Page:Notes upon Russia (volume 1, 1851).djvu/202

12 wax, honey and slaves.” To which his mother replied: “Now at length I am prepared to die, bury me wherever thou wilt.” And at the end of three days she died, and was enrolled amongst the number of the saints by her grandson Vladimir, who had been already baptized. The 11th day of July is dedicated to her. Svyatoslav’, who reigned after his mother’s death, divided the provinces among his sons: to Yaropolk he gave Kiev, to Oleg he gave the Drevlians, and to Vladimir, Great Novogorod. Indeed, the Novogorodians were instigated by a certain woman named Dobrina, to request that Vladimir should be made their prince; for there was a certain man at Novogorod, called Calufeza the Little, who had two daughters, Dobrina and Malusha, and while Malusha was in the gynæceum of Olga she became the mother of Vladimir, by Svyatoslav’.

Meanwhile Svyatoslav’, having an eye to the aggrandisement of his sons, proceeded to Bulgaria, laid siege to the city of Pereaslav’, and took it. He then declared war against the kings Basil and Constantine; but they sent messengers to sue for peace, and promising, though deceitfully, that they would pay tribute according to the number of his army, desired that he would inform them of its extent; and after they had ascertained the number of his forces, they also levied an army. At length, when both were confronted, the Russians became terrified at the host of the Greeks, but Svyatoslav’ seeing their fear, thus addressed them: “Since, O Russians, I see no place into which we can retreat with safety, and as at the same time it has never entered into my thoughts to surrender the soil of Russia to our enemies, I am resolved either to die or win renown by fighting bravely against them. For if I die fighting valiantly, my name will be immortal; whereas if I flee, I shall carry with me eternal disgrace. And since it is not possible