Literature of antiquity and the Middle Ages - Summary - 2019

Life of Alexander Nevsky
Folk

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the son of God.

I am sorry and miserable, not far from the mind, I dare to describe the life of the holy prince Alexander, the son of Yaroslavov, the grandson of Vsevolodov. Since I heard from my fathers and he himself was a witness of his mature age, it was glad to tell of the holy, both honest and glorious life of him. <...>

This prince Alexander was born from the father of the merciful and human-loving, and most of all, the gentleman, the prince of the great Yaroslav and the mother of Theodosius. As Isaiah, the prophet, said: "Thus says the lord:" I make princes, they are sacred for them, and I guide them. " Indeed, without God's command, his reign was not.

And he was beautiful, like no other, and his voice, like a trumpet in the people, his face, as Joseph's face, whom the king of Egypt put the second king in Egypt, his power was part of the power of Samson (1), and God gave him wisdom of Solomon (2), his courage, like the king of Vespasian, who conquered all the land of Judah. Once he prepared for the siege of the city of Joathapata, and the townspeople came out and defeated his army. And there was one Vespasian, and turned those who spoke against him to the city, to the city gate, and laughed at his wife, and rebuked her, saying, "They left me alone." Also, Prince Alexander - won, but was invincible.

Therefore, one of the eminent men of the Western country, of those who call themselves servants of God, came to desire to see the maturity of his power, as in ancient times, Queen Sawskaya came to Solomon, desiring to listen to his wise words. So this, by the name of Andreas, saw Prince Alexander, returned to his own, and said: "I have passed the countries, the peoples, and have not seen such a king among the kings, nor a prince among the princes."

Hearing about such pride of Alexander, the king of the country of Rome (3) from the northern earth thought to himself: "I will go and conquer the land of Alexandrov." And he gathered the great power, and filled many ships with their own regiments, and moved with a huge army, breathing in the spirit of war. And he came to Neva, drunk with insanity, and sent his ambassadors uprising himself to Novgorod to Prince Alexander, saying, "If you can, defend yourself, for I am already here and are ruining your land."

Alexander, having heard such words, was burning with his heart, and entered the church of St. Sophia, and fell on his knees at the altar and began to pray with tears: "God is glorious, righteous, great God, strong, divine prestigious, who created heaven and earth, and established the limits of the peoples, you commanded to live, without breaking the borders of others. " And, remembering the words of the prophet, he said: "Judges, gentlemen, who offend me and protect me from fighting with me, take the weapon and shield and get up to help me."

And when he had finished praying, he rose up and worshiped the archbishop. Archbishop then was Spiridon, he blessed him and let go of it. The prince, having left the church, drained the tears and began to encourage his wife, saying: "God is not in power, but in truth." Let's recall the Songwriter (4), who said: "Some are with a weapon, and others are on the horses; we are the name of the lord God will call us; they, fallen, fell, but we stood and stand straight. " Having said this, he went to enemies with his little wife, without waiting for his big army, but hoping for the holy trinity.

It was sad to hear that his father, the great prince, Jaroslaw did not know about the invasion of his son, dear Alexander, and he had no time to send a message to his father, for the enemies had already approached. That's why many Novgorodians did not have time to join, as the prince hurried to speak. And he opposed them on Sunday, July 15, having a great faith to the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb (5).

And there was one husband, the elder of the land of Izhora, named after Pelugia; he was charged with a night guard at sea. He was baptized and lived among his generation, the Gentiles, his name was given to him in the holy baptism of Philip, and he lived alive, observing the post on Wednesday and Friday, therefore, and he honored his god to see the wonderful vision that day. Let's say briefly.

Having learned of the strength of the enemy, he came out to meet Prince Alexander to tell him about the states of enemies. He stood on the seafront, watching both ways, and spent all night without sleep. When the sun began to rise, he heard a strong noise on the sea and saw one face (6) flying through the sea and standing in the middle of the planet of holy martyrs Boris and Gleb in red clothes holding hands on each other's shoulders. The rowers sat, as if they were wearing mildew. Boris worked: "Brother Gleb, we rushed, and let us help a relative (7) to his prince Alexander". Having seen such a vision and heard these words of the martyrs, Pelusi stood, trembling, until the foreskin had escaped from his eyes.

Shortly thereafter Alexander came, and Pelusi, gladly met Prince Alexander, told him of a vision. The prince said to him, "Do not tell this to anyone."

After that Alexander rushed to attack the enemies at the sixth time of the day, and there was great urine with the Romans, and their prince interrupted countless numbers, and on the face of the king himself left the footprint of his sharp spear. <...>

All of this I heard from the lord of his Grand Duke Alexander and others who at that time participated in this battle. <...>

In the second year after returning from the victory of Prince Alexander, they again came from the Western country and built a city on the land of Alexandrova. Alexander, the prince, soon went and destroyed their city until the foundation, and they hanged them alone, took others with them, and released others, having pardoned, and released them, for he was immensely gracious.

After Aleksandrova's victory, when he defeated the king, in the third year, in the winter, he went with great power to the German land, so as not to boast, saying: "We will condemn the Slavic people."

And they had already taken the city of Pskov and the German governors were planted. He soon expelled them from Pskov and interrupted the Germans, and linked others and liberated the city from the godless Germans, and the land plagued them and burned them and took the countless countless captives, and interrupted the others. The Germans, brave, joined and said: "Let's go, And conquer Alexander, and capture him."

When the Germans approached, they guards at them. Alexander, the prince, prepared for the battle, and they went against each other, and the lake of Miracles was covered with a multitude of those and other warriors. Alexandra's father, Yaroslav, sent him to help his younger brother, Andrei, with a great wife. Yes, and Prince Alexander had many brave warriors, as in ancient times, the king of David, strong and persistent. So the men of Alexander were filled with the spirit of the adversary, because their hearts were like the hearts of the lions, and they exclaimed: "Our prince is glorious! It's now our time to put our heads for you." The prince, Alexander, raised his hands to heaven, and said: "Judge me, O God, judge me with the unjust people, and help me, my lord ..."

It was then the Sabbath, and when the sun rose, the adversaries came together. And there was a brutal urine, and there was a crack from broken copies and a ringing of swords, and it seemed that the frozen lake was moving, and ice was not visible, for it was covered with blood.

And this I heard from an eyewitness who told me that he saw the host of God in the air, who came to help Alexander. And so he defeated the enemies with the help of God, and they turned to flight, but Alexander chopped them up, chasing them like in the air, and nowhere was it to hide them. Alexander glorified God before all regiments here. <...>

And when the prince approached the city of Pskov, the hegumen, the priests, and the whole people met him in front of the city with the crosses, giving praise to God and glorifying the master of Prince Alexander, giving him a song: "You, gentlemen, helped the gentle David to defeat the foreigners and the true prince our weapon of faith to free the city of Pskov from the foreign-speakers with the hand of Alexandrov." <...>

And his name was glorified in all countries, from the sea of Honuzhsky and to the mountains of Ararat, and on the other side of the sea of Varjazhsky and up to the great Rome. <...>

Having worked hard with God, he left the kingdom of the earth and became a monk, for he had an incredible desire to accept the angelic image. Like his god and the bigger rank to accept - schema (8). And in the world of God, God gave his spirit to the month of November on the fourteenth day, in the reign of the holy Apostle Philip.

Metropolitan Kirill said: "My children, know that the sun of the land of Suzdal has already come!" <...>

There was then a miraculous miracle and worthy memory. When his holy body was laid in a tomb, then Sevastyan-ekonom and Cyril-Metropolitan wanted to shake his hand to put a spiritual letter. He, as if alive, extended his hand and accepted the letter from the hands of the Metropolitan. And confusion embraced them, and they barely retreated from his tomb. This was announced to all Metropolitan and economist Sevastyan. Whoever will not be surprised at this miracle, because his body was dead and carried him from the distant lands in the winter. And so God glorified his admirer.

(1) Samson is a hero who possesses an extraordinary physical strength hidden in his long hair.

(2) Solomon - the king of the Israeli-Jewish state in 965-928. until e was famous for extraordinary wisdom.

(3) The country of Rome is a Catholic country.

(4) Pesnotvorets - the king of the Israel-Jewish state of David (the end of the second century - about 950 BC); composed psalms - songs that singers and people performed in the glory of the Lord.

(5) Boris and Gleb - sons of Novgorod and Kiev prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, killed by his brother Svyatopolk; were recognized as saints.

(6) Nasad - boat.

(7) A relative is his own, a native, connected by a blood relationship person.

(8) Schem is a monastic rank.