Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
913–944: Igor's Wars with the Greeks
913–944: Igor's Wars with the Greeks 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 6421. Поча княжити Игорь по Ользѣ. В се же время поча царствовати Костянтинъ, сынъ Леонтовъ, зять Романовъ. И деревлянѣ заратишася от Игоря по Олговѣ смѣрти.
В лѣто 6422. Иде Игорь на древляны и, побѣдивъ, възложи на ня дань болшю Ольговы. В то же лѣто приде Семеонъ Болгарьскый на Цесарьград и, створивъ миръ, иде въсвояси.
В лѣто 6423. Приидоша печенѣзи пѣрвое на Рускую землю и, створивше миръ съ Игоремъ, идоша къ Дунаю. В си же времена приде Семеонъ, плѣняя Фракию. Грѣци же послаша по печенѣгы. Печенѣгомъ же пришедъшимъ и хотящимъ на Семеона, расваришася грѣцкыя воеводы. Видѣвъше печенизи, яко сами на ся реть имуть, отидоша въсвояси, а болгаре съ грѣкы съступишася, и посѣчени быша грѣцы. Семеонъ же прия градъ Одьрѣнь, иже первое Орестовъ город нарицашеся, сына Агамемнонъ, иже пѣрвое въ трехъ рѣкахъ купався, недуга избы ту, сего ради град въ свое имя нарече. Послѣдѣ же Андрѣянъ кесарь обновивый, въ свое имя нарече — Андрѣянъ; мы же зовемъ Ондрѣянем градом.
В лѣто 6424.
В лѣто 6425.
В лѣто 6426.
В лѣто 6427.
В лѣто 6428. Поставьленъ Романъ цесаремъ въ Грѣцѣхъ. Игорь же воеваше на печенѣгы.
В лѣто 6429.
В лѣто 6430.
В лѣто 6431.
В лѣто 6432.
В лѣто 6433.
В лѣто 6434.
В лѣто 6435.
В лѣто 6436.
В лѣто 6437. Прииде Семеонъ на Цесарьград, и поплѣни Фракию и Македонью, и приде къ Цесарюграду в силѣ велицѣ и в горъдости, и створи миръ с Романомъ цесарем и възвратися въсвояси.
В лѣто 6438.
В лѣто 6439.
В лѣто 6440.
В лѣто 6441.
В лѣто 6442. Пѣрвое придоша угри на Цесарьград и пленяху всю Фракию. Романъ же створи миръ со угры.
В лѣто 6443.
В лѣто 6444.
В лѣто 6445.
В лѣто 6446.
В лѣто 6447.
В лѣто 6448.
В лѣто 6449. Иде Игорь на Грѣкы. И яко послаша болгаре вѣсть къ цесарю, яко идуть Русь на Цесарьград, скѣдий 10 тысящь. Иже и поидоша, и приплуша, и почаша воевати Вифаньскыя страны, и плѣноваху по Понту до Ираклия и до Фофлагоньскы земля, и всю страну Никомидийскую пополониша, и Судъ всь пожьгоша. Ихъже емъше, овѣхъ растинаху, и другия же сторожи поставьляюще, стрѣлами растрѣляху и изъламляху опакы руци связавше, и гвозды желѣзны посредѣ головъ въбивахуть има. Мьного же и святыхъ церквий огьневи предаша, и имѣнье немало обою сторону взяша.
Потомъ же пришедшемъ воемъ от въстока, Панфиръ деместникъ съ четырмидесятъ тысящь, Фока же патрикий съ македоны, Феодоръ же стратилатъ съ фракы, и с ними же и сановницы боярьстии, обидоша русь около. И свѣщаша русь, и изидоша противу, въоружившеся на грѣкы, и брани межю има бывши злѣ, одва одолѣша грѣци. Русь же възвратишася къ дружинѣ своей к вечеру и, на ночь влѣзъше въ лодья, отбѣгоша. Феофанъ же усрѣте я въ олядѣхъ съ огнемъ, и нача пущати огнь трубами на лодья рускыя. И бысть видѣти страшно чюдо. Русь же, видяще пламень, вмѣтахуся въ воду морьскую, хотяще убрѣсти, и тако прочии възвратишася въсвояси.
Тѣмьже пришедъшимъ в землю свою, повѣдаху кождо своимъ о бывшемъ и олядьнѣмъ огни: «Якоже молонья, — рече, иже на небесихъ, грѣци имуть в себе, и сию пущающе, жьжаху насъ, и сего ради не одолѣхом имъ». Игорь же, пришедъ, и нача съвокупляти вои многы, и посла по варягы за море, вабя и́ на грѣкы, паки хотя поити на ня.
В лѣто 6450. Семеонъ иде на хорваты, и побѣженъ бысть хорваты, и умре, оставивъ Петра, сына своего, княжить. В се же лѣто.родися Святославъ у Игоря.
В лѣто 6451. Пакы приидоша угре на Цесарьград и, миръ створивше с Романом, възвратишася въсвояси.
В лѣто 6452. Игорь совокупи воя многы — варягы, и русь, и поляны, и словѣны, и кривичи, и тиверцы, и печенѣгы ная и тали в нихъ поемъ, поиде на грѣкы в лодьяхъ и на конехъ, хотя мьстити себе. Се слышавше, корсунци послаша къ Роману, глаголюще: «Се идуть Русь, покърыли суть море корабли». Тако же и болгаре послаша вѣсть, глаголюще: «Идуть Русь и печенѣгы наяли суть к собѣ». Се слышавъ, цесарь посла къ Игореви лутьшии бояры, моля и глаголя: «Не ходи, но возьми дань, юже ималъ Олегъ, и придамъ еще къ той дани». Такоже и печенѣгомъ послаша паволокы и золото много. Игорь же, дошедъ Дуная, съзва дружину, и нача думати и повѣда имъ рѣчь цесареву. Ркоша же дружина Игорева: «Да аще сице глаголеть цесарь, то что хощемъ боле того: не бившися, имати злато, и серебро, и паволокы? Еда кто вѣсть: кто одолѣеть, мы ли, они ли? Или с моремъ кто свѣтенъ? Се бо не по земли ходимъ, но по глубинѣ морьстий — и обьча смерть всѣмъ». И послуша ихъ Игорь, и повелѣ печенѣгомъ воевати Болгарьскую землю, а самъ, вземъ у грѣкъ злато и паволокы на вся воя, възвратися въспять и приде къ Киеву въсвояси.
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 6421. Igor began to reign after Oleg. In that time Constantine, son of Leo and son-in-law of Romanos, began to reign. And the Derevlianians rose up against Igor after Oleg's death.
In the year 6422. Igor went against the Derevlianians, and having overcome them he laid upon them a tribute greater than Oleg's. In that same year Simeon the Bulgar came against Constantinople and, having made peace, went his way home.
In the year 6423. The Pechenegs came for the first time upon the land of Rus', and having made peace with Igor they went on to the Danube. In those same times Simeon came, laying waste Thrace. And the Greeks sent for the Pechenegs. But when the Pechenegs had come and were set to fall upon Simeon, the Greek generals fell out among themselves. The Pechenegs, seeing that they themselves were turned in strife, went their way home, and the Bulgars joined battle with the Greeks, and the Greeks were cut down. And Simeon took the city of Adrianople, which was first called the city of Orestes, after the son of Agamemnon, who first bathed in the three rivers and was freed of his sickness there, and for that reason named the city after himself. Later Emperor Hadrian renewed it and gave it his own name—Adrian; we call the city Adrianople.
In the year 6424.
In the year 6425.
In the year 6426.
In the year 6427.
In the year 6428. Romanos was established as emperor in Greece. And Igor made war upon the Pechenegs.
In the year 6429.
In the year 6430.
In the year 6431.
In the year 6432.
In the year 6433.
In the year 6434.
In the year 6435.
In the year 6436.
In the year 6437. Simeon came against Constantinople, and laid waste Thrace and Macedonia, and came to Constantinople in great force and in pride, and made peace with Emperor Romanos, and returned to his own place.
In the year 6438.
In the year 6439.
In the year 6440.
In the year 6441.
In the year 6442. The Magyars came for the first time against Constantinople and wasted all Thrace. And Romanos made peace with the Magyars.
In the year 6443.
In the year 6444.
In the year 6445.
In the year 6446.
In the year 6447.
In the year 6448.
In the year 6449. Igor went against the Greeks. And when the Bulgars sent word to the emperor that the Rus' were coming against Constantinople, with 10 thousand vessels, they came on and arrived, and began to make war on the country of Bithynia, and plundered along the Pontus as far as Heraclea and to the land of Paphlagonia, and carried off captive the whole country of Nicomedia, and burned the whole of the Sud. And of those they took, some they tore asunder, and others, setting them up as marks, they shot down with arrows, and others they broke, their hands bound backward behind them, and iron nails they drove into the backs of their heads. And many holy churches they gave over to the fire, and they took no small plunder on both sides.
Then troops came from the east: Panfir the commander with 40 thousand, and Phokas the patrician with the Macedonians, and Theodore the general with the Thracians, and with them the dignitaries of the court, and they closed round the Rus'. And the Rus' took counsel, and came out against the Greeks in arms, and the battle between them was fierce, and the Greeks scarcely prevailed. And the Rus' turned back to their own force toward evening, and boarding their boats at night, fled away. And Theophanes met them in boats with fire, and began to hurl fire through tubes upon the boats of the Rus'. And it was a terrible wonder to behold. The Rus', seeing the flame, cast themselves into the sea, seeking to escape, and so the rest made their way home.
And when they had come back into their own land, each told his own of what had befallen, and of the fire from the boats: “The Greeks,” said he, “have lightning in their keeping, like that which is in the heavens, and releasing it they burned us; and for that reason we could not overcome them.” And Igor, on his coming, began to gather many troops, and sent for the Varangians beyond the sea, drawing them on against the Greeks, for he meant to go against them again.
In the year 6450. Simeon went against the Croats, and was defeated by the Croats, and died, leaving his son Peter to reign. In that same year Sviatoslav was born to Igor.
In the year 6451. Again the Magyars came against Constantinople and, having made peace with Romanos, returned to their own place.
In the year 6452. Igor gathered many troops—Varangians, and Rus', and Polianians, and Slovenes, and Krivichians, and Tivertsians—and hired Pechenegs besides, taking pledges of them, and set out against the Greeks in boats and on horses, seeking his vengeance. Hearing of this, the men of Korsun sent to Romanos, saying: “See, the Rus' are coming; they have covered the sea with their ships.” And the Bulgars likewise sent word, saying: “The Rus' are coming, and they have hired the Pechenegs to themselves.” Hearing this, the emperor sent the best of his boyars to Igor, pleading with him and saying: “Do not come, but take the tribute Oleg took, and I will add still more to that tribute.” And to the Pechenegs also they sent silks and much gold. And Igor, when he had reached the Danube, summoned his retinue and began to take counsel, and told them the emperor's word. And Igor's retinue said: “If the emperor speaks so, what more do we seek? To take gold, and silver, and silks without striking a blow? Who knows who will prevail—we or they? And who can be sure upon the sea? For we do not walk upon the land, but in the depths of the sea, and death is the common lot of all.” And Igor heeded them, and ordered the Pechenegs to make war upon the Bulgarian land, while he himself, taking from the Greeks gold and silks for all his troops, turned back and came to 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 6421. Igor began to reign after Oleg. At this time Constantine, son of Leo, son-in-law of Romanos, began to reign as emperor. And the Derevlianians rebelled against Igor after Oleg's death.
In the year 6422. Igor went against the Derevlianians and, having defeated them, laid on them a tribute greater than Oleg's. In the same year Simeon the Bulgarian came to Constantinople and, having made peace, went home.
In the year 6423. The Pechenegs came for the first time to the Rus' land and, having made peace with Igor, went on to the Danube. At the same time Simeon came, plundering Thrace. The Greeks sent for the Pechenegs. When the Pechenegs had come and were ready to attack Simeon, the Greek commanders quarreled among themselves. Seeing that the Greeks were taking up strife against each other, the Pechenegs went away home; but the Bulgars joined battle with the Greeks, and the Greeks were cut down. Simeon took the city of Adrianople, which was at first called Orestes’ city, after the son of Agamemnon, who first bathed in three rivers and was freed of his sickness there, and for that reason named the city after his own name. Later the emperor Hadrian renewed it and named it after his own name — Hadrian; and we call the city Adrianople.
In the year 6424.
In the year 6425.
In the year 6426.
In the year 6427.
In the year 6428. Romanos was made emperor in Greece. Igor made war on the Pechenegs.
In the year 6429.
In the year 6430.
In the year 6431.
In the year 6432.
In the year 6433.
In the year 6434.
In the year 6435.
In the year 6436.
In the year 6437. Simeon came against Constantinople and plundered Thrace and Macedonia, and came to Constantinople with great force and in pride, and made peace with Emperor Romanos and returned home.
In the year 6438.
In the year 6439.
In the year 6440.
In the year 6441.
In the year 6442. The Magyars came for the first time to Constantinople and plundered all of Thrace. Romanos made peace with the Magyars.
In the year 6443.
In the year 6444.
In the year 6445.
In the year 6446.
In the year 6447.
In the year 6448.
In the year 6449. Igor went against the Greeks. And when the Bulgars sent word to the emperor that the Rus' were coming against Constantinople, 10 thousand boats, the Rus' set out and sailed in, and began to make war on the lands of Bithynia, and plundered along the Pontus as far as Heraclea and as far as the Paphlagonian land, and took the whole region of Nicomedia captive, and burned the whole Sud. Of those they captured, they stretched some apart; others they set up facing them and shot with arrows, and broke them with their hands tied behind their backs, and drove iron nails into the middle of their heads. And they gave many holy churches to the fire, and took much property on both sides.
Then, when troops came from the east — Panfir the domestikos with 40 thousand, and Phokas the patrician with the Macedonians, and Theodore the stratelates with the Thracians, and with them the ranking courtiers — they surrounded the Rus'. And the Rus' took counsel and came out against them, armed against the Greeks, and the battle between them was fierce, and the Greeks barely won. The Rus' returned to their company toward evening, and at night got into their boats and fled away. Theophanes met them in boats with fire, and began to shoot fire through tubes at the Rus' boats. And it was a terrible wonder to see. Seeing the flame, the Rus' threw themselves into the sea, trying to escape, and so the rest returned home.
And so, when they came back to their own land, each told his own people about what had happened, and about the fire from the boats: “The Greeks,” they said, “have in them, as it were, the lightning that is in the heavens, and letting it loose, they burned us; that is why we did not defeat them.” And Igor, having come back, began to gather many troops, and sent for Varangians across the sea, inviting them to attack the Greeks, intending to march against them again.
In the year 6450. Simeon went against the Croats, was defeated by the Croats, and died, leaving his son Peter to reign. In that same year Sviatoslav was born to Igor.
In the year 6451. The Magyars came again to Constantinople and, having made peace with Romanos, returned home.
In the year 6452. Igor gathered many troops — Varangians, and Rus', and Polianians, and Slovenes, and Krivichians, and Tivertsians — and hired Pechenegs, taking hostages from them, and set out against the Greeks in boats and on horses, wanting to take revenge. Hearing this, the people of Korsun sent to Romanos, saying: “See, the Rus' are coming; they have covered the sea with boats.” So too the Bulgars sent word, saying: “The Rus' are coming, and they have hired Pechenegs to their side.” Hearing this, the emperor sent his best boyars to Igor, asking him and saying: “Do not come, but take the tribute that Oleg took, and I will add still more to that tribute.” So too they sent silks and much gold to the Pechenegs. When Igor reached the Danube, he called his retinue together, began to take counsel, and told them the emperor's message. And Igor's retinue said: “If the emperor speaks like this, what more do we want? To take gold, and silver, and silks without fighting? Who knows who will win — we or they? And who can stand against the sea? We do not walk on land here, but in the depths of the sea — death is shared by all.” And Igor listened to them, and ordered the Pechenegs to make war on the Bulgarian land, while he himself, taking gold and silks from the Greeks for all his troops, turned back and came to Kyiv.