Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
1097, Part 2: The War over Volodymyr
1097, Part 2: The War over Volodymyr of 46. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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По семь же приходящю Великому дни, поиде Давыдъ, прияти хотя власть Василкову, и въсрѣте ̀и Володарь, братъ Василковъ, у Бужьиска. И не смѣ Давыдъ стати противу Володареви и затворися въ Бужьскѣ, и оступи градъ Бужескъ Володарь. И нача Володарь молвити: «Почто зло створивъ, не каешися сего? Да уже помянися, колко еси зла створилъ». Давыдъ же на Святополка нача извѣтъ творити, глаголя: «Ци я се створилъ, ци ли у моемъ городѣ? Язъ и самъ боялъся, аще быша и мене не яли и створили то же. Неволя ми было пристати свѣту ихъ, ходящу в рукахъ ихъ». И рече Володарь: «Богь свидитель тому, а нынѣ пусти брата моего, и створю с тобою миръ». И радъ бывъ Давыдъ, посла по Василка, и приведы и уда ̀и Володареви, и створися миръ, и разидостася. И сѣде Василко в Теребовли, а Давыдъ приде Володимерю.
Ставши веснѣ, и прииде Володарь и Василко на Давыда, и приидоста ко Всеволожю, а Давыдъ затворися у Володимерѣ. Онѣма же ставшима около Всеволожа и взяста копьемъ городъ и зажьгоста огнемь, и выбѣгоша людье от огня. И повелѣ Василко вся исѣщи, и створи Василко мыщенье на людьхъ неповиньныхъ и пролья кровь неповиньну. По семь же приидоста Володимерю, и Давыдъ затворися в городѣ, си же обьступиста градъ. И посласта к володимерцемь, глаголюща: «Вѣ не приидоховѣ на городъ вашь, ни на васъ, но на вороги своя — на Туряка и на Лазоря и на Василя, ти бо суть намолвили Давыда, и тѣхъ есть послушалъ Давыдъ и створилъ все зло. Аще хощете за сихъ битися, да се мы готовы, аще ли — то выдайте враги наша».
Гражани же, слышавше се, и созваша вѣче, и рекоша Давыдови людье на вѣчи: «Выдай мужи сия, мы не бьемъся за сихъ, а за тя можемъ ся бити, а за сихъ не бьемъся. Аще ли — то отворимъ ворота городу, а самъ промышляй о собѣ». И неволя бысть выдати я. И рече Давыдъ: «Нѣту ихъ сдѣ», бѣ бо я послалъ до Лучька. Онѣмь же пошедшимъ Лучьску, Турягъ бѣжалъ Кыеву, а Лазорь и Василь воротистася Турийську. И слышаша людье, яко в Турийскѣ суть, и кликоша людье на Давыда, рекуще: «Выдай, кого ти хотять. Аще ли — то предамыся». Давыдъ же, пославъ, приведе Василья и Лазаря и вдасть я. И створися миръ в недѣлю, и завътра в понедѣлникъ, по зорямъ, повѣсиша Лазоря и Василя и растрѣляша стрѣлами Василковичи, и идоша от града.
Се второе мьщенье створи, егоже бяше не лѣпо створити, дабы отместникъ Богъ былъ, и възложити было на Бога отмьщенье свое, якоже рече пророкъ: «И въздамъ месть врагомъ и ненавидящимъ мене въздамъ, яко кровъ сыновъ своихъ мьщаеть и мьстить, и вздасть месть врагомъ и ненавидящимъ его въздасть». Симь же от града отшедшимъ, и сею снемьше погребоша.
Святополку же обѣщавшюся се створити — прогнати Давыда, поиде к Берестью к Ляхомъ. И се слышавъ, Давыдъ иде в Ляхы к Володиславу, ища помощи. Ляхове же обѣщашася се створити и взяша у него 50 гривен злата, рекуще ему: «Поиди с нами Берестью, яко се вадить ны Святополкъ на снемъ, и ту вмиримъ тя съ Святополкомъ». И, послушавъ ихъ, Давыдъ иде Берестью с Володиславомъ. И ста Святополкъ въ градѣ, а ляховѣ на Бузѣ, и сносися Святополкъ рѣчью с ляхы и дасть имъ великия дары на Давыда. Володиславъ рече: «Не послушаеть мене Святополкъ, да иди опять». И прииде Давыдъ Володимерю, а Святополкъ свѣтъ створи с ляхы и поиде къ Пиньску, посла по воѣ. И прииде Дорогобужю и дожда ту вой своихъ, поиде на Давыда къ граду. Давыдъ затворися въ градѣ, чая помочи в ляхох на Святополъка, бѣша бо рекли ему: «Яко на тя приидуть русьскии князи, то мы ти будемъ помощници». И солгаша, а емлюще злато у Давыда и у Святополка. Святополкъ же оступи городъ, и Давыдъ въ градѣ. И стоя Святополкъ около города 7 недѣль, и поча Давыдъ молитися: «Пусти мя из города». Святополкъ же обѣщася ему, и цѣловаста хрестъ межи собою, и изиде Давыдъ из города и прииде в Черненъ, а Святополкъ вниде в городъ в Великую суботу. Давыдъ же бѣжа в Ляхы.
Святополкъ же, прогнавъ Давыда, нача думати на Володаря и на Василка, глаголя, яко «Се есть волость отца моего и брата», и поиде на ня. И се слышавъ, Володаръ и Василко поидоста противу, вземше хрестъ, егоже цѣловалъ к, нима на сем, яко, «На Давыда пришелъ есмь, а с вама хощю имѣти миръ и любовь». И преступи Святополкъ, надѣяся на множество вой. И съсъступишася на поли на Рожни; исполчившимъся имъ обоимъ, Василькови же узвыси хрестъ, глаголя: «Сего еси цѣловалъ, се пръвое взялъ еси зракъ […] очью моею, а се нынѣ отъяти хощеши душю мою. И межи буди нами хресть сий честный». И поидоша обои противу собѣ к боеви, и съступишася полци, и мнози человѣци благовѣрнии видѣша крестъ над Василковыми вои узвышьшиися вельми. Брани же велицѣ бывши и многымъ падающимъ от обою полку, видѣ Святополкъ, яко люта брань, и побѣже, и прибѣже к Володимерю. И Володарь же и Василко, побѣдивша, стаста ту, рекуща: «Доволѣеть нама на межи своей стати», и не идоста никаможе, Святополкъ же прибѣже Володимерю, и с нимь сына его два, и Святоша, сынъ Давыдовъ Святъславичь, и прочая дружина.
Святополкъ же посади сына своего Володимери Мьстислава, иже бѣ от наложницѣ ему, а Ярослава посла въ Угры, вабя угры на Володаря, а самъ иде Кыеву. Ярославъ, сынъ Святополчь, прииде съ угры, и король Коломанъ и 2 епископа, и сташа около Перемышля по Вягру, а Володарь затворися въ градѣ. Давыдъ же въ тъ чинъ пришедъ из Ляховъ и посади жену свою у Володаря, а самъ иде в Половцѣ. И усрѣте ̀и Бонякъ, и воротися Давыдъ, и поидоста на угры. Идущима же има и сташа ночьлѣгу, и яко бысть полунощи, и въставъ Бонякъ отъѣха от рати и поча выти волъчьски, и отвыся ему волкъ, и начаша мнози волци выти. Бонякъ же, приѣха, повѣда Давыдови, яко «Побѣда ны есть на угры».
И завътра Бонякъ исполчивъ вои свои; Давыдовых 100, а Бонякъ у трех стѣхъ, и раздѣли на 3 полкы и поиде к угромъ. И пусти на воропъ Алтунопу въ 50, а Давыда постави подъ стягомъ, а самъ раздѣлися на два полка, по 50 на сторону. Угре же исполчишася на заступы: бѣ бо угоръ числомъ 100 тысящь. Алтунопа же пригна къ первому заступу и, стриливше, побѣгну передъ угры, угре же погнаху по нихъ, мьняху Боняка бѣжаща, а Бонякъ гнаше, сѣка у плещи. Алтунопа възвратився успять и не допустяху угръ опять, и тако множицею избиваше я. Бонякъ же раздилися на 3 полкы, и сбиша угры в мячь, яко соколъ галицѣ збиваеть. И побѣгоша угре, и мнози истопоша у Вягру, друзии же в Сану. И бѣжаще возлѣ Санъ у гору, и спихаху другь друга, и гна по нихъ два дни, сѣкущи я.
Ту же убиша епископа их Купана и от боляръ многи, якоже глаголаху, погыбло убьено 40 тысящь.
Ярославъ же бѣже на Ляхы и прииде Берестью, а Давыдъ заемъ Сутѣйску и Червенъ, и прииде внезапу и зая володимерцѣ, а Мьстиславъ затворися у градѣ съ засадою, уже бяше у него берестьяне, и пиняни, вышегородци. И ста Давыдъ, оступивъ городъ, и часто приступаше. Единою подступиша къ граду подъ вежами, онѣмь же бьющимся съ града и стрѣляющимъ межи собою, идяху стрѣлы акы дожчь. Мьстиславу же хотящю стрилити, внезапу вдаренъ бысть подъ пазуху стрѣлою на заборолѣхъ скважнею, и сведоша ̀и, и на нощь умре. И таиша его 3 дни, и в четвертый день повѣдаша и на вѣчи. И рекоша людье: «Се князь убьенъ, да аще ся вдамы, и Святополкъ погубить ны». И послаша къ Святополку, глаголюще: «Се сынъ твой убьенъ, а мы изнемогаемъ голодомъ. Аще не придеши, хотять ся людье предати, не могуще глада терпѣти». Святополкъ же посла Путяту, своего воеводу.
Путята же пришедъ с вои к Лутцьку къ Святоши, сыну Давыдову, и ту бяху мужи Давыдови у Святошѣ: заходилъ бо бѣ Святоша ротѣ къ Давыдови: «Аще поидеть на тя Святополкъ, повѣмъ ти». И не сътвори сего Святоша, но изоима мужѣ Давыдовы, а сам поиде на Давыда. И прииде Святоша и Путята августа въ 5 день, Давыдови облежащю градъ, в полудне, а Давыдови спящю, и нападоша на нѣ и начаша сѣщи. И горожане скочишася съ града и почаша сѣщѣ вои Давыдовы, и побѣже Давыдъ и Мьстиславъ, сыновець его. Святоша и Путята переяста городъ и посадника Святополча Василья посадиста. И прииде Святоша Лучьку, а Путятя Киеву. Давыдъ же побѣже в половцѣ, и усрѣте и […] Бонякъ и половцѣ. И поиде Давыдъ и Бонякъ на Святошю к Лучьку, и оступиша Святошю у городи и створиша миръ. И изиде Святоша из города и прииде къ отцю своему Чернѣгову. А Давыдъ прия Луческъ и оттуду прииде к Володимерю; посадникъ же Василь выбѣже из города, а Давыдъ перея Володимерь и седѣ в немь. А на другое лѣто снемь створиша князи.
Святополкъ, Володимеръ, Давыдъ и Олегъ привабиша Давыда Игоревича и не даша ему Володимеря, но даша ему Дорогобужь, у немъже и въмре. А Святополкъ перея Володимерь и посади сына своего Ярослава.
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.
When the Great Day drew near, David set out, wishing to seize Vasilko's realm, and Volodar, Vasilko's brother, met him at Buzhsk. David did not dare to stand against Volodar, but shut himself up in Buzhsk, and Volodar besieged the town of Buzhsk. And Volodar began to say: “Why, having done evil, do you not repent of it? Remember, then, how much evil you have done.” David, for his part, began to lay the blame on Sviatopolk, saying: “Was it I who did this, or was it done in my own town? I myself was afraid that they would seize me as well and do the same to me. I had no choice but to join their counsel, since I was in their power.” And Volodar said: “God is witness to that; but now release my brother, and I will make peace with you.” David, glad of this, sent for Vasilko, and when he had brought him, gave him up to Volodar, and peace was made, and they parted. And Vasilko sat in Terebovl, and David came to Volodymyr.
When spring had come, Volodar and Vasilko marched against David and came to Vsevolozh, while David shut himself up in Volodymyr. When the two had arrayed themselves around Vsevolozh, they took the town by storm and set fire to it, and the people fled out of the fire. And Vasilko ordered them all to be cut down, and Vasilko wrought vengeance upon innocent people and shed innocent blood. Then the two came to Volodymyr, and David shut himself in the town, and they besieged it. And they sent word to the men of Volodymyr, saying: “We have not come against your town, nor against you, but against our enemies — against Turiak, and Lazor, and Vasil; they it was who counseled David, and David heeded them and did all this evil. If you wish to fight for these men, we are ready; if not, then hand over our enemies.”
When the townspeople heard this, they called an assembly, and the people said to David at the assembly: “Hand over these men. We do not fight for them; for you we can fight, but for them we do not fight. If not, then we will open the gates of the town, and you must look to yourself.” And David was forced to give them up. And David said: “They are not here,” for he had sent them on to Lutsk. When they had gone on their way to Lutsk, Turiak fled to Kyiv, while Lazor and Vasil turned back to Turiisk. And when the people learned that they were in Turiisk, they cried out against David, saying: “Hand over those whom they want; otherwise we will surrender.” David then sent and brought Vasil and Lazor, and gave them up. And peace was made on Sunday, and the next day, on Monday, at dawn, Vasilko and his brother hanged Lazor and Vasil and shot them full of arrows, and departed from the town.
This was the second vengeance he wrought, which it was not fitting to do; he should have left God to be the avenger and laid his vengeance upon God, as the prophet said: “And I will give vengeance to my enemies, and to those who hate me I will repay; for he avenges the blood of his sons and takes vengeance, and he has given vengeance to his enemies, and to those who hated him he has repaid.” And when they had gone out from the town, the men were taken down and buried.
Sviatopolk, having promised to do this — to drive out David — marched to Brest, to the Poles. When David heard of it, he went to the Poles, to Wladyslaw, seeking help. The Poles promised to do so, and took from him 50 grivnas of gold, saying to him: “Come with us to Brest, for Sviatopolk is drawing us to a parley, and there we will reconcile you with Sviatopolk.” David, heeding them, went to Brest with Wladyslaw. Sviatopolk stood within the town, and the Poles on the Bug, and Sviatopolk held speech with the Poles and gave them great gifts against David. Wladyslaw said: “Sviatopolk will not heed me; go back again.” And David came to Volodymyr, and Sviatopolk came to an agreement with the Poles and set out for Pinsk, having sent for his troops. He came to Dorogobuzh and waited there for his troops, and then marched against David to his town. David shut himself up in the town, hoping for help from the Poles against Sviatopolk, for they had said to him: “If the princes of Rus' come against you, then we shall be your helpers.” And they lied, taking gold from David and from Sviatopolk alike. Sviatopolk besieged the town, and David was within it. And Sviatopolk stood before the town for 7 weeks, and David began to plead: “Let me go out of the town.” Sviatopolk promised, and they kissed the cross between themselves, and David went out of the town and came to Chernen, and Sviatopolk entered the town on Great Saturday. David fled to the Poles.
Sviatopolk, having driven out David, began to take counsel against Volodar and Vasilko, saying that “this is the realm of my father and my brother,” and marched against them. Hearing this, Volodar and Vasilko came out against him, bearing the cross which he had sworn to them upon on that occasion, saying: “I have come against David, but with you I wish to have peace and love.” Sviatopolk broke his oath, trusting in the multitude of his troops. And the armies met in the field at Rozhne. When both had drawn up in battle order, Vasilko raised the cross on high, saying: “You swore upon this. First you took the sight of […] my eye, and now you wish to take away my soul. Let this precious cross stand between us.” And both sides advanced against each other to battle, and the hosts closed, and many faithful men saw the cross raised very high above Vasilko's troops. A great battle raged, and many fell from both hosts, and Sviatopolk, seeing that the battle was fierce, fled, and reached Volodymyr. Volodar and Vasilko, having won the victory, stood there, saying: “It is enough for us to stand within our own borders,” and went no further. Sviatopolk fled to Volodymyr, and with him his two sons, and Sviatosha, son of David Sviatoslavich, and the rest of the retinue.
Sviatopolk installed his son Mstislav in Volodymyr — he was born to him by a concubine — and sent Yaroslav to Hungary, to lure the Hungarians against Volodar, while he himself went to Kyiv. Yaroslav, son of Sviatopolk, came with the Hungarians, and King Coloman and 2 bishops, and they encamped around Peremyshl along the Viahra, and Volodar shut himself up in the town. And David, at that juncture, came from the Poles and left his wife with Volodar, and went himself to the Cumans. Boniak met him, and David turned back, and the two marched against the Hungarians. As the two of them rode on, they halted for the night, and when midnight had come, Boniak rose, rode out from the army, and began to howl like a wolf, and a wolf answered him, and many wolves began to howl. Boniak rode back and told David: “Victory over the Hungarians is ours.”
The next morning Boniak drew up his troops: 100 of David's men, and Boniak with 300, and he divided them into 3 companies and set out against the Hungarians. He sent Altunopa with 50 on a raid, stationed David under the banner, and himself divided his force into two companies of 50 on either side. The Hungarians drew up in ranks, for the Hungarians numbered 100 thousand. Altunopa galloped at the first rank, and having let fly, fled before the Hungarians, and the Hungarians gave chase, thinking that Boniak was in flight, while Boniak charged, cutting at their backs. Altunopa wheeled round again, and the Hungarians could not come at them again, and in this way, time after time, he cut them down. Boniak divided into 3 companies, and they drove the Hungarians together into a huddle, as a falcon strikes down a jackdaw. The Hungarians fled, and many drowned in the Viahra, and others in the San. And as they fled along the San toward the hill, they pushed one another down, and he pursued them for two days, cutting them down.
There they killed their bishop Kupan, and many of the boyars, and, as it was said, 40 thousand perished, slain.
Yaroslav fled to the Poles and came to Brest. David, taking Suteisk and Cherven, came suddenly and seized the lands of Volodymyr, and Mstislav shut himself up in the town with the garrison; he already had with him the men of Brest, and the Pinsk men, and the men of Vyshhorod. And David stood before the town, having encircled it, and made assault after assault. Once they advanced on the town with siege towers, and as those in the town fought and shot at one another, the arrows flew like rain. As Mstislav was about to shoot, he was suddenly struck under the arm by an arrow through a loophole in the rampart, and they carried him down, and in the night he died. And they concealed it for 3 days, and on the fourth day it was announced at the assembly. And the people said: “Our prince is slain; if we give ourselves up, Sviatopolk will destroy us.” And they sent to Sviatopolk, saying: “Your son is slain, and we are being spent with hunger. If you do not come, the people mean to give themselves up, for they can no longer endure the famine.” Sviatopolk sent Putiata, his commander.
Putiata came with troops to Lutsk, to Sviatosha, son of David; David's men were with Sviatosha there, for Sviatosha had sworn an oath to David: “If Sviatopolk marches against you, I will send you word.” But Sviatosha did not do this; instead he seized David's men, and he himself marched against David. Sviatosha and Putiata came on August 5; David was besieging the town; at midday, with David asleep, they fell upon him and began to cut down his men. And the townspeople sprang out of the town and began to slaughter David's troops, and David fled, and Mstislav his nephew with him. Sviatosha and Putiata took the town and installed Vasil, Sviatopolk's governor, as governor. Sviatosha went to Lutsk, and Putiata to Kyiv. David fled to the Cumans, and there met him […] Boniak and the Cumans. David and Boniak marched against Sviatosha at Lutsk, and besieged Sviatosha in the town, and made peace. And Sviatosha came out of the town and went to his father at Chernihiv. And David took Lutsk, and from there came to Volodymyr; the governor Vasil fled the town, and David took Volodymyr and sat in it. And the next year the princes held a conference.
Sviatopolk, Vladimir, David, and Oleg enticed David Igorevich, and did not give him Volodymyr, but gave him Dorogobuzh, where he died. And Sviatopolk took Volodymyr and installed his son Yaroslav there.
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.
When Easter was drawing near, David set out, wanting to take Vasilko's power, and Volodar, Vasilko's brother, met him at Buzhsk. David did not dare stand against Volodar and shut himself up in Buzhsk, and Volodar surrounded the town of Buzhsk. Volodar began to speak: “Why do you not repent of the evil you have done? Remember now how much evil you have done.” David began to lay the blame on Sviatopolk, saying: “Was it I who did this? Was it done in my town? I myself was afraid that they would seize me too and do the same to me. I had no choice but to join their counsel, since I was in their power.” Volodar said: “God is witness to that. Now release my brother, and I will make peace with you.” David, glad at this, sent for Vasilko, brought him, and handed him over to Volodar, and peace was made, and the two sides parted. Vasilko sat in Terebovl, and David came to Volodymyr.
When spring came, Volodar and Vasilko marched against David and came to Vsevolozh, and David shut himself up in Volodymyr. The two of them drew up around Vsevolozh, stormed the town, and set it on fire, and the people ran out of the fire. Vasilko ordered all of them cut down, and Vasilko carried out a massacre on innocent people and shed innocent blood. Then the two came to Volodymyr, and David shut himself in the town, and they surrounded the town. They sent this message to the men of Volodymyr: “We did not come against your town or against you, but against our enemies—against Turiak and Lazor and Vasil; it was they who talked David into it, and David listened to them and did all the evil. If you want to fight for them, then we are ready; if not, hand over our enemies.”
The townspeople heard this and called an assembly, and the people said to David at the assembly: “Hand over these men. We will not fight for them; we would fight for you, but not for them. If you will not, we will open the gates of the town, and you can look out for yourself.” David was forced to hand them over. David said: “They are not here”—he had sent them off to Lutsk. After they had gone toward Lutsk, Turiak fled to Kyiv, and Lazor and Vasil turned back to Turiisk. The people heard that they were in Turiisk and shouted at David, saying: “Hand over the men they want. If you will not, we will surrender.” David sent and brought Vasil and Lazor and gave them up. Peace was made on Sunday, and the next day, on Monday, at dawn, Vasilko and his brother hanged Lazor and Vasil and shot them full of arrows, and they left the town.
This was the second act of vengeance, and it was wrong to do it; he should have let God be the avenger and laid his vengeance on God, as the prophet says: “I will give vengeance to my enemies, and to those who hate me I will repay; for he avenges and repays the blood of his sons, and he will give vengeance to his enemies, and to those who hate him he will repay.” After these men had been taken out of the town, they took the bodies down and buried them.
Sviatopolk had promised to do this—to drive David out—and set out for Brest, toward the Poles. Hearing this, David went to the Poles, to Wladyslaw, to seek help. The Poles promised to do this and took 50 grivnas of gold from him, telling him: “March with us to Brest: Sviatopolk is summoning us to a meeting, and there we will reconcile you with Sviatopolk.” David listened to them and went to Brest with Wladyslaw. Sviatopolk stood in the town, and the Poles on the Bug, and Sviatopolk conferred with the Poles and gave them great gifts against David. Wladyslaw said: “Sviatopolk will not listen to me. Go back.” David came back to Volodymyr. Sviatopolk made an agreement with the Poles and marched toward Pinsk, sending for his troops. He came to Dorogobuzh and waited there for his troops, then marched against David to his town. David shut himself in the town, hoping for help from the Poles against Sviatopolk, for they had told him: “If the princes of Rus' come against you, we will be your helpers.” And they lied, taking gold from both David and Sviatopolk. Sviatopolk surrounded the town, and David was inside. Sviatopolk stood around the town for 7 weeks, and David began to beg him: “Let me out of the town.” Sviatopolk promised this, and the two kissed the cross between them, and David came out of the town and came to Chernen, and Sviatopolk entered the town on Holy Saturday. David fled to the Poles.
Sviatopolk, having driven David out, began to plot against Volodar and Vasilko, saying that “this is the domain of my father and my brother,” and marched against them. Hearing this, Volodar and Vasilko marched out against him, carrying the cross that he had kissed with the two of them on this condition: “I have come against David, and I wish to have peace and love with you two.” Sviatopolk broke his word, trusting in the size of his army. The two sides met on the field at Rozhne. When both had drawn up their battle lines, Vasilko lifted the cross high and said: “You kissed this cross. First you took the sight of […] my eye, and now you want to take my life. Let this precious cross stand between us.” Both sides moved against each other to fight, and the armies met, and many faithful men saw the cross raised very high above Vasilko's troops. The battle grew fierce, and many were falling from both armies, and Sviatopolk saw that the battle was bitter, and he fled and reached Volodymyr. Volodar and Vasilko, having won, stayed there, saying: “It is enough for the two of us to stand on our own border,” and they went nowhere. Sviatopolk fled to Volodymyr, and with him his two sons, and Sviatosha, the son of David Sviatoslavich, and the rest of the retinue.
Sviatopolk installed his son Mstislav in Volodymyr; this son was born to him by a concubine. He sent Yaroslav to the Magyars to invite the Magyars against Volodar, and he himself went to Kyiv. Yaroslav, Sviatopolk's son, came with the Magyars, and with King Coloman and 2 bishops, and they encamped around Peremyshl along the Viahra, and Volodar shut himself in the town. David at that point came from the Poles, left his wife with Volodar, and went to the Cumans. Boniak met him, David turned back, and the two of them marched against the Magyars. As the two went, they stopped for the night, and at midnight Boniak got up, rode away from the army, and began to howl like a wolf, and a wolf answered him, and many wolves began to howl. Boniak rode back and told David: “We shall have victory over the Magyars.”
The next day Boniak drew up his troops: 100 of David's men, and Boniak's about three hundred. He divided them into 3 regiments and marched against the Magyars. He sent Altunopa with 50 men ahead to raid, stationed David under the banner, and split his own force into two regiments, 50 men on each side. The Magyars drew up in ranks, for the Magyars numbered 100 thousand. Altunopa charged at the first rank and, after shooting, fled in front of the Magyars; the Magyars chased them, thinking Boniak was fleeing, while Boniak attacked, cutting at their shoulders. Altunopa wheeled back again, and the Magyars could not reach them again, and in this way he cut them down many times over. Boniak split his men into 3 regiments and beat the Magyars into a single mass, as a falcon beats down a jackdaw. The Magyars fled, and many drowned in the Viahra, others in the San. As they fled beside the San toward the hill, they pushed one another, and he pursued them for two days, cutting them down.
There they killed their bishop Kupan and many of the boyars, and, as it was said, 40 thousand were killed.
Yaroslav fled to the Poles and came to Brest. David, taking Suteisk and Cherven, came suddenly and seized the men of Volodymyr. Mstislav shut himself in the town with the garrison; he already had the men of Brest and Pinsk and the men of Vyshhorod with him. David stood there, surrounding the town, and attacked it again and again. Once they came up to the town under siege towers, and while those in the town fought and shot at one another, the arrows fell like rain. As Mstislav was about to shoot, he was suddenly struck under the arm by an arrow through a gap in the rampart, and they took him down, and he died that night. They hid it for 3 days, and on the fourth day they announced it at the assembly. The people said: “Here our prince is dead. If we give ourselves up, Sviatopolk will destroy us.” They sent to Sviatopolk, saying: “Your son is dead, and we are worn out with hunger. If you do not come, the people want to give themselves up; they cannot bear the famine.” Sviatopolk sent Putiata, his commander.
Putiata came with troops to Lutsk, to Sviatosha, David's son, and David's men were staying with Sviatosha there. Sviatosha had sworn an oath to David: “If Sviatopolk marches against you, I will let you know.” But Sviatosha did not do this; instead he seized David's men and himself marched against David. Sviatosha and Putiata arrived on August 5, while David was besieging the town, at midday, with David asleep, and they fell on him and began to cut them down. The townspeople leaped out of the town and began to cut down David's troops, and David fled, and Mstislav his nephew. Sviatosha and Putiata took the town and installed Sviatopolk's governor Vasil. Sviatosha went on to Lutsk, and Putiata to Kyiv. David fled to the Cumans and met […] Boniak and the Cumans. David and Boniak marched against Sviatosha at Lutsk, surrounded Sviatosha in the town, and made peace. Sviatosha came out of the town and came to his father at Chernihiv. David took Lutsk, and from there came to Volodymyr; the governor Vasil fled the town, and David took Volodymyr and sat in it. The next year the princes held a meeting.
Sviatopolk, Vladimir, David, and Oleg lured David Igorevich in and did not give him Volodymyr, but gave him Dorogobuzh, where he died. Sviatopolk took Volodymyr and installed his son Yaroslav there.