JAMES Mnich

(end of the eleventh century.)
By assumption I.I. Sreznevsky, a native of Smolensk land, by the Smolensk edition of "The Tale of Boris and Gleb, who had a number of distinctive features of the Legends and Life, written by Nestor. It includes some details, gleaned perhaps from local sources of Smolensk. The author tells, . as induced from Murom Svyatopolk Prince Gleb began his journey on horseback with a small retinue, . but in the mouth r.Tma, . located within the Smolensk land, . his horse, . caught in the dark roots of trees, . stumbled at full speed and broke his leg,
. As he fell, severely hurt the prince, and therefore was forced to transfer to the boat, on which he walked down the Dnieper to Smolensk. At the exit from the city, . in Smyadynskoy Bay, . was met planted Svyatopolk killers led Goryaserom, . on the order of which "cook the same Glebov, . named Torchin, . took a knife and, . seizing blissful and innocent, . sacrificed him as a lamb without blemish and innocent, . month of September in 5-day, . Monday ",
. Such details could not know Nestor, who lived in Kiev-Pechersk monastery. Jacob Mnich further explains how the body of the Prince of Murom killers dumped in a deserted bank of the Dnieper, roll forward to it two large decks, covered in a hurry brushwood. So it lay unnoticed: pass by this place of merchants, hunters and shepherds sometimes saw a pillar of fire, sometimes burning candles or heard angelic singing ". It is believed that the story of Boris and Gleb written hot on the heels of events (before 1072). Educated in the Smolensk region and, perhaps, there began his literary career, IM. place as a prominent Russian writer of the eleventh century. Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

Lit.: Monuments of Ancient Russia literature. XI - the beginning of the twelfth century .- M., 1978, Smolensk region in the literature and folklore.