[Footnote48:DucangehascollectedfromtheoriginalauthorsthestateandhistoryoftheVarangiatConstantinople，Glossar。
Med。etInfimaeGraecitatis，subvoce。Med。etInfimaeLatinitatis，subvoceVagri。Not。adAlexiad。AnnaeComnenae，p。
256，257，258。NotessurVillehardouin，p。296—299。SeelikewisetheannotationsofReisketotheCeremonialeAulaeByzant。ofConstantine，tom。ii。p。149，150。SaxoGrammaticusaffirmsthattheyspokeDanish；butCodinusmaintainsthemtillthefifteenthcenturyintheuseoftheirnativeEnglish。]
Inthetenthcentury，thegeographyofScythiawasextendedfarbeyondthelimitsofancientknowledge；andthemonarchyoftheRussiansobtainsavastandconspicuousplaceinthemapofConstantine。^49ThesonsofRuricweremastersofthespaciousprovinceofWolodomir，orMoscow；and，iftheywereconfinedonthatsidebythehordesoftheEast，theirwesternfrontierinthoseearlydayswasenlargedtotheBalticSeaandthecountryofthePrussians。TheirnorthernreignascendedabovethesixtiethdegreeoflatitudeovertheHyperboreanregions，whichfancyhadpeopledwithmonsters，orcloudedwitheternaldarkness。TothesouththeyfollowedthecourseoftheBorysthenes，andapproachedwiththatrivertheneighborhoodoftheEuxineSea。Thetribesthatdwelt，orwandered，inthisamplecircuitwereobedienttothesameconqueror，andinsensiblyblendedintothesamenation。ThelanguageofRussiaisadialectoftheSclavonian；butinthetenthcentury，thesetwomodesofspeechweredifferentfromeachother；and，astheSclavonianprevailedintheSouth，itmaybepresumedthattheoriginalRussiansoftheNorth，theprimitivesubjectsoftheVarangianchief，wereaportionoftheFennicrace。Withtheemigration，union，ordissolution，ofthewanderingtribes，thelooseandindefinitepictureoftheScythiandeserthascontinuallyshifted。ButthemostancientmapofRussiaaffordssomeplaceswhichstillretaintheirnameandposition；andthetwocapitals，Novogorod^50andKiow，^51arecoevalwiththefirstageofthemonarchy。Novogorodhadnotyetdeservedtheepithetofgreat，northeallianceoftheHanseaticLeague，whichdiffusedthestreamsofopulenceandtheprinciplesoffreedom。
Kiowcouldnotyetboastofthreehundredchurches，aninnumerablepeople，andadegreeofgreatnessandsplendorwhichwascomparedwithConstantinoplebythosewhohadneverseentheresidenceoftheCaesars。Intheirorigin，thetwocitieswerenomorethancampsorfairs，themostconvenientstationsinwhichtheBarbariansmightassemblefortheoccasionalbusinessofwarortrade。Yeteventheseassembliesannouncesomeprogressintheartsofsociety；anewbreedofcattlewasimportedfromthesouthernprovinces；andthespiritofcommercialenterprisepervadedtheseaandland，fromtheBaltictotheEuxine，fromthemouthoftheOdertotheportofConstantinople。Inthedaysofidolatryandbarbarism，theSclavoniccityofJulinwasfrequentedandenrichedbytheNormans，whohadprudentlysecuredafreemartofpurchaseandexchange。^52Fromthisharbor，attheentranceoftheOder，thecorsair，ormerchant，sailedinforty—threedaystotheeasternshoresoftheBaltic，themostdistantnationswereintermingled，andtheholygrovesofCurlandaresaidtohavebeendecoratedwithGrecianandSpanishgold。^53BetweentheseaandNovogorodaneasyintercoursewasdiscovered；inthesummer，throughagulf，alake，andanavigableriver；inthewinterseason，overthehardandlevelsurfaceofboundlesssnows。Fromtheneighborhoodofthatcity，theRussiansdescendedthestreamsthatfallintotheBorysthenes；theircanoes，ofasingletree，wereladenwithslavesofeveryage，fursofeveryspecies，thespoiloftheirbeehives，andthehidesoftheircattle；andthewholeproduceoftheNorthwascollectedanddischargedinthemagazinesofKiow。ThemonthofJunewastheordinaryseasonofthedepartureofthefleet:thetimberofthecanoeswasframedintotheoarsandbenchesofmoresolidandcapaciousboats；andtheyproceededwithoutobstacledowntheBorysthenes，asfarasthesevenorthirteenridgesofrocks，whichtraversethebed，andprecipitatethewaters，oftheriver。Atthemoreshallowfallsitwassufficienttolightenthevessels；butthedeepercataractswereimpassable；andthemariners，whodraggedtheirvesselsandtheirslavessixmilesoverland，wereexposedinthistoilsomejourneytotherobbersofthedesert。^54Atthefirstislandbelowthefalls，theRussianscelebratedthefestivaloftheirescape:atasecond，nearthemouthoftheriver，theyrepairedtheirshatteredvesselsforthelongerandmoreperilousvoyageoftheBlackSea。Iftheysteeredalongthecoast，theDanubewasaccessible；withafairwindtheycouldreachinthirty—sixorfortyhourstheoppositeshoresofAnatolia；andConstantinopleadmittedtheannualvisitofthestrangersoftheNorth。Theyreturnedatthestatedseasonwitharichcargoofcorn，wine，andoil，themanufacturesofGreece，andthespicesofIndia。Someoftheircountrymenresidedinthecapitalandprovinces；andthenationaltreatiesprotectedthepersons，effects，andprivileges，oftheRussianmerchant。^55
[Footnote49:TheoriginalrecordofthegeographyandtradeofRussiaisproducedbytheemperorConstantinePorphyrogenitus，deAdministrat。Imperii，c。2，p。55，56，c。9，p。59—61，c。
13，p。63—67，c。37，p。106，c。42，p。112，113，andillustratedbythediligenceofBayer，deGeographiaRussiaevicinarumqueRegionumcirciterA。C。948，inComment。Academ。
Petropol。tom。ix。p。367—422，tom。x。p。371—421，withtheaidofthechroniclesandtraditionsofRussia，Scandinavia，&c。]
[Footnote50:Thehaughtyproverb，\"WhocanresistGodandthegreatNovogorod?\"isappliedbyM。LevequeHist。deRussie，tom。
i。p。60eventothetimesthatprecededthereignofRuric。Inthecourseofhishistoryhefrequentlycelebratesthisrepublic，whichwassuppressedA。D。1475，tom。ii。p。252—266。ThataccuratetravellerAdamOleariusdescribesin1635theremainsofNovogorod，andtheroutebyseaandlandoftheHolsteinambassadors，tom。i。p。123—129。]
[Footnote51:Inhacmagnacivitate，quaeestcaputregni，plustrecentaeecclesiaehabenturetnundinaeocto，populietiamignotamanusEggehardusadA。D。1018，apudBayer，tom。ix。p。
412。Helikewisequotestom。x。p。397thewordsoftheSaxonannalist，CujusRussioemetropolisestChive，aemulasceptriConstantinopolitani，quaeestclarissimumdecusGraeciae。ThefameofKiow，especiallyinthexithcentury，hadreachedtheGermanandArabiangeographers。]
[Footnote52:InOdoraeostioquaScythicasalluitpaludes，nobilissimacivitasJulinum，celeberrimam，BarbarisetGraecisquisuntincircuitu，praestansstationem，estsanemaximaomniumquasEuropaclauditcivitatum，AdamBremensis，Hist。Eccles。p。
19；astrangeexaggerationeveninthexithcentury。ThetradeoftheBaltic，andtheHanseaticLeague，arecarefullytreatedinAnderson\'sHistoricalDeductionofCommerce；atleast，inourlanguage，Iamnotacquaintedwithanybooksosatisfactory。
Note:Thebookofauthorityisthe\"GeschichtedesHanseatischenBundes，\"byGeorgeSartorius，Gottingen，1803，orratherthelatereditionofthatworkbyM。Lappenberg，2vols。
4to。，Hamburgh，1830。—M。1845。]
[Footnote53:AccordingtoAdamofBremen，deSituDaniae，p。
58，theoldCurlandextendedeightdays\'journeyalongthecoast；andbyPeterTeutoburgicus，p。68，A。D。1326，MemelisdefinedasthecommonfrontierofRussia，Curland，andPrussia。
Aurumibiplurimum，saysAdam，divinisauguribusatquenecromanticisomnesdomussuntplenae……atotoorbeibiresponsapetuntur，maximeabHispanisforsanZupanis，idestregulisLettoviaeetGraecis。ThenameofGreekswasappliedtotheRussiansevenbeforetheirconversion；animperfectconversion，iftheystillconsultedthewizardsofCurland，Bayer，tom。x。p。378，402，&c。Grotius，Prolegomen。adHist。
Goth。p。99。]
[Footnote54:Constantineonlyreckonssevencataracts，ofwhichhegivestheRussianandSclavonicnames；butthirteenareenumeratedbytheSieurdeBeauplan，aFrenchengineer，whohadsurveyedthecourseandnavigationoftheDnieper，orBorysthenes，Descriptiondel\'Ukraine，Rouen，1660，athinquarto；butthemapisunluckilywantinginmycopy。]
[Footnote55:Nestor，apudLeveque，Hist。deRussie，tom。i。p。
78—80。FromtheDnieper，orBorysthenes，theRussianswenttoBlackBulgaria，Chazaria，andSyria。ToSyria，how?where?
when?Thealterationisslight；thepositionofSuania，betweenChazariaandLazica，isperfectlysuitable；andthenamewasstillusedinthexithcentury，Cedren。tom。ii。p。770。]
ChapterLV:TheBulgarians，TheHungariansAndTheRussians。
PartIII。
Butthesamecommunicationwhichhadbeenopenedforthebenefit，wassoonabusedfortheinjury，ofmankind。Inaperiodofonehundredandninetyyears，theRussiansmadefourattemptstoplunderthetreasuresofConstantinople:theeventwasvarious，butthemotive，themeans，andtheobject，werethesameinthesenavalexpeditions。^56TheRussiantradershadseenthemagnificence，andtastedtheluxuryofthecityoftheCaesars。
Amarvelloustale，andascantysupply，excitedthedesiresoftheirsavagecountrymen:theyenviedthegiftsofnaturewhichtheirclimatedenied；theycovetedtheworksofart，whichtheyweretoolazytoimitateandtooindigenttopurchase；theVarangianprincesunfurledthebannersofpiraticaladventure，andtheirbravestsoldiersweredrawnfromthenationsthatdweltinthenorthernislesoftheocean。^57Theimageoftheirnavalarmamentswasrevivedinthelastcentury，inthefleetsoftheCossacks，whichissuedfromtheBorysthenes，tonavigatethesameseasforasimilarpurpose。^58TheGreekappellationofmonoxyla，orsinglecanoes，mightjustlybeappliedtothebottomoftheirvessels。Itwasscoopedoutofthelongstemofabeechorwillow，buttheslightandnarrowfoundationwasraisedandcontinuedoneithersidewithplanks，tillitattainedthelengthofsixty，andtheheightofabouttwelve，feet。Theseboatswerebuiltwithoutadeck，butwithtworuddersandamast；tomovewithsailsandoars；andtocontainfromfortytoseventymen，withtheirarms，andprovisionsoffreshwaterandsaltfish。ThefirsttrialoftheRussianswasmadewithtwohundredboats；butwhenthenationalforcewasexerted，theymightarmagainstConstantinopleathousandortwelvehundredvessels。TheirfleetwasnotmuchinferiortotheroyalnavyofAgamemnon，butitwasmagnifiedintheeyesoffeartotenorfifteentimestherealproportionofitsstrengthandnumbers。HadtheGreekemperorsbeenendowedwithforesighttodiscern，andvigortoprevent，perhapstheymighthavesealedwithamaritimeforcethemouthoftheBorysthenes。TheirindolenceabandonedthecoastofAnatoliatothecalamitiesofapiraticalwar，which，afteranintervalofsixhundredyears，againinfestedtheEuxine；butaslongasthecapitalwasrespected，thesufferingsofadistantprovinceescapedthenoticebothoftheprinceandthehistorian。ThestormwhichhadsweptalongfromthePhasisandTrebizond，atlengthburstontheBosphorusofThrace；astraitoffifteenmiles，inwhichtherudevesselsoftheRussiansmighthavebeenstoppedanddestroyedbyamoreskilfuladversary。Intheirfirstenterprise^59undertheprincesofKiow，theypassedwithoutopposition，andoccupiedtheportofConstantinopleintheabsenceoftheemperorMichael，thesonofTheophilus。
Throughacrowdofperils，helandedatthepalace—stairs，andimmediatelyrepairedtoachurchoftheVirginMary。^60Bytheadviceofthepatriarch，hergarment，apreciousrelic，wasdrawnfromthesanctuaryanddippedinthesea；andaseasonabletempest，whichdeterminedtheretreatoftheRussians，wasdevoutlyascribedtothemotherofGod。^61ThesilenceoftheGreeksmayinspiresomedoubtofthetruth，oratleastoftheimportance，ofthesecondattemptbyOleg，theguardianofthesonsofRuric。^62AstrongbarrierofarmsandfortificationsdefendedtheBosphorus:theywereeludedbytheusualexpedientofdrawingtheboatsovertheisthmus；andthissimpleoperationisdescribedinthenationalchronicles，asiftheRussianfleethadsailedoverdrylandwithabriskandfavorablegale。Theleaderofthethirdarmament，Igor，thesonofRuric，hadchosenamomentofweaknessanddecay，whenthenavalpowersoftheempirewereemployedagainsttheSaracens。Butifcouragebenotwanting，theinstrumentsofdefenceareseldomdeficient。
Fifteenbrokenanddecayedgalleyswereboldlylaunchedagainsttheenemy；butinsteadofthesingletubeofGreekfireusuallyplantedontheprow，thesidesandsternofeachvesselwereabundantlysuppliedwiththatliquidcombustible。Theengineersweredexterous；theweatherwaspropitious；manythousandRussians，whochoserathertobedrownedthanburnt，leapedintothesea；andthosewhoescapedtotheThracianshorewereinhumanlyslaughteredbythepeasantsandsoldiers。Yetonethirdofthecanoesescapedintoshallowwater；andthenextspringIgorwasagainpreparedtoretrievehisdisgraceandclaimhisrevenge。^63Afteralongpeace，Jaroslaus，thegreatgrandsonofIgor，resumedthesameprojectofanavalinvasion。Afleet，underthecommandofhisson，wasrepulsedattheentranceoftheBosphorusbythesameartificialflames。Butintherashnessofpursuit，thevanguardoftheGreekswasencompassedbyanirresistiblemultitudeofboatsandmen；theirprovisionoffirewasprobablyexhausted；andtwenty—fourgalleyswereeithertaken，sunk，ordestroyed。^64
[Footnote56:ThewarsoftheRussiansandGreeksintheixth，xth，andxithcenturies，arerelatedintheByzantineannals，especiallythoseofZonarasandCedrenus；andalltheirtestimoniesarecollectedintheRussicaofStritter，tom。ii。
parsii。p。939—1044。]
[Footnote57:CedrenusinCompend。p。758]
[Footnote58:SeeBeauplan，Descriptiondel\'Ukraine，p。54—
61:hisdescriptionsarelively，hisplansaccurate，andexceptthecircumstancesoffire—arms，wemayreadoldRussiansformodernCosacks。]
[Footnote59:Itistobelamented，thatBayerhasonlygivenaDissertationdeRussorumprimaExpeditioneConstantinopolitana，Comment。Academ。Petropol。tom。vi。p。265—391。Afterdisentanglingsomechronologicalintricacies，hefixesitintheyears864or865，adatewhichmighthavesmoothedsomedoubtsanddifficultiesinthebeginningofM。Leveque\'shistory。]
[Footnote60:WhenPhotiuswrotehisencyclicepistleontheconversionoftheRussians，themiraclewasnotyetsufficientlyripe。]
[Footnote61:LeoGrammaticus，p。463，464。ConstantiniContinuatorinScript。postTheophanem，p。121，122。SymeonLogothet。p。445，446。Georg。Monach。p。535，536。Cedrenus，tom。ii。p。551。Zonaras，tom。ii。p。162。]
[Footnote62:SeeNestorandNicon，inLeveque\'sHist。deRussie，tom。i。p。74—80。KatonaHist。Ducum，p。75—79useshisadvantagetodisprovethisRussianvictory，whichwouldcloudthesiegeofKiowbytheHungarians。]
[Footnote63:LeoGrammaticus，p。506，507。Incert。Contin。p。
263，264SymeonLogothet。p。490，491。Georg。Monach。p。588，589。Cedrentom。ii。p。629。Zonaras，tom。ii。p。190，191，andLiutprand，l。v。c。6，whowritesfromthenarrativesofhisfather—in—law，thenambassadoratConstantinople，andcorrectsthevainexaggerationoftheGreeks。]
[Footnote64:IcanonlyappealtoCedrenustom。ii。p。758，759andZonaras，tom。ii。p。253，254；buttheygrowmoreweightyandcredibleastheydrawneartotheirowntimes。]
YetthethreatsorcalamitiesofaRussianwarweremorefrequentlydivertedbytreatythanbyarms。Inthesenavalhostilities，everydisadvantagewasonthesideoftheGreeks；
theirsavageenemyaffordednomercy:hispovertypromisednospoil；hisimpenetrableretreatdeprivedtheconquerorofthehopesofrevenge；andtheprideorweaknessofempireindulgedanopinion，thatnohonorcouldbegainedorlostintheintercoursewithBarbarians。Atfirsttheirdemandswerehighandinadmissible，threepoundsofgoldforeachsoldierormarinerofthefleet:theRussianyouthadheredtothedesignofconquestandglory；butthecounselsofmoderationwererecommendedbythehoarysages。\"Becontent，\"theysaid，\"withtheliberaloffersofCaesar；itisnotfarbettertoobtainwithoutacombatthepossessionofgold，silver，silks，andalltheobjectsofourdesires?Arewesureofvictory?Canweconcludeatreatywiththesea?Wedonottreadontheland；wefloatontheabyssofwater，andacommondeathhangsoverourheads。\"^65ThememoryoftheseArcticfleetsthatseemedtodescendfromthepolarcircleleftdeepimpressionofterrorontheImperialcity。Bythevulgarofeveryrank，itwasassertedandbelieved，thatanequestrianstatueinthesquareofTauruswassecretlyinscribedwithaprophecy，howtheRussians，inthelastdays，shouldbecomemastersofConstantinople。^66Inourowntime，aRussianarmament，insteadofsailingfromtheBorysthenes，hascircumnavigatedthecontinentofEurope；andtheTurkishcapitalhasbeenthreatenedbyasquadronofstrongandloftyshipsofwar，eachofwhich，withitsnavalscienceandthunderingartillery，couldhavesunkorscatteredahundredcanoes，suchasthoseoftheirancestors。Perhapsthepresentgenerationmayyetbeholdtheaccomplishmentoftheprediction，ofarareprediction，ofwhichthestyleisunambiguousandthedateunquestionable。
[Footnote65:Nestor，apudLeveque，Hist。deRussie，tom。i。p。
87。]
[Footnote66:Thisbrazenstatue，whichhadbeenbroughtfromAntioch，andwasmelteddownbytheLatins，wassupposedtorepresenteitherJoshuaorBellerophon，anodddilemma。SeeNicetasChoniates，p。413，414，Codinus，deOriginibusC。P。
p。24，andtheanonymouswriterdeAntiquitat。C。P。Banduri，Imp。Orient。tom。i。p。17，18，wholivedabouttheyear1100。
Theywitnessthebeliefoftheprophecytherestisimmaterial。]
BylandtheRussianswerelessformidablethanbysea；andastheyfoughtforthemostpartonfoot，theirirregularlegionsmustoftenhavebeenbrokenandoverthrownbythecavalryoftheScythianhordes。Yettheirgrowingtowns，howeverslightandimperfect，presentedasheltertothesubject，andabarriertotheenemy:themonarchyofKiow，tillafatalpartition，assumedthedominionoftheNorth；andthenationsfromtheVolgatotheDanubeweresubduedorrepelledbythearmsofSwatoslaus，^67
thesonofIgor，thesonofOleg，thesonofRuric。Thevigorofhismindandbodywasfortifiedbythehardshipsofamilitaryandsavagelife。Wrappedinabear—skin，Swatoslaususuallysleptontheground，hisheadrecliningonasaddle；hisdietwascoarseandfrugal，and，liketheheroesofHomer，^68hismeatitwasoftenhorse—fleshwasbroiledorroastedonthecoals。
Theexerciseofwargavestabilityanddisciplinetohisarmy；