was a great storm and a fierce and terrible battle. Yaroslav saw that his side was losing, and he fled with Yakun, the Varangian prince, and Akun lost his golden cloak there. Yaroslav went back to Novgorod, and Yakun went overseas. At dawn Mstislav […] saw his own Severianians and Yaroslav's Varangians lying cut down, and he said: “Who would not rejoice at this? Here lies a Severianian, there lies a Varangian—and my own retinue is unharmed.” Mstislav sent men after Yaroslav, saying: “Sit on your own throne in Kyiv, for you are the elder brother, and let this side be mine.” Yaroslav did not dare go to Kyiv until they were reconciled. So Yaroslav sat in Novgorod, while Yaroslav's men sat in Kyiv. In the same year a second son was born to Yaroslav, and he named him Iziaslav.
In the year 6533.