The Russian Primary Chronicle

The Russian Primary Chronicle

Laurentian Text ,

Translated and edited by SAMUEL HAZZARD CROSS

https://www.mgh-bibliothek.de/dokumente/a/a011458.pdf

The Russian War with Byzantium in 1043

6551 (1043). Yaroslav sent his son Vladimir to attack Greece, [Byzantium] and entrusted him with a large force. He assigned the command to Vyshata, father of Yan. Vladimir set out by ship, arrived at the Danube, and proceeded toward Tsar’grad. [Constantinople]
A great storm arose which broke up the ships of the Russes; the wind damaged even the Prince's vessel, and Ivan, son of Tvorimir, Yaroslav's general, took the Prince into his boat.
The other soldiers of Vladimir to the number of six thousand were cast on shore, and desired to return to Rus', but none of the Prince's retainers went with them. Then Vyshata announced that he would accompany them, and disembarked from his vessel to join them, exclaiming, "If I survive, it will be with the soldiers, and if I perish, it will be with the Prince's retainers." They thus set out to return to Rus'.
It now became known to the Greeks [the Byzantines] how the Russes had suffered from the storm, and the Emperor, who was called Monomakh, [Constantine IX] sent fourteen ships to pursue them. When Vladimir and his retainers perceived that the Greeks were pursuing them, he wheeled about, dispersed the Greek ships, and returned to Rus' on his ships.
But the Greeks captured Vyshata, in company with those who had been cast on land, and brought them to Tsar'grad, where they blinded many of the captive Russes. After peace had prevailed for three years there-after, Vyshata was sent back to Yaroslav in Rus'