“When you make a journey in your provinces, do not suffer the members of your suite to inflict the least injury upon the inhabitants.  Treat with particular respect strangers, of whatever quality, and if you can not confer upon them favors, treat them with a spirit of benevolence, since, upon the manner with which they are treated, depends the evil or good report which they will take back with them to their own land.  Salute every one whom you meet.  Love your wives, but do not permit them to govern you.  When you have learned any thing useful, endeavor to imprint it upon your memory, and be always seeking to acquire information.  My father spoke five languages, a fact which excited the admiration of strangers.

“Guard against idleness, which is the mother of all vices.  Man ought always to be occupied.  When you are traveling on horseback, instead of allowing your mind to wander upon vain thoughts, recite your prayers, or, at least, repeat the shortest and best of them all:  ’Oh, Lord, have mercy upon us.’ Never retire at night without falling upon your knees before God in prayer, and never let the sun find you in your bed.  Always go to church at an early hour in the morning to offer to God the homage of your first and freshest thoughts.  This was the custom of my father and of all the pious people who surrounded him.  With the first rays of the sun they praised the Lord, and exclaimed, with fervor, ’Condescend, O Lord, with thy divine light to illumine my soul.’”

The faults of Monomaque were those of his age, non vitia hominis, sed vitia soeculi; but his virtues were truly Christian, and it can hardly be doubted that, as his earthly crown dropped from his brow, he received a brighter crown in heaven.  The devastations of the barbarians in that day were so awful, burning cities and churches, and massacring women and children, that they were regarded as enemies of the human race, and were pursued with exterminating vengeance.

Monomaque left several children and a third wife.  One of his wives, Gyda, was a daughter of Harold, King of England.  His oldest son, Mstislaf, succeeded to the crown.  His brothers received, as their inheritance, the government of extensive provinces.  The new monarch, inheriting the energies and the virtues of his illustrious sire, had long been renowned.  The barbarians, east of the Volga, as soon as they heard of the death of Monomaque, thought that Russia would fall an easy prey to their arms.  In immense numbers they crossed the river, spreading far and wide the most awful devastation.  But Mstislaf fell upon them with such impetuosity that they were routed with great slaughter and driven back to their wilds.  Their chastisement was so severe that, for a long time, they were intimidated from any further incursions.  With wonderful energy, Mstislaf attacked many of the tributary nations, who had claimed a sort of independence, and who were ever rising in insurrection.  He speedily brought them into subjection to his sway, and placed over them rulers devoted to his interests.  In the dead of winter an expedition was marched against the Tchoudes, who inhabited the southern shores of the bay of Finland.  The men were put to death, the cities and villages burned; the women and children were brought away as captives and incorporated with the Russian people.