Plot
The teaching of Vladimir Monomakh is addressed not only to his own children, but also to all those to whom this letter falls into the hands. He asked his descendants to honor God and do good. Life passes too quickly and sometimes a person does not have enough time to repent of all his sins before death, and this is very scary.
The idea of writing down his cherished thoughts did not come to the prince’s mind by chance. He was prompted to this by a meeting with the ambassadors of his brothers. They called on Vladimir to go with them against the Rostislavichs in order to take possession of their lands, but in response they received a refusal. To calm down at least a little, he opens the Psalter at random. While reading it, he comes to the idea of leaving a message for future generations.
The prince asks the children not to be lazy. Do not refuse help to those who need it. Always give alms generously. All good deeds will be credited to God. Do not forget to pray daily, even if at this time you are busy with pressing matters. Don't neglect the teachings. Try to acquire new knowledge. You should not mistakenly believe that God’s mercy can only be earned through seclusion or monasticism. The main thing is to do good deeds at the call of your heart, and not under duress.
Interceding for the weak and wretched is another godly deed. Calm your anger and thirst for revenge. Don't let pride get the better of you. A person must be pure in soul and blameless. There is no need to harbor grudges against loved ones. They need to be forgiven, loved, and not judged harshly for their sometimes unseemly actions.
Elders must be respected, listened to, and obeyed. Watch your speech. Avoid using foul language and swearing when speaking. Don't get angry. Be able to control your feelings and emotions. Do not forget to praise the Lord and honor his commandments. Bow down not only in church, but also at home. In a conversation, trying to prove something to your interlocutor, you should not baptize yourself and swear in the name of the Lord unnecessarily. It is not necessary. When you wake up in the morning, pray and only then start doing things.
- Biography of Vladimir Mayakovsky
In his teaching, Vladimir did not forget to mention his deeds, labors and campaigns in which he took part from the age of thirteen. The first trip with my father as a couple was to Rostov. There he ruled for some time. There were many more campaigns and battles in his life. The prince is a big fan of hunting. I caught wild horses with my hands. I went alone to hunt boar, bear, and elk. He did not completely transfer the maintenance of the hunting farm onto the shoulders of the servants; he helped as much as he could. Vladimir advised not to give up new knowledge. Everything in life can be useful.
In conclusion, the prince hopes that the children will not judge him. In no case did he want to boast to them of his daring and courage. Vladimir is grateful to God for everything. For keeping and protecting from all troubles. He did not forget about Oleg, saying that you need to love your brothers and adjuring him not to be zealous in obtaining by violence what you can already get as a sign of sincere care and kinship. He only wants peace for the Russian land. Having read the lesson to the end, we must hurry to do good deeds, glorifying God and his great deeds.
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“The Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh” is rightfully considered a literary monument of the 12th century, which left a big mark not only in literature, but also in the history of Russia. The work written by the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vladimir Monomakh is also known as “Instruction for Children.”
We recommend reading online a summary of “The Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh” on our website. A retelling of the story will be useful in preparing for a literature lesson and for a reading diary.
Article: Summary of the Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh
Addressing his children and everyone who will ever read his message, Prince Vladimir Monomakh (1053-1125) calls on them to have, first of all, the fear of God in their hearts and to do good, remembering that man’s days on earth are fleeting and it is terrible to die without repenting of his sins. The desire to write down his cherished thoughts - the fruit of mature thoughts and rich life experience - arises in the prince during his trip to the Volga, where he meets with the ambassadors of his brothers and talks with them. The brothers invite the prince to come out with them against the Rostislavichs and take the volost from them. If the prince does not want to join their campaign, then in case of war he should not count on their help. The prince, upset by civil strife, sitting in a sleigh, opens the Psalter at random, and, consoled by wise sayings, plans to write a book of teachings for children and grandchildren, to which will also be attached a truthful and comprehensive story about his life.
The prince calls on his children not to be lazy and to always remember that God’s mercy can be gained not only through strict seclusion, monasticism and fasting: it is enough to do a small deed, but if it is done with the fear of God and with a sincere desire to help one’s neighbor, it will be counted towards the person. The prince convinces his children not to forget about prayer, no matter what they do. But at the same time, he encourages them not to neglect learning and acquiring knowledge: he sets them as an example his father, who “sitting at home, knew five languages, which is why he received honor from other countries.” The prince tries to instill in his children the rules of morality rooted in the Christian faith, and also gives them purely practical advice: always honor your elders; in war, do not rely on the governor, but establish strict order yourself and demand its observance; in turbulent times, never part with your weapon; do not allow your servants to harm the peasants; love your wife, but do not give her power over you.
Monomakh's story about his life
The prince says that he began an independent life at the age of thirteen, when his father sent him to Rostov through the land of the Vyatichi. This was the first campaign, and in total there are eighty-three large campaigns. Monomakh traveled from Chernigov to Kyiv to visit his father at least a hundred times, made peace with the Polovtsian princes nineteen times - both with and without his father, and during the wars he killed about two hundred Polovtsian soldiers in battle. In addition, the prince is a passionate hunter. He talks about how in Chernigov he “caught wild horses with his own hands,” and alone hunted boar, bear, elk, and aurochs. At the same time, Monomakh did not put all the responsibilities for maintaining the hunting farm on the servants alone: “what my youth had to do, he did it himself - in war and on hunts, night and day, in heat and cold, without giving himself rest.”
Concluding the story, the prince expresses the hope that his children do not judge him, for he least of all thought about boasting to them of his courage and daring, but wanted only to praise God and glorify His mercy for protecting him, sinner, from all misfortunes. The prince calls on the children not to be afraid of death, for only then will a person die when there is God’s permission.
Letter from Monomakh to Oleg Svyatoslavich
Heeding the advice of his eldest son, who was baptized by his cousin, Oleg Svyatoslavich, the prince writes him a letter in the hope of reconciliation. Suffering from the death of his son, who was killed in the battle with Oleg, the prince admonishes his brother and regrets that he did not immediately repent when the son of Monomakh was killed before him, as King David repented, saying: “My sin is always before me.” The prince advises Oleg to send his daughter-in-law, the widow of the murdered man, to him, for this is exactly what their fathers and grandfathers did when they wanted reconciliation. Since the dead can no longer be brought back and judgment comes from God, and not from the one who killed, then we must turn to God so that He will enlighten and guide the steps of a sinful person. Concluding the message, Monomakh tells his brother that he is looking for the good of all the brethren and the Russian land, and conjures him not to try to obtain by violence what can be obtained as a sign of sincere care and blood relationship.
Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh (1053-1125) - grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, prince of Chernigov, Pereyaslavl, and from 1113 - grand prince of Kiev; author and hero of "Teachings".
V. M. began the “Teaching” with an appeal to his children: if any of them do not like what he wrote, then let them say that before his death he “spoke nonsense.” V.M. tells how one day ambassadors from his brothers came to him and offered to enter into an alliance with them against another prince. V.M. refused, and then took the Psalter and began to read in the place where it opened. And now, citing many quotations from the Psalter, V.M. comments on this, addressing the children. He calls on them not to be lazy, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and says that even with small deeds they can receive God’s mercy. Among the prince’s teachings are not to forget about the poor and the poor, not to allow the strong to destroy a person, not to kill either the right or the wrong, to honor bishops and abbots, to respect the old and take care of the young. V.M. advises children not to rely on the governor, not to overindulge in food and drink, to love their wife, but not to give her free rein over themselves, to constantly study. Above all, according to V.M., is the fear of God, and we must always remember it.
V.M.’s story about his life begins with what he remembers: he has been traveling and hunting since he was thirteen years old. V.M. talks in detail about the military campaigns in which he participated, about relations with other princes: “And in total there were eighty campaigns and three great ones, and I don’t even remember the smaller ones.” V.M. gives a place in his story and hunting. He caught wild horses with his own hands, was gored by a deer, trampled by an elk, a boar tore his sword from his hip, and a bear once bit his horse’s sweatshirt. V. M. concludes his story with the fact that God kept him unharmed. Returning again to advice, V.M. cites his own experience: he never relied on posadniks, did everything together with his warriors, and himself established the routine for the servants. He sees this as the key to a happy and reasonable government.
The basis of the third part - the letter to Oleg Svyatoslavich - is the idea of love for your neighbor, for your “brother”. Reproaching Oleg for killing his son, but not in war, but treacherously, V.M. notes that everything could be resolved peacefully. At the end of the “Teaching” V.M. speaks about the Last Judgment: “At the Last Judgment, without accusers, I convict myself.” Thus, one can consider this monument as a teaching itself and see in it the prince’s “report” about his earthly life before the Higher Power. But, despite the combination of a repentant theme with teaching, V.M., the author, creates the image of V.M., the main character, as the embodiment of an ideal prince - an ideal Christian ruler.
Summary
In his teaching, Prince Vladimir addresses his descendants, those who will take his words seriously and “will not be lazy, but will work.” He believes that “the beginning of all good” is love for God and a merciful, sympathetic heart. And if someone doesn’t like his “literacy”, then you shouldn’t blame him.
Prince Vladimir describes how the decision to write a message to his descendants was prompted by his meeting with ambassadors from his brothers on the way to the Volga. The brothers invited him to go with them against the Rostislavovichs, but he refused. In search of peace of mind, the prince began to read the Psalter, and it was the reading of sacred scripture that prompted him to leave a message for future generations.
The first thing the prince asks to follow is “to have a pure and immaculate soul, a thin body, a meek conversation and to keep the word of the Lord.” Every young person should honor the wisdom that comes with age: one should remain silent in front of old people, one should submit to elders, listen carefully to wise, educated people. You should communicate with peers and juniors favorably, “without guile” or arrogance. Adolescents need to avoid bad company, where there may be unlucky women or those who like to waste their lives. One must strive to benefit others, lend a helping hand to those in need - this is the only way to hope for divine reward.
- Summary of the opera Prince Igor Borodin by action for a reader's diary
According to Prince Vladimir, it is very important to “have pure thoughts” and encourage yourself to do only good, honest deeds. Young people should not forget the commandments of God: not to take revenge on their persecutors, to love even those who do not love you, to uncomplainingly endure all hardships sent down from above, and not to respond with evil to detractors. The prince reminds that all people are sinners and it is impossible to live life without committing a single bad act, but one must strive with all one’s nature to behave with dignity.
In his teaching, Prince Vladimir once again reminds us of the dangers of laziness: “neither seclusion, nor monasticism, nor fasting” is it possible to achieve God’s mercy, but only through labor, even small ones. Next, he admires the great miracles and blessings that the Lord created: darkness, light, heavenly bodies, animals, birds and fish - the amazing diversity with which the world is filled. The prince urges us not to forget to praise the Lord and bow to him both in church and at home - “by bowing at night and praying, a person defeats the devil, and whatever sins he sins during the day, this person gets rid of.”
Prince Vladimir instructs his descendants, who will be tested by power, not to kill or give orders for the execution of the guilty. Even if a person turns out to be guilty, “no Christian soul” should be destroyed. When you say something, “good or bad,” you shouldn’t cross yourself and swear to God—there’s no need for that. You should never forget that “we are mortal, today we are alive, and tomorrow we are in the grave,” and you should only worry about your immortal soul by doing good deeds.
Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh: history of creation, analysis
Teaching
I, thin, by my grandfather Yaroslav, blessed, glorious, named in baptism Vasily, Russian name Vladimir, beloved father and mother from the Monomakh family... and Christians for the sake of people, for how many of them I saved by my mercy and by my father’s prayer from all troubles!
Sitting on the sleigh, I thought in my soul and gave praise to God, who saved me until these days, a sinner. My children or anyone else, when listening to this letter, do not laugh, but whichever of my children loves it, let him accept it in his heart and not become lazy, but work. First of all, for the sake of God and your soul, have the fear of God in your heart and give generous alms, this is the beginning of all good. If anyone doesn’t like this letter, then let them not laugh, but they will say: on a long journey, while sitting on a sleigh, he said something absurd.
For ambassadors from my brothers met me on the Volga and said: “Hurry to us, and we will drive out the Rostislavichs, and we will take away their volost; if you don’t come with us, then we will be on our own, and you will be on your own.” And I answered: “Even though you are angry, I cannot go with you or break the kiss of the cross.”
And, having released them, he took the Psalter, unbent it in sorrow, and this is what came out to me: “What are you sad about, my soul? Why are you embarrassing me? - And so on. And then I collected these favorite words and arranged them in order and wrote them. If you don't like the last ones, at least take the first ones.
“Why are you sad, my soul? Why are you embarrassing me? Trust in God, for I believe in him.” “Do not compete with the wicked, do not envy those who do iniquity, for the wicked will be destroyed, but those who obey the Lord will rule the earth.” And a little more: “And there will be no sinner; you will look at his place and you will not find him. The meek will inherit the earth and many will enjoy peace. The sinner plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him; The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day will come.
Sinners have drawn their weapons and are drawing their bows to pierce the poor and needy and to slay the upright in heart. Their weapons will pierce their hearts, and their bows will be broken. A little is better for the righteous than much riches for sinners. For the strength of sinners is broken, but the Lord strengthens the righteous. Just as sinners perish, He has mercy and gifts on the righteous. For those who bless him will inherit the earth, but those who curse him will be destroyed. Man's feet are guided by the Lord. When he falls, he will not be broken, for the Lord supports his hand. He was young and old, and did not see the righteous abandoned, nor his descendants asking for bread. Every day the righteous give alms and lend, and his tribe will be blessed. Turn away from evil, do good, find peace and drive away evil, and live forever and ever.”
“When people rebelled, they would devour us alive; when his wrath was angry with us, the waters would drown us.”
“Have mercy on me, O God, for man has trampled me under foot; Attacking every day, it presses me. My enemies have trampled me, for there are many who rise up against me from above.” “The righteous will rejoice and, when he sees vengeance, he will wash his hands in the blood of the sinner. And a person will say: “If there is a reward for the righteous, then there is a God who creates judgment on earth.” “Free me from my enemies, O God, and protect me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity and save me from the man of blood, for they have already captured my soul.” “For wrath is in the moment of his wrath, but all life is in his will: mourning may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” “For your mercy is better than my life, and let my mouth praise you. So I will bless you during my lifetime and in your name I will lift up my hands.” “Hide me from the congregation of the wicked and from the multitude of those who do injustice.” “Rejoice, all you righteous in heart. I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will never cease,” and so on.
For as Vasily taught, having gathered young men: to have a pure and immaculate soul, a thin body, a meek conversation and to observe the word of the Lord: “Eat and drink without great noise, be silent with the old, listen to the wise, submit to the elders, have love with equals and younger ones, without speaking wickedly, but understanding more; do not rage with words, do not blaspheme in conversation, do not laugh too much, be ashamed of your elders, do not talk with ridiculous women, keep your eyes down and your soul up, avoid vanity; do not shy away from teaching those who are carried away by power, to place universal honor at nothing. If any of you can benefit others, let him hope for reward from God and enjoy eternal blessings.” “Oh, Lady Mother of God! Take away pride and insolence from my poor heart, so that I will not be magnified by the vanity of this world” in this insignificant life.
Learn, believer, to be an achiever of piety, learn, according to the Gospel word, “control of the eyes, restraint of the tongue, humility of the mind, submission of the body, suppression of anger, to have pure thoughts, motivating yourself to good deeds, for the Lord’s sake; the deprived - do not take revenge, the hated - love, the persecuted - endure, the blasphemed - be silent, kill sin. Deliver the offended, give justice to the orphan, justify the widow. Come and let us unite, says the Lord. “Even if your sins are stained, I will whiten them like snow,” and so on. “The spring of fasting and the flower of repentance will dawn; Let us cleanse ourselves, brothers, from all blood, physical and mental. Calling upon the Light Giver, let us say: “Glory to you, Lover of Humanity!”
Truly, my children, understand that God, who loves mankind, is merciful and merciful. We humans are sinners and mortals, and if someone does evil to us, we want to devour him and quickly shed his blood; and our Lord, possessing both life and death, endures our sins above our heads throughout our lives. Just as a father, loving his child, beats him and again draws him to himself, so our Lord showed us victory over our enemies, how to get rid of them and defeat them with three good deeds: repentance, tears and alms. And this, my children, is not a heavy commandment from God, how to get rid of your sins and not lose the kingdom of heaven by doing these three things.
For God’s sake, don’t be lazy, I pray you, don’t forget those three things, they’re not hard; neither by seclusion, nor by monasticism, nor by fasting, which other virtuous people endure, but in small deeds one can receive God’s mercy.
“What is a person, how do you think about him?” “Great art thou, O Lord, and wonderful are thy works; the human mind cannot comprehend your miracles,” and again we will say: “Great art thou, O Lord, and wonderful are thy works, and blessed and glorious is thy name forever throughout all the earth.” For who does not praise and glorify your power and your great miracles and blessings arranged in this world: how the sky is built, or how the sun, or how the moon, or how the stars, and darkness, and light, and the earth is laid on the waters, Lord , by your craft! Various animals, birds and fish are adorned by your providence, Lord! And let us marvel at this miracle, how he created man from dust, how diverse human faces are; If we collect all people, they do not all have the same appearance, but each has its own facial appearance, according to God’s wisdom. And let us marvel at how the birds of heaven come from paradise, and first of all into our hands, and do not settle in one country, but both the strong and the weak go throughout all lands, at God’s command, so that the forests and fields are filled. Yet God gave this for the benefit of people, for food and joy. Great, Lord, is your mercy towards us, since you created these blessings for the sake of sinful man. And the same birds of heaven are wise by you, Lord: when you command, they will sing and make people happy; and when you do not command them, even though they have a tongue, they become numb. “And blessed, O Lord, and greatly glorified!” “He created and performed all kinds of miracles and these blessings. And whoever does not praise you, Lord, and does not believe with all his heart and with all his soul in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, let him be cursed!”
After reading these divine words, my children, praise God, who has given us his mercy; otherwise what follows is an instruction from my own weak mind. Listen to me: if you don’t accept everything, then at least half of it.
If God softens your heart, shed tears for your sins, saying: “Just as you had mercy on the harlot, the thief and the publican, so have mercy on us sinners.” And do the same in church and when you lie down. Do not miss a single night - if you can, bow to the ground; if you get sick, then three times. Don’t forget this, don’t be lazy, for with that night bow and prayer a person defeats the devil, and whatever sins he sins during the day, that person gets rid of. If you have nothing to do even while riding on a horse, and if you don’t know how to say other prayers, then cry out “Lord have mercy” incessantly in secret, for this prayer is better than all, rather than thinking foolish things while riding.
In general, do not forget the more wretched, but, as much as you can, feed and serve the orphan and the widow yourself, and do not let the strong destroy a person. Kill neither the right nor the guilty, and do not command him to be killed; even if you are guilty of death, then do not destroy any Christian soul. When you say anything, good or bad, do not swear to God, do not be baptized, for you have no need for this. If you have to kiss the cross, brethren or someone else, then, having checked your heart, what you can stand on, kiss it, and having kissed it, be careful not to destroy your soul by transgressing. Honor bishops, priests and abbots, and lovingly accept blessings from them, and do not distance yourself from them, and love and care for them as much as you can, so that you can receive them from God through their prayer. Above all, do not have pride in your heart and mind, but let us say: we are mortal, today we are alive, and tomorrow we are in the grave; all this that you gave us, not ours, but yours, entrusted it to us for a few days. And don’t save anything in the land, it’s a great sin for us. Honor the old as your father, and the young as your brothers. Do not be lazy in your home, but watch everything yourself; Do not rely on the tiun or the youth, lest those who come to you laugh at your house or at your dinner. When you go to war, do not be lazy, do not rely on the commander; do not indulge in drinking, eating, or sleeping; Dress up the guards yourself, and at night, placing guards on all sides, lie down near the soldiers, and get up early; and do not take off your weapons in a hurry, without looking around out of laziness, because suddenly a person dies. Beware of lies, and drunkenness, and fornication, because the soul and the body perish from this. Wherever you go through your lands, do not let the youths harm either your own or strangers, or villages, or crops, so that they do not curse you. Wherever you go and where you stop, give drink and food to the beggar, but most of all honor the guest, no matter where he comes to you, whether he is a commoner, or a noble, or an ambassador; if you cannot honor him with a gift, then with food and drink: for as they pass, they will glorify a person throughout all lands, either good or evil. Visit the sick, see off the dead, for we are all mortal. Don’t let a person pass without greeting him, and say a kind word to him. Love your wife, but don’t give them power over you. And here’s the basis for everything: have the fear of God above all else.
If you don’t remember this, then re-read it more often: I won’t be ashamed, and you will feel good.
What you can do well, don’t forget, and what you can’t do, learn it - like my father, sitting at home, he knew five languages, that’s why he received honor from other countries. Laziness is the mother of everything: what someone knows how to do, he will forget, and what he doesn’t know how to do, he will not learn. When you do good, do not be lazy about anything good, first of all towards the church: do not let the sun find you in bed. This is what my blessed father and all good and perfect men did. Having given praise to God at matins, then at sunrise and seeing the sun, one must joyfully glorify God and say: “Enlighten my eyes, O Christ God, who gave me your beautiful light.” And again: “Lord, add one year to another for me, so that in the future, having repented of my other sins, I will correct my life”; So I praise God even when I sit down to think with my squad, or am about to judge people, or go hunting or collecting tribute, or go to bed: sleeping at noon is appointed by God; According to this institution, both animals, birds, and people rest. And now, I will tell you, my children, about the work that I have carried out, traveling and hunting, since I was 13 years old. First I went to Rostov, through the land of the Vyatichi; My father sent me, and he himself went to Kursk. And the second time I went to Smolensk, with Headquarters Gordyatich, who then turned to Berestye with Izyaslav, and sent me to Smolensk; and from Smolensk I went to Vladimir. That same winter, my brothers sent me to Berestye to a fire where the Poles burned it, and there I kept the city in silence. Then he went to Pereyaslavl to see his father, and after Easter from Pereyaslavl to Vladimir in Suteysk to make peace with the Poles. From there again for the summer to Vladimir.
Then Svyatoslav sent me to Poland: I followed the Glogs to the Czech Forest, and spent 4 months in their land. And in the same year, my son, the eldest from Novgorod, was born. And from there I went to Turov, and in the spring to Pereyaslavl, then to Turov.
And Svyatoslav died, and I again went to Smolensk, and from Smolensk that same winter to Novgorod; in the spring - to Gleb's aid. And in the summer with my father - near Polotsk, and the next winter with Svyatopolk near Polotsk, and we burned Polotsk; he went to Novgorod, and I went with the Polovtsians to Odresk, through the war, and to Chernigov. And again I came from Smolensk to my father in Chernigov. And Oleg came there, having been taken out of Vladimir, and I invited him to dinner with my father in Chernigov, at the Red Court, and I presented my father with 300 hryvnia of gold. And once again, having come from Smolensk, I fought my way through the Polovtsians to Pereyaslavl, and found my father there, returning from the campaign. Then we went again in the same year with my father and Izyaslav to Chernigov to fight Boris, and won a victory over Boris and Oleg. And again they went to Pereyaslavl and stopped in Obrovo.
And Vseslav burned Smolensk, and I drove off with the Chernigovites, capturing the lead horses for a break, and were not found in Smolensk. In pursuit of Vseslav, he burned the ground and fought his way to Lukoml and Logozhsk, then fought to Dryutsk, and then to Chernigov.
And that winter the Polovtsians ravaged all of Starodub, and I, going with the Chernigov and Polovtsians, took princes Asaduk and Sauk prisoner on the Desna, and killed their squad. And the next morning, Belkatgin’s strong detachment was scattered outside the New City, and all the seeds and prisoners were taken away.
And they went to the Vyatichi land for two winters to visit Khodota and his son, and the first winter they went to Kordnus. And again we followed the Izyaslavichs beyond Mikulin, and did not overtake them. And that spring - to Yaropolk for advice in Brody.
In the same year, they went across the Khorol River in pursuit of the Polovtsy, who took Goroshin.
And that autumn they went with the Chernigov people and the Polovtsians - the Chiteevichs - to Minsk, captured the city and left neither servants nor cattle there.
That winter they went to Yaropolk for advice in Brody and concluded a great friendship.
And in the spring my father put me in Pereyaslavl in front of all the brethren and went after Supa. And on the way to the city of Priluki, we were unexpectedly met by the Polovtsian princes, with 8 thousand, and we would have been glad to fight with them, but the weapons were sent forward on carts, and we entered the city. Only one Semets was captured alive and several Smerds, but our Polovtsians killed and captured more of them, and the Polovtsians, not daring to dismount from their horses, ran to Sula that same night. And the next day, on the Assumption, we went to the White Vezha, and God and the Holy Mother of God helped us: they killed 900 Polovtsians and took two princes, the Bagubars brothers, Autumn and Sakzya, and two people only escaped.
And then, to Svyatoslavl we chased the Polovtsy, and then to Torchesk city, and then to Yuryev for the Polovtsy. And again on the same side, near Krasn, the Polovtsians defeated, and then with Rostislav they took the vezhi from Varin. And then I went to Vladimir, put Yaropolk there again, and Yaropolk died.
And again, after the death of my father and at Svyatopolk, we fought with the Polovtsians on Stugna until the evening, fought at Halep, and then we made peace with Tugorkan and with the other Polovtsian princes, and we took our entire squad away from Gleb’s people.
And then Oleg came against me with all the Polovtsians to Chernigov, and my squad fought with them for 8 days for a small row, and did not allow them to penetrate the fortress. Feeling sorry for Christian souls and burning villages and monasteries, I said: “It is not for him to boast of being filthy.” And he gave his father’s brother his table, and he himself went to his father’s table in Pereyaslavl. And we left Chernigov on Boris’s day and rode through the Polovtsian regiments, about 100 people, counting children and women. And they licked their lips at us like wolves, standing at the carriage and on the mountains, God and Saint Boris did not hand me over to them for profit, we reached Pereyaslavl unharmed.
And I sat in Pereyaslavl for 3 summers and 3 winters with my squad, and we suffered many troubles from war and famine. And they went against the soldiers for Rome, and God helped us, they killed them, and took others prisoner.
And again the Itlarev people were killed, and the vezhi took them, going beyond Goltav.
And they went to Starodub against Oleg, because he had spread to the Polovtsians. And they went to the Bug with Svyatopolk to Bonyak, beyond Ros.
And they went to Smolensk, having made peace with David. We also went for the second time from Voronitsa.
Then the Torques came to me with the Polovtsy - Chiteevichs, we went to meet them on Sulu.
And then again we went to Rostov for the winter, and for three winters we went to Smolensk. From Smolensk I went to Rostov.
And again Svyatopolk and he chased after Bonyak, but they killed him and did not overtake them. And then they chased Bonyak beyond Ros and did not overtake him.
And I went to Smolensk for the winter; left Smolensk after the Great Day; and Yuriev’s mother died.
I returned to Pereyaslavl in the summer and gathered my brothers.
And Bonyak came with all the Polovtsians to Ksnyatin, we followed them from Pereyaslavl beyond Sula, and God helped us, and they defeated their regiments, and their best princes were captured, and after Christmas we made peace with Aepa, and, taking his daughter , went to Smolensk, and then I went to Rostov.
Having returned from Rostov, Svyatopolk and I again went against the Polovtsians on Uruba, and God helped us.
And then we went to Bonyak again to Lubny, and God helped us.
And then we went to the Warrior with Svyatopolk, and then again we went to the Don with Svyatopolk and David, and God helped us.
And Aepa and Bonyak came to Vyryu and wanted to take him; Oleg and I and the children went to Romn against them, and when they found out about this, they fled.
And then we went to Minsk against Gleb, who captured our people, and God helped us, and we succeeded in what we had planned.
And then they went to Vladimir against Yaroslavets, unable to bear his atrocities.
And from Chernigov to Kyiv I went to see my father about a hundred times, leaving in the morning and arriving for Vespers. And in total there were 83 large moves, and I can’t even remember the rest of the smaller ones. And he made twenty peaces with the Polovtsian princes, both under his father and after his father, and handed over a lot of cattle and a lot of his clothes. And he released so many of the best Polovtsian princes from the shackles: 2 Sharukanev brothers, 3 Bagubarsov brothers, 2 Osenev brothers, and in total 100 other best princes. And God handed over the princes themselves alive: Koksus with his son, Aklan Burchevich, Tarevsky prince Azguluy, and 15 other young men, these I brought alive, hacked to death and threw into that river Salnya. And separately he killed about 200 of their best husbands at that time.
And this is how I worked, hunting, while I was sitting in Chernigov; and having left Chernigov, and until this year, he drove a hundred and took without effort, not counting another hunt, outside Turov, where he hunted every animal with his father.
And this is what I did in Chernigov: with my own hands I tied 10 and 20 live horses in the forests with my own hands, in addition to the fact that, while riding around the steppe, I caught the same wild horses with my own hands. Two rounds lifted me on their horns, together one trampled me with their feet, the other butted me with their horns. The boar tore off the sword on my thigh, the bear bit my sweatshirt at my knee, the fierce beast jumped on my hips and knocked down the horse along with me. And God kept me safe. And I fell from my horse many times, I broke my head twice, and I damaged my arms and legs, I damaged them in my youth, not valuing my life, not sparing my head.
What my boy should have done, I did it myself - in war and on the hunt, night and day, in heat and cold, without giving myself rest. Without relying on the mayors or the birichi, he himself did what was required, giving orders, and did the same in his own house. And in relation to the hunters and grooms, and in relation to the falcons and hawks, I kept the entire order in my hands.
Also, I did not let the poor bastard or the wretched widow offend the strong, and I myself took care of the church order and the service.
Do not judge me, my children, or anyone else, after reading this: I do not praise myself or my courage, but I praise God and glorify his mercy for the fact that he protected me, a sinner and a bad person, for so many years from the hour of death and He did not create me lazy, poor, fit for all human works. Having read this letter, be inspired to do all kinds of good deeds, glorifying God and his saints. After all, children, do not be afraid of death, neither war nor the beast, do your duty as a man, as God sends to you. For if I did not suffer either from war, or from a beast, or from water, or from falling from a horse, then none of you can suffer or lose life until it is commanded by God. And if death comes from God, then neither father, nor mother, nor brothers can take you away from it. But if it is a good thing to be careful yourself, then God’s protection is better than human protection.
© Russian National Library (RNL) F.p.IV.2. F. 550 - Main collection of handwritten books, inv. 219
Test on the story
Check your memorization of the summary content with the test:
- Question 1 of 10
Who is the author of the work “The Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh”?- Yury Dolgoruky
Yaroslav the Wise
- Mstislav the Great
- Vladimir Monomakh
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The Grand Duke wrote his literary work during a time of military calm in Rus'. After further negotiations with the ambassadors of his brothers, Monomakh once again refused a military campaign against his relatives. After delving deeper into the reading of the Psalter, he decided to leave the princely message to his children, which has survived to this day, rightfully considered an example of literature of the Old Russian period. “The Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh” in its summary is studied in the 6th grade.
Briefly about the message
Monomakh's instructions are still valuable and relevant today. Speaking briefly about the Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh, it can be noted that this is a unique message to descendants that needs to be read and retold to modern youth.
From the first lines of his address, Vladimir asks in his story to take his words to heart, quit laziness, and start working. To do good, you must love God and treat everyone with mercy.
Having met his brothers who proposed starting a war, Monomakh was very sad. He began to read fragments of the Psalter, which prompted him to want to write a message for posterity from his “favorite words,” a lesson to children for centuries.
Retelling passages from the Psalter, the prince asks to observe the rule of law . Obedience and meekness must prevail.
It is better to be content with little, not to envy wealth. It is very important to do good deeds rather than evil deeds. The desire to do good, to extend a hand - “it will be blessed.”
Who is Monomakh and what do we know about him?
The blood of the Byzantine and Russian people flowed in the veins of the great Russian ruler. Father - Vsevolod - was one of the sons of Yaroslav the Wise - a famous ancient Russian prince. Mother is the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX, from whom his grandson Vladimir got the nickname Monomakh.
- Characteristics of Vladimir Dubrovsky, image, description, appearance, character
The throne of the king went to Monomakh when he turned sixty. During his reign, he managed to reconcile the warring principalities and put an end to internecine wars.
In the memory of his descendants, the great ruler will forever remain a deeply religious philosopher and thinker.
Old Russian prince Vladimir Monomakh
Briefly about the “Teaching”: what and for whom it was written
The head of the ancient Russian state wrote his “Teaching” at a time when peace reigned in Rus'. As you know, this was preceded by many years of internecine wars and raids by nomads. It is Monomakh’s “Teaching” that modern literary scholars identify as the first preaching text created not by a church minister, but by a secular person.
In his book, the Grand Duke gives recommendations to children on how to live righteously, in harmony with the Lord and with themselves.
When working with a work, three main parts are conventionally distinguished: a testament to descendants, Monomakh’s narration about stories from his own life, and a letter to Oleg.
Testament to descendants
Monomakh's literary work can be considered an exemplary reminder of pedagogical literature. The main two thematic images of the “Teaching” are the image of the heart and the image of the fear of God. These are Christian symbols. The heart is the repository of faith and grace of God. The fear of the Lord appears as the path to salvation and deliverance from sin.
In the work, Vladimir Monomakh provides many quotations from biblical works, which indicates his high level of religious knowledge and the fact that the great ancient Russian prince was guided by Christian commandments. His main parting words are for children to accept faith in the Lord and follow the rules of Christian piety - this will help cleanse them of sins and gain eternal salvation:
An excess of sins will not deprive you of the Kingdom.
The prince believed that children should be raised only by example.
The Old Russian sovereign advises his descendants to remain patriots and always defend the Motherland from an external enemy, love work, show respect for older people, pity for the weak and deprived of fate:
... do not have pride in your mind and heart, respect the elderly; ...give to the orphan...
The author of the Instructions attached great importance to honesty, especially when it came to oaths:
If you have to kiss the cross, think first whether you can keep your oath; and, having sworn, keep it, so that, by breaking it, you do not destroy souls.
Despite the fact that the great ruler addressed his composition to his own children, the children of the other boyars read and listened to it. In summary, “The Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh” is also studied in modern schools.
Wisdom of the Monarch
In one of the fragments of the work, Vladimir teaches to have a pure soul, show respect for elders, learn from their wisdom, listen and not contradict. Monomakh points out that one should not laugh at old age. Treat younger people and peers with love, do not be disingenuous and gain intelligence. A person should have high thoughts, a desire to provide help and benefit, and not a desire to rule.
The greatness of man is not in the vanity of the world, not in pride and insolence, but in good, useful deeds, for which everyone will receive divine reward and enjoyment of benefits.
Vladimir Monomakh advises learning to be pious and humble. As a deeply religious person, Vladimir asks not to forget God’s commandments: not to take revenge and tolerate your persecutors, to love even if they hate you. And one should do good deeds with pure thoughts, help the humiliated and insulted.
Monomakh addresses his children with human characteristics (sinners and mortals) and praises God as a merciful lover of mankind. And God’s mercy can be achieved by getting rid of one’s sinful deeds through three good deeds: “repentance, tears and almsgiving.”
In the work of Prince Vladimir, one of the themes is faith in God , which can make a person kinder. And he repeatedly asks not to be lazy, to attend church, to pray.
Most of all, it teaches not to offend the disadvantaged class, to help them as much as possible. Murder is a great sin; you cannot kill even someone guilty of anything. There is no need to take oaths if there is no need for it.
Monomakh's story about his life
The second part of Monomakh's work is completely autobiographical. In it, he talks about his military campaigns and hunting affairs, about the defense of the Russian land from nomads, as well as about the peculiarities of conducting household chores.
...what my boy had to do, he did it himself - in war and on the hunt, night and day, in heat and cold, without giving himself rest.
...he did not give offense to the poor bastard and the poor widow; he himself observed the church order and the service.
Small episodes from the life of the ruler create in the reader’s imagination the image of an ancient Russian prince: brave and caring - the way a Russian tsar should be.
Describing his daily affairs, Vladimir does it with unprecedented modesty and without boasting. For example, he calls his military campaigns ordinary trips, but does not write about victory in them at all or says briefly: “God helped us.”
In his description of his hunting activities, the prince never mentions how many trophies he managed to get. On the contrary, he talks about how many wounds he inflicted on the animals and how selflessly they defended themselves from the hunters:
...for two rounds they tossed me and my horse with their horns, a deer and two elk beat me.
The retelling of one’s own life, excerpts from the Holy Scriptures, and narratives about the author’s inner worldviews formed the basis of a new genre of ancient Russian literature - autobiography, which did not exist before.
Letter to Oleg
The third part of Vladimir Monomakh’s book, which has survived to this day, is dedicated to his desire to reconcile with Oleg, his cousin, who in battle took the life of his blood son and captured his daughter-in-law. Vladimir regrets that he did not seek repentance immediately after his crime. And he is afraid that he himself will not have time to make peace with his relative before he dies.
...I’m thinking about how not to appear before the terrible judge without repenting and making peace with each other.
Quote from a letter to Oleg
Actually, his goal is to call on the princes to yield to each other, even at the cost of forgiving the death of their sons. No matter what happens, the dead cannot be returned to the world of the living, and only the Almighty can judge for their actions.
Concluding his letter, Vladimir calls on his brother to do only good deeds for the Russian people and, in the name of peace in the state, to forgive even blood grievances.
What is the idea of "Teaching"
The main idea that runs through Monomakh’s entire work is serving the interests of the state and preserving its integrity. To achieve it, an exemplary ruler must be able to sacrifice his own interests and grievances. But only a deeply religious person who follows the commandments of the Lord, who knows how to forgive and do good deeds, can do this.
In his teaching, Prince Vladimir addresses his descendants, urging them, if not all to take as an example for themselves, then at least some. The idea to write this appeal was prompted by his meeting with ambassadors from his brothers on the way to the Volga. He also describes this meeting.
They called on him to go with them against the Rostislavichs and take possession of their lands. Vladimir sends away the ambassadors, saying that he cannot go with them.
And then he opens the Psalter. He reads what he comes across. His thoughts at that moment and phrases from the Holy Scriptures led him to the decision to leave the teaching for future generations.
The first thing he asks is not to be lazy. Calls for work and goodness. The beginning of all the best is mercy and helping those in need. When giving alms, you should not be stingy.
Calls for faith in the Almighty and trust in him. For the sinner will be destroyed, but the humble in heart will inherit the earth and their spirit will be strengthened.
The Lord will not forsake the righteous. After all, the prince himself had never seen such a person abandoned in his life. You need to avoid evil and do good. And, you can earn forgiveness not only through monasticism and seclusion, but also through small good deeds.
Intercession for the weak and wretched is another godly deed. Vladimir calls for the pacification of anger, pride and thirst for revenge. A person's soul must be pure and immaculate. And you need to live with your loved ones in love, forgiving them of their sins, as the Lord does.
Elders must be respected and listened to, obeying them. In your speeches you need to restrain yourself from anger, foul language and abuse.
Vladimir discusses in his teaching about the improvement of the world. The Lord created everything in him for the benefit of humanity.
He talks briefly about his life. About military campaigns and battles. They began for him at the age of thirteen. He was sent by his father on his first campaign - to Rostov. Vladimir ruled there for some time. Later he went to make peace with Poland.
The following is a story about other campaigns and battles. Vladimir talks about his reign in Pereyaslavl. And about his love for hunting. Near Chernigov he caught wild horses. And he went after every other animal. But he always did what he could, without relying on his servants for everything. The prince himself was worried about the organization of his house and put things in order. He gives advice: learn what you don’t know how to do - everything can come in handy.
In conclusion, he says that he does not praise himself, his courage and abilities. But, already wise with the experience of life, he urges you to listen to his words.
He also turns to Oleg, saying that you need to love your brothers. He only wants peace for the Russian land.
Permeated with a call to faith in the Lord and repentance, the message of Prince Vladimir teaches all the best that can be in a person: mercy, compassion, kindness, respect for elders. Teaches you to work for the benefit of yourself and your loved ones and to live in peace.
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Read a summary of the Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh. Brief retelling. For a reader's diary, take 5-6 sentences
What does the Grand Duke ask for?
Vladimir wrote a message to the children for them to read and follow at least half of the instructions. In short, he asks:
- take his words into action: do not be lazy, but work;
- do good, have the fear of God in your heart;
- keep the commandments, praise God;
- have only good human qualities: kindness, love, respect, humility, exclude anger, cruelty, lust for power, pride;
- beware of: lying, drunkenness, fornication, slander.
Monomakh's Tale also encourages descendants to abandon laziness. Moreover, it affects almost all areas of human activity of that time:
- in state and military affairs;
- in household chores;
- in teaching science;
- in going to church.
Monomakh's instructions, written hundreds of years ago, are of great interest for reading, discussion and implementation in our time. The work is easy to read, similar to poetic lyrics, the moral instructions do not repel, but make everyone think about their moral principles and ideals.
A great statesman with extensive life experience, he left his descendants a colossal moral legacy.
You can compile a summary of the story and teach it to young people, just as Prince Vladimir did in the old days. The work is worth reading and re-reading; Monomakh’s work can be a reference book for our contemporaries.
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To prepare for the lesson, we recommend reading a summary of “The Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh.” This unique monument of ancient Russian literature contains a set of moral laws and rules of life. A wise ruler calls on his descendants to be guided by them in everyday life.
