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Below George the original quotation (in English Translation)
To assert that some Peceneg Counties Names (where they have
arrived 'recently') has a Peceneg Etymology Too when you don't know
their language at all....don't have any logic.....
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The whole of Patzinacia is divided into eight provinces with the same
number of great princes. The provinces are these: the name of the
first province is
Irtim; of the second,
Tzour; of the third,
Gyla; of the fourth,
Koulpei; of the fifth,
Charaboi; of the sixth,
Talmat; of the seventh,
Chopon; of the eighth,
Tzopon.
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At the time at which the Pechenegs were expelled from their country,
their princes were, in the province of
Irtim, Baitzas; in
Tzour, Konel; in
Gyla, Kourkoutai; in
Koulpei, Ipaos; in
Charaboi, Kaidoum; in the province of
Talmat, Kostas; in
Chopon, Giazis; in the province of
Tzopon, Batas.
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http://faculty.washington.edu/dwaugh/rus/texts/constp.html
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0f the Pechenegs, and how many advantages
accrue from their being at peace with the
emperor of the Romans.
Hear now, my son, those things of which I think you should not be
ignorant, and be wise that you may attain to government. For I
maintain that while learning is a good thing for all the rest as
well, who are subjects, yet it is especially so for you, who are
bound to take thought for the safety of all, and to steer and guide
the laden ship of the world. And if in setting out my subject I have
followed the plain and beaten track of speech and, so to say, idly
running and simple prose, do not wonder at that, my son. For I have
not been studious to make a display of fine writing or of an
Atticizing style, swollen with the sublime and lofty, but rather have
been eager by means of every-day and conversational narrative to
teach you those things of which I think you should not be ignorant,
and which may without difficulty provide that intelligence and
prudence which are the fruit of long experience.
I conceive, then, that it is always greatly to the advantage of the
emperor of the Romans to be minded to keep the peace with the nation
of the Pechenegs and to conclude conventions and treaties of
friendship with them and to send every year to them from our side a
diplomatic agent with presents befitting and suitable to that nation,
and to take from their side sureties, that is, hostages and a
diplomatic agent, who shall be collected together under charge of the
competent minister in this city protected of God, and shall enjoy all
imperial benefits and gifts suitable for the emperor to bestow.
This nation of the Pechenegs is neighbour to the district of Cherson,
and if they are not friendly disposed towards us, they may make
excursions and plundering raids against Cherson, and may ravage
Cherson itself and the so-called Regions.
Of the Pechenegs and the Russians.
The Pechenegs are neighbours to and march with the Russians also, and
often, when the two are not at peace with one another, raid Russia,
and do her considerable harm and outrage.
The Russians also are much concerned to keep the peace with the
Pechenegs. For they buy of them horned cattle and horses and sheep,
whereby they live more easily and comfortably, since none of the
aforesaid animals is found in Russia. Moreover, the Russians are
quite unable to set out for wars beyond their borders unless they are
at peace with the Pechenegs, because while they are away from their
homes, these may come upon them and destroy and outrage their
property. And so the Russians, both to avoid being harmed by them and
because of the strength of that nation, are the more concerned always
to be in alliance with them and to have them for support, so as both
to be rid of their enmity and to enjoy the advantage of their
assistance.
Nor can the Russians come at this imperial city of the Romans, either
for war or for trade, unless they are at peace with the Pechenegs,
because when the Russians come with their ships to the barrages of
the river and cannot pass through unless they lift their ships off
the river and carry them past by portaging them on their shoulders,
then the men of this nation of the Pechenegs set upon them, and, as
they cannot do two things at once, they are easily routed and cut to
pieces...
Of the nation of the Pechenegs
Originally, the Pechenegs had their dwelling on the river Atil, and
likewise on the river Geich, having common frontiers with the Chazars
and the so-called Uzes. But fifty years ago the so-called Uzes made
common cause with the Chazars and joined battle with the Pechenegs
and prevailed over them and expelled them from their country, which
the so-called Uzes have occupied till this day. The Pechenegs fled
and wandered round, casting about for a place for their settlement;
and when they reached the land which they now possess and found the
Turks living in it, they defeated them in battle and expelled and
cast them out, and settled in it, and have been masters of this
country, as has been said, for fifty-five years to this day.
The whole of Patzinacia is divided into eight provinces with the same
number of great princes. The provinces are these: the name of the
first province is Irtim; of the second, Tzour; of the third, Gyla; of
the fourth, Koulpei; of the fifth, Charaboi; of the sixth, Talmat; of
the seventh, Chopon; of the eighth, Tzopon. At the time at which the
Pechenegs were expelled from their country, their princes were, in
the province of Irtim, Baitzas; in Tzour, Konel; in Gyla, Kourkoutai;
in Koulpei, Ipaos; in Charaboi, Kaidoum; in the province of Talmat,
Kostas; in Chopon, Giazis; in the province of Tzopon, Batas. After
their deaths their cousins succeeded to their rule. For law and
ancient principle have prevailed among them, depriving them of
authority to transmit their ranks to their sons or their brothers, it
being sufficient for those in power to rule for their own life-time
only, and when they die, either their cousin or sons of their cousins
must be appointed, so that the rank may not run exclusively in one
branch of the family, but the collaterals also inherit and succeed to
the honour; but no one from a stranger family intrudes and becomes a
prince. The eight provinces are divided into forty districts, and
these have minor princelings over them.
Four clans of the Pechenegs, that is to say, the province of
Kouartzitzour and the province of Syroukalpei and the province of
Borotalmat and the province of Boulatzopon, lie beyond the Dnieper
river towards the eastern and northern parts that face Uzia and
Chazaria and Alania and Cherson and the rest of the Regions. The
other four clans lie on this side of the Dnieper river, towards the
western and northern parts, that is to say that the province of
Giazichopon is neighbour to Bulgaria, the province of Kato Gyla is
neighbour to Turkey, the province of Charaboi is neighbour to Russia,
and the province of Iabdiertim is neighbour to the tributary
territories of the country of Russia, to the Oultines and Dervlenines
and Lenzenines and the rest of the Slavs. Patzinacia is distant a
five days journey from Uzia and Chazaria, a six days journey from
Alania, a ten days journey from Mordia, one day's journey from
Russia, a four days journey from Turkey, half a day's journey from
Bulgaria; to Cherson it is very near, and to Bosporus closer still.
At the time when the Pechenegs were expelled from their country, some
of them of their own will and personal decision stayed behind there
and united with the so-called Uzes, and even to this day they live
among them, and wear such distinguishing marks as separate them off
and betray their origin and how it came about that they were split
off from their own folk: for their tunics are short, reaching to the
knee, and their sleeves are cut off at the shoulder, whereby, you
see, they indicate that they have been cut off from their own folk
and those of their race.
On this side of the Dniester river, towards the part that faces
Bulgaria, at the crossings of this same river, are deserted cities:
the first city is that called by the Pechenegs Aspron, because its
stones look very white; the second city is Toungatai; the third city
is Kraknakatai; the fourth city is Salmakatai; the fifth city is
Sakakatai; the sixth city is Giaioukatai. Among these buildings of
the ancient cities are found some distinctive traces of churches, and
crosses hewn out of porous stone, whence some preserve a tradition
that once on a time Romans had settlements there....
Of the coming of the Russians in monoxyla
from Russia to Constantinople
The monoxyla which come down from outer Russia to Constantinople are
from Novgorod, where Sviatoslav, son of Igor, prince of Russia, had
his seat, and others from the city of Smolensk and from Teliutza and
Chernigov and from Vyshegrad. All these come down the river Dnieper,
and are collected together at the city of Kiev, also called Sambatas.
Their Slav tributaries, the so-called Krivichians and the Lenzanenes
and the rest of the Slavonic regions, cut the monoxyla on their
mountains in time of winter, and when they have prepared them, as
spring approaches, and the ice melts, they bring them on to the
neighbouring lakes. And since these lakes debouch into the river
Dnieper, they enter thence on to this same river, and come down to
Kiev, and draw the ships along to be finished and sell them to the
Russians. The Russians buy these bottoms only, furnishing them with
oars and rowlocks and other tackle from their old monoxyla, which
they dismantle; and so they fit them out. And in the month of June
they move off down the river Dnieper and come to Vitichev, which is a
tributary city of the Russians, and there they gather during two or
three days; and when all the monoxyla are collected together, then
they set out, and come down the said Dnieper river. And first they
come to the first barrage, called Essoupi, which means in Russian and
Slavonic 'Do not sleep!'; the barrage itself is as narrow as the
width of the Polo-ground; in the middle of it are rooted high rocks,
which stand out like islands. Against these, then, comes the water
and wells up and dashes down over the other side, with a mighty and
terrific din. Therefore the Russians do not venture to pass between
them, but put in to the bank hard by, disembarking the men on to dry
land leaving the rest of the goods on board the monoxyla; they then
strip and, feeling with their feet to avoid striking on a rock....
This they do, some at the prow, some amidships, while others again,
in the stern, punt with poles; and with all this careful procedure
they pass this first barrage, edging round under the river-bank. When
they have passed this barrage, they re-embark the others from the dry
land and sail away, and come down to the second barrage, called in
Russian Oulvorsi, and in Slavonic Ostrovouniprach, which means 'the
Island of the Barrage'. This one is like the first, awkward and not
to be passed through. Once again they disembark the men and convey
the monoxyla past, as on the first occasion. Similarly they pass the
third barrage also, called Gelandri, which means in Slavonic 'Noise
of the Barrage', and then the fourth barrage, the big one, called in
Russian Aeifor, and in Slavonic Neasit, because the pelicans nest in
the stones of the barrage. At this barrage all put into land prow
foremost, and those who are deputed to keep the watch with them get
out, and off they go, these men, and keep vigilant watch for the
Pechenegs. The remainder, taking up the goods which they have on
board the monoxyla, conduct the slaves in their chains past by land,
six miles, until they are through the barrage. Then, partly dragging
their monoxyla, partly portaging them on their shoulders, they convey
them to the far side of the barrage; and then, putting them on the
river and loading up their baggage, they embark themselves, and again
sail off in them. When they come to the fifth barrage, called in
Russian Varouforos, and in Slavonic Voulniprach, because it forms a
large lake, they again convey their monoxyla through at the edges of
the river, as at the first and second barrages, and arrive at the
sixth barrage, called in Russian Leanti, and in Slavonic Veroutzi,
that is 'the Boiling of the Water', and this too they pass similarly.
And thence they sail away to the seventh barrage, called in Russian
Stroukoun, and in Slavonic Naprezi, which means 'Little Barrage'.
This they pass at the so-called ford of Vrar, where the Chersonites
cross over from Russia and the Pechenegs to Cherson; which ford is as
wide as the Hippodrome, and, measured upstream from the bottom as far
as the rocks break surface, a bow-shot in length. It is at this
point, therefore, that the Pechenegs come down and attack the
Russians. After traversing this place, they reach the island called
St. Gregory, on which island they perform their sacrifices because a
gigantic oak-tree stands there; and they sacrifice live cocks.
Arrows, too, they peg in round about, and others bread and meat, or
something of whatever each may have, as is their custom. They also
throw lots regarding the cocks, whether to slaughter them, or to eat
them as well, or to leave them alive. From this island onwards the
Russians do not fear the Pecheneg until they reach the river
Selinas. So then they start off thence and sail for four days, until
they reach the lake which forms the mouth of the river, on which is
the island of St. Aitherios. Arrived at this island, they rest
themselves there for two or three days. And they re-equip their
monoxyla with such tackle as is needed, sails and masts and rudders,
which they bring with them. Since this lake is the mouth of this
river, as has been said, and carries on down to the sea, and the
island of St. Aitherios lies on the sea, they come thence to the
Dniester river, and having got safely there they rest again. But when
the weather is propitious, they put to sea and come to the river
called Aspros, and after resting there too in like manner, they again
set out and come to the Selinas, to the so-called branch of the
Danube river. And until they are past the river Selinas, the
Pechenegs keep pace with them. And if it happens that the sea casts a
monoxylon on shore, they all put in to land, in order to present a
united opposition to the Pechenegs. But after the Selinas they fear
nobody, but, entering the territory of Bulgaria, they come to the
mouth of the Danube. From the Danube they proceed to the Konopas, and
from the Konopas to Constantia, and from Constantia to the river of
Varna, and from Varna they come to the river Ditzina, all of which
are Bulgarian territory. From the Ditzina they reach the district of
Mesembria, and there at last their voyage, fraught with such travail
and terror, such difficulty and danger, is at an end. The severe
manner of life of these same Russians in winter-time is as follows.
When the month of November begins, their chiefs together with all the
Russians at once leave Kiev and go off on the poliudia, which
means 'rounds', that is, to the Slavonic regions of the Vervians and
Drugovichians and Krivichians and Severians and the rest of the Slavs
who are tributaries of the Russians. There they are maintained
throughout the winter, but then once more, starting from the month of
April, when the ice of the Duleper river melts, they come back to
Kiev. They then pick up their monoxyla, as has been said above, and
fit them out, and come down to Romania....