The Eclipse and Igor’s speech

The Eclipse
and Igor’s
speech

95

100

105

110

Then Igor glanced up at the bright sun
and saw that from it with darkness
his warriors were covered.
And Igor says to his Guards:
"Brothers and Guards!
It is better indeed to be slain
than to be enslaved;
so let us mount, brothers,
upon our swift steeds,
and take a look at the blue Don."

A longing consumed the prince's mind,
and the omen was screened from him
by the urge to taste
of the Great Don:
"For I wish," he said,
"to break a lance
on the limit of the Kuman field;
with you, sons of Rus, I wish
either to lay down my head
or drink a helmetful of the Don."

The Song of Igor's Campaign, Igor son of Svyatoslav and grandson of Oleg.

The Song of Igor's Campaign,
Igor son of Svyatoslav and grandson of Oleg.