“Let them come or stay,” replied Izyaslav, and he sent Novgorod men and others to take Yaroslavl on the Volga. This they [[73]]did after much effort, and returned with great booty. A week before Easter the weather became so warm that the army could not remain in the country. Horses walked to their bellies in water. Rostislav went back to Smolensk, and Izyaslav to Novgorod and thence to his capital.
This campaign cost Yuri’s country seven thousand men led away captives, besides all the property burned and ruined. Upon Izyaslav’s return to Kief, he learned from his boyars that Yuri’s son, Rostislav, had worked against him in his absence, and had said to the people: “If God helps my father, he will visit Kief and take Izyaslav’s house from him, and also his family.” “Send this traitor back to his father; thou art keeping him here to thy ruin,” said the boyars. The prince summoned Rostislav, and, without receiving him, gave this message: “Thou didst come to me and say that thy father was unjust and would give thee no land. I took thee in as a brother, I gave thee lands, and now thou wouldst seize Kief from me.” Yuri’s son sent back this answer: “Neither in my heart nor my mind was the thought which thou hast mentioned. If he who has lied is a prince I am ready to meet him, if of lower degree, either Christian or pagan, judge thou between us.” “Ask no judgment of me,” replied Izyaslav. “I know what thou wishest. Go back to thy father.”
The boyars put Rostislav in a boat with three men and sent him up the river. His warriors were retained, and his property taken.
Rostislav bowed down to his father in Suzdal, and said: “The whole Russian land desires thee. Men say in Kief that their prince has dishonored them. March thou against Izyaslav.” These words imply clearly that Yuri’s son had worked with zeal against Izyaslav, and that the complaint of the boyars was well founded.
Such an “insult” to Rostislav greatly offended Yuri, who demanded angrily, “Is there then no place for me or my sons in Russia?” He assembled his forces quickly, hired Polovtsi, and was soon ready for action.
It was not anger alone which roused Yuri; he believed that his day had come, the long deferred day of triumph. His son’s report that he would find in the south serious allies, decided his movements, and he marched forward with all speed. He had reached the land of the Vyatichi, when Vladimir, son of David, warned Izyaslav, saying: “Be ready for action; thy uncle is marching.” [[74]]Izyaslav prepared, and with the sons of David sent envoys to Sviatoslav, brother of the late Igor, reminding him of their treaties.
Sviatoslav gave no answer at first, but guarded the envoys to keep men away from them. Meanwhile he consulted with Yuri. “Art thou going against Izyaslav? Tell me truly lest I ruin my lands without reason.” “I go, of course,” replied Yuri. “My nephew made war in my lands and set fire to them. He drove out my son, and insulted me. I will avenge the wrong done, or I will lay down my life.”
On receiving this answer, Sviatoslav, unwilling to break his oath, without reasons which men might hold sufficient, commanded his envoys to speak thus to Izyaslav: “Return Igor’s property, and I will be with thee.” “Thou hast kissed the cross to put aside enmity because of Igor and his property,” replied Izyaslav, “but now thou dost mention them when my uncle is marching against me. Keep thy oath, or else break it.”
Sviatoslav joined forces with Yuri. Yuri and Sviatoslav then sent the sons of David a message, but they sent the answer only to Yuri: “In the last war thou didst swear to be with us. But when Izyaslav took all our lands and burned the towns in them, thou wouldst not come to us. Because of this we kissed the cross to Izyaslav, and we cannot jest with salvation.”
Yuri marched southward, expecting the Polovtsi and awaiting submission from Izyaslav, his nephew. Rostislav of Smolensk, with large forces, hastened to strengthen his brother. Yuri advanced to Pereyaslavl, thinking that Izyaslav might yield; but Izyaslav did not yield. “If my uncle had come with his sons only,” said he, “he might have had the best province in my possession, but as he leads in the hated Polovtsi, and with them my enemy, I am forced to the field by his action.”