Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
1072–1073: The Relics of Boris and Gleb and the Brothers' Quarrel
1072–1073: The Relics of Boris and Gleb and the Brothers' Quarrel of 46. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Old East Slavic
В лѣто 6580. Принесоша святая страстотерпца Бориса и Глѣба. Совокупившеся Ярославличи — Изяславь, Святъславъ и Всеволодъ, митрополитъ же бѣ тогда Георгий, епископъ Петръ Переяславьскый, Михаилъ Юрьевьскый, Федосий же игуменъ Печерьскый, Софроний же святаго Михаила игуменъ, Герьманъ святаго Спаса игуменъ и Никола, игумень Переяславьский, и прочии игумени вси, створивше праздникъ свѣтелъ и преложиша я в новую церковь, юже здѣла Изяславъ, яже стоить и […] нынѣ. Вземше бо первое Бориса в деревяний ракѣ Изяславъ, и Святославъ и Всеволодъ, вземше на плещи своя и понесоша и, предъидущимъ черноризьцемъ, свѣща держаще в рукахъ, и по нихъ дьякони с кандилы, и по семь прозвутери, и по нихъ епископи с митрополитомъ, и по нихъ с ракою идяхуть. И принесъше ̀и в новую церковь, отверзоша раку, исполнися церкви благоухания, вонѣ благы; видивше се, прославиша Бога. И митрополита ужасъ обииде, бяше бо не твердо вѣруя к нима; и падъ ниць, прося прощения. И цѣловавше мощи его, вложиша и в раку камену. По сем же вземше Глѣба в рацѣ камени, и вьставиша ̀и на сани и, емше за вужа, везоша ̀и. Яко быша въ двѣрехъ, ста рака, не поидущи. И повелѣша народу звати: «Господи помилуй», и повезоша. И положиша я мѣсяца мая въ 20. И отпѣвше литургию, обѣдаша братья си вся накупь, когождо с бояры своими и с любовью великою. Бѣ бо тогда держа Вышегородъ Чюдинъ, а церковь Лазорь. И по семь разиидошася вьсвояси.
В лѣто 6581. Вьздвиже дьяволъ котору въ братьи сей Ярославличихъ. И бывши распре межи ими, быста сь себе Святославъ со Всеволодомъ на Изяслава. И изииде Изяславъ ись Кыева. Святослав же и Всеволодъ внидоста в Кыевъ мѣсяца марта въ 22 и сѣдоста на столѣ на Берестовомъ, преступивша заповѣдь отню. Святослав же бѣ начало выгнанию братню, желая болшая власти, Всеволода бо прельсти и глаголя, яко «Изяславь сватается сь Всеславомъ, мысля на наю; да аще его не варивѣ, имать насъ прогнати». И тако взостри Всеволода на Изяслава. Изяслав же иде в Ляхы со имѣниемь многимъ и сь женою, уповая богатьствомъ многымь, глаголя, яко «Симь налѣзу воя». Еже взяша у него ляхове, показаша ему путь от себе. А Святославъ сѣде в Кыевѣ, прогнавъ брата своего, преступивъ заповѣдь отьню, паче же и Божию. Великъ бо есть грѣхъ преступати заповѣдь отца своего: ибо исперва преступиша сынове Хамовѣ на землю Сифову, по 400 лѣт отмьщение прияша от Бога; от племени бо Сифова суть еврѣи, иже избиша хананейско племя, вьсприяша свой жребий и свою землю. И пакы преступи заповѣдь Исавъ отца своего и прия убийство; не добро есть преступати придѣла чюжаго.
Того же лѣта основана бысть церковь Печерьская Святославомъ княземь, сыномь Ярославлимь, игуменомъ Федосьемь, епископомъ Михаиломъ, митрополиту Георгиеви тогда сущю въ Грѣцѣхъ, а Святославу в Кыевѣ сѣдящю.
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 6580. The relics of the holy passion-bearers Boris and Gleb were translated. The sons of Yaroslav gathered together — Iziaslav, Sviatoslav, and Vsevolod — and the metropolitan was then George, and Bishop Peter of Pereiaslav, and Michael of Yuriev, and Theodosius, abbot of the Caves, and Sophronius, abbot of St. Michael's, and German, abbot of the Holy Savior, and Nicholas, abbot of Pereiaslav, and all the other abbots; and they made a bright feast and translated them into the new church which Iziaslav had built, and which stands […] to this day. First they took up Boris in his wooden reliquary — Iziaslav, and Sviatoslav, and Vsevolod lifted it upon their shoulders and bore him, the monks going before, holding candles in their hands, and after them the deacons with candle-lamps, and after them the priests, and after them the bishops with the metropolitan, and after them they bore the reliquary. And when they had brought him into the new church and opened the reliquary, the church was filled with fragrance, a sweet savor; and seeing this, they glorified God. And a trembling seized the metropolitan, for he had not believed firmly in the two; and he fell prostrate, asking forgiveness. And they kissed his relics and placed him in a stone reliquary. After that they took up Gleb in his stone reliquary, set it upon a sledge, and, taking hold of the shaft, drew him along. And when they came to the doors, the reliquary stood still and would not go. And they bade the people cry: “Lord, have mercy,” and they drew it on. And they laid him to rest on the 20th day of the month of May. And after singing the liturgy, the brothers all dined together, each with his boyars, and with great love. For at that time Chudin held Vyshhorod, and Lazar the church. And after this they departed each to his own place.
In the year 6581. The devil stirred up strife among these brothers, the sons of Yaroslav. And when discord had arisen among them, Sviatoslav and Vsevolod joined together against Iziaslav. And Iziaslav went out from Kyiv. And Sviatoslav and Vsevolod entered Kyiv on the 22nd day of the month of March and sat upon the throne at Berestovo, transgressing their father's command. Sviatoslav was the instigator of his brother's expulsion, desiring greater power: he beguiled Vsevolod, saying, “Iziaslav is making a marriage alliance with Vseslav and plotting against us two; if we do not forestall him, he will drive us out.” And so he goaded Vsevolod against Iziaslav. And Iziaslav went to the Poles with great wealth and his wife, trusting in his many riches, and saying, “With this I will find troops.” But the Poles took it from him and showed him the way out of their presence. And Sviatoslav sat in Kyiv, having driven out his brother, transgressing his father's command, and God's even more. For great is the sin of transgressing one's father's command: so of old the sons of Ham transgressed into the land of Seth, and after 400 years they received vengeance from God; for from the tribe of Seth are the Hebrews, who destroyed the Canaanite tribe and took back their own lot and their own land. And again Esau transgressed his father's command and brought on himself murder; it is not good to overstep another's boundary.
In the same year the church of the Caves was founded by Prince Sviatoslav, son of Yaroslav, by Abbot Theodosius, and by Bishop Michael, while Metropolitan George was then in the land of the Greeks and Sviatoslav sat in Kyiv.
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 6580 they brought in the holy passion-bearers Boris and Gleb. The sons of Yaroslav gathered together: Iziaslav, Sviatoslav, and Vsevolod. The metropolitan was then George; also Peter, bishop of Pereiaslav; Michael of Yuriev; Theodosius, abbot of the Caves; Sophronius, abbot of St. Michael; German, abbot of the Holy Savior; Nicholas, abbot of Pereiaslav; and all the other abbots. They made a bright feast and transferred them into the new church that Iziaslav built, which still stands […] now. First they took Boris in his wooden coffin: Iziaslav, Sviatoslav, and Vsevolod took him on their shoulders and carried him, with monks going ahead holding candles in their hands, after them deacons with lamps, then priests, then bishops with the metropolitan, and behind them those carrying the coffin. When they brought him into the new church and opened the coffin, the church filled with fragrance, a sweet smell; seeing this, they glorified God. Amazement seized the metropolitan, for he had not firmly believed in them; he fell to the ground and asked forgiveness. They kissed his relics and placed him in a stone coffin. Then they took Gleb in his stone coffin, set it on a sledge, took hold of the shaft, and drew it. When they came to the doors, the coffin stood still and would not go. They ordered the people to cry out “Lord, have mercy,” and it moved. They laid him in place on May 20. After singing the liturgy, these brothers all dined together, each with his own boyars, and with great love. At that time Chudin held Vyshhorod, and Lazar held the church. After this they all went their separate ways.
In the year 6581, the devil stirred up strife among these brothers, the sons of Yaroslav. When the quarrel arose between them, Sviatoslav and Vsevolod joined together against Iziaslav, and Iziaslav left Kyiv. Sviatoslav and Vsevolod entered Kyiv on March 22 and sat on the seat at Berestovo, transgressing their father's command. Sviatoslav started his brother's expulsion, wanting greater power. He tricked Vsevolod, saying: “Iziaslav is making an alliance with Vseslav, planning against us two; if we do not strike first, he will drive us out.” And so he whetted Vsevolod against Iziaslav. Iziaslav went to Poland with much property and with his wife, trusting in his great wealth, and saying: “With this I will hire troops.” The Poles took it from him and showed him the way out. Sviatoslav sat in Kyiv, having driven out his brother, transgressing his father's command — and God's even more. For great is the sin of transgressing one's father's command: at the very first the sons of Ham crossed into the land of Seth, and after 400 years they received vengeance from God; for from the tribe of Seth come the Hebrews, who killed the Canaanite tribe and took back their own lot and their own land. And again Esau transgressed his father's command and came to murder. It is not good to cross another's boundary.
In that same year the Caves church was founded by Prince Sviatoslav, son of Yaroslav, by Abbot Theodosius, and by Bishop Michael, while Metropolitan George was then in the Greek lands and Sviatoslav sat in Kyiv.