boris & gleb 3

Now after his father's death, Sviatopolk had settled in Kiev. 

Upon summoning the people of Kiev and giving them many gifts, he dismissed [wegsturen] them. Then he sent to Boris, saying: "Brother, I wish there to be love between us and shall add to your share of father's possessions." 

But he spoke deceitfully and not the truth. He came secretly at night to Vyshegorod [just north of Kiev], summon Put'sha and the men of Vyshegorod, and said to them: "Tell me in truth, are you loyal to me?" And Put'sha said: "We all are ready to lay down our lives for you."

But the Devil, that hater of man's goodness from the beginning of time, upon seeing the saintly Boris had placed all his hope in the Lord, began to be even more active. 

And as once before he found Cain ablaze with fratricide, so now he found in truth a second Cain in Sviatopolk, and snared his thought, that he should kill all his father's heirs and seize all power for himself alone. 

Then the thrice-accursed [3x vervloekt] Sviatopolk summoned to himself the counselors of all evil, and the chiefs of all untruth, and upon opening his lips most foul, he emitted an evil voice, saying to Put'sha's people: "Since you promised to lay down your lives for me, go in secret, my friends, and where you find my brother Boris, watch for an opportunity and slay him." 

And they promised to do so.

Now, upon returning [home/to Kiev?], the blessed Boris pitches his tents on the Alta River.

And his retinue [gevolg] said to him: "Go, settle in Kiev on your father's throne, for all the troops are in your hands." But he answered them: "It is not for me to raise my hand against my own brother, and especially against an elder one whom I would have as a father." And when they heard this, the troops departed from him, and he remained with only his retainers [vazallen]. 

On the Sabbath day, he was in distress and grief, and his heart was oppressed. And he entred his tent and wept with a broken heart, but a joyful soul, sorrowfully lifting his voice: "Despise not my tears, o Lord. For as I have my hope in Thee, so shall I, together with Thy servants, acccept my portion and lot with all Thy holy ones, for Thou art a merciful God, and unto Thee shall we render praise forever. Amen." 

He thought of the martyrdom and passion of the holy martyr Nicetas the Goth [4th cent.] and of Saint Wenceslaus [duke of Bohemia, 10th cent.], whose murders were similar to this.

Then evening came. 

And he commanded that Vespers be chanted and he himself entered his tent and began to say the evening prayer with bitter tears, frequent sighs and much groaning. 

Afterwards he lay down to sleep. 

Upon awakening early, he saw it was the time of morning: it was holy Sunday. He said to his presbyter: "Arise, begin Matins." And having put shoes on his feet and having washed his face, he himself began to pray to the Lord God. 

But those sent by Sviatopolk had arrived on the Alta during the night, and drawing near, they heard the voice of the blessed martyr chanting the morning psalter. And at that moment, he saw those running toward the tent, the flash of weapons and the unsheathing of swords. 

And the venerable body of the most merciful Boris, Christ's holy and blessed martyr, was pierced without mercy. Those who stabbed him with lances, were the accursed Put'sha, Tal'ts, Elovich, and Liash'ko. 

Then looking at them with tender eyes and a downcast face, and bathed in tears he said: "Brethren, end the service you have begun. And peace be unto my brother, and unto you, my brethren." 

And at that moment, he passed away, and delivered his soul into the hands of the living God, in the month of July, on the twenty-fourth day, the ninth day before the calends of August, 1015.

And they slew many retainers. 

But since they could not remove the necklace from George, they cut off his head and tossed him aside, and for that reason his body could be recognized later. 

Upon wrapping the blessed Boris in a tent flap and laying him in a wagon, they drove off. And when they were in a pine forest, he began to raise his holy head. 

Learning of this, Sviatopolk sent two Varangians, and they pierced him through the heart with a sword. Thus he expired and received a crown everlasting. 

After having brought him to Vyshgorod, they laid his body in the earth and buried it near the Church of St. Vasilii.

[bron]