had a private quarrel with
Peter, Czar of Bulgaria, from urging Sviatoslaf to make war upon (p. 038)
his enemy. The Russian gave a hearty consent, and in a very short time
he captured several fortresses and Pereiaslaf, the capital, fell into
his hands. He determined to transfer his capital there, and when he
returned to Kief, he told his mother of the city on the Danube. "The
place," he said, "is the central point of my territory, and abounds in
wealth. Precious goods, gold, wine, and all kinds of fruit, come from
Greece. Silver and horses are brought from the country of the Czechs
and Hungarians, and the Russians bring money, furs, wax, and slaves."

Meanwhile the emperor of Constantinople was dead; his successor, John
Zimisces was a very different man, who preferred having a weak
Bulgarian ruler as his neighbor, instead of an empire which, even at
that time, extended from Lakes Ladoga and Onega to the Balkans. He,
therefore, made up his mind to oust the Russians. Sviatoslaf had left
Bulgaria, but he returned and reconquered it, when he received a
demand from the new emperor to execute the treaty entered into with
his predecessor, that is, to leave Bulgaria. Sviatoslaf replied
proudly that he expected to visit the emperor at Constantinople before
long, but Zimisces, a brave and able man, took measures to prevent it.
Before Sviatoslaf expected him, Zimisces attacked and defeated the
Russians in the defiles of the Balkan, and soon after stormed and
captured Pereiaslaf. Eight thousand Russians withdrew into the castle,
which they defended heroically. They refused to surrender and, when
the castle was set on fire, they perished in the flames.

When Sviatoslaf heard of this disaster, he advanced against the (p. 039)
emperor. The Greek historian says that the Russian army was 60,000 men
strong, but Nestor gives the number at 10,000. The two armies met and
both fought with desperate valor, but at last the Russians gave way
before the furious charges of the Greek cavalry--the Ironsides--and
withdrew to Dorostol. Zimisces started in pursuit, and laid siege to
the city where the same courage was displayed. After Sviatoslaf drew
his men up out of the city and prepared to give battle, Zimisces
proposed to him to decide the issue by a personal fight, but the offer
was declined. "I know better than my enemy what I have to do," said
Sviatoslaf. "If he is weary of life, there are a thousand ways by
which he can end his days." Th