Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
955–968: Olga's Baptism and Sviatoslav's Campaigns
955–968: Olga's Baptism and Sviatoslav's Campaigns of 46. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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В лѣто 6463. Иде Олга въ Грѣкы и приде к Цесарюграду. И бѣ тогда цесарь Костянтинъ, сынъ Леонтовъ. И видѣвъ ю добру сущю лицем и смыслену велми, и удивися цесарь разуму ея, бесѣдова к ней и рекъ ей: «Подобна еси царствовати в городѣ семъ с нами». Она же, разумѣвши, и рече къ цесарю: «Азъ погана есмь, да аще мя хощеши крестити, то крѣсти мя самъ, аще ли — то не кресщюся». И крести ю цесарь с патриархом. Просвѣщена же бывши, радовашеся душею и тѣломъ. И поучи ю патриархъ о вѣрѣ и рече ей: «Благословена ты еси в руськых князехъ, яко възлюби свѣтъ, а тму остави. Благословити тя имуть сынове рустии и въ послѣдний родъ внукъ твоихъ». И заповѣда ей о церковнемъ уставѣ, и о молитвѣ, и постѣ, и о милостыни и о въздѣржании тѣла чиста. Она же, поклонивши главу, стояше, аки губа напаяема, внимающи ученью, и, поклонившися патриарху, глаголаше: «Молитвами твоими, владыко, да съхранена буду от сѣти неприязнены».
Бѣ же имя ей наречено въ кресщении Олена, якоже и древняя цесарица, мати Великого Костянтина. И благослови ю патриархъ и отпусти ю. И по кресщении призва ю цесарь и рече ей: «Хощю тя поняти женѣ». Она же рече: «Како мя хощеши поняти, а крѣстивъ мя самъ и нарекъ мя дщерь? А въ крестьянѣхъ того нѣсть закона, а ты самъ вѣси». И рече цесарь: «Переклюка мя, Олга». И вдасть ей дары многы, золото и серебро, паволокы, съсуды разноличныя и отпусти ю, нарекъ ю дщерь себѣ. Она же, хотячи домови, приде къ патриарху, благословения просящи на домъ, и рече ему: «Людье мои погани и сынъ мой, дабы мя Богъ съблюлъ от вьсякого зла». И рече патриархъ: «Чадо вѣрное! Въ Христа крѣстилася еси и въ Христа облечеся, и Христосъ съхранить тя, якоже съхрани Еноха в пѣрвыя роды, потомъ Ноя в ковчезѣ, Аврама от Авимелеха, Лота от содомлянъ, Моисѣя от Фараона, Давида от Саула, три отрокы от пещи, Данила от звѣрий, тако и тебе избавить от неприязни и сѣтий его».
И благослови ю патриархъ, и иде с миром в землю свою и приде къ Киеву.
Се же бысть, яко и при Соломони приде цесарица ефиопьская, слышати хотящи мудрость Соломоню, многу мудрость видѣти и зънамения: тако и си блаженая Олга искаше добрые мудрости Божия, но она человѣцьскыя, а си Божия. «Ищющи бо премудрости обрящют»; «Премудрость на исходищихъ поеться, на путехъ же дѣрзновение водит, на краихъ же стѣнъ забралныхъ проповѣдается, въ вратѣхъ же градныхъ дѣрзающи глаголеть: елико бо лѣтъ незлобивии дѣржатся по пьравду...». И си бо от възвраста блаженая Олена искаше мудростью, что есть луче всего въ свѣтѣ семъ, и налѣзе бисеръ многоцѣньный, еже есть Христосъ. Рече бо Соломонъ: «Желанье благовѣрныхъ наслажаеть душю»; и «Приложиши сердце свое в разумъ»; «Азъ бо любящая мя люблю, а ищющии мене обрящють мя», ибо Господь рече: «Приходящаго къ мнѣ не иждену вонъ».
Си же Ольга приде къ Киеву, и, якоже рькохом, и присла к ней цесарь грѣцкый, глаголя, яко «Много дарихъ тя. Ты же глагола ми, яко «аще възвращюся в Русь, многы дары послю ти: челядь, и воскъ и скору, и воя многы в помощь». Отвѣщавши же, Олга рече къ послом: «Аще ты, рци, тако же постоиши у мене в Почайнѣ, якоже азъ в Суду, то тогда ти вдамъ». И отпусти слы, си рекши.
Живяше же Олга съ сыномъ своимъ Святославом, и учашет его мати креститися, и не брежаше того, ни въ уши внимаше, но аще кто хотяше волею креститися, не браняху, но ругахуся тому. «Невѣрнымъ бо вѣра крестьяньская уродьство есть»; «Не смыслиша бо, ни разумѣша въ тмѣ ходящии», и не видѣша славы Господня. «Одобелѣша бо сердца ихъ, и ушима бо тяшько слышати, очима видѣти». Рече бо Соломонъ: «Дѣла нечестивых далече от разума»: «Понеже звахъ вы, и не послушасте, и прострох словеса, и не разумѣсте, но отмѣтасте моя свѣты и моихъ же обличений не внимасте»; «Възненавидѣша бо премудрость, а страха Господня не изволиша, ни хотяху моихъ внимати свѣтъ, подражаху же моя обличения». Якоже бо Олга часто глаголаше: «Азъ, сыну, Бога познах и радуюся, аще и ты познаеши Бога, то радоватися начнеши».
Онъ же не внимаше того, глаголя: «Како азъ хочю инъ законъ одинъ язъ приняти? А дружина моя сему смѣяти начнут». Она же рече ему: «Аще ты крестишися, вси имут то же створити». Онъ же не послуша матери и творяше норовы поганьскыя. Аще кто матери не слушаеть, в бѣду впадае, якоже рече: «Аще кто отца или матерь не слушаеть, смертью да умреть». Се же тому гнѣвашеся на матерь. Соломонъ бо рече: «Кажа злыя, приемлеть себе досажение, обличая нечестиваго, поречеть себѣ; обличения бо нечестивымъ мозолье имъ суть. Не обличай злыхъ, да не възненавидять тебе». Но обаче любяше Олга сына своего Святослава, ркущи: «Воля Божия да будет: аще Богъ въсхощеть помиловати роду моего и земли Рускые, да възложит имъ на сердце обратитися къ Богу, якоже и мнѣ Богъ дарова».
И се рекши, моляшеся за сына и за люди по вся дни и нощи, кормячи сына своего до мужьства его и до възъраста его.
В лѣто 6464.
В лѣто 6465.
В лѣто 6466.
В лѣто 6467.
В лѣто 6468.
В лѣто 6469.
В лѣто 6470.
В лѣто 6471.
В лѣто 6472. Князю Святославу възрастьшю и възмужавшю, нача воя съвокупляти многы и храбры. Бѣ бо и самъ хоробръ и легокъ, ходя аки пардусъ, войны многы творяше. Возъ бо по себѣ не возяше, ни котла, ни мясъ варя, но потонку изрѣзавъ конину, или звѣрину, или говядину, на угълехъ испекъ, ядяше, ни шатра имяше, но подъкладъ постилаше, а сѣдло въ головах; тако же и прочии вои его вси бяху. И посылаше къ странам, глаголя: «Хочю на вы ити». И иде на Оку рѣку и на Волгу, и налѣзе вятичи и рече имъ: «Кому дань даете?» Они же ркоша: «Козаром по щелягу от рала даем».
В лѣто 6473. Иде Святославъ на козары. Слышавше же, козаре изыдоша противу съ княземъ своим каганомъ, и съступиша ся бити, и бывши брани межи ими, одолѣ Святославъ козаром и городъ ихъ Бѣлу Вежю взя. И ясы побѣди и касогы, и приде къ Киеву.
В лѣто 6474. Побѣди вятичь Святославъ и дань на нихъ възложи.
В лѣто 6475. Иде Святославъ на Дунай на Болъгары. И бившимъся, одолѣ Святославъ болгаромъ и взя городовъ 80 по Дунаю, и сѣде княжа ту въ Переяславци, емля дань на грѣцѣхъ.
В лѣто 6476. Придоша печенизи пѣрвое на Рускую землю, а Святославъ бяше в Переяславци. И затворися Ольга съ внукы своими Ярополкомъ, и Олгомъ и Володимеромъ в городѣ Киевѣ. И оступиша печенизи городъ в силѣ тяжьцѣ, бещисленое множьство около города, и не бѣ лзѣ вылѣсти изъ града, ни вѣсти послати, и изънемогаху людье гладом и водою. И събравшеся людье оноя страны Днѣпьра в лодьяхъ и об ону страну стояху, и не бѣ лзѣ внити в Киевъ ни единому же ихъ, ни изъ города къ онѣмъ. И въстужиша людье в городѣ и ркоша: «Нѣ ли кого, иже бы на ону страну моглъ доити и речи имъ: аще не приступите утро подъ городъ, предатися имамъ печенѣгом?» И рече одинъ отрокъ: «Азъ могу преити». Горожани же, ради бывше, ркоша отроку: «Аще можеши, како ити — иди». Онъ же изыде изъ града съ уздою и хожаше сквозѣ печенѣгы, глаголя: «Не видѣ ли коня никтоже?» Бѣ бо умѣя печенѣжскы, и ̀и мняхуть и-своихъ.
И яко приближися к рѣцѣ, свѣргъ порты съ себе, сунуся въ Днѣпръ, и побрѣде. И видѣвше, печенѣзи устрѣмишася на нь, стрѣляюще его, и не могоша ему ничтоже створити. Они же, видѣвше съ оноя страны, приѣхавше в лодьи противу ему, взяша и́ в лодью и привезоша и къ дружинѣ. И рече имъ: «Аще не подъступите заутра рано подъ город, предатися имуть людье пѣченѣгом». Рече же имъ воевода ихъ, именемъ Претичь: «Подъступимъ заутра в лодьях и, попадъше княгиню и княжичи, умьчимъ на сю страну, и люди. Аще ли сего не створим, погубити ны имать Святославъ». И яко бысть заутра, всѣдоша в лодья противу свѣту, въструбиша велми трубами, и людье въ градѣ кликоша. Печенизѣ же мнѣша князя пришедша, побѣгоша розно от града. И изыде Олга съ внукы и съ людми к лодьямъ. И видѣвъ же, князь печенѣжьскый възвратися единъ къ воеводѣ Притичю и рече: «Кто се приде?» И рече ему: «Людье оноя страны».
И рече князь печенѣжьскый: «А ты князь ли еси?» Онъ же рече: «Азъ есмь мужь его и пришелъ есмь въ сторожехъ, а по мнѣ идеть вой бещисленое множьство». Се же рече, грозя имъ. И рече князь печенѣжьскый Претичу: «Буди ми другъ». Онъ же рече: «Тако буди». И подаста руку межю собою, и въдасть печенѣжьскый князь Претичю конь, саблю, стрѣлы. Онъ же дасть ему брони, щитъ, мечь. И отступиша печенѣзѣ от города, и не бяше лзѣ коня напоити: на Лыбеди печенѣгы. И послаша киянѣ къ Святославу, глаголюще: «Ты, княже, чюжей земли ищешь и блюдешь, а своея ся лишивъ: малѣ бо нас не възяша печенѣзи, и матерь твою и дѣтий твоихъ. Аще не придеши, ни оборониши нас, да пакы възмуть. Аще ти не жаль отьчины своея, и матерь, стары суща, и дѣти своих?» То слышавъ, Святославъ вборзѣ въсѣдъ на кони съ дружиною своею и приде къ Киеву, и цѣлова матерь свою и дѣти своя, съжалиси о бывшем от печенѣгъ.
И събра воя и прогна печенѣгы в поле, и бысть мирно.
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 6463. Olga went to the Greeks and came to Constantinople. The emperor then was Constantine, son of Leo. Seeing that she was fair of face and of great understanding, the emperor marveled at her wisdom; he spoke with her and said: “You are worthy to reign in this city with us.” She, perceiving this, said to the emperor: “I am a pagan. If you wish me baptized, then baptize me yourself; otherwise I will not be baptized.” And the emperor baptized her with the patriarch. When she was illumined, she rejoiced in soul and body. The patriarch instructed her in the faith and said to her: “Blessed are you among the princes of Rus', for you loved the light and left the darkness behind. The sons of Rus' will bless you, and your grandchildren to the last generation.” And he charged her on the order of the Church, and on prayer, and fasting, and almsgiving, and the keeping of the body pure. She bowed her head and stood like a sponge being filled, drinking in the teaching, and, bowing to the patriarch, said: “By your prayers, master, may I be kept from the enemy's snare.”
The name given her in baptism was Helena, like the empress of old, mother of Constantine the Great. The patriarch blessed her and let her go. After her baptism the emperor called her and said: “I wish to take you as my wife.” She said: “How can you take me, when you yourself baptized me and named me your daughter? That is not lawful among Christians, and you know it well.” The emperor said: “You have outwitted me, Olga.” And he gave her many gifts, gold and silver, silks and vessels of many kinds, and sent her off, having named her his daughter. Wishing to go home, she came to the patriarch, asking his blessing for the road, and said to him: “My people and my son are pagans; may God keep me from every evil.” The patriarch said: “Faithful child! You have been baptized in Christ and have put on Christ, and Christ will keep you, as he kept Enoch in the first ages, then Noah in the ark, Abraham from Abimelech, Lot from the Sodomites, Moses from Pharaoh, David from Saul, the three youths from the furnace, Daniel from the beasts; so will he deliver you from the enemy and his snares.”
The patriarch blessed her, and she went in peace to her own land and came to Kyiv.
This came to pass as in the days of Solomon, when the Ethiopian queen came, wishing to hear the wisdom of Solomon, to see his great wisdom and his wonders: so this blessed Olga sought the true wisdom of God: the queen sought the wisdom of men, but Olga the wisdom of God. “For those who seek wisdom shall find it”; “Wisdom sings at the crossroads, gives boldness on the roads, preaches on the tops of the walled ramparts, and at the city gates speaks boldly: for how many years the guileless hold by justice…”. From her youth the blessed Helena sought after wisdom, seeking what is best of all in this world, and she found the pearl of great price, which is Christ. Solomon said: “The desire of the faithful delights the soul”; and “Apply your heart to understanding”; “I love those who love me, and those who seek me shall find me”; for the Lord said: “Him who comes to me I will never cast out.”
This same Olga came to Kyiv and, as we have said, the Greek emperor sent to her, saying: “I have given you many gifts. But you told me: ‘If I return to Rus', I will send you many gifts: slaves, and wax, and furs, and many troops to help.’” Answering, Olga said to the envoys: “If you, say, wait on me in the Pochaina as long as I waited in the Sud, then I will give them.” And she sent the envoys away with these words.
Olga lived with her son Sviatoslav, and his mother urged him to be baptized, but he paid no heed and gave no ear; if anyone wished to be baptized of his own will, they did not forbid him, but mocked him. “For to the unbelieving, the Christian faith is foolishness”; “For they did not discern nor understand, walking in darkness,” and did not see the glory of the Lord. “For their hearts have grown gross, and with their ears they hear heavily, and with their eyes they see.” Solomon said: “The works of the wicked are far from understanding”: “Because I called you and you would not listen, I stretched out my words and you did not understand; you cast away my counsel and would not heed my reproofs”; “For they hated wisdom and chose not the fear of the Lord; they would not heed my counsels, but despised my reproofs.” For Olga often said: “I have come to know God, my son, and I rejoice; and if you come to know God, you too will begin to rejoice.”
He paid no heed, saying: “How am I to take up this new law alone? My retinue will begin to mock at it.” She said to him: “If you are baptized, all will do the same.” He did not listen to his mother and lived in pagan ways. Whoever does not listen to his mother falls into peril, as it is said: “Whoever does not obey his father or his mother shall die the death.” And he grew angry with his mother over this. Solomon said: “He who corrects the wicked brings hurt upon himself, and he who rebukes the ungodly gets a blemish; for rebukes to the wicked are like sores in them. Do not rebuke the wicked, lest they hate you.” Yet Olga loved her son Sviatoslav still, saying: “God's will be done: if God should will to have mercy on my kin and on the land of Rus', may he lay it upon their hearts to turn to God, as God granted to me.”
And having said this, she prayed for her son and for her people every day and night, rearing her son to his manhood and to his full growth.
In the year 6464.
In the year 6465.
In the year 6466.
In the year 6467.
In the year 6468.
In the year 6469.
In the year 6470.
In the year 6471.
In the year 6472. When Prince Sviatoslav had grown and come to manhood, he began to gather many and valiant troops. He was himself bold and swift of movement, going like a leopard, and he made many wars. He carried no wagon after him, nor a kettle, nor did he boil meat, but, cutting horseflesh, or game, or beef into thin strips, he roasted it on coals and ate; he had no tent, but spread a saddle-cloth beneath him and laid the saddle at his head; so did all the rest of his warriors. He sent word to the lands, saying: “I am coming against you.” He went to the river Oka and the Volga, and came upon the Viatichians and said to them: “To whom do you pay tribute?” They said: “To the Khazars—a shcheliag from every plow.”
In the year 6473. Sviatoslav marched against the Khazars. Hearing of it, the Khazars came out against him with their prince, the khagan, and battle was joined; when the fight was fought between them, Sviatoslav overcame the Khazars and took their city Bela Vezha. And he defeated the Yases and the Kasogians, and came to Kyiv.
In the year 6474. Sviatoslav defeated the Viatichians and laid tribute upon them.
In the year 6475. Sviatoslav marched to the Danube, against the Bulgars. They fought; Sviatoslav overcame the Bulgars and took 80 towns along the Danube, and sat as prince there in Pereiaslavets, taking tribute from the Greeks.
In the year 6476. The Pechenegs came for the first time against the land of Rus', and Sviatoslav was in Pereiaslavets. Olga shut herself up with her grandsons Yaropolk, Oleg, and Vladimir in the city of Kyiv. The Pechenegs besieged the city with heavy force, a countless multitude around the city; none could get out of the town, nor send word, and the people were sinking with hunger and thirst. The people of that side of the Dnieper gathered in boats and stood on the farther bank, and none of them could get into Kyiv, nor any out of the city to them. The people in the city were in straits and said: “Is there anyone who could reach the other side and tell them: If you do not come up to the city in the morning, we will surrender to the Pechenegs?” One youth said: “I can get across.” The townspeople, glad, said to the youth: “If you can get across, go.” He went out of the town with a bridle and walked through the Pechenegs, saying: “Has anyone seen a horse?” For he knew the Pecheneg tongue, and they took him for one of their own.
And when he came near the river, he flung off his clothes, threw himself into the Dnieper, and swam across. The Pechenegs caught sight of him and rushed after him, shooting at him, but could do nothing to him. Those on the other side saw him, rowed out in boats to meet him, took him into a boat, and brought him to the retinue. He said to them: “If you do not come up to the city early tomorrow, the people will surrender to the Pechenegs.” Their commander, named Pretich, said to them: “Let us move up tomorrow in boats; we will take the princess and the young princes aboard and carry them off to this side, and the people with them. If we do not do this, Sviatoslav will destroy us.” And when morning came, they boarded the boats before daybreak, blew their trumpets mightily, and the people in the city shouted. The Pechenegs thought the prince had come and fled from the city in all directions. Olga came out with her grandsons and the people to the boats. The Pecheneg prince, seeing this, turned back alone to commander Pretich and said: “Who is this that has come?” He said to him: “Men of the other side.”
The Pecheneg prince said: “And are you the prince?” He said: “I am one of his men, come as an outrider; after me marches a countless host.” He said this to frighten them. The Pecheneg prince said to Pretich: “Be my friend.” He said: “So be it.” They gave hands to one another, and the Pecheneg prince gave Pretich a horse, a saber, and arrows, and he gave him armor, a shield, and a sword. The Pechenegs drew off from the city, and it was not possible to water a horse: the Pechenegs stood on the Lybid. The Kyivans sent to Sviatoslav, saying: “You, prince, seek and watch over another's land, and have let your own be taken: the Pechenegs all but seized us, and your mother and your children. If you do not come and defend us, they will take us yet again. Do you not grieve for your fatherland, and for your mother, now old, and for your children?” Hearing this, Sviatoslav swiftly mounted with his retinue and came to Kyiv, and kissed his mother and his children, grieving over what the Pechenegs had done.
And he gathered troops and drove the Pechenegs into the open country, and there was peace.
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 6463. Olga went to the Greeks and came to Constantinople. The emperor at that time was Constantine, son of Leo. He saw that she was fair of face and very intelligent, and the emperor marveled at her understanding. He talked with her and said to her: “You are fit to reign in this city with us.” She understood him and said to the emperor: “I am a pagan. If you want to baptize me, then baptize me yourself. If not, I will not be baptized.” The emperor baptized her together with the patriarch. Once she was enlightened, she rejoiced in soul and body. The patriarch taught her about the faith and said to her: “Blessed are you among the princes of Rus', for you loved the light and left the darkness behind. The sons of Rus' will bless you, and your grandchildren will bless you to the last generation.” He gave her commands about church order, about prayer, about fasting, about almsgiving, and about keeping the body pure. She bowed her head and stood like a sponge soaking up water, taking in the teaching. Bowing to the patriarch, she said: “By your prayers, master, may I be kept from the net of the enemy.”
The name given to her at baptism was Helena, like the empress of old, the mother of Constantine the Great. The patriarch blessed her and sent her off. After the baptism, the emperor called her to him and said to her: “I want to take you as my wife.” She answered: “How can you want to take me, when you yourself baptized me and named me your daughter? Among Christians that is not permitted by law, and you know it yourself.” The emperor said: “Olga, you have outwitted me.” He gave her many gifts—gold and silver, silks, and vessels of many kinds—and sent her off, calling her his daughter. She wanted to go home, so she came to the patriarch to ask his blessing for the journey home, and said to him: “My people are pagans, and my son too. May God keep me from every evil.” The patriarch said: “Faithful child! You were baptized in Christ and have put on Christ, and Christ will keep you. As he kept Enoch in the first generations, then Noah in the ark, Abraham from Abimelech, Lot from the men of Sodom, Moses from Pharaoh, David from Saul, the three youths in the furnace, and Daniel among the beasts, so he will deliver you from the enemy and his snares.”
The patriarch blessed her, and she went in peace to her own land and came to Kyiv.
This happened just as it did in Solomon's time, when the Ethiopian empress came, wanting to hear Solomon's wisdom and to see his great wisdom and his signs. So the blessed Olga sought the good wisdom of God: that empress had sought human wisdom, while she sought the wisdom of God. “Those who seek wisdom will find it.” “Wisdom sings at the street corners; on the roads she guides with boldness; on the tops of the fortified walls she proclaims; at the gates of the city she speaks boldly: ‘For how many years will the guileless hold to what is just…’” From her youth the blessed Helena searched with wisdom for what is best in this world, and she found the pearl of great price, which is Christ. Solomon said: “The desire of the faithful delights the soul”; and “Apply your heart to understanding”; “I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find me”; for the Lord said: “Whoever comes to me I will not cast out.”
Olga came to Kyiv and, as we have said, the Greek emperor sent messengers to her, saying: “I gave you many gifts. But you told me: ‘When I return to Rus', I will send you many gifts: servants, wax, hides, and many troops to help.’” Olga answered the messengers: “If you, I say, wait on me in the Pochaina as long as I waited in the Sud, then I will give them.” And she sent the messengers away with this answer.
Olga lived with her son Sviatoslav, and his mother kept urging him to be baptized. But he paid no attention and would not listen. If anyone wanted to be baptized of his own will, they did not forbid it; they only mocked him. “For to unbelievers the Christian faith is foolishness.” “They did not understand or comprehend, walking in darkness,” and they did not see the glory of the Lord. “Their hearts have grown dull, and with their ears they hear heavily, and with their eyes they see.” Solomon said: “The deeds of the wicked are far from understanding.” “Because I called you and you would not listen, I stretched out my words and you did not understand; you cast aside my counsels and paid no attention to my rebukes.” “They hated wisdom and did not choose the fear of the Lord; they would not listen to my counsels, but mocked my rebukes.” Olga often said: “I have come to know God, my son, and I rejoice. If you too come to know God, you too will begin to rejoice.”
He did not listen to her, saying: “How can I accept a different law alone? My retinue will begin to laugh at this.” She said to him: “If you are baptized, all of them will do the same.” He did not obey his mother and kept living in pagan ways. Whoever does not listen to his mother falls into disaster, as it is said: “Whoever does not listen to his father or his mother is to be put to death.” This made him angry with his mother. Solomon said: “By correcting the wicked a man brings trouble on himself; by reproving the ungodly he brings harm on himself. Rebukes are to the wicked like sores. Do not reprove the wicked, or they will hate you.” Still, Olga loved her son Sviatoslav and said: “May God's will be done. If God wishes to have mercy on my family and on the land of Rus', he will put it into their hearts to turn to God, as he granted to me.”
After saying this, she prayed for her son and for her people day and night, and she raised her son to manhood and to full age.
In the year 6464.
In the year 6465.
In the year 6466.
In the year 6467.
In the year 6468.
In the year 6469.
In the year 6470.
In the year 6471.
In the year 6472. When Prince Sviatoslav had grown up and become a man, he began to gather many brave troops. He himself was brave and light on his feet, and he moved like a leopard; he made many wars. He carried no wagon behind him, and he had no kettle and cooked no meat. He cut horsemeat, game, or beef into thin strips, baked them on the coals, and ate. He had no tent; he spread a ground cloth and set his saddle at his head. All his other warriors did the same. He sent word to other lands, saying: “I am coming against you.” He went to the Oka River and the Volga, came upon the Viatichians, and said to them: “To whom do you pay tribute?” They answered: “We pay the Khazars a shcheliag per plow.”
In the year 6473. Sviatoslav went against the Khazars. Hearing of it, the Khazars came out to meet him with their prince, the kagan. The armies met in battle, and when the battle was joined, Sviatoslav defeated the Khazars and took their city of Bela Vezha. He defeated the Yases and the Kasogians as well, and came to Kyiv.
In the year 6474. Sviatoslav defeated the Viatichians and laid tribute on them.
In the year 6475. Sviatoslav went to the Danube against the Bulgars. After they fought, Sviatoslav defeated the Bulgars and took 80 towns along the Danube. He sat ruling there in Pereiaslavets, taking tribute from the Greeks.
In the year 6476. The Pechenegs came against the land of Rus' for the first time, while Sviatoslav was in Pereiaslavets. Olga shut herself in the city of Kyiv with her grandsons Yaropolk, Oleg, and Vladimir. The Pechenegs surrounded the city with great force, an endless host around it. No one could get out of the city or send word, and the people were worn out by hunger and thirst. People from the far side of the Dnieper gathered in boats and stood on the other bank. Not one of them could get into Kyiv, and no one could come out of the city to them. The people in the city were in distress and said: “Is there no one who could get to the other bank and tell them: if you do not come up to the city tomorrow morning, we will surrender to the Pechenegs?” One young man said: “I can get across.” The townspeople were glad and said to him: “If you can, then go—go however you can.” He left the city with a horse's bridle and walked among the Pechenegs, asking: “Has anyone seen a horse?” He knew the Pecheneg language, and they took him for one of their own.
When he came near the river, he threw off his clothes, threw himself into the Dnieper, and waded across. The Pechenegs saw him, rushed at him, and shot arrows at him, but they could do nothing to him. Those on the other bank saw him, rowed out to meet him in boats, took him into a boat, and brought him to their force. He said to them: “If you do not come up to the city early tomorrow, the people will surrender to the Pechenegs.” Their commander, named Pretich, said to them: “Let us come up tomorrow in boats, take the princess and the young princes aboard, and rush them over to this bank. If we do not do this, Sviatoslav will destroy us.” When morning came, they boarded the boats at first light, sounded their trumpets loudly, and the people in the city shouted. The Pechenegs thought the prince himself had come, and they fled from the city in all directions. Olga came out with her grandsons and her people to the boats. The Pecheneg prince, seeing this, turned back alone to commander Pretich and asked: “Who has come here?” He answered: “People from the other bank.”
The Pecheneg prince said: “Are you the prince?” He said: “I am one of his men. I have come as an outrider, and behind me comes a countless host.” He said this to frighten them. The Pecheneg prince said to Pretich: “Be my friend.” He answered: “So be it.” They gave each other their hands, and the Pecheneg prince gave Pretich a horse, a saber, and arrows, and Pretich gave him armor, a shield, and a sword. The Pechenegs drew away from the city. There was no place to water a horse, because the Pechenegs stood on the Lybid. The people of Kyiv sent word to Sviatoslav: “You, prince, seek after and guard a foreign land, while you have been robbed of your own. The Pechenegs nearly took us, and your mother and your children with us. If you do not come and defend us, they will take us yet. Do you not grieve for your fatherland, for your old mother, and for your children?” Hearing this, Sviatoslav quickly mounted with his retinue and came to Kyiv. He kissed his mother and his children and grieved over what had been done by the Pechenegs.
He gathered troops and drove the Pechenegs into the open country, and there was peace.