e battle ended in defeat for the
Russians who, Leo the Deacon tells us, left 15,500 dead, and 20,000
shields on the battlefield. Sviatoslaf was compelled to come to terms.
Zimisces permitted him and what remained of his army to return to
Russia, after he had sworn by Perun and Voloss that he would never
again invade the empire, but would help in defending it against its
enemies. If he broke his oath, he wished that he might "become as
yellow as gold, and perish by his own arms." Zimisces showed the
nobility of a brave man. He sent messengers to a warlike tribe
requesting a free passage for the Russians; but this tribe was anxious
to seize the opportunity. Sviatoslaf and his men were attacked near
the Cataracts of the Dnieper; he was killed, but most of his men
escaped. (A.D. 972.)

[Illustration: Vladimir] (p. 040)

IV--SAINT VLADIMIR AND IAROSLAF THE GREAT. (p. 041)

Sviatoslaf had divided the empire among his three sons; he left
Novgorod to Vladimir, the eldest; Oleg, the second, was made prince of
the Drevlians, and the youngest, Iaropolk, received Kief. As happens
often, none of the three was satisfied with his share, and civil wars
followed. Oleg was killed by Iaropolk, whereupon the youngest son of
Sviatoslaf was slain by his brother Vladimir, who thus became the sole
heir and successor to his father. His first act was to make war upon
Poland. He compelled it to restore Red Russia or Old Gallicia, a
territory in our time divided into seven governments, or provinces. He
also reduced two revolted tribes, and forced the Lithuanians and
Livonians to pay tribute.

At the beginning of his reign, Vladimir showed an unusual devotion to
the old Slav gods. He erected idols on the sandy cliffs of Kief; that
of Perun had a head of silver and a beard of gold. It seems that after
some time he became displeased with this religion and, Nestor tells
us, he grew anxious to know what religion was the best. He, therefore,
sent deputies to Bulgaria to study the Moslem or Mohammedan creed, and
to the Khazars, who occupied the plain between the Bug and the (p. 042)
Volga, to make inquiries about the Jewish faith. From the Poles and
Germans he wanted to know all about the Roman Catholic Church, and at
Constantinople he expected to learn of the Greek faith. When these
deputies returned and reported to him, Vladimir selected the Greek
Church, which choice was