Английский перевод Х. Де Вер Боклерк
Источник: : The Tale of Igor. London, 1918
- 1. Hearken, my brethren, while I tell you the tale of Igor, son of Svyatoslav.
- 2. In the ancient way shall it be told, not after the fashion of the immortal Boyan but in manner seemly, following the legends of the time.
- 3. For when Boyan made a song for men to hear, his thoughts leaped swiftly like a squirrel in the tree-tops, or ran like a grey wolf over the plain or like an eagle, soared beneath the clouds.
- 4. He sent forth falcons to pursue a flock of swans and the first swan that was captured sang its song, a song to Yaroslav the Old, or to Mstislav the Brave who put Rededia to the sword before the tents of Kassog ; a song again to Roman, the beauteous son of Svyatoslav.
- 5. But Boyan, brethren, did not in truth send forth falcons to pursue a flock of swans but with magic fingers he would touch the chords which of themselves would chant the princes' praise in sonorous music.
- 6. Let me tell then, brethren, the tale of Igor. Behold his soul was filled with warlike spirit and mighty was his mind.
- 7. His heart he whetted keen upon the stone of courage and naught would content him but that he should lead his valiant host to the land of the Polovtsi, to do honour to Russia his country.
- 8. Then Igor cast his eyes upon the sun and saw that its splendour was dimmed, so that his men stood all veiled in shadow.
- 9. – – –
- 10. "Brothers and fellow warriors," cried he, "It were better to die than to be oppressed. Mount ! my warriors !
- 11. Let us speed onward to the blue stream of the Don.
- 12. But the soul of Igor was aflame and his thirst for adventure so great that he heeded not the evil omen.
- 13. "Have I not vowed to break my lance upon the uttermost ends of the Polovetsky plains? Though my head be brought even to the ground, yet would I drink in my helmet of the waters of the Don!"
- 14. If Boyan, the nightingale of bygone years, had sung of these wars, his spirit would indeed have leaped in the tree of dreams, flown in the dream clouds or followed through fields and hills, the visioned path of Trajan.
- 15. – – –
- 16. "Tis not the storm that blows a flight of hawks across the plain but gentle larks that hasten willingly towards the Don."
- 17. Or thus again the immortal child of Veles :
- 18. And so at morn he rose and setting forth, came to where the banners flew at Putivl. There he met his dear brother Vsevolod.
- 19. Quoth Vsevolod the Bold :
- 20. "Igor my one brother, my brightest light, thou other son of Svyatoslav, hearken unto me !
- 21. – – –
- 22. Make ready thy noble steeds. Mine are saddled and waiting at Kursk and my men are skilled at arms.
- 23. They were cradled in helmets, suckled at the spear point and the sound of trumpets was their lullaby
- 24. All roads are known to them and all wild places. Their bows are bent. Their quivers full. Their swords sharpened. Behold !
- 25. they race like grey wolves in the wilderness, seeking for themselves honour, and for their princes glory."
- 26. Having spoken thus, the prince leaped into his golden saddle and galloped swiftly across the plain.
- 27. His path was darkened by the shadowy sun
- 28. and the night groaned about him, with howls of beasts
- 29. and the cry of Div, shrieking in the tree-tops. Mighty is the cry of Div ! It is heard in lands unknown, on the Volga, by the sea coast, near the Sula and Sooroga, yea ! even by the Idol of Tmutorokan.
- 30. Meanwhile the Polovtsi hastened to the shores of the great Don and the wheels of their caravans creaked like swans about to take wing. And Igor led his armies to meet them, for the power of Div,
- 31. the Sacred Bird, was armed, ready to preserve him from present destruction. The wolves growled in the ravines, the eagles called loudly to the wild beasts that they might share the carrion and the foxes barked as the scarlet shields rode past.
- 32. The land of Russia lay far beyond the hills
- 33. and the dark night rolled on toward the first gleam of dawn.
- 34. Mists crept over the fields and in place of the song of the nightingale,
- 35. came the chatter of the awakening daws.
- 36. The sons of Russia spread out their scarlet shields, seeking for themselves honour and for their princes glory.
- 37. At break of day the battle commenced and by God's will the Russians prevailed. The foul swarms of the Polovtsi were crushed into the earth. Their sons were slain and their fair daughters captured and a great booty was taken from them, of rich stuffs and gold and fine linen. Yea !
- 38. So plentiful was the spoil that the Russians took the hooded cloaks and skin mantles of their prisoners and covered the fields with them, making paths through the swamps and miry places with the costly garments of the Polovtsi.
- 39. A purple flag, a white banner, a red plume and a silver spear were the portion of the brave son of Svyatoslav.
- 40. And when the night came the Russians slept upon the battlefield. They had flown far and now rested, for their honour was safe.
- 41. Why, indeed, should they brook the insult of hawk or falcon or of the black crows, the heathen Polovtsi ?
- 42. – – –
- 43. On the morrow the dawn arose in bloodstained raiment to proclaim the day.
- 44. Dark clouds rolled heavily up from the sea, laden with blue, quivering flashes of lightning
- 45. The thunder clouds quickly hid the four suns and a terrible storm broke.
- 46. Many a spear was shattered and many a sword blunted, on the shores of the Kayala near the Don.
- 47. – – –
- 48. The rain fell like arrows from the sky and the winds, children of Stribog, blew as keen daggers. The earth groaned, the waters thickened, a pall of mud lay over the fields and the very folds of Igor's standards shook in agony
- 49. But the Polovtsi came rushing from all sides. From beyond the river came Fierce Gzak and from the sea
- 50. came Kontchak the Cruel, and the Russians fell back before them,
- 51. retreating towards the hill where lay the land of Russia.
- 52. The shouts of the heathen devils filled the plain but the armies of Igor still resisted
- 53. nobly, filling the plain with the scarlet of their shields.
- 54. – – –
- 55. Vsevolod, fierce as a wild boar, stood foremost in the fray. Wherever shone the gold of his helmet there was the fiercest fighting and Polovetsky heads covered the ground.
- 56. His arrows showered upon the foe, his good sword crashed upon their helms, for Vsevolod was indeed fierce as a wild boar and recked little of the wounds he gave, nor of those he received, nor of his past honour in the town of Tchernigov, nor of his father's golden throne, nor of the sweet ness of his beloved, the fair daughter of Gleb.
- 57. In the ancient times of Trajan there were great battles, and in the time of Yaroslav, but none so great as the battle of Igor.
- 58. Also in the years of Oleg, son of Svyatoslav, he who sowed rebellion among mankind and bound the earth in bonds of steel.
- 59. At Tmutorokan he mounted his horse
- 60. and rode forth while the tocsin rang: "Arm! Arm!" Yaroslav
- 61. the Great heard the summons and followed him, but the coward Vladimir hearkened not in his city of Tchernigov.
- 62. Thus it was in the days of Boris. He was greedy of praise and for that did God punish him. For the evil wrought to the brave young prince Oleg,
- 63. the grassy banks of the Kanina gave him sepulchre.
- 64. There he lay in his green robe of death till Svyatopolk,
- 65. his son-in-law, brought him to St. Sophia at Kiev on the backs of his Hungarian horses
- 66. Yet even this was as naught compared with the wars of Igor.
- 67. From dawn till night, from sunset till daybreak
- 68. – – –
- 69. the battle continued. Terrible was the slaughter
- 70. and many a noble life was lost. Of all the warriors,
- 71. Izyaslav the son of Vasilko, remained the last to
- 72. fight, and bravely shed his blood so that the honour of his fathers might still be his.
- 73. Though numberless were the Lithuanian helmets which he did bring to the ground, yet was he himself stretched at last upon the blood-stained earth.
- 74. And as he lay, covered by his crimson shield, he spoke sorrowfully, saying:
- 75. "The vultures have enveloped thy warriors, Prince Igor, and the beasts of prey have drunk their blood"
- 76. No one was near him. Far were his brothers Bryaceslav and Vsevolod.
- 77. So he died alone and his soul passed out of his brave body like a pearl that falls softly.
- 78. No voice was heard, no laughter !
- 79. Behold the trumpets of Gorodno, calling in sorrow for the dead !
- 80. Thus in the foreign land was the black soil sown with bones and watered with blood, but the fruits thereof ripened in Russia, fruits of sorrow !
- 81. At the end of the second night Igor ordered his host to retire for he saw that his dear brother Vsevolod was weakening and he was filled with pity.
- 82. The call of the trumpets, bidding the armies to retire, was heard at dawn, but only at noon on the third day was the banner of Igor lowered. The prince was taken prisoner.
- 83. From a king's saddle he fell to that of a slave, and thus on the shores of the Kayala were the brothers parted. Great had been the feast and deep the drinking of the wine of blood !
- 84. The Russians had in truth glutted their guests with wine.
- 85. Nevertheless, many were dead in defence of Russia. The grass wept for grief and the trees were bowed in mourning.
- 86. These, brethren, were evil days for Russia ! By the Kayala all was blackness.
- 87. The sun was darkened and gone the red glory of the Northern Lights.
- 88. The Polovetski armies harried the land and burnt the villages and Div wailed, mourning the mad courage of the princes that had led them to destruction.
- 89. The daughters of the Goths made merry.
- 90. They sang by the blue sea of the greatness of Boos and of the revenge of Sarokan, as they played with the Russian gold.
- 91. The children of the Sun God were dismayed.
- 92. From out of the sea came Discord like a swan damsel, and stirred the waves of enmity with the fluttering of her wings.
- 93. The princes grew envious one of the other, saying : "This is mine and that also ! "
- 94. They gave value to things that had no value and their covetousness became a source of strife and secret hate ; being thus divided among themselves, they allowed their enemies to gain upon them and the land of Russia was invaded from all sides.
- 95. Woe unto the army of Igor ! The hawks pursued his noble warriors into the sea, striking them dead!
- 96. And following the hawks came Satan, who flew over the land with his goblet of fire, pouring forth flames upon the people !
- 97. The good wives wept : " Now can we think no more of our sweethearts ! " they cried
- 98. " Never again shall we see them, never again shall we succour them in their distress. Never can we hope to become rich with gold and silver ! "
- 99. And Kiev sorrowed and Tchernigov groaned in distress. Woe unto Russia for the victories of her enemies !
- 100. Throughout the land the pagans took a levy, even one squirrel skin from each man, for the hour of vengeance had come for the Polovtsi.
- 101. In former times Svyatoslav, the father of Igor and Vsevolod, had vanquished the pagans and conquered their land. He had levelled their hills, fouled their rivers and their lakes, and dried their swampy places.
- 102. He had seized their chief Kobyak, dragged him with the force of a hurricane from his stronghold by the sea, and slain him in the castle of Kiev.
- 103. But the ire of the heathens had been appeased in those days and, behold ! Igor had awakened it once more !
- 104. The Germans and the Wends and the Moravians glorified Svyatoslav the Terrible, but Igor they hated.
- 105. In far off Kiev lay Svyatoslav, and that night he had a vision.
- 106. The city was in silence, there was no sound of joy or laughter. And Svyatoslav spake to his boyars :
- 107. " Behold ! my sleep was broken. Methought I lay upon a couch of yew and ye covered me with a black robe and gave me to drink blue wine all thick with ash.
- 108. A band of heathen wanderers stood around me, seeking to comfort me with pearls which they poured from their quivers upon me.
- 109. But I was without hope, for the gold had been reft from the walls of my castle and the birds of Boos cawed in the darkness. And lo !
- 110. I saw two men standing on the river bank, and the pagans took them and brought them to the ships and sailed with them, away to the deep sea ! " spirits are thralls to sorrow ! ": the boyars replied.
- 111. Perchance they flew to Tmutorokan, the far city, or perchance to the Don that they might drink in their helmets of the waters thereof?
- 112. But the wings of the hawks were clipped and now they fly no longer.
- 113. Igor, yea Igor, the prince ! walketh in shackles of iron ! "
- 114. So Svyatoslav the Golden-tongued, wept, saying :
- 115. "Alas! my children! Too early did ye wish for fame and too early journeyed ye forth, seeking to conquer the land of the Polovtsi ! No honour could come of it.
- 116. Your brave hearts were bound in iron and forged in the fire of valour, but ye have brought sorrow upon my silvered head.
- 117. The good wrought by my brother, the mighty, the rich Yaroslav, is no more.
- 118. He with his hosts vanquished the pagans and upheld the honour of his forefathers.
- 119. " But we will be men!"' ye said, "And will take the glory that was our fathers' for ourselves and make the glory of future times our own ! "
- 120. Thus cried Svyatoslav, and fain was he to save his children ! Though the hawk be aged yet does it wish to defend its young.
- 121. So he called to the princes of Russia, that they might come to his aid.
- 122. To Yaroslav, prince of Galicia :
- 123. " Mighty prince ! The men of the Vistula were destroyed by thine arms.
- 124. Verily thine iron shoulders uphold the hills of Hungary and by thy might thou hast closed the gates of the Danube.
- 125. Thy justice is supreme even on the shores of that far river.
- 126. Over all men thou sittest proudly, for all lands fear thee and from the walls of Kiev thou couldest slay the men beyond thy frontiers !
- 127. Come, prince, and kill Kontchak the pagan !
- 128. Wipe out the wrong done to Russia and take vengeance for the wounds of Igor, son of Svyatoslav ! "
- 129. To Roman and Mstislav, princes of Volyn :
- 130. " Brave Roman, noble Mstislav ! Your valour is like a strong wind that carries you forward to the fray.
- 131. You soar with hawks' wings outspread, seek ing some quarry on which to try your power.
- 132. All peoples bow before you, their clubs are lowered before your steel swords and your trappings of iron.
- 133. The light of Igor is darkened and sorrow has made the tree to weep leaves upon the ground !
- 134. The heathen have taken the cities of the Ros and the Sula.
- 135. The hosts of Igor are dead and the Don cries to you for vengeance ! "
- 136. And lastly, to Ingvar and Vsevolod, princes of Lutsk :
- 137. "The sons of Svyatoslav have gone to battle. Why tarry ye, ye leaden-footed ones ?
- 138. It is a fate without honour to acquire fortune through the losses of others !
- 139. What use are your helmets and your shields and your battleaxes ? Come ye to defend your land !
- 140. Wipe out the wrong done to Russia and take vengeance for the wounds of Igor, son of Svya toslav !"
- 141. These us weep, brethren, for the sons of Russia, who by their folly lost the fame and glory of their fathers !
- 142. The silver river of the Sula had ceased to flow to Pereyaslavl, and the Dvina now ran sluggishly, while the heathen cried their hunting cries upon its banks.
- 143. Most truly said the great Boyan : "The most cunning of men shall not escape punishment, nor the most wise, nor yet a bird, nor yet a poet."
- 144. He said it of Vseslav, son of Bryasislav, who, being imprisoned, by his cunning and his wizardry escaped from captivity, and so, fleeing from his enemies, caused a blue cloud to hide him from their pursuit.
- 145. Swift as a wild animal he ran through the forest, bursting the cords that bound him.
- 146. He conquered Novgorod and King Yaroslav and at last hied him to Kiev, to conquer the golden throne.
- 147. A bloody harvest reaped he on the Nemisa.
- 148. The sheaves were heads of men.
- 149. Swords threshed the human wheat. In the barns was death garnered and the soul separated from the chaff of the flesh.
- 150. Yet was Vseslav a good prince.
- 151. Though he gave the cities to the princes he himself rested not, but leaped like a grey wolf from Kiev to Tmutorokan.
- 152. In the name of the Cross he subdued the worshippers of Khors, and for him the chimes rang in the churches of Kiev.
- 153. Remember the ancient times and the princes thereof, and weep with me brethren !
- 154. Sorrow and discord reigned in the land of Russia.
- 155. "Woe ! Woe ! " cried the mourners of the Danube.
- 156. Yaroslavna, the beloved of Igor arose: "I will go," she cried, "to the Kayak river.
- 157. Like a bird will I fly over the Danube !
- 158. I will dip my hand in the water and wash the wounds of Prince Igor and tend his torn body."
- 159. She went upon the walls of Putivl and wept again.
- 160. "Wind, Sir Wind!" she cried.
- 161. "Why art VV thou so keen?
- 162. Why dost thou blow so cruelly upon my beloved ?
- 163. Cease the beating of thy great wings, Sir Wind !
- 164. To send sorrow from the clouds is but a little thing to thee, who tosseth the boats on the blue sea so easily !
- 165. Take not my joy from me !
- 166. Blow it not away across the plain ! "
- 167. And Yaroslavna looked upon the river.
- 168. "O Mighty Dnieper!" she cried, "Thou didst divide the stone mountains in the country of the Polovtsi !
- 169. Thou didst carry the ships of Svyatoslav to the armies of Kobyak.
- 170. Bring my beloved back to me, Sir River ! Ah ! Woeful was the day when I first wept for him ! "
- 171. And Yaroslavna looked upon the sun at dawn.
- 172. "Bright Sun," she cried, "Bright Sun ! Thou art so warm and beautiful.
- 173. To all men art thou kind.
- 174. And yet, Sir Sun, thou didst punish my beloved with cruel flames.
- 175. In the waterless fields thou didst parch his bowstrings so that they could not bend for thirst, and thou didst fill his quivers with sorrow.
- 176. Ah ! Woeful was the day when first I wept for him."
- 177. Now shall we speak again of Igor, brethren, as he lay captive in the Polovetsky tents by the river.
- 178. All day long he dreamed of freedom.
- 179. His spirit slept not but was ever on the wing, measuring the distance between the Don and the Donets, which is the frontier stream of Russia.
- 180. And behold after many days, the sea rose up like a fountain of blue cloud and Igor knew it for a sign from heaven that, by God's will, the time had come for his escape.
- 181. A cry rang out, the cry of Ovlur, the servant of Igor, calling to the prince.
- 182. But at first Igor obeyed not the call.
- 183. Again Ovlur cried.
- 184. This time Igor arose and leaving his tent, ran into the shadow of the wood.
- 185. The earth trembled, the grass murmured, the Polovtsi stirred heavily in their sleep, for they were drunk with wine.
- 186. In that hour was God merciful.
- 187. Safely He brought the prince out of the camp of the heathen, and led him to the river !
- 188. And there Igor mounted his horse and fled with Ovlur, away across the meadow !
- 189. The mist clung chill about him and his horse was weary.
- 190. Weary also was the horse of Ovlur, yet they ran, faster than the wolves.
- 191. In the camp, Gzak and Kontchak were awakened by the sound of hoofs.
- 192. Though their spirits were still dulled by wine, they aroused their warriors and hastened in pursuit.
- 193. As they rode they spoke one to the other, and their speech was as the chatter of magpies.
- 194. Quoth Gzak :
- 195. " Igor, the hawk, flies to his nest, but the young bird, his son, is ours and we can slay him with our golden arrows/' Saith Kontchak :
- 196. "If the hawk escapes, surely 'twere better to detain the young bird with wiles and fair speech ? Perchance with the beauty of some damsel might he be kept in thrall ? "
- 197. But Gzak answered :
- 198. " Nay ! If we trust a maid we shall lose both the maid and the young bird and the vultures will pick our bones upon the plain."
- 199. At early dawn Igor reached the river Donets. And the river spake to him, saying :
- 200. " Great, indeed, art thou, O Prince, and great is the hope of Russia, but great also is the hatred of Kontchak ! : "But mighty art thou, Donets!' replied Igor.
- 201. "Thy waves carry the prince right nobly and by thy silver shores has he found a fair couch of green.
- 202. With soft mists hast thou hidden him beneath the green trees.
- 203. Thy spirit sent forth ducks to save him on the lakes, gulls to protect him on the sea and swans in the air.
- 204. Remember the evil wrought by the river Stugna when he was bewitched by alien streams and crushed the ships into the banks !
- 205. Act not thou likewise, river Donets !"
- 206. Remember, too, when Dnieper killed Prince Rostislav.
- 207. The mother of the prince calls even now for her son and the very flowers and trees weep for sorrow!
- 208. So Donets took compassion on Prince Igor and opened his arms to him, and he was safe.
- 209. What bliss was there in Russia, brethren, when Igor reached the land of his fathers and knelt before the Holy Virgin at Pirogosk !
- 210. Hence forth did the warriors prosper and win great battles against the pagans.
- 211. The sun shone more brightly.
- 212. The maidens sang : "Joy ! Joy ! " and the sound of their rejoicing was heard from the Danube to Kiev.
- 213. What bliss was there in Russia, brethren, when Igor reached the land of his fathers and knelt before the Holy Virgin at Pirogosk !
- 214. The cities, too, and all the land, took up the joyful song
- 215. For all time shall it be sung :
- 216. "Honour to Prince Igor, Honour to brave Vsevolod,
- 217. And honour to their children.
- 218. Honour to the princes and honour to their warriors ! Amen."
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Если вы используете корпус в научной работе, пожалуйста, сошлитесь на эту публикацию:
Орехов Б. В. Параллельный корпус переводов «Слова о полку Игореве»: итоги и перспективы // Национальный корпус русского языка: 2006—2008. Новые результаты и перспективы. — СПб.: Нестор-История, 2009. — С. 462—473.