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All night, from eventide,
demon ravens croaked.
On the outskirts of Plcsensk
there was a logging sleigh,
and it was carried to the blue sea!"
The Boyars explain their
sovereign's dream
And the boyars said to the Prince:
"Already, Prince, grief has enthralled
the mind
for indeed two falcons
have flown off the golden paternal,
throne
quest of the town of Tmutorokan —
or at least to drink a helmetful of the
Don.
Already the falcons' winglets
have been clipped
by the pagans' sabers,
and the birds themselves
entangled in iron meshes."
Indeed, dark it was
on the third day [of battle]
two suns were murked,
both crimson pillars
were extinguished,
and with them both young
Oleg and Svyatoslav,
were veiled with darkness
and sank in the sea.
"On the river Kayala
darkness has covered the light.
Over the Russian land
the Kumans have spread,
like a brood of pards,
and great turbulence
imparted to Hin.
"Already disgrace
has come down upon glory.
Already thralldom
has crashed down upon freedom.
Already the daeva
has swooped down upon the land.
And lo! Gothic fair maids
have burst into song
on the shore of the blue sea:
chinking Russian gold,
they sing demon times;
they lilt vengeance for Sharokan;
and already we, [your] Guards, hanker
after mirth."
Svyatoslav's speech
Then the great Svyatoslav
let fall a golden word
mingled with tears,
and he said:
O my juniors, Igor and Vsevolod!
Early did you begin
to worry with swords the Kuman land,
and seek personal glory;
but not honorably you triumphed
for not honorably you shed
pagan blood. |