Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
1026–1050: Yaroslav's Reign and the Love of Books
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В лѣто 6534. Ярославъ сьвокупи воя многы и приде Кыеву, и створи миръ с братомъ своимъ Мьстиславомъ у Городьца. И раздѣлиста и по Днѣпръ Рускую землю: Ярославъ прия сию страну, а Мьстиславъ ону. И начаста жити мирно и въ братолюбьи, и преста усобица и мятежь, и бысть тишина велика в земли.
В лѣто 6535. Родися третий сынъ Ярославу, и нарече имя ему Святославъ.
В лѣто 6536.
В лѣто 6537. Мирно лѣто.
В лѣто 6538. Ярославъ взя Белзъ. И родися Ярославу 4-тый сынъ, и нарече имя ему Всеволодъ. Сего лѣта иде Ярославъ на чюдь, и побѣди я, и постави городъ Юрьевъ. В се же время умершу Болеславу Великому в Ляхѣхъ, и бысть мятежь великъ в Лядьской земли, и, вьставше, людье избиша епископы, и попы, и бояры своя, и бысть мятежь въ нихъ.
В лѣто 6539. Ярославъ и Мьстиславъ собраста воя многы, и идоста на Ляхы, и заяста грады червенъскыя опять, и повоеваста Лядьскую землю, и многы ляхы приведоста, и раздѣлиста я. И посади Ярославъ своя по Рси, и суть и до сего дни.
В лѣто 6540. Ярославъ поча ставити городы по Рси.
В лѣто 6541. Мьстиславичь Еустафий умьре.
В лѣто 6542.
В лѣто 6543.
В лѣто 6544. Мьстиславъ изыиде на ловы и разболѣся и умре. И положиша ̀и въ церкви святаго Спаса, юже создалъ самъ, бѣ бо вьздано ея при немь вьзвыше, яко и на конѣ стоячи рукою досячи. Бѣ же Мьстиславъ дебелъ тѣломъ, чермьномь лицемь, великома очима, храбръ на рати, и милостивъ, и любяше дружину повелику, и имѣния не щадяще, ни питья, ни ядения не браняше. По семь же прия власть его Ярославъ, и бысть единовластець Руской земли. Иде Ярославъ к Новугороду, посади сына своего Володимира в Новѣгородѣ, епископа постави Жидяту. И в то время родися Ярославу сынъ, и нарекоша имя ему Вячеславъ.
И Ярославу же сущу в Новѣгородѣ, и приде ему вѣсть, яко печенѣзѣ обьстоят Кыевъ. Ярослав же собравъ воя многы — варягы и словены — и прииде Кыеву, и вьниде въ градъ свой. И бѣ же печенѣгъ бе-щисла. Ярославъ же выступи из града, исполчи дружину, и постави варягы по средѣ, а на правѣй странѣ кыяны, и на лѣвемь крилѣ новгородцѣ, и сташа предъ городомъ. А печенѣзѣ приступати начаша, и соступишася на мѣстѣ, идѣже есть нынѣ святая Софья, митрополья руская: бѣ бо тогда поле внѣ града. И бѣ сѣча зла, и одва одолѣвъ к вечеру Ярославь. И побѣгоша печенѣзѣ раздно и не вѣдахуся, камо бѣжаче, и овии, бѣгающе, тоняху в Ситомли, инѣи же во инѣхъ рѣкахъ, и тако погибоша, и прокъ ихъ пробѣгоша и до сего дни. В то же лѣто всади Ярославъ Судислава въ порубь, брата своего, Плесковѣ, оклеветань к нему.
Въ лѣто 6545. Заложи Ярославъ городъ великый Кыевъ, у него же града врата суть Златая; заложи же и церковь святыя Софья, Премудрость Божию, митрополью, и по семь — церьковь на Златыхъ вратѣхъ камену святыя Богородица Благовѣщение. Сий же премудрый князь Ярославъ то того дѣля створи Благовѣщение на вратѣхъ, дать всегда радость граду тому святымь благовѣщениемь Господнимь и молитвою святыя Богородица и архаангела Гаврила. По семь святаго Георгия манастырь и святыя Орины. И при семь нача вѣра крестьяньская плодитися и раширятися, и чернорисци поча множитися, и манастыреве почаху быти. И бѣ Ярославъ любя церковьныя уставы, и попы любяше повелику, излиха же бѣ любя черноризьци, и книгамъ прилежа, почитая часто в день и въ нощи. И собра писцѣ многы и прѣкладаше от грѣкь на словеньскый языкъ и писмо. И списаша многы книгы, и сниска, ими же поучаються вѣрнии людье и наслажаються учения божественаго гласа. Якоже бо нѣкто землю разореть, другый же насѣеть, инии же пожинають и ядять пищу бескудну, — тако и се: отець бо сего Володимиръ землю разора и умягчи, рекше кресщениемь просвѣтивъ. Сий же Ярославъ, сынъ Володимерь, насѣя книжными словесы сердца вѣрныхъ людий. А мы пожинаемь, учение приемлюще книжьное.
Велика бо полза бываеть человѣку от учения книжнаго; книгами бо кажеми и учими есми пути покаянию, и мудрость бо обрѣтаемь и вьздержание от словесъ книжныхъ. Се бо суть рекы, напаяющи вселеную всю, се суть исходища мудрости; книгамъ бо есть неищетная глубина, сими бо […] в печали утѣшаемы есмы, си суть узда вьздеръжанию. Мудрость бо велика есть, якоже и Соломонъ хваляше ю, глаголаше: «Азъ, премудрость, вселихъ свѣтъ и разумъ, и смыслъ азъ призвах. Страх Господень. Мой свѣтъ, моя мудрость, мое утвѣржение. Мною цесари царствують, и силнии пишют правду. Мною вельможи величаються, мучители удержать землю. Азъ любящая мя люблю, ищющии мене обрящють». Аще бо поищеши въ книгахъ мудрости […] прилежно, то обрящеши великую ползу души своей. Иже бо часто кто чтеть книгы, то бесѣдуеть с Богомъ или святыми мужьми. Почитая пророчькыя бесѣды, еуангелская учения и апостолская, и житья святыхъ отець […], вьсприемлеть душа ползу велику.
Ярославъ же сь, якоже рекохомъ, любимъ бѣ книгамъ, и многы, списавь, положи въ церкви святой Софьи, юже созда самъ. И украси ю иконами многоцѣньными, и златомъ и сребромъ и сосуды церковьными, въ ней же обычныя пѣсни Богу вьздають в годы обычныя. И ины церкви ставяше по градомъ и по мѣстомъ, поставляя попы и дая им имѣния своего урокъ, и веля имъ учити людий, и приходити часто кь церквамъ, попови бо часто достоить учити людий, понеже тому есть поручено Богомъ. И умножишася прозвутери и людье хрестьяньстѣи. И радовашеся Ярославъ, видя многи церкви и люди крестьяныи зѣло, а врагъ сѣтоваше, побѣжаемь новыми людми крестьяными.
В лѣто 6546. Иде Ярославъ на ятвягы.
В лѣто 6547. Священа бысть церкви святыя Богородица, юже созда Володимеръ, отець Ярославль, митрополитомъ Феопеньтомь.
В лѣто 6548. Ярославъ иде на литву.
В лѣто 6549. Иде Ярославъ на мазовшаны въ лодьяхъ.
В лѣто 6550. Иде Володимиръ, сын Ярославль, на ямь, побѣдивъ я. И помроша кони у Володимерь вой, и яко еще дышющимь конемь, сдираху хъзы с нихъ: толикъ бѣ моръ в конѣхъ.
В лѣто 6551. Посла Ярославъ Володимира, сына своего, на грѣкы и да ему воя многы, а воеводьство поручи Вышатѣ, отцю Яневу. И поиде Володимирь на Цесарьград в лодьяхъ, и придоша в Дунай, и от Дуная поидоша кь Цесарюграду. И бысть буря велика и разби кораблѣ руси, и княжь корабль разби вѣтръ, и взя князя в корабли Ивань Творимирича, воеводы Ярославля. Прочии вои Володимѣрѣ вывержени быша на брегъ, числомъ 6000, и хотяче поити в Русь, и не иде с ними никтоже от дружины княжа. И рече Вышата: «Азъ поиду с ними». И высѣде ис корабля к нимъ, рекъ: «Аще живъ буду, то с ними, аще ли погибну — с дружиною». И поидоша, хотяче в Русь. И бысть вѣсть грѣкомъ, яко избило море русь, и пославъ цесарь, именемь Мономахъ, по руси олядий 14. Володимеръ же, видивъ, яко идуть по нихъ, вьспятився, изби олядии грѣчькия и вьзвратися в Русь, сьсѣдавшися в кораблѣ своѣ. Вышату же яша сь извержеными на брегь и приведоша я Цесарюграду, и слѣпиша руси много. По 3-хъ же лѣтѣхъ, миру бывшю, и пущенъ бысть Вышата въ Русь кь Ярославу. В сии же времена вьдасть Ярославъ сестру свою за Казимира, и вьдасть Казимиръ за вѣно людий 8 сотъ, еже бѣ полонилъ Болеславъ, побѣдивъ Ярослава.
В лѣто 6552. Выгребена быста 2 князя — Ярополкъ и Олегъ, сына Святославля, и крестиша кости ею, и положиша я въ церкви святыя Богородица в Володимѣри. Того же лѣта умре Брячьславъ, сынъ Изяславль, внукъ Володимирь, отець Всеславль, и Всеславъ, сынъ его, сѣде на столѣ его, егоже роди мати от волъхвования. Матери бо родивши его, и бысть ему язвено на главѣ его; рекоша же волъсви матери его: «Се язьвено на главѣ его навяжи на нь, да носить е до живота своего», еже носилъ Всеславъ и до смертного дни на собѣ; сего ради немилостивъ есть на кровопролитье.
В лѣто 6553. Заложи Володимиръ святую Софью в Новѣгородѣ.
В лѣто 6554. В се же лѣто бысть тишина велика.
В лѣто 6555. Ярославъ иде на мазовшаны, и побѣди я, и князя ихъ уби Моислава, и покори я Казимеру.
В лѣто 6556.
В лѣто 6557.
В лѣто 6558. Преставися жена Ярославля княгини февраля въ 10.
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 6534. Yaroslav gathered many troops and came to Kyiv, and made peace with his brother Mstislav at Gorodets. And they divided the land of Rus' along the Dnieper: Yaroslav took this side, and Mstislav that one. And they began to live in peace and in brotherly love, and the strife and the tumult ceased, and there was great quiet in the land.
In the year 6535. A third son was born to Yaroslav, and he gave him the name Sviatoslav.
In the year 6536.
In the year 6537. A peaceful year.
In the year 6538. Yaroslav took Belz. And a fourth son was born to Yaroslav, and he gave him the name Vsevolod. In that year Yaroslav went against the Chud and defeated them, and founded the town of Yuriev. At the same time Boleslav the Great died among the Poles, and there was a great revolt in the Polish land: the people rose up and slew their bishops, and priests, and boyars, and there was revolt among them.
In the year 6539. Yaroslav and Mstislav gathered many troops and marched against the Poles, and took the Cherven towns again, and ravaged the Polish land, and led away many Poles, and divided them between them. And Yaroslav settled his own along the Ros, and they are there to this day.
In the year 6540. Yaroslav began to found towns along the Ros.
In the year 6541. Eustathius, the son of Mstislav, died.
In the year 6542.
In the year 6543.
In the year 6544. Mstislav went out to hunt, fell ill, and died. And they laid him in the church of the Holy Savior, which he had built himself; while he lived it had been raised so high that a man on horseback could reach its top with his hand. Mstislav was stout of body, ruddy of face, large of eye, brave in battle and merciful; he loved his retinue greatly, spared no wealth of his, and forbade to no one either drink or food. After him Yaroslav received his power, and became sole ruler of the land of Rus'. Yaroslav went to Novgorod, settled his son Vladimir in Novgorod, and consecrated Zhidiata bishop. And at that time a son was born to Yaroslav, and they gave him the name Viacheslav.
And while Yaroslav was in Novgorod, word came to him that the Pechenegs were besetting Kyiv. Yaroslav gathered many troops—Varangians and Slovenes—and came to Kyiv and entered his city. And the Pechenegs were beyond number. Yaroslav marched out of the city and drew up his retinue in order of battle: he set the Varangians in the center, the men of Kyiv on the right wing, and the men of Novgorod on the left, and they took their stand before the city. And the Pechenegs began to come on, and the hosts closed on the spot where St. Sophia, the metropolitan church of Rus', now stands, for in those days it was a field outside the city. And the slaughter was grievous, and Yaroslav scarcely prevailed by evening. And the Pechenegs fled apart, and no longer knew where they ran: some, as they fled, drowned in the Setoml, others in other rivers, and so they perished, and the remnant of them has run on even to this day. In that same year Yaroslav cast his brother Sudislav into a dungeon at Pskov, slandered to him by evil tongues.
In the year 6545. Yaroslav laid the foundations of the great city of Kyiv, whose gates are the Golden Gates; he founded also the church of St. Sophia, the Wisdom of God, the metropolitan church, and after it a stone church of the Holy Mother of God on the Golden Gates—the Annunciation. This wise prince Yaroslav built the Annunciation on the gates for this reason: that the holy Annunciation of the Lord might always give gladness to that city, together with the prayer of the Holy Mother of God and of the archangel Gabriel. After it came the monastery of St. George and of St. Irene. And from that time the Christian faith began to spread and increase, and monks to multiply, and monasteries to come into being. Yaroslav loved the ordinances of the Church, and loved priests greatly, and monks above all; and he gave himself to books, reading them often by day and by night. He gathered many scribes, and had them translate from Greek into the Slavonic tongue and script. And they wrote many books, which faithful men study, and delight in the teaching of the divine voice. For as when one man breaks up the ground, another sows it, and others reap and eat their fill—so it was here: Vladimir, the father of this man, broke up and softened the ground, that is, enlightened it with baptism; this Yaroslav, the son of Vladimir, sowed the hearts of the faithful with the written word; and we reap, receiving the teaching of books.
Great indeed is the profit to a man from the teaching of books: by books we are shown and taught the way of repentance, and from the words of books we gain wisdom and self-restraint. Books are the rivers that water the whole universe; they are the wellsprings of wisdom; in books there is a depth that cannot be fathomed, whereby […] we are comforted in sorrow; they are the bridle of self-restraint. Great is wisdom, as Solomon praised it when he said: “I, Wisdom, have dwelt with light and understanding, and I have called good sense forth. The fear of the Lord. My light, my wisdom, my steadfastness. Through me emperors reign, and the mighty write what is right. Through me princes are exalted, and judges hold the earth. I love those who love me, and those who seek me shall find me.” For if you search the books for wisdom […] with diligence, you shall find great profit for your soul. For whoever reads books often converses with God, or with holy men. As he reads the discourses of the prophets, and the teachings of the Gospels and the Apostles, and the lives of the holy fathers […], his soul receives great profit.
This Yaroslav, as we have said, loved books, and, copying many, he placed them in the church of St. Sophia, which he built himself. And he adorned it with precious icons, and with gold and silver, and with church vessels, in which the customary hymns are rendered to God at the appointed hours. And he built other churches in towns and in places, appointing priests and giving them a fixed allowance from his own wealth, and charging them to teach the people and to come often to the churches; for it behooves the priest to teach the people often, since that charge was laid upon him by God. And priests and Christian people were multiplied. And Yaroslav rejoiced, seeing many churches and Christian people so many, while the enemy grieved, defeated by the new Christian people.
In the year 6546. Yaroslav went against the Yatvingians.
In the year 6547. The church of the Holy Mother of God which Vladimir, Yaroslav's father, had built, was consecrated by Metropolitan Theopemptos.
In the year 6548. Yaroslav went against the Lithuanians.
In the year 6549. Yaroslav went against the Mazovians in boats.
In the year 6550. Vladimir, the son of Yaroslav, went against the Yam and defeated them. And the horses of Vladimir's army began to die, and while a horse still breathed they flayed its hide from it: such was the dying among the horses.
In the year 6551. Yaroslav sent his son Vladimir against the Greeks, and gave him many troops, and entrusted the command to Vyshata, the father of Jan. And Vladimir set out for Constantinople in boats, and they came to the Danube, and from the Danube they made their way toward Constantinople. And a great storm arose and broke the boats of the Rus', and the wind broke the prince's boat, and Ivan Tvorimirich, Yaroslav's commander, took the prince aboard his own boat. The rest of Vladimir's troops were cast up on the shore, 6000 in number, and they wished to make their way back to Rus'; but not one of the prince's retinue would go with them. And Vyshata said: “I will go with them.” And he stepped out of the boat to them, saying: “If I live, then it will be with them; but if I perish, then with my retinue.” And they set out, striving to reach Rus'. And word came to the Greeks that the sea had destroyed the Rus', and the emperor, whose name was Monomakh, sent 14 galleys in pursuit of the Rus'. And Vladimir, seeing that they came after him, turned back, destroyed the Greek galleys, and returned to Rus', stepping into his own boat. Vyshata, though, was seized with those cast up on the shore and brought to Constantinople, and many of the Rus' were blinded. After 3 years, when peace had been made, Vyshata was let go to Rus', to Yaroslav. In those same days Yaroslav gave his sister in marriage to Casimir, and Casimir gave for her bridal gift 800 people whom Boleslav had taken captive when he defeated Yaroslav.
In the year 6552. The 2 princes, Yaropolk and Oleg, sons of Sviatoslav, were dug up out of the earth, and their bones were baptized, and they were laid in the church of the Holy Mother of God in Volodymyr. In the same year died Briachislav, the son of Iziaslav, grandson of Vladimir, father of Vseslav; and Vseslav, his son, sat upon his throne—the son his mother had borne through sorcery. For when his mother bore him, there was a caul upon his head; and the sorcerers said to his mother: “This caul upon his head—bind it upon him, that he may wear it to the end of his life”; and Vseslav wore it upon him to his dying day. For this reason he is merciless in bloodshed.
In the year 6553. Vladimir founded St. Sophia in Novgorod.
In the year 6554. In that year there was great quiet.
In the year 6555. Yaroslav went against the Mazovians and defeated them, slew their prince Moislav, and subdued them to Casimir.
In the year 6556.
In the year 6557.
In the year 6558. Yaroslav's wife, the princess, passed away on the 10th of February.
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 6534. Yaroslav gathered many troops and came to Kyiv, and made peace with his brother Mstislav at Gorodets. And they divided the Rus' land along the Dnieper: Yaroslav took this side, and Mstislav that one. And they began to live in peace and brotherly love, and strife and turmoil ceased, and there was great quiet in the land.
In the year 6535. A third son was born to Yaroslav, and he named him Sviatoslav.
In the year 6536.
In the year 6537. It was a peaceful year.
In the year 6538. Yaroslav took Belz. And a fourth son was born to Yaroslav, and he named him Vsevolod. In that year Yaroslav went against the Chud and defeated them, and founded the town of Yuriev. At that time Boleslav the Great died in Poland, and there was a great revolt in the Polish land: the people rose up and killed their bishops, and their priests, and their boyars, and there was rebellion among them.
In the year 6539. Yaroslav and Mstislav gathered many troops and went against the Poles, and took the Cherven towns again, and ravaged the Polish land, and brought back many Poles and divided them. Yaroslav settled his own along the Ros, and they are there to this day.
In the year 6540. Yaroslav began to build towns along the Ros.
In the year 6541. Eustathius, Mstislav's son, died.
In the year 6542.
In the year 6543.
In the year 6544. Mstislav went out hunting, fell ill, and died. They laid him in the church of the Holy Savior, which he himself had built; its walls had been raised in his time only to a height that a man could touch with his hand from horseback. Mstislav was stout of body, red of face, with large eyes, brave in battle, and merciful; he loved his retinue greatly, did not spare his property, and never forbade drink or food. After him Yaroslav took his rule, and became sole ruler of the Rus' land. Yaroslav went to Novgorod, set his son Vladimir in Novgorod, and made Zhidiata bishop. At that time a son was born to Yaroslav, and they named him Viacheslav.
While Yaroslav was in Novgorod, news came to him that the Pechenegs were besieging Kyiv. Yaroslav gathered many troops — Varangians and Slovenes — and came to Kyiv and entered his town. The Pechenegs were past counting. Yaroslav marched out of the town and drew up his retinue in line of battle: he placed the Varangians in the center, the men of Kyiv on the right flank, and the Novgorodians on the left wing, and they took their stand before the town. The Pechenegs began to attack, and the two armies met on the spot where St. Sophia, the metropolitan church of Rus', now stands, for at that time it was a field outside the town. There was a fierce battle, and by evening Yaroslav barely won. The Pechenegs fled in different directions and did not know where they were fleeing; some, as they ran, drowned in the Setoml, and others in other rivers, and so they perished, and the rest of them ran off, to this day. In that same year Yaroslav imprisoned his brother Sudislav in Pskov, on slander that had been told him.
In the year 6545. Yaroslav founded the great city of Kyiv, at which city are the Golden Gates; he also founded the church of St. Sophia, the Wisdom of God, the metropolitan church, and after it a stone church on the Golden Gates, in honor of the Holy Mother of God — the Annunciation. This wise prince Yaroslav built the Annunciation on the gates for this reason: that the holy Annunciation of the Lord, and the prayer of the Holy Mother of God and of the archangel Gabriel, might always give joy to that city. After that came the monastery of St. George and of St. Irene. In his days the Christian faith began to bear fruit and to spread, and monks began to multiply, and monasteries began to appear. And Yaroslav loved the church rules, and loved priests greatly; he loved monks above all, and gave himself to books, reading them often day and night. He gathered many scribes and had them translate from Greek into the Slavic tongue and script. They copied many books, by which believing people are taught and take delight in the teaching of the divine word. For just as when one man plows the ground, another sows it, and others reap and eat food that never fails, so it is here: his father Vladimir plowed and softened the ground, that is, gave it light through baptism; this Yaroslav, son of Vladimir, sowed the hearts of believing people with the written word; and we reap, receiving the teaching of books.
Great is the gain to a man from book learning: by books we are shown and taught the ways of repentance, and from the written words we gain wisdom and self-restraint. Books are the rivers that water the whole world; they are the springs of wisdom; in books is a depth beyond measuring; by them […] we are comforted in sorrow, and they are the bridle that holds us back. Wisdom is great, as Solomon praised it, when he said: “I, Wisdom, made light to dwell and understanding, and I called reason. The fear of the Lord. My light, my wisdom, my firm support. By me kings reign, and the mighty write what is right. By me nobles are made great, and rulers hold the land. I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find me.” If you search the books for wisdom […] diligently, you will find great gain for your soul. For whoever reads books often converses with God or with holy men. When he reads the words of the prophets, the teachings of the Gospels and the Apostles, and the lives of the holy fathers […], the soul receives great gain.
This Yaroslav, as we have said, loved books; he had many copied and placed them in the church of St. Sophia, which he himself built. He adorned it with precious icons, and with gold and silver and church vessels; in it the customary songs are given to God at the customary hours. He also built other churches in towns and in places, appointed priests, gave them a fixed share of his property, and ordered them to teach the people and to come often to the churches; for a priest must often teach the people, because God has entrusted that duty to him. Priests and Christian people multiplied. And Yaroslav rejoiced, seeing many churches and so many Christians; but the enemy grieved, being defeated by the new Christian people.
In the year 6546. Yaroslav went against the Yatvingians.
In the year 6547. The church of the Holy Mother of God, which Vladimir, Yaroslav's father, had built, was consecrated by Metropolitan Theopemptos.
In the year 6548. Yaroslav went against Lithuania.
In the year 6549. Yaroslav went against the Mazovians in boats.
In the year 6550. Vladimir, Yaroslav's son, went against the Yam and defeated them. Then the horses of Vladimir's army died off, and while the horses were still breathing men stripped the skins off them: such was the plague among the horses.
In the year 6551. Yaroslav sent Vladimir his son against the Greeks and gave him many troops, and entrusted the command to Vyshata, Jan's father. Vladimir set out for Constantinople in boats, reached the Danube, and from the Danube went on toward Constantinople. A great storm arose and smashed the ships of the Rus', and the wind smashed the prince's ship, and Ivan Tvorimirich, Yaroslav's commander, took the prince in onto his own ship. The rest of Vladimir's troops, 6,000 in number, were thrown onto the shore; they wanted to go back to Rus', and not one of the prince's retinue went with them. Vyshata said: “I will go with them.” And he stepped down from the ship to them, saying: “If I live, it is with them; and if I perish — it is with the retinue.” And they set out, wanting to reach Rus'. Word reached the Greeks that the sea had destroyed the Rus', and the emperor, named Monomakh, sent 14 boats after them. Vladimir, seeing that they were coming after them, turned back, destroyed the Greek boats, and returned to Rus', having moved over to his own ship. Vyshata was taken with those thrown onto the shore and brought to Constantinople, and many of the Rus' were blinded. After three years, when peace had been made, Vyshata was let go to Rus', to Yaroslav. At that time Yaroslav gave his sister in marriage to Casimir, and Casimir gave for her bride-price 800 people, whom Boleslav had taken captive when he defeated Yaroslav.
In the year 6552. Two princes were dug up — Yaropolk and Oleg, sons of Sviatoslav; their bones were baptized, and they were laid in the church of the Holy Mother of God in Volodymyr. In the same year Briachislav died, son of Iziaslav, grandson of Vladimir, father of Vseslav, and his son Vseslav sat on his throne; his mother bore him by way of sorcery. When his mother bore him, there was a caul on his head, and the sorcerers said to his mother: “Here is a caul on his head: bind it on him, and let him wear it to the end of his life.” And Vseslav wore it to his dying day; that is why he shows no mercy in bloodshed.
In the year 6553. Vladimir founded St. Sophia in Novgorod.
In the year 6554. In that year there was great quiet.
In the year 6555. Yaroslav went against the Mazovians and defeated them, and killed their prince Moislav, and subdued them to Casimir.
In the year 6556.
In the year 6557.
In the year 6558. Yaroslav's wife the princess died on the 10th of February.