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power , and in increasing hfo territories by his wars with the * 'surrounding states , Vladimir , who piqued himself on his superior piety , was anxious to testify his gratitude to the gods . New statues were erected to their-honour , and Pewrae was carefully provided with a new and costly pair of appendages . But , lest these acts of homage should be
insufficient to satisfy his divine protectors ^ he resolved to add a human victim . He fixed on a youth , a Scandinavian and a Christian , whose father , not content with opposing the design , railed with all his might against the idols of the country , and thereby exasperated the inhabitants of Kief to such a degree , that both he and his son were sacrificed in
their own house . It is , however , some consolation to think , that if they were the first , they were also the last Christian martyrs in that city ; for not only Kief , but the greatest part of Russia , was about to embrace the pure faith . We are not informed by what means the zeal of the grand duke iu the cause of
Paganism began to cool . Certain it is that he became displeased with the deities he had made ; so much so , that he resolved on the introduction of a better religion . But how select , when bo great a number were offered to his choice ? We are told that Christians , Mahometans , and Jews ,- sent the most learned of their doctors to
demonstrate the superior excellency of their respective modes of faith : each was anxious to boast the honour of converting so renowned a Pagan . As this is a subject important in itself , and but slightly noticed by Tooke , we willingly make room for the following extract :
" * The ursframbassadof s / says Karamsiii , chiefly from Nestor , * were from the Bulgarians' of the Volga . The religion' dfMahonretj propagated by the victorious arms of the Arabs ' , already * reigned over the eastern and northern borders of the Caspian ; the-Bulgarians also had embraced ? itr , and they wished Vladimir ' to do th « game . Thie description of the Mohammedan paradise , with its smiling honries , inflamed the imagination of this voluptuous prince ; * but
• " Vladimir was truly the Solomon of his age , if it be true thtt ^ h 4 had fotlr wives and eight hundred * concubines * The first of his wives , Rogueda Wlwo had been affianced to his brother Varopolfc , whosef lather and brother fab hac ^ assassinated , and whom he had forcibly carried off , could forgive hini the death * of her dearest relations , hut not his infidelities . She shewed her resentment , and was in
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then he disliked cfaramrision ^ a ^ fd the prohibition of wine : h * tfootigtiitimtiiib ' Wine , ' exclaimed lie , -tf i 8 theicbief delight of the Russians ; f we cannot r d « without it . ' The deputies from ; r the German Catholics harangued him on the greatness * of God , and the vanity of idols . ' Go home / replied the prince V * our forefathers never received a religion from
the pope . * After listening to the Jews , he asked them where their country lay . 1 At Jerusalem , ' was the reply ? ' bat in his anger God has dispersed us throughout the earth / ' WhatV * aid Vladimir , ' do you , who are the cursed of God , pretend to teach others ! Away ! we have no wish to be without country as you are . ' At length a Greek
philosopher , ( his name is unknown , ) after demonstrating in a few words the falsity of other religions , explained to the grand duke the spirit of the Old and New Tes « taroent— the creation , original sin , our first parents , the deluge , the people of God , redemption , Christianity , the seven ( Ecumenical Councils ; finally , he drew
a forcible picture of the last judgmentthe subsequent happiness of the blessed , and the punishment of the damned . Struck with this description , the prince sighed and said , ' What bliss for the good , and misery for the wicked ! ' 'Be baptized , ' replied the philosopher , ' and heaven will < be your inheritance . '
" * Having dismissed this- philosopher laden with presents , Vladimir assembled his boyards ; he acquainted them with the dicotfrses of the Mahometans-, Jews , Catholics , and Greeks , and requested their opinion * * Prirtce , ' replied the boyards aud elders , * every man praises his own religion ; but if you wish to
consequence driven from his palace , and compelled to reside in a solitary building on the Libeda , near Kief . There , however , she was sometimes visited by her husband . As he was one night sleeping by her Bldey 8 he resolved , in a > sudden fit
of jealousy and revenge , to take away his life . 8 he accordingly raised a dagger to plunge it into big heart 5 but that instant he opened ¦¦ his eyeii , and' was . fortrfnate enough to arrest the degcendlofghlow . He arose , intending to put her tp ddath , when the child of both rushed betwfecn
them , and be » oughfe pardon fori thfe mothei « i . After a short struggle , 'natere triumphed Vladimir embraced *!* child , and left the honeei He ^ wai persuaded
by his nobles not only to 1 pardon R ^ gueby his nobles not only to pacdon R 6 gueda , bit ( probably to remove her ) to settle on her the principality formerly held by her father . "
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1828, page 783, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2566/page/55/
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