X. THE BARD APPEALS TO THE RUSSIAN PRINCES

APPEAL TO VLADIMIR, SON OF GLEB

Gloomy times have arrived. The Russians cry out at the city of Rim under the Kuman swords. Prince Vladimir is covered with wounds. Grief and sorrow to you Vladimir, son of Gleb.

THE APPEAL TO PRINCE IAROSLAV OF GALICH

O Iaroslav of Galich, the prince of eight senses! You sit high on your throne wrought of gold. Your iron regiments defend the Hungarian mountains. You bar the way to the (Hungarian) king. You close the gates of the river Danube. You hurl stones over the clouds. Your law reigns up to the river Danube. Your thunder resounds above the lands, You keep the gates of Kiev open. From your father's golden throne you shoot at the sultans beyond the (Russian) lands. Lord, shoot at Konchak, the infidel slave, for the revenge of the Russian land, for the wounds of Igor, the wounds of the valiant son of Sviatoslav.

THE APPEAL TO PRINCES ROMAN OF VOLYN, AND MSTISLAV OF GRODNO

And you, daring Roman and Mstislav, your courageous thoughts direct your minds to action. In your bravery you soar to valiant deeds, like a falcon over the winds, which desires, in its daring, to surpass the bird. Your iron men are under Latin helmets and they make the earth tremble, and (they make) many nations (tremble): the Nomads, the Lithuanians, the Deremelas, the Iatvags, the Kumans have dropped their lances and have bowed their heads under your Frankish swords. But Prince Igor, the sunlight has already dimmed for you. And, by misfortune, the tree lost its foliage. The enemies have already divided amongst themselves the cities of the rivers Ross and Sula. The valiant regiments of lgor will not be resurrected. The river Don appeals to you, Prince, and summons the princes to victory. 0 valiant princes, grandsons of Oleg, you are ready for the battle.

THE APPEAL TO VSEVOLOD, PRINCE OF SUZDAL

Great Prince Vsevolod! Do you not intend to come from far away to watch over your paternal golden -throne? For you, with the oars of your fleet, can scatter the river Volga into droplets. With the helmets of your army you can pour out the river Don. If you were here, then Kuman slave girls would go for a nogata, and Kuman male slaves for only a rezana. And you can shoot over the dry land with the fiery arrows, with the courageous sons of Gleb.

THE APPEAL TO PRINCES RURIK AND DAVID

O valiant Rurik and David! Was it not your warriors who swam through blood under the gilded helmets? Was it not your army that roared like aurochs, wounded by tempered swords in the unknown prairie? Lords, set your feet in the golden stirrups to avenge the outrage of the present day, of the Russian land, of Igor's wounds, wounds of the daring son of Sviatoslav.

THE APPEAL TO MSTISLAV'S SONS

Ingvar and Vsevolod and you three sons of Mstislav You are six-winged falcons of no mean nest. You have not won your patrimonies by deeds of victory. To what avail are your golden helmets, your Polish lances and shields? Bar the gates of the prairie with your sharp arrows for the Russian lands, for the wounds of lgor, the wounds of the daring son of Sviatoslav.

EVOCATION OF PRINCE IZIASLAV'S DEATH IN THE BATTLE OF GORODETS (1162)

No more do the silver Streams of the River Sula protect the city of Pereiaslavl. And the river Dvina, which flows to Polotsk, that city of stern men, became turbid under the cries of the infidels. Only lziaslav, son of Vasilko, rained his sharp arrows upon Lithuanian helmets and tarnished the glory of his grandfather Vseslav. And, having been worsted by the Lithuanian swords, he fell upon the bloody grass as upon a marriage bed, under the crimson shields. And Boyan said:

"Prince, the wings of birds cover your warriors and the beasts already have begun to lick their blood."

Neither his brother, Briachislav, nor the other brother, Vsevolod, was there (in battle). And (you, Iziaslav) remained alone. And you let drop from your valiant body, through the golden necklace of a prince, the pearl of your soul, and voices became saddened, and joy ceased to be, And the trumpets mournfully resound at the city of Gorodets.

THE APPEAL TO PRINCE IAROSLAV OF CHERNIGOV AND VSESLAV'S HEIRS

O sons of Iaroslav and the grandsons of Vseslav, lower your banners! Put your dented swords into their sheaths! You do not deserve the glory of your ancestors, since, through your feuding, you brought the infidels into the Russian land, into the domain of Vseslav. Your warring brought Kuman violence (into Russia).

THE EVOCATION OF PRINCE VSESLAV THE SORCERER

During the seventh age of Trojan Vseslav cast lots for the maiden he desired, and, cunningly leaning on the lance, he leaped to the city of Kiev and touched the golden throne of Kiev with the staff of his lance. Like a fierce beast he leaped from Belgorod at midnight, under the cover of blue mist. He managed to cast thrice a lucky lot: he opened the gate of the city of Novgorod, he tarnished the glory of Prince Iaroslav, and he leapt like a wolf to Nemiga from Dudutki. On the river Nemiga they built haystacks of heads. They are threshed with steel flails and lives are left behind on the threshing floor. Souls abandon their bodies. The bloody shores of the river Nemiga were sown with misfortune, were strewn with the bones of Russia's sons. Prince Vseslav used to judge the people. And, as prince, he ruled over the cities. But, in the night, he prowled like a werewolf. He was able to go from Kiev to Tmutorakan before the cock could crow. And, prowling as a werewolf, he crossed the way of great god Hors. At the Church of St. Sofiia of Polotsk the bells tolled the matins for him, and he could hear them in Kiev. His magician's soul lived in a valiant body, but he still often suffered miseries. Of him Boyan the Seer said wisely in his refrains:

"Neither a crafty man, nor a clever man, nor a clever bird, can escape divine judgment."

O Russian land, you must mourn, remembering your early age, your early princes. And Vladimir of yore could not be retained by the hills of Kiev. But now Prince Rurik's banners stand in readiness, and so do Prince David's (his brother's). Thus, they are blown (by the wind) in different directions.