Textual variants in the Primary Chronicle

Textual variants in the Primary Chronicle manuscripts arise when a copyist makes deliberate or inadvertent alterations to the text that is being reproduced. Textual criticism (or textology) of the Primary Chronicle or Tale of Bygone Years (Повѣсть времѧньныхъ лѣтъ, commonly abbreviated PVL) has included study of its textual variants.

Legend
Frequently used sigla (scribal symbols and abbreviations) of Primary Chronicle manuscripts and editions include:


 * Critical editions
 * Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles: PSRL
 * Aleksey Shakhmatov: Šax
 * A. F. Bychkov 1872: Byč
 * Dmitry Likhachev: Lix
 * Donald Ostrowski et al. Paradosis (2003, digitised 2014): α
 * L. Müller (2001) critical modern German translation

List
''Note: Unlike the chapters and verses of the Bible used in biblical studies, textual criticism of the Primary Chronicle (PVL) employs notation by page and line. For example, a notation such as "3.2" refers to the "third (3rd) page, second (2nd) line".''

0
0.1
 * Се повѣсти времѧньных лѣт. – Lav Tro Byč Šax Lix
 * повесть временных лѣтъ черноризца феѡдось – Rad Aka Ipa α
 * Пѡвѣсти врѣменных лѣт. нестера черноризца. – Xle
 * Временникъ, еже есть нарицается лЂтописание – Novgorod First Chronicle Younger Redaction

0.2
 * манастыря печерьскаго, – Rad Aka Ipa Xle α
 * omitted – Lav Tro Byč Šax Lix

0.2–3
 * ѿкуду есть пошла рускаꙗ земѧ. кто въ киевѣ нача первѣе кнѧ<жит> – Lav
 * князеи и земля Руския – Novgorod First Chronicle Younger Redaction

0.3
 * киевѣ нача – Lav Byč Šax Lix
 * и како избра богъ страну нашу на послЂднЂе время, и грады почаша бывати по мЂстом, преже Новгородчкая Б волость и потом Кыевская, и о поставлении Киева, како во В имя назвася В Кыевъ. – Novgorod First Chronicle Younger Redaction
 * omitted – all other manuscripts, α

1
1.1
 * се начнемъ повѣсть сию. – Lav Tro Aka Ipa Byč Lix α
 * Се начнемъ повѣсть сїю. – Xle
 * се начн$м$е повѣсть сию. – Rad
 * Се начьнѣмъ повѣсть сию. – Šax

1.2
 * трие сынове ноеви – Tro Byč Lix
 * .г҃.е сн҃ве ноеви – Rad Aka α
 * бо .г҃.е сн҃ве ноеви – Ipa
 * оубо трїе с҃нове ноеви – Xle
 * убо трие сынове Ноеви – Šax
 * первие с<нве> ноеви – Lav

1.3
 * симъ. хамъ. афетъ. – Lav Tro Ipa Byč Šax Lix α
 * с$m$и. х$м$а. афе$м$ – Aka Rad (афетъ) Xle (и афе$т$)

1.9
 * елмаисъ. инди. равиꙗ. на всѧ. – Lav
 * елмаисъ инди аравия силная колия комагини финикия вся – Tro
 * елоумаисъ. инди. равиꙗ силнаа. коулїи. колгини. фикиа всѧ:- – Rad Aka (3 ї/и variations)
 * елумаисъ. индиѧ. aравиа силнаꙗ. кулии. колгини. финикиꙗ всѧ – Ipa
 * елоумаись. индиѧ аравїа силнаа. коулии. комагины. финикїа всѧ. – Xle

3
3.8
 * илурикъ – Rad Aka Ipa Xle Šax α
 * илюрикъ – Lav Byč Lix
 * люрикъ – Tro
 * Ἰλλυρίς – George Hamartolos
 * See also Generations of Noah

3.8–3.9
 * Ἰλλυρίς, ἡ Λυχνίτις, Ἀδριανή – George Hamartolos
 * Илурикъ, Словѣне, Лухития, Анъдриакия – α

4
4.12
 * <св>еи. оурма<не> русь. агнѧне галичане – Lav
 * свѣе урмане готе русь ангняне галичане – Tro
 * всеи оурмане галичанѣ – Rad
 * свеи. оурмане. галичане. – Aka
 * свеи. оурмане. готѣ. русь. аглѧнѣ. галичанѣ. – Ipa
 * свеи, оурмане. гте роу$m$ а<глѧ>не, галичане. – Xle
 * The Urmane are usually interpreted as "Normans" or "Norsemen"; Gote as either "Goths" or "Gotlanders"; A(n)gnjane or Agljane as "Angles" / "English"; and Galichane as either "Galicians" (and thus translated as "Spaniards", see Galicia (Spain)), "Gauls" or "Welsh".

4.13
 * волохове – Tro Ipa Xle Šax α
 * <волъ>хва – Lav Byč Lix
 * omitted – Rad Aka
 * It is unclear what Volokhove (or Volŭkhva) means. Cross & Sherbowitz-Wetzor (1930, 1953) translated it as "Italians" (compare modern Polish Włochy "Italy" or "Italians"); but in 6.6 he rendered Волохомъ/Волхомъ/Волотомъ as Vlakhs. Lunt (1995) described the Volokhs as 'people speaking Latin or a Romance language.' Thuis (2015) translated both as "Vlachs", adding 'This is possibly a Celto-Romance people.'

4.13
 * римляне – Tro Byč Šax Lix α; (римлѧне) Lav Xle; (римлѧнѣ) Ipa
 * omitted – Rad Aka

5
5.22
 * племени афетова. нар ци еже суть словѣне. – Lav Byč Lix
 * племени$m$ афетова нарицаеми иновѣрци еже соуть словене – Rad
 * племени же а҃фетова. нарицаемии норци еже сѹть словѣне. – Aka
 * племени же афетова. нарѣ<ц>аемѣи норци. иже сѹть словенѣ. – Ipa
 * The N- ethnonym is unclear. Cross & Sherbowitz-Wetzor (1930, 1953) rendered them as the Noricians, who are identical to the Slavs. Lunt (1995), noting that Lav and Rad 'have independent corruptions', translated Ipa/Xle/Aka as (those) called Norci, who are Slavs. He commented: 'These clauses do not fit together easily. (...) This rather odd sentence seems, then, to imply that the Norci are a sub-tribe of Slavs.' Thuis (2015) wrote the Noriks, who are Slavs, adding 'The inhabitants of the Roman province of Noricum along the Danube. Possibly, this is a reference to the purported Urheimat of the Slavic people.'

5.23–25 See also Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin § Second phase (900–902)

6
6.6–8 See also Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin § Second phase (900–902)

8
7.21–9.4 Journey of Andrew the Apostle along the Dnieper from Korsun via the future site of Kyiv towards the future site of Veliky Novgorod.

9–10
9.5–10.30

9.5–21 The legendary founding of Kiev (Kyiv)

9.17
 * киевъ – Lav Tro Rad Ipa Byč Lix
 * кыевь – Aka Xle Šax α

9.26–10.30 The acts of Kyi, and the death of the four siblings.

16
16.21–17.3 See also Kyi dynasty.

17
17.4–24 Prediction of Khazar downfall.

17.25–29 See also Primary Chronicle § Opening date error.

25
25.10–21 See also Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin § Second phase (900–902)

26
26.21
 * ко ѡлго – Lav
 * ко лвови гл҃ѧ – Rad, Aka,
 * къ лвови гл҃ѧ – Ipa, Xle,

41
41.13 reference to Acts 19:13–14.

55–60.8
Olga's revenge on the Derevlians. See also Olga of Kiev § Drevlian Uprising.

60–62
60.25–62.25 Olga's visit to Tsargrad (Constantinople), and conversion to Byzantine Christianity. See also Olga of Kiev § Conversion.

60.26
 * бѣ	тогда ц҃рь имѧнемь цѣмьскии. – Lav
 * и бѣ тогда	ц҃рь	костѧнтинъ с҃нъ леѡновъ. – Rad
 * и бѣ тогда	ц҃рь	костѧнтинь с҃нъ леѡновь. – Aka
 * и бѣ тогда црсь костѧнтинъ. с҃нъ леѡнтовъ. – Ipa
 * и бѣ тогда	ц҃рь	костѧнтин. с҃нь леоновь. – Xle
 * и бѣ тогда	цесарь именемь чемьскыи	они – Kom
 * и бѣ тогда	цесарь именемь чемьскии – NAk Tol
 * Ostrowski (2007): 'Since the emperor at the time was not Tsimiskes but Constantine, the reading Костянтинъ сынъ Леоновъ might be considered a correction of the primary but historically incorrect reading.'

62.14–18 biblical quotation Proverbs 1:20–22
 * Премудрость на исходищихъ поеть ся, на путьхъ же дьрзновение водить. На краихъ же забральныхъ проповѣдаеть ся, въ вратѣхъ же градьныхъ дьрзающи глаголеть. Елико бо лѣтъ незълобивии дьржать ся по правьду – α
 * – Proverbs 1:20–22 NIV

62.21–22 biblical quotation Proverbs 13:19
 * Желание благовѣрьныхъ наслажаеть душю – α
 * – Proverbs 13:19 NIV (KVJ: 'The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.')

62.22–23 biblical quotation Proverbs 2:2

62.23–24 biblical quotation Proverbs 8:17

62.24–25 biblical quotation John 6:37

63
63.8–9 biblical quotation 1 Corinthians 1:18
 * Невѣрьнымъ бо вѣра хрьстияньска уродьство есть – α
 * Ὁ λόγος γὰρ ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῖς μὲν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστίν – 1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV

63.9–11 biblical quotation Psalm 82:5
 * Не съмыслиша бо, ни разумѣша въ тьмѣ ходящии, и не вѣдять славы Господьня. – α
 * – Psalm 82:5 NIV

63.13–19 biblical quotation Proverbs 1:24–31 (or 1:25–30)

63.29–64.1 biblical quotation Exodus 21:17 (MT; LXX: Exodus 21:16). See also Textual variants in the Book of Exodus § Exodus 21.
 * Аще къто отьца или матере не послушаеть, съмьртию да умреть. – α
 * – Exodus 21:17 NIV
 * Compare Deuteronomy 21:18–21.

65–67
65.14–18 Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria (first part)

65.19–67.20 Siege of Kiev (968)

69–73
69–73 Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria (second part)

84–121
84.18
 * бохъмичѣ – Lav

111.23–24 (NPL 152.10–11)
 * на браченье. – Lav Byč Lix
 * на ѡброучание:- – Rad
 * на ѡбрѹченїе. – Aka
 * на ѡбручение. – Ipa
 * на оброученїе. – Xle
 * на брачение – Kom Tol Šax
 * на обручение. – α
 * Ostrowski (2007): 'Here the expected reading is 'marriage' (брачение) since Volodimir had already been 'betrothed' (обручение) to Anna earlier in the narrative.' Müller (2006) and Gippius (2002) argued that 'marriage' (брачение) was the primary reading, and that 'betrothal' (обручение) had to have been a later corruption in the protograph of Ipa and Kle, which had also contaminated Rad and Aka. Ostrowski countered that 'one may ask why the scribe of [Rad/Aka] would adopt a contextually incorrect reading from the contaminating source to replace a contextually correct reading in his direct source.' Following the lectio difficilior potior principle, Ostrowski asserted 'betrothed' (обручение) as the original text.

122–125
Volodimer' I defeated the Pechenegs on the river Trubizh, and alleged founded Belgorod (Bilhorod Kyivskyi) and Pereyaslavl' (Pereiaslav).

132–134
Killing of Boris and aftermath. See also Boris and Gleb.

135–141
Killing of Gleb and aftermath. See also Boris and Gleb.

135.1
 * акъ – Lav
 * аки хвалоу имѹще – Rad, Aka
 * аки хвалу имуще – Ipa
 * акы хвалоу имѧще – Xle

151
151.19
 * городъ – Lav Ipa Xle (горѡд) Byč Lix
 * градъ – Rad Aka (град) Šax α

151.20
 * кыи – Lav
 * кыевъ – Ipa Xle Byč
 * omitted – Rad Aka Šax Lix α

151.21
 * црк҃вь – Lav Aka
 * црк҃вь ст҃ыа софиа. и митрополью. – Rad
 * црк҃вь. ст҃ыꙗ – Ipa
 * цр҃ковъ премѫдрѡс бж҃їю ст҃ыи соѳеи, митрополїю – Xle

152
152.20
 * симонъ – Lav
 * соломонъ – Aka, Ipa, Rad (соломнъ), Xle (солѡмонъ) Byč, Šax, Lix, α

161
The so-called Testament of Yaroslav the Wise.

161.18
 * переꙗславль. а вѧчеславу – Lav Ipa Xle
 * Переяславль, а Вячеславу – Šax α
 * переꙗславль. а вечславѹ – Rad
 * переꙗславль. [а игорю воломеръ] а вечславѹ – Aka
 * переꙗславль а игореви володимирь а вꙗчеславу – Kom
 * переꙗславль а игореви володимиръ а вꙗчеву – NAk Tol
 * Переяславль, а	Игорю Володимеръ, а	Вячеславу – Byč Lix
 * It is not clear why 'to Igor[evi] Volo[di]merŭ' is found in relatively late copies, but not in the earliest copies. It could represent a harmonisation effort with 162.12–13 and 162.21–22, where all witnesses attest that 'Igor' [settled] in Volodimerŭ', and that when Vyacheslav died in Smolensk shortly thereafter, 'Igor' settled in Smolinĭskě, moving over from Volodimerŭ'. The Igor' in question is probably Igor Yaroslavich, who reportedly died sub anno 1060 (162.28). Cross & Sherbowitz-Wetzor (1953) and Thuis (2015) both included the city as Vladimir in their translations, footnoting it as "Vladimir-Volÿnsk" and "city in Volhynia" respectively (ergo, modern Volodymyr, Volyn Oblast), without further explanation.

216–217
215.27–218.5 Eulogy of Vsevolod Yaroslavich I of Kiev. Accession of Sviatopolk Iziaslavich II of Kiev (with prominent role for Vladimir II Monomakh).

218–225
218.6–226.3 Cuman (Polovtsi) invasion of Rus' (1093). See also Siege of Torchesk and Battle of the Stuhna River.

218.20–21
 * имѣю отрокъ своих· ѱ҃· иже могу – Lav, Bychkov, Karski, Likhachev
 * имѣю ѿрокъ своих· ѿ иже могѹ – Rad
 * имѣꙗ ѡтрокъ своих – Aka
 * имѣю ѡтро – Ipa
 * имѣю – Xle

226–255
226.3–255 Chernigov war of succession (1093–1097). See also Oleg I of Chernigov.

235
235.20
 * меѳоди папа римскыи· – Lav
 * мефодїи патариискы·̏и· – Aka
 * меѳдии патариискыи – Rad

256–257
256–257.13.

257–263
257.13–263.17 The blinding of Vasilko Rostislavich.

263–273
263.17–273.16 Internecine war in Rus' 1097–1100.

273–274
273.16–274.22 Council of Uvetichi (c. 1100).

275–276
1101–1102. Dynastic challenges to Sviatopolk II Iziaslavich of Kiev by Yaroslav Yaropolkich of Brest (?) and Mstislav Volodimerovich of Novgorod. Peace with Polovtsi.

277–279
1103 campaign against the Polovtsi (Cumans) by Sviatopolk II Iziaslavich of Kiev and Vladimir II Monomakh.

280
1104: various dynastic events, siege of Minsk, signs in sky.

281
1105–1107: various dynastic events, Semigallians defeat Vseslavichi.

282
1107: Polovtsi raid by Boniak. Peace treaty.

283
1107–1109: Sviatopolk II Iziaslavich of Kiev orders construction of various church buildings.

284–285
1109–1110: Rus' campaign against Polovtsi. Signs in sky at Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, including lightning, pillars of fire and cloud, and an angelic apparation.

286.1–7
286.1–7 Only in Lav, Rad and Aka: colophon of Sylvester of Kiev (1116).

286.7a–7pp
286.7a–7pp Only in Ipa and Xle: Primary Chronicle continuation of the Hypatian Codex and Khlebnikov Codex (1110–1117).