Eastern story
Sad Demon, spirit of exile,
Flew over the sinful earth,
AND better days memories
A crowd crowded in front of him;
Those days when there is light in the house
He shone, a pure cherub,
When a running comet
Hello with a gentle smile
I loved to exchange with him,
When through the eternal mists,
Hungry for knowledge, he followed
Nomadic caravans
In the space of abandoned luminaries;
When he believed and loved,
Happy firstborn of creation!
I knew neither malice nor doubt.
And did not threaten his mind
A sad series of barren centuries...
And a lot, a lot... and everything
He didn’t have the strength to remember!
The long-outcast wandered
In the desert of the world without shelter:
Following the century, the century ran,
Both minute minute,
Monotonous sequence.
Ruling the earth insignificantly,
He sowed evil without pleasure.
Nowhere for your art
He met no resistance -
And evil bored him.
And over the peaks of the Caucasus
The exile of paradise flew by:
Below him is Kazbek, like the face of a diamond,
Shined with eternal snows,
And, deep down blackening,
Like a crack, the home of a snake,
The radiant Daryal curled,
And Terek, jumping like a lioness
With a shaggy mane on the ridge,
Both the mountain beast and the bird roared,
Whirling in the azure heights,
They listened to the word of the waters;
And golden clouds
From southern countries, from afar
They escorted him north;
And the rocks in a crowded crowd,
Full of mysterious slumber,
They bowed their heads over him,
Watching the flickering waves;
And towers of castles on the rocks
They looked menacingly through the fogs -
At the gates of the Caucasus on the clock
Guard giants!
And it was wild and wonderful all around
God's whole world; but a proud spirit
He cast a contemptuous eye
The creation of his god,
And on his high forehead
Nothing was reflected.
And before him there is a different picture
Living beauties bloomed:
Luxurious Georgia Valley
They spread out like a carpet in the distance;
Happy, lush end of the earth!
Pillar-shaped areas.
Sounding running streams
Along the bottom of multi-colored stones,
And the bushes of roses, where the nightingales are
Sing beauties, unrequited
Chinar spreading canopy,
Densely crowned with ivy.
Caves where on a scorching day
Timid deer lurk;
And shine, and life, and the noise of sheets,
Breath of a thousand plants!
And half a day of voluptuous heat,
And fragrant dew
Always moisturized nights
And the stars, bright as eyes,
How young is the look of a Georgian woman!..
But, besides cold envy,
Nature was not aroused by brilliance
In the barren breast of an exile
No new feelings, no new strength;
And everything that he saw before him
He despised or hated.
Tall house, wide yard
Gray-haired Gudal built himself...
It cost a lot of work and tears
Slaves have been obedient for a long time.
In the morning on the slope of the neighboring mountains
Shadows fall from its walls.
There are steps cut into the rock;
They are from the corner tower
They lead to the river, flashing along them,
Covered with a white veil,
Princess Tamara young
He goes to Aragva for water.
Always silent on the valleys
A gloomy house looked down from the cliff;
But there is a big feast in it today -
The zurna sounds and the guilt flows -
Gudal matched his daughter,
He called the whole family to the feast.
On a roof covered with carpets,
The bride sits between her friends:
Their leisure time is among games and songs.
Passes. By distant mountains
The semicircle of the sun is already hidden;
Striking rhythmically in the palm of your hand,
They sing - and their tambourine
The young bride takes it.
And here she is, with one hand
Spinning it over your head
Then suddenly he will rush faster than a bird,
Then he stops and looks -
And her moist gaze shines
From under an envious eyelash;
Then he will raise a black eyebrow,
Then suddenly he bends over a little,
And it slides and floats across the carpet
Her divine leg;
And she smiles
Full of children's fun.
But the ray of the moon, through the unsteady moisture
A little playful at times
Hardly comparable to that smile
Like life, like youth, alive
I swear by the midnight star
A ray of sunset and east,
Ruler of Persia golden
And not a single king of the earth
Never kissed such an eye;
Harem splashing fountain
Never on hot days
With your pearly dew
Such a camp has not been washed!
Still no one's hand on earth,
Wandering over your sweet brow,
I didn’t unravel such hair;
Since the world lost its paradise,
I swear she's so beautiful
It did not bloom under the southern sun.
The last time she danced.
Alas! I expected it in the morning
Her, the heiress of Gudal.
Freedom's playful child,
The sad fate of the slave,
The Fatherland, alien to this day,
And an unfamiliar family.
And often secret doubt
The bright features were darkened;
And all her movements were
So slender, full of expression,
So full of sweet simplicity,
What if the Demon, flying by,
At that time he looked at her,
Then, remembering the former brothers,
He turned away and sighed...
And the Demon saw... For a moment
Inexplicable excitement
He suddenly felt within himself.
The silent soul of his desert
Filled with a blessed sound -
And again he comprehended the shrine
Love, kindness and beauty!..
And for a long time a sweet picture
He admired - and dreams
About former happiness in a long chain,
As if for star star,
They rolled in front of him then.
Chained by an invisible force,
He became familiar with a new sadness;
A feeling suddenly spoke in him
Once native language.
Was this a sign of rebirth?
He is the word of insidious temptation
I couldn't find it in my mind...
Forget? God did not give me oblivion:
Yes, he would not have accepted oblivion!..
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Having exhausted the good horse,
To the wedding feast at sunset
The impatient groom was in a hurry.
Aragva bright he happily
Reached the green shores.
Under the heavy burden of gifts
Barely, barely stepping over,
Behind him there is a long row of camels
The road stretches, flashing:
Their bells are ringing.
He himself, the ruler of the Synodal.
Leads a rich caravan.
The agile frame is tightened with a belt;
Frame of saber and dagger
Glistens in the sun; behind the back
A gun with a cut-out notch.
The wind plays with its sleeves
His crap - she’s all around
All covered with galloon.
Embroidered with colored silks
His saddle; bridle with tassels;
Below him is a dashing horse covered in soap.
Priceless suit, gold.
Frisky pet Karabakh
He spins his ears and, full of fear,
Snoring looks sideways from the steepness
On the foam of a galloping wave.
The coastal path is dangerous and narrow!
Cliffs on the left side,
To the right is the depths of the rebellious river.
It's too late. On top of the snowy
The blush fades; it's foggy...
The caravan quickened its pace.
And here is the chapel on the road...
Here, since ancient times, he has been resting in God.
Some prince, now a saint,
Killed by a vengeful hand.
Since then, for a holiday or for a battle,
Wherever the traveler hurries,
Always earnest prayer
He brought it from the chapel;
And that prayer saved
From a Muslim dagger.
But the daring groom despised
The custom of their great-grandfathers.
His insidious dream
The crafty Demon was indignant:
He is in thoughts, under the darkness of the night,
He kissed the bride's lips.
Suddenly two people flashed ahead,
And more - a shot! - what's happened?..
Standing up in the ringing stirrups,
Pushing the eyebrows of the dads,
The brave prince did not say a word;
A Turkish trunk flashed in his hand,
I snap the whip and, like an eagle,
He rushed... and shot again!
And a wild cry and a muffled groan
We rushed through the depths of the valley -
The battle did not last long:
The timid Georgians fled!
Everything became quiet; crowded together
Sometimes on the corpses of horsemen
The camels looked in horror;
And dull in the silence of the steppe
Their bells were ringing.
A magnificent caravan is plundered;
And over the bodies of Christians
The night bird is drawing circles!
No peaceful tomb awaits them
Under a layer of monastery slabs,
Where the ashes of their fathers were buried;
Sisters and mothers will not come,
Covered with long veils,
With longing, sobs and prayers,
To their graves from distant places!
But with a zealous hand
Here by the road, above the rock
A cross will be erected in memory;
And the ivy that grew in the spring,
She will wrap her arms around him, caressing him
With its emerald net;
And, turning off the difficult road,
More than once a tired pedestrian
He will rest under God's shadow...
The horse rushes faster than the deer.
Snores and strains as if to fight;
Then suddenly he’ll stop at a gallop,
Listen to the breeze
Nostrils flaring wide;
Then, hitting the ground at once
The thorns of ringing hooves,
Tossing his disheveled mane,
Flies forward without memory.
It has a silent rider!
He struggles on the saddle sometimes,
Laying his head down on his mane.
He no longer governs the occasions,
With my feet in the stirrups,
And blood in wide streams
It is visible on the saddle cloth.
Dashing horse, you are the master
He took me out of the battle like an arrow,
But the evil Ossetian bullet
I caught up with him in the darkness!
There are tears and moans in the Gudal family,
People crowd in the yard:
Whose horse came rushing in on fire
And fell on the stones at the gate?
Who is this breathless horseman?
Kept a trace of swearing anxiety
Wrinkles of a dark brow.
There is blood in the weapon and dress;
In the last frantic squeeze
The hand on the mane froze.
Not long for the young groom,
Bride, your gaze expected:
He kept the prince's word,
He rode to the wedding feast...
Alas! but never again
He won’t mount a dashing horse!..
For a carefree family
God's punishment fell like thunder!
She fell on her bed,
Poor Tamara is crying;
Tear after tear rolls down,
The chest is high and difficult to breathe;
And now she seems to hear
"Don't cry, child! Don't cry in vain!
Your tear on a silent corpse
Living dew will not fall:
She only blurs her clear gaze.
Virgin cheeks burn!
He's far away, he won't know
He will not appreciate your melancholy;
The heavenly light now caresses
The disembodied gaze of his eyes;
He hears heavenly melodies...
What are life's petty dreams,
And the moan and tears of the poor maiden
For a guest of the heavenly side?
No, the lot of mortal creation
Sad Demon, spirit of exile(...)
Sad Demon, spirit of exile,
Flew over the sinful earth -
And the best days of memories
A crowd crowded in front of him
M.Yu. Lermontov. Daemon.
Wed. Wormwood after honey is more bitter than itself.
Wed. Having no more but thought of what thou wert,
To torture thee the more, being what thou art.
There's nothing left but the memory of what you were
To intensify your torment about what you are now.
Wed. For fortunes sharpe adversite,
The worst kind of infortune is this,
A man that hated to be in prosperity
And it remember, when it passed is.
Chaucer. Troilus and Creseida. 3, 1625.
Wed. Deh non parlare al misero
Del suo perduto bene...
F. M. Piave. Rigoletto (mus. di Verdi) 1, 9.
Wed. O dolcezze perdute! o memory
D"un amplesso che mai non s"oblia!..
Ant. Somma. Un ballo in maschera. 3, 1.
Wed. Stette, e dei di che furono
L"assalse il sovvenir.
Manzoni. Il cinque Maggio, ode (about Napoleon on the island of Helena).
Wed. Il ben passato e la presente noia!
Tasso. Aminta. 2, 2.
Wed. Nessun maggior dolore
Che ricordarsi del tempo felice
Nella miseria.
There is no greater torment
How to remember a happy time
In misfortune.
Dante. Divin. Com. Inferno. 5, 121-123. translation Minaeva.
Byron took this verse as an epigraph to the poem "Corsar".
Wed. In omni adversitate fortunae infelicissimun? genus infortunii est fuisse felicem.
Of all the vicissitudes of fate, the greatest misfortune is when you have previously experienced happy days (when you remember the former happy days).
Boëthius Consol. Philos. 2, 4. († around 524 A.D.)
Wed. Jerusalem, in the days of its calamity and suffering, remembered all its treasures that it had in former days.
Lamentations. 1, 7.
Russian thought and speech. Yours and someone else's. Experience of Russian phraseology. Collection of figurative words and parables. T.T. 1-2. Walking and apt words. A collection of Russian and foreign quotes, proverbs, sayings, proverbial expressions and individual words. St. Petersburg, type. Ak. Sci.. M. I. Mikhelson. 1896-1912.
See what “sad Demon, spirit of exile (...)” is in other dictionaries:
daemon- a, m. démon; gr. daimon spirit, deity. 1. Spirit (in pagan, mystical and poetic ideas). Sl. 18. In all eastern India they believe that the sun and the month are eclipsed because some demon, who has very black claws,... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language
SAD, sad, sorrowful; sad, sad, sad. 1. adj. to sadness in 1 value. Sad feeling. Sad mood. Very sad (adv.) mood. || Experiencing sadness, grief. "Sad demon, spirit of exile." Lermontov. "You… … Dictionary Ushakova
daemon- a, m. 1) In Greek mythology: a generalized idea of some vague and unformed divine force, evil or (less often) beneficent, often determining the fate of a person. The crafty demon outraged my careless ignorance, and he is mine... ... Popular dictionary of the Russian language
A; m. [Greek daimōn] 1. In ancient mythology: a good or evil spirit that influences the lives and destinies of people and nations. 2. According to religious beliefs: evil spirit, devil, demon, devil; fallen Angel. * A sad demon, the spirit of exile, Flew over... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
- (among Christians) an evil spirit, genius, in the sense of a tempter. Demonic irresistibly influencing Wed. The sad Demon, the spirit of exile, flew over the sinful earth, and memories of better days crowded in front of him. M.Yu. Lermontov. Daemon. Poem. Wed. There's something about it... ... Michelson's Large Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary
daemon- A; m. (Greek daimōn) see also. demonic 1) In ancient mythology: a good or evil spirit that influences the lives and destinies of people and nations. 2) a) According to religious beliefs: evil spirit, devil, demon, devil; fallen Angel. * Sad demon, spirit... ... Dictionary of many expressions
Demon ("Demon")- See also Sad and gloomy, proud and crafty, restless and vicious, hellish spirit, the spirit of exile and doubt. A crown of rainbow rays did not adorn his curls. It was like a clear evening: neither day nor night, neither darkness nor light. He was as powerful as... Dictionary of literary types
A, m. In Christian mythology: an evil spirit, a fallen angel. A sad demon, the spirit of exile, flew over the sinful earth. Lermontov, Demon. || trans.; what. outdated Personification of what kind of l. passions, hobbies, vices. We planned to travel together, but... ... Small academic dictionary
Part I
Sad Demon, spirit of exile,
Flew over the sinful earth,
And the best days of memories
A crowd crowded in front of him;
Those days when in the home of light
He shone, a pure cherub,
When a running comet
Hello with a gentle smile
I loved to exchange with him,
When through the eternal mists,
Hungry for knowledge, he followed
Nomadic caravans
In the space of abandoned luminaries;
When he believed and loved,
Happy firstborn of creation!
I knew neither malice nor doubt,
And did not threaten his mind
A sad series of barren centuries...
And a lot, a lot... and everything
He didn’t have the strength to remember!
The long-outcast wandered
In the desert of the world without shelter:
Following the century, the century ran,
Like a minute goes by,
Monotonous sequence.
Ruling the earth insignificantly,
He sowed evil without pleasure,
Nowhere for your art
He met no resistance -
And evil bored him.
And over the peaks of the Caucasus
The exile of paradise flew by:
Below him is Kazbek, like the face of a diamond,
Shined with eternal snows,
And, deep down blackening,
Like a crack, the home of a snake,
The radiant Daryal curled,
And Terek, jumping like a lioness
With a shaggy mane on the ridge,
Roared, - both the mountain beast and the bird,
Whirling in the azure heights,
They listened to the word of the waters;
And golden clouds
From southern countries, from afar
They escorted him north;
And the rocks in a crowded crowd,
Full of mysterious slumber,
They bowed their heads over him,
Watching the flickering waves;
And towers of castles on the rocks
They looked menacingly through the fogs -
At the gates of the Caucasus on the clock
Guard giants!
And it was wild and wonderful all around
God's whole world; but a proud spirit
He cast a contemptuous eye
The creation of his god,
And on his high forehead
Nothing was reflected
And before him there is a different picture
Living beauties bloomed:
Luxurious Georgia Valley
They spread out like a carpet in the distance;
Happy, lush end of the earth!
Pillar-shaped districts,
Sounding running streams
Along the bottom of multi-colored stones,
And the bushes of roses, where the nightingales are
Sing beauties, unrequited
To the sweet voice of their love;
Chinar spreading canopy,
Densely crowned with ivy,
Caves where on a scorching day
Timid deer lurk;
And shine, and life, and the noise of sheets,
A hundred-sounding conversation of voices,
Breath of a thousand plants!
And half a day of voluptuous heat,
And fragrant dew
Always moisturized nights
And the stars are bright as eyes,
How young is the look of a Georgian woman!..
But, besides cold envy,
Nature was not aroused by brilliance
In the barren breast of an exile
No new feelings, no new strength;
And everything that he saw before him
He despised or hated.
Tall house, wide yard
Gray-haired Gudal built himself...
It cost a lot of work and tears
Slaves have been obedient for a long time.
In the morning on the slope of the neighboring mountains
Shadows fall from its walls.
There are steps cut into the rock;
They are from the corner tower
They lead to the river, flashing along them,
Covered with a white veil 1,
Princess Tamara young
He goes to Aragva for water.
Always silent on the valleys
A gloomy house looked down from the cliff;
But there is a big feast in it today -
Zurna 2 sounds, and guilt flows -
Gudal wooed his daughter,
He called the whole family to the feast.
On a roof covered with carpets,
The bride sits between her friends:
Their leisure time is among games and songs.
Passes. By distant mountains
The semicircle of the sun is already hidden;
Striking rhythmically in the palm of your hand,
They sing - and their tambourine
The young bride takes it.
And here she is, with one hand
Spinning it over your head
Then suddenly he will rush faster than a bird,
Then he stops and looks -
And her moist gaze shines
From under an envious eyelash;
Then he will raise a black eyebrow,
Then suddenly he bends over a little,
And it slides and floats across the carpet
Her divine leg;
And she smiles
Full of children's fun,
But the ray of the moon, through the unsteady moisture
A little playful at times
Hardly comparable to that smile
Like life, like youth, alive.
I swear by the midnight star
A ray of sunset and east,
Ruler of Persia golden
And not a single king of the earth
Never kissed such an eye;
Harem splashing fountain
Never on hot days
With your pearly dew
Such a camp has not been washed!
Still no one's hand on earth,
Wandering over your sweet brow,
I didn’t unravel such hair;
Since the world lost paradise,
I swear she's so beautiful
It did not bloom under the southern sun.
The last time she danced.
Alas! I expected it in the morning
Her, the heiress of Gudal,
Freedom's playful child,
The sad fate of the slave,
The Fatherland, alien to this day,
And an unfamiliar family.
And often secret doubt
The bright features were darkened;
And all her movements were
So slender, full of expression,
So full of sweet simplicity,
What if the Demon, flying by,
At that time he looked at her,
Then, remembering the former brothers,
He turned away and sighed...
And the Demon saw... For a moment
Inexplicable excitement
He suddenly felt within himself,
The silent soul of his desert
Filled with a blessed sound -
And again he comprehended the shrine
Love, kindness and beauty!
And for a long time a sweet picture
He admired - and dreams
About former happiness in a long chain,
It's like there's a star behind a star,
They rolled in front of him then.
Chained by an invisible force,
He became familiar with a new sadness;
A feeling suddenly spoke in him
Once native language.
Was this a sign of rebirth?
He is the word of insidious temptation
I couldn’t find it in my mind...
Forget? - God did not give oblivion:
Yes, he would not have accepted oblivion!..
_______________
Having exhausted the good horse,
To the wedding feast at sunset
The impatient groom was in a hurry.
Aragva bright he happily
Reached the green shores.
Under the heavy burden of gifts
Barely, barely stepping over,
Behind him there is a long row of camels
The road stretches, flashing:
Their bells are ringing.
He himself, the ruler of the Synodal,
Leads a rich caravan.
The agile frame is tightened with a belt;
Frame of saber and dagger
Glistens in the sun; behind the back
A gun with a cut-out notch.
The wind plays with its sleeves
His chukhi 3, - she’s all around
All covered with galloon.
Embroidered with colored silks
His saddle; bridle with tassels;
Below him is a dashing horse covered in soap.
Priceless suit, gold.
Frisky pet Karabakh
He spins his ears and, full of fear,
Snoring looks sideways from the steepness
On the foam of a galloping wave.
The coastal path is dangerous and narrow!
Cliffs on the left side,
To the right is the depths of the rebellious river.
It's too late. On top of the snowy
The blush fades; fog has risen...
The caravan quickened its pace.
And here is the chapel on the road...
Here, since ancient times, he has been resting in God.
Some prince, now a saint,
Killed by a vengeful hand.
Since then, for a holiday or for a battle,
Wherever the traveler hurries,
Always earnest prayer
He brought it from the chapel;
And that prayer saved
From a Muslim dagger.
But the daring groom despised
The custom of their great-grandfathers.
His insidious dream
The crafty Demon was indignant:
He is in thoughts, under the darkness of the night,
He kissed the bride's lips.
Suddenly two people flashed ahead,
And more - a shot! - what's happened?..
Standing up on the sonorous 4 stirrups,
Pushing the eyebrows of dads, 5
The brave prince did not say a word;
A Turkish trunk flashed in his hand,
The whip snaps - and like an eagle,
He rushed... and shot again!
And a wild cry and a muffled groan
We rushed through the depths of the valley -
The battle did not last long:
The timid Georgians fled!
Everything became quiet; crowded together
Sometimes on the corpses of horsemen
The camels looked in horror;
And dull in the silence of the steppe
Their bells were ringing.
A magnificent caravan is plundered;
And over the bodies of Christians
The night bird is drawing circles!
No peaceful tomb awaits them
Under a layer of monastery slabs,
Where the ashes of their fathers were buried;
Sisters and mothers will not come,
Covered with long veils,
With longing, sobs and prayers,
To their graves from distant places!
But with a zealous hand
Here by the road, above the rock
A cross will be erected in memory;
And the ivy that grew in the spring,
She will wrap her arms around him, caressing him
With its emerald net;
And, turning off the difficult road,
More than once a tired pedestrian
He will rest under God's shadow...
The horse rushes faster than the deer,
Snores and strains as if to fight;
Then suddenly he’ll stop at a gallop,
Listen to the breeze
Nostrils flaring wide;
Then, hitting the ground at once
The thorns of ringing hooves,
Tossing his disheveled mane,
Flies forward without memory.
It has a silent rider!
He struggles on the saddle sometimes,
Laying his head down on his mane.
He no longer governs the occasions,
He put his feet in the stirrups,
And blood in wide streams
It is visible on the saddle cloth.
Dashing horse, you are the master
He took me out of the battle like an arrow,
But the evil Ossetian bullet
I caught up with him in the darkness!
There are tears and moans in the Gudal family,
People crowd in the yard:
Whose horse came rushing in on fire
And fell on the stones at the gate?
Who is this breathless horseman?
Kept a trace of swearing anxiety
Wrinkles of a dark brow.
There is blood in the weapon and dress;
In the last frantic squeeze
The hand on the mane froze.
Not long for the young groom,
Bride, your gaze expected:
He kept the prince's word,
He rode to the wedding feast...
Alas! but never again
He won’t mount a dashing horse!..
For a carefree family
God's punishment fell like thunder!
She fell on her bed,
Poor Tamara is crying;
Tear after tear rolls down,
The chest is high and difficult to breathe;
And now she seems to hear
Magic voice above you:
“Don't cry, child! don't cry in vain!
Your tear on a silent corpse
Living dew will not fall:
She only blurs her clear gaze,
Virgin cheeks burn!
He's far away, he won't know
He will not appreciate your melancholy;
The heavenly light now caresses
The disembodied gaze of his eyes;
He hears heavenly melodies...
What are life's petty dreams,
And the moan and tears of the poor maiden
For a guest of the heavenly side?
No, the lot of mortal creation,
Believe me, my earthly angel,
Not worth one moment
Your sadness dear!
On the ocean of air,
Without a rudder and without sails,
Silently floating in the fog
Choirs of slender luminaries;
Among the vast fields
They walk in the sky without a trace
Elusive clouds
Fibrous herds.
The hour of separation, the hour of meeting -
They are neither joy nor sorrow;
They have no desire for the future
And I don’t regret the past.
On a day of languid misfortune
Just remember them;
Be to the earthly without participation
And carefree, like them!
Only the night is its cover
The heights of the Caucasus will dawn,
Only the world magic word
Spellbound, he will fall silent;
Only the wind over the rock
He stirs the withered grass,
And the bird hidden in it,
It will flutter more cheerfully in the darkness;
And under the grapevine,
Swallowing the dew of heaven greedily,
The flower will bloom at night;
Only the golden month
Will rise quietly from behind the mountain
And he will look at you furtively, -
I will fly to you;
I will be visiting until the morning
And on silk eyelashes
To bring back golden dreams..."
The words fell silent in the distance,
Following the sound, the sound died.
She jumps up and looks around...
Unspeakable Confusion
In her chest; sadness, fear,
The ardor of delight is nothing in comparison.
All her feelings were suddenly boiling;
The soul broke its shackles,
Fire ran through my veins,
And this voice is wonderfully new,
It seemed to her that it still sounded.
And before the morning the desired dream
He closed his tired eyes;
But he outraged her thought
A prophetic and strange dream.
The alien is foggy and dumb,
Shining with unearthly beauty,
He leaned towards her head;
And his gaze with such love,
I looked at her so sadly
It was as if he regretted her.
It was not a celestial angel,
Her divine guardian:
Crown of rainbow rays
Didn't decorate it with curls.
It was not the terrible spirit of hell,
Vicious martyr - oh no!
It looked like a clear evening:
Neither day nor night, neither darkness nor light!..
Part 2
“Father, father, leave the threats,
Don’t scold your Tamara;
I'm crying: do you see these tears,
They are not the first.
In vain the suitors crowd
People rush here from distant places.
There are many brides in Georgia;
And I can’t be anyone’s wife!..
Oh, don't scold me, father.
You yourself noticed: day by day
I'm withering, a victim of evil poison!
I'm tormented by an evil spirit
An irresistible dream;
I'm dying, have pity on me!
Give it to the sacred monastery
Your reckless daughter;
The savior will protect me there,
I will shed my sorrow before him,
There is no fun in the world for me...
Shrines of the world of autumn,
Let the gloomy cell accept
Like a coffin, ahead of me..."
And to a secluded monastery
Her family took her
And a humble hair shirt
They clothed the young breast.
But also in monastic clothes,
Like under patterned brocade,
Everything is a lawless dream
Her heart beat as before.
Before the altar, with the glow of candles,
During the hours of solemn singing,
A friend, in the midst of prayer,
She often heard speech.
Under the arch of the dark temple
A familiar image sometimes
Slipped without a sound and a trace
In a light mist of incense;
He shone quietly, like a star;
He beckoned and called... but - where?..
In the cool between two hills
A holy monastery was hidden.
Chinar and poplar trees in rows
He was surrounded - and at times,
When night fell in the gorge,
Flashed through them, in the windows of the cell,
Lamp of a young sinner.
All around, in the shade of almond trees,
Where there is a row of sad crosses,
Silent guardians of the tombs,
Choirs of light birds sang.
They jumped on the stones and made noise
The keys are like a icy wave,
And under the overhanging rock,
Merging friendly into the gorge,
Rolled on, between the bushes,
Frost-covered flowers.
Mountains were visible to the north.
With the brilliance of the morning Aurora,
When the blue smoke
Smoking in the depths of the valley,
And, turning to the east,
The muezins are calling to prayer,
And the sonorous voice of the bell
It trembles, awakening the monastery;
In a solemn and peaceful hour,
When a Georgian woman is young
With a long jug for water
It's a steep descent from the mountain,
Tops of the snow chain
Light purple wall
Painted in the clear sky
And at sunset they got dressed
They are a ruddy veil;
And between them, cutting through the clouds,
He stood taller than everyone else,
Kazbek, the mighty king of the Caucasus,
In a turban and brocade robe.
But, full of criminal thoughts,
Tamara's heart is inaccessible
Pure delight. In front of her
The whole world is dressed in a gloomy shadow;
And everything in it is an excuse for torment
And the morning light and the darkness of the nights.
It used to be only sleepy nights
Coolness will cover the earth,
Before the divine icon
She'll fall into madness
And cries; and in the silence of the night
Her heavy sobbing
The traveler's attention disturbs him;
And he thinks: “That mountain spirit
The one chained in the cave is moaning!”
And straining sensitive ears,
He drives the exhausted horse.
Full of longing and trepidation,
Tamara is often at the window
Sits alone in thought
And looks into the distance with a diligent eye,
And all day long, sighing, he waits...
Someone whispers to her: he will come!
No wonder her dreams caressed her,
No wonder he appeared to her,
With eyes full of sadness,
And the wonderful tenderness of speech.
She's been languishing for many days now,
Without knowing why;
Will he want to pray to the saints?
And the heart prays to him;
Tired of the constant struggle,
Will he bow down on his bed of sleep:
The pillow is burning, it’s stuffy, scary,
And she jumped up and trembled all over;
Her chest and shoulders are burning,
There is no strength to breathe, there is fog in the eyes,
Embraces eagerly seek a meeting,
Kisses melt on the lips...
_______________
The evening haze covers the air
Already dressed the hills of Georgia.
Obedient to sweet habit,
The Demon flew in to offend.
But for a long, long time he did not dare
Shrine of Peaceful Refuge
Violate. And there was a minute
When he seemed ready
Leave the intent to cruel,
Thoughtful by the high wall
He wanders: from his steps
Without wind, a leaf in the shadow flutters.
He looked up: her window,
Illuminated by a lamp, glittering;
She's been waiting for someone for a long time!
And in the midst of general silence
Chingura 1 slender jingle
And the sounds of song were heard;
And those sounds flowed, flowed,
Like tears, measured one after another;
And this song was tender,
As if it were for the earth
It was laid out in heaven!
Isn't it an angel with a forgotten friend?
I wanted to see you again
Flew here stealthily
And sang to him about the past,
To ease his torment?..
The longing of love, its excitement
Befell the Demon for the first time;
He wants to leave in fear...
His wing doesn't move!
And, miracle! from darkened eyes
A heavy tear rolls down...
To this day, near that cell
The stone is visible through the burnt
A hot tear like a flame,
An inhuman tear!..
And he comes in, ready to love,
With a soul open to goodness,
And he thinks that there is a new life
The desired time has come.
A vague thrill of anticipation,
The fear of the unknown is silent,
It's like on a first date
We confessed with a proud soul.
It was an evil omen!
He enters, looks - in front of him
Messenger of Paradise, Cherub,
Guardian of the beautiful sinner,
Standing with a shining brow
And from the enemy with a clear smile
He shaded her with his wing;
And a ray of divine light
Suddenly blinded by an unclean gaze,
And instead of sweet hello
A painful reproach rang out:
"A restless spirit, a vicious spirit,
Who called you in the midnight darkness?
Your fans are not here
Evil has not breathed here to this day;
To my love, to my shrine
Don't leave a criminal trail.
Who called you?
In response to him
The evil spirit smiled insidiously;
His gaze lit up with jealousy;
And again he woke up in his soul
Ancient hatred is poison.
"She is mine! - he said menacingly, -
Leave her, she's mine!
You came, defender, late,
And to her, like to me, you are not a judge.
With a heart full of pride,
I have set my seal;
Your shrine is no longer here,
This is where I own and love!”
And the Angel with sad eyes
Looked at the poor victim
And slowly, flapping his wings,
Drowned in the ether of the sky.
………………………………………………………………
Tamara
ABOUT! who are you? your speech is dangerous!
Did heaven or hell send you to me?
What do you want?..
Daemon
You are beautiful!
Tamara
But tell me, who are you? answer...
Daemon
I'm the one you listened to
You're in the midnight silence
Whose thought whispered to your soul,
Whose sadness you vaguely guessed,
Whose image I saw in a dream.
I am the one whose gaze destroys hope;
I am the one no one loves;
I am the scourge of my earthly slaves,
I am the king of knowledge and freedom,
I am the enemy of heaven, I am the evil of nature,
And, you see, I am at your feet!
I brought you joy
Silent prayer of love,
Earthly first torment
And my first tears.
ABOUT! listen - out of pity!
Me to goodness and heaven
You could return it with a word.
Your love is a holy cover
Dressed, I would appear there,
Like a new angel in new splendor;
ABOUT! just listen, I pray, -
I am your slave - I love you!
As soon as I saw you -
And secretly I suddenly hated
Immortality and power are mine.
I was jealous involuntarily
Incomplete earthly joy;
It hurt me not to live like you,
And it’s scary to live differently with you.
An unexpected ray in a bloodless heart
Again warmed up alive,
And sadness at the bottom of the ancient wound
She moved like a snake.
What is this eternity to me without you?
Are my possessions infinite?
Empty sonorous words
A vast temple - without a deity!
Tamara
Leave me, O evil spirit!
Shut up, I don’t trust the enemy...
Creator... Alas! I can't
Pray... a deadly poison
My weakening mind is overwhelmed!
Listen, you will destroy me;
Your words are fire and poison...
Tell me why you love me!
Daemon
Why, beauty? Alas,
I don’t know!.. Full of new life,
From my criminal head
I proudly took off the crown of thorns,
I threw everything that was before into dust:
My heaven, my hell in your eyes.
I love you with an unearthly passion,
How you can't love:
With all ecstasy, with all power
Immortal thoughts and dreams.
In my soul, since the beginning of the world,
Your image was imprinted
He rushed in front of me
In the deserts of the eternal ether.
My thoughts have been troubling me for a long time,
The name sounded sweet to me;
In days of bliss I am in heaven
You were the only one missing.
ABOUT! if you could understand
What a bitter languor
All life, centuries without separation
And enjoy and suffer,
Do not expect praise for evil,
No reward for good;
Live for yourself, be bored with yourself
And this eternal struggle
No celebration, no reconciliation!
Always regret and not desire,
Know everything, feel everything, see everything,
Trying to hate everything
And despise everything in the world!..
Only God's curse
Fulfilled, from the same day
Nature's warm embrace
Forever cooled down for me;
The space before me turned blue;
I saw the wedding decoration
Luminaries I have known for a long time...
They flowed in crowns of gold;
But what? former brother
Not a single one recognized it.
Exiles, their own kind,
I began to call in desperation,
But the words and faces and glances of evil,
Alas! I didn’t recognize it myself.
And in fear I, flapping my wings,
He rushed - but where? For what?
I don’t know... former friends,
I was rejected; like Eden,
The world has become deaf and dumb for me.
At the free whim of the current
So damaged rook
Without sails and without a rudder
Floats without knowing its destination;
So early in the morning
A fragment of a thunder cloud,
Turning black in the azure silence,
Alone, not daring to stick anywhere,
Flying without purpose or trace,
God knows from where and where!
And I didn’t rule people for long,
I didn’t teach them sin for long,
Everything noble has been dishonored
And he blasphemed everything beautiful;
Not for long... the flame of pure faith
I easily filled them forever...
Was my work worth it?
Only fools and hypocrites?
And I hid in the gorges of the mountains;
And began to wander like a meteor,
In the darkness of deep midnight...
And the lonely traveler rushed,
Deceived by a nearby light;
And falling into the abyss with a horse,
He called in vain - and there was a bloody trail
Behind him he wound up the steep slope...
But evil is dark fun
I didn't like it for long!
In the fight against a mighty hurricane,
How often, raising the ashes,
Dressed in lightning and fog,
I rushed noisily in the clouds,
So that in the crowd of rebellious elements
Silence the murmur of the heart,
Escape from the inevitable thought
And forget the unforgettable!
What a story of painful hardships,
The labors and troubles of the crowd of people
Future, past generations,
Before one minute
My unacknowledged torment?
What people? what is their life and work?
They have passed, they will pass...
There is hope - a just trial awaits:
He can forgive, even if he condemns!
My sadness is always here,
And there will be no end for her, like for me;
And she won’t take a nap in her grave!
She caresses like a snake,
It burns and splashes like a flame,
That crushes my thought like a stone -
Hopes of the dead and passions
Indestructible mausoleum!..
Tamara
Why should I know your sorrows?
Why are you complaining to me?
You have sinned...
Daemon
Is it against you?
Tamara
They can hear us!..
Daemon
We are alone.
Tamara
And God!
Daemon
He won't glance at us:
He is busy with the sky, not the earth!
Tamara
And the punishment, the torments of hell?
Daemon
So what? You will be there with me!
Tamara
Whoever you are, my random friend, -
Destroying peace forever,
Involuntarily I am with the joy of mystery,
Sufferer, I listen to you.
But if your speech is deceitful,
But if you, the deception...
ABOUT! have mercy! What glory?
What do you need my soul for?
Am I really dearer to the sky?
Everyone you didn't notice?
They, alas! beautiful too;
Like here, their virgin bed
Not crushed by a mortal hand...
No! give me a fatal oath...
Tell me, you see: I’m sad;
You see women's dreams!
You involuntarily caress the fear in your soul...
But you understood everything, you know everything -
And, of course, you will take pity!
Swear to me... from evil acquisitions
Make a vow to renounce now.
Are there really no vows or promises?
There are no more indestructibles?..
Daemon
I swear by the first day of creation,
I swear on his last day,
I swear by the shame of crime
And eternal truth triumph.
I swear by the bitter torment of the fall,
Victory with a short dream;
I swear on a date with you
And again threatening separation.
I swear by the host of spirits,
By the fate of the brothers under my control,
With the swords of impassive angels,
My never-sleeping enemies;
I swear by heaven and hell,
Earthly shrine and you,
I swear by your last glance
With your first tear,
Breath of your kind lips,
A wave of silken curls,
I swear by bliss and pain,
I swear by my love:
I have renounced my old revenge
I renounced proud thoughts;
From now on, the poison of insidious flattery
No one's mind will be alarmed;
I want to make peace with the sky,
I want to love, I want to pray,
I want to believe in goodness.
I will wipe away with a tear of repentance
I'm on a forehead worthy of you,
Traces of heavenly fire -
And the world is in calm ignorance
Let it flourish without me!
ABOUT! believe me: I am alone today
I comprehended and appreciated you:
Having chosen you as my shrine,
I laid down my power at your feet.
I wait for your love like a gift,
And I will give you eternity in a moment;
In love, as in anger, believe, Tamara,
I am unchanging and great.
I am you, free son of the ether,
I’ll take you to the superstellar regions;
And you will be the queen of the world,
My first friend;
Without regret, without participation
You will look at the ground,
Where there is no true happiness,
No lasting beauty
Where there are only crimes and executions,
Where petty passions only live;
Where they can’t do it without fear
Neither hate nor love.
Or don't you know what it is
People's momentary love?
Young blood excitement, -
But the days fly by and the blood runs cold!
Who can resist separation?
The temptation of new beauty
Against fatigue and boredom
And the waywardness of dreams?
No! not you, my friend,
Find out, destined
Wither silently in a close circle,
The jealous rudeness of a slave,
Among the cowardly and cold,
Feigned friends and enemies,
Fears and fruitless hopes,
Empty and painful labors!
Sad behind the high wall
You will not fade away without passions,
Among prayers, equally far
From God and from people.
Oh no, beautiful creature,
You are condemned to something else;
A different kind of suffering awaits you,
Other delights are deep;
Leave your old desires
And the pitiful light of his fate:
The abyss of proud knowledge
In return, I will open it for you.
A crowd of my servant spirits
I will bring you to your feet;
Servants of the light and magical
I will give it to you, beauty;
And for you from the eastern star
I will tear off the golden crown;
I will take from the flowers of the midnight dew;
I will put him to sleep with that dew;
A ray of ruddy sunset
Your figure is like a ribbon, like a shoe,
Breathing pure aroma
I will drink the surrounding air;
Every hour with a wonderful game
I will cherish your hearing;
I will build magnificent palaces
From turquoise and amber;
I will sink to the bottom of the sea,
I'll fly beyond the clouds
I will give you everything, everything earthly -
Love me!..
And he slightly
Touched with hot lips
Her trembling lips;
Tempted by full speeches
He answered her prayers.
A mighty gaze looked into her eyes!
He burned her. In the darkness of the night
He sparkled right above her,
Irresistible as a dagger.
Alas! the evil spirit triumphed!
The deadly poison of his kiss
Instantly it penetrated into her chest.
Anguished terrible scream
The night was outraged by the silence.
It had everything: love, suffering,
Reproach with a final plea
And a hopeless goodbye -
Farewell to young life,
At that time the midnight watchman
One around the wall is steep
Quietly completing the lesson path,
Wandered around with a cast iron board,
And near the cell of the young maiden
He tamed his measured step
And a hand over a cast iron board,
Confused at heart, he stopped.
And through the surrounding silence,
It seemed to him that he heard
Two lips agreeing kiss,
A minute of screaming and a faint moan.
And unholy doubt
Penetrated into the old man's heart...
But another moment passed,
And everything became quiet; from afar
Just a breath of wind
The murmur of leaves brought
Yes, it’s sad with the dark shore
The mountain river whispered.
Canon of the saint
He hurries in fear to read,
So that the obsession of the evil spirit
Drive away from sinful thoughts;
Crosses with trembling fingers
Dream-stirred chest
And silently with quick steps
The normal one continues on his way.
_______________
Like a sleeping sweetheart,
She was lying in her coffin,
Whiter and cleaner bedspreads
There was a languid color to her brow.
Eyelashes forever drooping...
But who would, oh heaven! didn't say
That the gaze under them only dozed
And, wonderful, I was just waiting
Or a kiss, or a blessing?
But the ray of daylight is useless
Slided over them like a stream of gold,
In vain they are in silent sorrow
Relatives kissed their lips...
No! death eternal seal
Nothing can stop it!
I've never been to the fun days
So colorful and rich
Tamara's festive outfit.
Flowers of the birthplace
(This is how the ancient ritual demands)
They pour their scent over her
And, squeezed with a dead hand,
It’s like saying goodbye to the earth!
And nothing in her face
There was no hint of the end
In the heat of passion and rapture;
And all her features were
Filled with that beauty
Like marble, alien to expression,
Devoid of feeling and mind,
Mysterious as death itself.
The strange smile froze
Flashing across her lips.
She talked about a lot of sad things
She to attentive eyes:
There was cold contempt in her
A soul ready to bloom,
The last thought expression,
Soundless farewell to the earth.
A vain glimpse of a former life,
She was even deader
Even more hopeless for the heart
Forever faded eyes.
So at the hour of solemn sunset,
When, having melted into a sea of gold,
The chariot of the day has already disappeared,
Snow of the Caucasus, for a moment
Preserving the ruddy tint,
Shining in the dark distance.
But this ray is half-dead
In the desert there will be no reflection,
And it won’t light anyone’s path
From its icy summit!
A crowd of neighbors and relatives
We are about to set off on a sad journey.
Tormenting gray curls,
Silently hitting the chest,
Gudal sits down for the last time
On a white-maned horse.
And the train started moving. Three days,
Their journey will last three nights:
Between old grandfather's bones
A shelter for the deceased was dug for her.
One of Gudal's forefathers,
The robber of strangers and sat down,
When illness struck him down
And the hour of repentance has come,
Past sins in redemption
He promised to build a church
On the heights of granite rocks,
Wherever the blizzards can be heard singing,
Wherever the kite flew.
And soon between the snows of Kazbek
A lonely temple has risen,
And the bones of an evil man
They rested there again;
And turned into a cemetery
Rock native to the clouds:
Feels closer to heaven
A warmer posthumous home?..
It's like being further away from people
The last dream will not be indignant...
In vain! the dead can't dream
Neither the sadness nor the joy of past days.
In the space of blue ether
One of the holy angels
Flew on golden wings,
And a sinful soul from the world
He carried him in his arms.
And with the sweet speech of hope
Dispelled her doubts
And a trace of misdeed and suffering
He washed it off with his tears.
From afar there are sounds of paradise
They heard it - when suddenly,
Crossing the free path,
A hellish spirit rose from the abyss.
He was powerful, like a noisy whirlwind,
Shined like a stream of lightning,
And proudly in insane audacity
He says: “She’s mine!”
She pressed herself to her protective breast,
I drowned out the horror with prayer,
Tamara is a sinful soul.
The fate of the future was being decided,
He stood before her again,
But, oh my! - who would recognize him?
How he looked with an evil gaze,
How full it was of deadly poison
Enmity that knows no end -
And the chill of the grave blew
From a still face.
“Get lost, gloomy spirit of doubt! -
The messenger of heaven answered: -
You have triumphed enough;
But the hour of judgment has now come -
And God's decision is good!
The days of testing are over;
With clothes of mortal earth
The shackles of evil fell from her.
Find out! We've been waiting for her for a long time!
Her soul was one of those
Whose life is one moment
Unbearable torment
Unattainable pleasures:
Creator from the best air
I wove their living strings,
They are not made for the world
And the world was not created for them!
I redeemed it at a cruel price
She has her doubts...
She suffered and loved -
And heaven opened for love!”
And the Angel with stern eyes
Looked at the tempter
And, happily flapping his wings,
Drowned in the radiance of the sky.
And the defeated Demon cursed
Your crazy dreams,
And again he remained, arrogant,
Alone, as before, in the universe
Without hope and love!..
On the slope of a stone mountain
Above the Koishauri Valley
Still standing to this day
The battlements of an ancient ruin.
Scary stories for children
Legends are still full of them...
Like a ghost, a silent monument,
Witness of those magical days
It turns black between the trees.
The aul crumbled below,
The earth blooms and turns green;
And a discordant hum of voices
Lost and caravans
They come, ringing, from afar,
And, falling through the mists,
The river sparkles and foams.
And life, forever young,
Coolness, sun and spring
Nature amuses itself jokingly,
Like a carefree child.
But sad is the castle that has served
Once in your turn,
Like a poor old man who survived
Friends and sweet family.
And just waiting for the moon to rise
Its invisible residents:
Then they have holiday and freedom!
They buzz and run in all directions.
Gray spider, new hermit,
Spins its warp webs;
Green lizard family
Plays merrily on the roof;
And a cautious snake
Crawls out of a dark crevice
On the slab of the old porch,
Then suddenly it will be wrapped in three rings,
It will fall in a long strip,
And it shines like a damask sword,
Forgotten in the field of ancient battles,
Unnecessary to a fallen hero!..
Everything is wild; there are no traces anywhere
Years gone by: the hand of centuries
Diligently, it took a long time to sweep them away,
And it won’t remind you of anything
ABOUT glorious name Gudala,
About his dear daughter!
But the church is on a steep hill,
Where their bones are taken by the earth,
Guarded by holy power,
It is still visible between the clouds.
And they stand at her gate
Black granites are on guard,
Covered with snow cloaks;
And on their chests instead of armor
The eternal ice is burning.
Collapses of sleepy communities
From the ledges, like waterfalls,
Suddenly caught by frost,
They hang around, frowning.
And there the blizzard goes on patrol,
Blowing dust from the gray walls,
Then he starts a long song,
Then he calls out to the sentries;
Hearing news in the distance
About a wonderful temple in that country,
One cloud from the east
They rush in a crowd to worship;
But over the family gravestones
No one has been sad for a long time.
Rock of gloomy Kazbek
He greedily guards his prey,
And the eternal murmur of man
They will not be disturbed by eternal peace.
Analysis of the poem “Demon” by Lermontov
Lermontov was one of the first to develop the “demonic” theme in Russian literature. The theme of “demonism” occupied Lermontov from early years. “Demonic images” appeared in many of the poet’s works. He wrote the poem “Demon” for about 12 years. The work began in 1829. The edition of 1838 is closest to the final text. Lermontov lived in the Caucasus and moved the scene of action there. The main character appeared - Princess Tamara, based on the Georgian folk legend about an evil spirit. The poet continued to make amendments and completed the poem only in 1841.
Lermontov's image of the demon is inspired by his romantic ideas about the proud and rebellious lyrical hero. The poet tried to imagine the internal doubts and experiences of the evil spirit, to understand why he embarked on the path of evil. The demon has biblical origins, he is a fallen angel who was cast into hell by God for his pride and desire for absolute power.
For the poet, the demon is more “human”. He does not enjoy his power for long. The instillation of sinful thoughts soon begins to bore him, especially since people do not try to fight him, but willingly listen to his instructions. Even in hell, the demon experiences acute loneliness. He becomes an outcast among the rest of Satan's servants. Having retired to the gloomy and inaccessible rocks, the demon finds temporary entertainment in the murder of lonely travelers.
In such a sad pastime, the demon notices the beautiful Tamara. It seemed to him that nothing could awaken any strong feelings in him. But the appearance of the young girl struck even the gloomy demon. He is overcome by an irresistible desire to take possession of the beauty's soul. He inspires her fiancé with sinful thoughts, which leads to his death. Having gotten rid of his rival, the demon begins to visit Tamara in her dreams in the guise of an unknown seducer. The princess is frightened by sinful thoughts, and she goes to the monastery. But even here the demon haunts her. During his last decisive appearance, he expels the angel guarding the girl and achieves her consent. Tamara does not renounce God, but she believes in love and that the demon can be cleansed of evil with her. She submits to love and dies.
The demon celebrates victory. He forgets about the oath and appears in his real guise. But Tamara’s soul is already in the hands of an angel. By the power of her love she earned divine forgiveness. The demon is forced to retreat and admit defeat.
Lermontov's attitude towards the demon changes from sympathetic at the beginning to condemning at the end. The author himself destroys his idea of the possibility of a demon being transformed under the influence of a strong feeling. The essence of the devil is unchanging, so he is powerless before the greatness of divine love.
Sad Demon, spirit of exile,
Flew over the sinful earth,
And the best days of memories
A crowd crowded in front of him;
Those days when in the home of light
He shone, a pure cherub,
When a running comet
Hello with a gentle smile
I loved to exchange with him,
When through the eternal mists,
Hungry for knowledge, he followed
Nomadic caravans
In the space of abandoned luminaries;
When he believed and loved,
Happy firstborn of creation!
I knew neither malice nor doubt,
And did not threaten his mind
A sad series of barren centuries...
And a lot, a lot... and everything
He didn’t have the strength to remember!
The long-outcast wandered
In the desert of the world without shelter:
Following the century, the century ran,
Like a minute goes by,
Monotonous sequence.
Ruling the earth insignificantly,
He sowed evil without pleasure.
Nowhere for your art
He met no resistance -
And evil bored him.
And over the peaks of the Caucasus
The exile of paradise flew by:
Below him is Kazbek, like the face of a diamond,
Shined with eternal snows,
And, deep down blackening,
Like a crack, the home of a snake,
The radiant Daryal curled,
And Terek, jumping like a lioness
With a shaggy mane on the ridge,
Roared - both the mountain beast and the bird,
Whirling in the azure heights,
They listened to the word of the waters;
And golden clouds
From southern countries, from afar
They escorted him north;
And the rocks in a crowded crowd,
Full of mysterious slumber,
They bowed their heads over him,
Watching the flickering waves;
And towers of castles on the rocks
They looked menacingly through the fogs -
At the gates of the Caucasus on the clock
Guard giants!
It was wild and wonderful all around
God's whole world; but a proud spirit
He cast a contemptuous eye
The creation of his god,
And on his high forehead
Nothing was reflected.
And before him there is a different picture
Living beauties bloomed:
Luxurious Georgia Valley
They spread out like a carpet in the distance;
Happy, lush end of the earth!
Pillar-shaped districts,
Sounding running streams
Along the bottom of multi-colored stones,
And the bushes of roses, where the nightingales are
Sing beauties, unrequited
Chinar spreading canopy,
Densely crowned with ivy,
Caves where on a scorching day
Timid deer lurk;
And the shine and life and noise of the sheets,
Breath of a thousand plants!
And half a day of voluptuous heat,
And fragrant dew
Always moisturized nights
And the stars are bright as eyes,
How young is the look of a Georgian woman!..
But, besides cold envy,
Nature was not aroused by brilliance
In the barren breast of an exile
No new feelings, no new strength;
And everything that he saw before him
He despised or hated.
Tall house, wide yard
Gray-haired Gudal built himself...
It cost a lot of work and tears
Slaves have been obedient for a long time.
In the morning on the slope of the neighboring mountains
Shadows fall from its walls.
There are steps cut into the rock;
They are from the corner tower
They lead to the river, flashing along them,
Covered with a white veil Cover. (Lermontov's note)
Princess Tamara young
He goes to Aragva for water.
Always silent on the valleys
A gloomy house looked down from the cliff;
But there is a big feast in it today -
Zurna sounds Like bagpipes. (Lermontov's note) and the winds are pouring -
Gudal wooed his daughter,
He called the whole family to the feast.
On a roof covered with carpets,
The bride sits between her friends:
Their leisure time is among games and songs.
Passes. By distant mountains
The semicircle of the sun is already hidden;
Striking rhythmically in the palm of your hand,
They sing - and their tambourine
The young bride takes it.
And here she is, with one hand
Spinning it over your head
Then suddenly he will rush faster than a bird,
It will stop, - he looks -
And her moist gaze shines
From under an envious eyelash;
Then he will raise a black eyebrow,
Then suddenly he bends over a little,
And it slides and floats across the carpet
Her divine leg;
And she smiles
Full of children's fun.
But the ray of the moon, through the unsteady moisture
A little playful at times
Hardly comparable to that smile
Like life, like youth, alive.
I swear by the midnight star
A ray of sunset and east,
Ruler of Persia golden
And not a single king of the earth
Never kissed such an eye;
Harem splashing fountain
Never on hot days
With your pearly dew
Such a camp has not been washed!
Still no one's hand on earth,
Wandering over your sweet brow,
I didn’t unravel such hair;
Since the world lost paradise,
I swear she's so beautiful
It did not bloom under the southern sun.
The last time she danced.
Alas! I expected it in the morning
Her, the heiress of Gudal,
Freedom's playful child,
The sad fate of the slave,
The Fatherland, alien to this day,
And an unfamiliar family.
And often secret doubt
The bright features were darkened;
And all her movements were
So slender, full of expression,
So full of sweet simplicity,
What if the Demon, flying by,
At that time he looked at her,
Then, remembering the former brothers,
He would turn away and sigh...
And the Demon saw... For a moment
Inexplicable excitement
He suddenly felt within himself.
The silent soul of his desert
Filled with a blessed sound -
And again he comprehended the shrine
Love, kindness and beauty!..
And for a long time a sweet picture
He admired - and dreams
About former happiness in a long chain,
It's like there's a star behind a star,
They rolled in front of him then.
Chained by an invisible force,
He became familiar with a new sadness;
A feeling suddenly spoke in him
Once native language.
Was this a sign of rebirth?
He is the word of insidious temptation
I couldn’t find it in my mind...
Forget? - God did not give oblivion:
Yes, he would not have accepted oblivion!..
. . . . . . . . . .
Having exhausted the good horse,
To the wedding feast at sunset
The impatient groom was in a hurry.
Aragva bright he happily
Reached the green shores.
Under the heavy burden of gifts
Barely, barely stepping over,
Behind him there is a long row of camels
The road stretches, flashing:
Their bells are ringing.
He himself, the ruler of the Synodal,
Leads a rich caravan.
The agile frame is tightened with a belt;
Frame of saber and dagger
Glistens in the sun; behind the back
A gun with a cut-out notch.
The wind plays with its sleeves
His chukhi Outerwear with fold-down sleeves. (Lermontov's note)- she’s all around
All covered with galloon.
Embroidered with colored silks
His saddle; bridle with tassels;
Below him is a dashing horse covered in soap.
Priceless suit, gold.
Frisky pet Karabakh
He spins his ears and, full of fear,
Snoring looks sideways from the steepness
On the foam of a galloping wave.
The coastal path is dangerous and narrow!
Cliffs on the left side,
To the right is the depths of the rebellious river.
It's too late. On top of the snowy
The blush fades; fog has risen...
The caravan quickened its pace.
And here is the chapel on the road...
Here, since ancient times, he has been resting in God.
Some prince, now a saint,
Killed by a vengeful hand.
Since then, for a holiday or for a battle,
Wherever the traveler hurries,
Always earnest prayer
He brought it from the chapel;
And that prayer saved
From a Muslim dagger.
But the daring groom despised
The custom of their great-grandfathers.
His insidious dream
The crafty Demon was indignant:
He is in thoughts, under the darkness of the night,
He kissed the bride's lips.
Suddenly two people flashed ahead,
And more - a shot! - what's happened?..
Getting up on the ringing Georgian stirrups are like shoes made of ringing metal. (Lermontov's note) stirrups,
Pushing the eyebrows of the dads, A hat, like a Yerevan hat. (Lermontov's note)
The brave prince did not say a word;
A Turkish trunk flashed in his hand,
Whip click - and like an eagle
He rushed... and shot again!
And a wild cry and a muffled groan
We rushed through the depths of the valley -
The battle did not last long:
The timid Georgians fled!
Everything became quiet; crowded together
Sometimes on the corpses of horsemen
The camels looked in horror;
And dull in the silence of the steppe
Their bells were ringing.
A magnificent caravan is plundered;
And over the bodies of Christians
The night bird is drawing circles!
No peaceful tomb awaits them
Under a layer of monastery slabs,
Where the ashes of their fathers were buried;
Sisters and mothers will not come,
Covered with long veils,
With longing, sobs and prayers,
To their graves from distant places!
But with a zealous hand
Here by the road, above the rock
A cross will be erected in memory;
And the ivy that grew in the spring,
She will wrap her arms around him, caressing him
With its emerald net;
And, turning off the difficult road,
More than once a tired pedestrian
He will rest under God's shadow...
The horse rushes faster than the deer,
He snores and is eager to fight;
Then suddenly he’ll stop at a gallop,
Listen to the breeze
Nostrils flaring wide;
Then, hitting the ground at once
The thorns of ringing hooves,
Tossing his disheveled mane,
Flies forward without memory.
It has a silent rider!
He struggles on the saddle sometimes,
Laying his head down on his mane.
He no longer governs the occasions,
He put his feet in the stirrups,
And blood in wide streams
It is visible on the saddle cloth.
Dashing horse, you are the master
He took me out of the battle like an arrow,
But the evil Ossetian bullet
I caught up with him in the darkness!
There are tears and moans in the Gudal family,
People crowd in the yard:
Whose horse came rushing in on fire
And fell on the stones at the gate?
Who is this breathless horseman?
Kept a trace of swearing anxiety
Wrinkles of a dark brow.
There is blood in the weapon and dress;
In the last frantic squeeze
The hand on the mane froze.
Not long for the young groom,
Bride, your gaze expected:
He kept the prince's word,
He rode to the wedding feast...
Alas! but never again
He won’t mount a dashing horse!..
For a carefree family
God's punishment fell like thunder!
She fell on her bed,
Poor Tamara is crying;
Tear after tear rolls down,
The chest is high and difficult to breathe;
And now she seems to hear
“Don't cry, child! don't cry in vain!
Your tear on a silent corpse
Living dew will not fall:
She only blurs her clear gaze,
Virgin cheeks burn!
He's far away, he won't know
He will not appreciate your melancholy;
The heavenly light now caresses
The disembodied gaze of his eyes;
He hears heavenly melodies...
What are life's petty dreams,
And the moan and tears of the poor maiden
For a guest of the heavenly side?
No, the lot of mortal creation,
Believe me, my earthly angel,
Not worth one moment
Your sadness dear!
"On the ocean of air,
Without a rudder and without sails,
Silently floating in the fog
Choirs of slender luminaries;
Among the vast fields
They walk in the sky without a trace
Elusive clouds
Fibrous herds.
The hour of separation, the hour of meeting -
They are neither joy nor sorrow;
They have no desire for the future,
And I don’t regret the past.
On a day of languid misfortune
Just remember them;
Be to the earthly without participation
And carefree, like them!
"Only the night as its cover
The heights of the Caucasus will dawn,
Only peace, in a magic word
Spellbound, he will fall silent;
Only the wind over the rock
He stirs the withered grass,
And the bird hidden in it,
It will flutter more cheerfully in the darkness;
And under the grapevine,
Swallowing the dew of heaven greedily,
The flower will bloom at night;
Only the golden month
Will rise quietly from behind the mountain
And he will look at you furtively, -
I will fly to you;
I will be visiting until the morning
And on silk eyelashes
To bring back golden dreams..."
The words fell silent in the distance,
Following the sound, the sound died.
She jumps up and looks around...
Unspeakable Confusion
In her chest; sadness, fear,
The ardor of delight is nothing in comparison.
All her feelings were suddenly boiling;
The soul broke its shackles,
It seemed to her that it still sounded.
And before the morning the desired dream
He closed his tired eyes;
But he outraged her thought
A prophetic and strange dream.
The alien is foggy and dumb,
Shining with unearthly beauty,
He leaned towards her head;
And his gaze with such love,
I looked at her so sadly
It was as if he regretted her.
It was not a celestial angel,
Her divine guardian:
Crown of rainbow rays
Didn't decorate it with curls.
It was not the terrible spirit of hell,
Vicious martyr - oh no!
It looked like a clear evening:
Neither day nor night, neither darkness nor light!
Read the poem in full:
Eastern story
Part I
I
Sad Demon, spirit of exile,
Flew over the sinful earth,
And the best days of memories
A crowd crowded in front of him;
Those days when in the home of light
He shone, a pure cherub,
When a running comet
Hello with a gentle smile
I loved to exchange with him,
When through the eternal mists,
Hungry for knowledge, he followed
Nomadic caravans
In the space of abandoned luminaries;
When he believed and loved,
Happy firstborn of creation!
I knew neither malice nor doubt,
And did not threaten his mind
A sad series of barren centuries...
And a lot, a lot... and everything
He didn’t have the strength to remember!
II
The long-outcast wandered
In the desert of the world without shelter:
Following the century, the century ran,
Like a minute goes by,
Monotonous sequence.
Ruling the earth insignificantly,
He sowed evil without pleasure.
Nowhere for your art
He met no resistance -
And evil bored him.
III
And over the peaks of the Caucasus
The exile of paradise flew by:
Below him is Kazbek, like the face of a diamond,
Shined with eternal snows,
And, deep down blackening,
Like a crack, the home of a snake,
The radiant Daryal curled,
And Terek, jumping like a lioness
With a shaggy mane on the ridge,
Roared - both the mountain beast and the bird,
Whirling in the azure heights,
They listened to the word of the waters;
And golden clouds
From southern countries, from afar
They escorted him north;
And the rocks in a crowded crowd,
Full of mysterious slumber,
They bowed their heads over him,
Watching the flickering waves;
And towers of castles on the rocks
They looked menacingly through the fogs -
At the gates of the Caucasus on the clock
Guard giants!
It was wild and wonderful all around
God's whole world; but a proud spirit
He cast a contemptuous eye
The creation of his god,
And on his high forehead
Nothing was reflected.
IV
And before him there is a different picture
Living beauties bloomed:
Luxurious Georgia Valley
They spread out like a carpet in the distance;
Happy, lush end of the earth!
Pillar-shaped districts,
Sounding running streams
Along the bottom of multi-colored stones,
And the bushes of roses, where the nightingales are
Sing beauties, unrequited
To the sweet voice of their love;
Chinar spreading canopy,
Densely crowned with ivy,
Caves where on a scorching day
Timid deer lurk;
And shine, and life, and the noise of sheets,
A hundred-sounding conversation of voices,
Breath of a thousand plants!
And half a day of voluptuous heat,
And fragrant dew
Always moisturized nights
And the stars are bright as eyes,
How young is the look of a Georgian woman!..
But, besides cold envy,
Nature was not aroused by brilliance
In the barren breast of an exile
No new feelings, no new strength;
And everything that he saw before him
He despised or hated.
V
Tall house, wide yard
Gray-haired Gudal built himself...
It cost a lot of work and tears
Slaves have been obedient for a long time.
In the morning on the slope of the neighboring mountains
Shadows fall from its walls.
There are steps cut into the rock;
They are from the corner tower
They lead to the river, flashing along them,
Covered with a white veil,
Princess Tamara young
He goes to Aragva for water.
VI
Always silent on the valleys
A gloomy house looked down from the cliff;
But there is a big feast in it today -
The zurna sounds and the wines flow -
Gudal wooed his daughter,
He called the whole family to the feast.
On a roof covered with carpets,
The bride sits between her friends:
Their leisure time is among games and songs.
Passes. By distant mountains
The semicircle of the sun is already hidden;
Striking rhythmically in the palm of your hand,
They sing - and their tambourine
The young bride takes it.
And here she is, with one hand
Spinning it over your head
Then suddenly he will rush faster than a bird,
He will stop, - he looks -
And her moist gaze shines
From under an envious eyelash;
Then he will raise a black eyebrow,
Then suddenly he bends over a little,
And it slides and floats across the carpet
Her divine leg;
And she smiles
Full of children's fun.
But the ray of the moon, through the unsteady moisture
A little playful at times
Hardly comparable to that smile
Like life, like youth alive.
VII
I swear by the midnight star
A ray of sunset and east,
Ruler of Persia golden
And not a single king of the earth
Never kissed such an eye;
Harem splashing fountain
Never on hot days
With your pearly dew
Such a camp has not been washed!
Still no one's hand on earth,
Wandering over your sweet brow,
I didn’t unravel such hair;
Since the world lost paradise,
I swear she's so beautiful
It did not bloom under the southern sun.
VIII
The last time she danced.
Alas! I expected it in the morning
Her, the heiress of Gudal,
Freedom's playful child,
The sad fate of the slave,
The Fatherland, alien to this day,
And an unfamiliar family.
And often secret doubt
The bright features were darkened;
And all her movements were
So slender, full of expression,
So full of sweet simplicity,
What if the Demon, flying by,
At that time he looked at her,
Then, remembering the former brothers,
He would turn away and sigh...
IX
And the Demon saw... For a moment
Inexplicable excitement
He suddenly felt within himself.
The silent soul of his desert
Filled with a blessed sound -
And again he comprehended the shrine
Love, kindness and beauty!..
And for a long time a sweet picture
He admired - and dreams
About former happiness in a long chain,
It's like there's a star behind a star,
They rolled in front of him then.
Chained by an invisible force,
He became familiar with a new sadness;
A feeling suddenly spoke in him
Once native language.
Was this a sign of rebirth?
He is the word of insidious temptation
I couldn’t find it in my mind...
Forget? - God did not give oblivion:
Yes, he would not have accepted oblivion!..
………………
X
Having exhausted the good horse,
To the wedding feast at sunset
The impatient groom was in a hurry.
Aragva bright he happily
Reached the green shores.
Under the heavy burden of gifts
Barely, barely stepping over,
Behind him there is a long row of camels
The road stretches, flashing:
Their bells are ringing.
He himself, the ruler of the Synodal,
Leads a rich caravan.
The agile frame is tightened with a belt;
Frame of saber and dagger
Glistens in the sun; behind the back
A gun with a cut-out notch.
The wind plays with its sleeves
His crap - she’s all around
All covered with galloon.
Embroidered with colored silks
His saddle; bridle with tassels;
Below him is a dashing horse covered in soap.
Priceless suit, gold.
Frisky pet Karabakh
He spins his ears and, full of fear,
Snoring looks sideways from the steepness
On the foam of a galloping wave.
The coastal path is dangerous and narrow!
Cliffs on the left side,
To the right is the depths of the rebellious river.
It's too late. On top of the snowy
The blush fades; fog has risen...
The caravan quickened its pace.
XI
And here is the chapel on the road...
Here, since ancient times, he has been resting in God.
Some prince, now a saint,
Killed by a vengeful hand.
Since then, for a holiday or for a battle,
Wherever the traveler hurries,
Always earnest prayer
He brought it from the chapel;
And that prayer saved
From a Muslim dagger.
But the daring groom despised
The custom of their great-grandfathers.
His insidious dream
The crafty Demon was indignant:
He is in thoughts, under the darkness of the night,
He kissed the bride's lips.
Suddenly two people flashed ahead,
And more - a shot! - what's happened?..
Standing up in the ringing stirrups,
Pushing the eyebrows of the dads,
The brave prince did not say a word;
A Turkish trunk flashed in his hand,
The whip snaps - and like an eagle,
He rushed... and shot again!
And a wild cry and a muffled groan
We rushed through the depths of the valley -
The battle did not last long:
The timid Georgians fled!
XII
Everything became quiet; crowded together
Sometimes on the corpses of horsemen
The camels looked in horror;
And dull in the silence of the steppe
Their bells were ringing.
A magnificent caravan is plundered;
And over the bodies of Christians
The night bird is drawing circles!
No peaceful tomb awaits them
Under a layer of monastery slabs,
Where the ashes of their fathers were buried;
Sisters and mothers will not come,
Covered with long veils,
With longing, sobs and prayers,
To their graves from distant places!
But with a zealous hand
Here by the road, above the rock
A cross will be erected in memory;
And the ivy that grew in the spring,
She will wrap her arms around him, caressing him
With its emerald net;
And, turning off the difficult road,
More than once a tired pedestrian
He will rest under God's shadow...
XIII
The horse rushes faster than the deer,
Snores and strains as if to fight;
Then suddenly he’ll stop at a gallop,
Listen to the breeze
Nostrils flaring wide;
Then, hitting the ground at once
The thorns of ringing hooves,
Tossing his disheveled mane,
Flies forward without memory.
It has a silent rider!
He struggles on the saddle sometimes,
Laying his head down on his mane.
He no longer governs the occasions,
He put his feet in the stirrups,
And blood in wide streams
It is visible on the saddle cloth.
Dashing horse, you are the master
He took me out of the battle like an arrow,
But the evil Ossetian bullet
I caught up with him in the darkness!
XIV
There are tears and moans in the Gudal family,
People crowd in the yard:
Whose horse came rushing in on fire
And fell on the stones at the gate?
Who is this breathless horseman?
Kept a trace of swearing anxiety
Wrinkles of a dark brow.
There is blood in the weapon and dress;
In the last frantic squeeze
The hand on the mane froze.
Not long for the young groom,
Bride, your gaze expected:
He kept the prince's word,
He rode to the wedding feast...
Alas! But never again
He won’t mount a dashing horse!..
XV
For a carefree family,
Like thunder, God's punishment flew away!
She fell on her bed,
Poor Tamara is crying;
Tear after tear rolls down,
The chest is high and difficult to breathe;
And now she seems to hear
Magic voice above you:
“Don't cry, child! Don't cry in vain!
Your tear on a silent corpse
Living dew will not fall:
She only blurs her clear gaze,
Virgin cheeks burn!
He's far away, he won't know
He will not appreciate your melancholy;
The heavenly light now caresses
The disembodied gaze of his eyes;
He hears heavenly melodies...
What are life's petty dreams,
And the moan and tears of the poor maiden
For a guest of the heavenly side?
No, the lot of mortal creation,
Believe me, my earthly angel,
Not worth one moment
Your sadness dear!
"On the ocean of air,
Without a rudder and without sails,
Silently floating in the fog
Choirs of slender luminaries;
Among the vast fields
They walk in the sky without a trace
Elusive clouds
Fibrous herds.
The hour of separation, the hour of meeting -
They are neither joy nor sorrow;
They have no desire for the future
And I don’t regret the past.
On a day of languid misfortune
Just remember them;
Be to the earthly without participation
And carefree, like them!
"Only the night as its cover
The heights of the Caucasus will dawn,
Only peace, in a magic word
Spellbound, he will fall silent;
Only the wind over the rock
He stirs the withered grass,
And the bird hidden in it,
It will flutter more cheerfully in the darkness;
And under the grapevine,
Swallowing the dew of heaven greedily,
The flower will bloom at night;
Only the golden month
Will rise quietly from behind the mountain
And he will look at you furtively, -
I will fly to you;
I will be visiting until the morning
And on silk eyelashes
To bring back golden dreams..."
XVI
The words fell silent in the distance,
Following the sound, the sound died.
She jumps up and looks around...
Unspeakable Confusion
In her chest; sadness, fear,
The ardor of delight is nothing in comparison.
All her feelings were suddenly boiling;
The soul broke its shackles,
Fire ran through my veins,
And this voice is wonderfully new,
It seemed to her that it still sounded.
And before the morning the desired dream
He closed his tired eyes;
But he outraged her thought
A prophetic and strange dream.
The alien is foggy and dumb,
Shining with unearthly beauty,
He leaned towards her head;
And his gaze with such love,
I looked at her so sadly
It was as if he regretted her.
It was not a celestial angel,
Her divine guardian:
Crown of rainbow rays
Didn't decorate it with curls.
It was not the terrible spirit of hell,
Vicious martyr - oh no!
It looked like a clear evening:
Neither day nor night, neither darkness nor light!..
Part II
I
“Father, father, leave the threats,
Don’t scold your Tamara;
I'm crying: do you see these tears,
They are not the first.
In vain the suitors crowd
They rush here from distant places...
There are many brides in Georgia;
And I can’t be anyone’s wife!..
Oh, don't scold me, father.
You yourself noticed: day by day
I'm withering, a victim of evil poison!
I'm tormented by an evil spirit
An irresistible dream;
I'm dying, have pity on me!
Give it to the sacred monastery
Your reckless daughter;
The Savior will protect me there,
I will shed my sorrow before him.
There is no fun in the world for me...
Shrines of the world of autumn,
Let the gloomy cell accept
Like a coffin, ahead of me..."
II
And to a secluded monastery
Her family took her
And a humble hair shirt
They clothed the young breast.
But also in monastic clothes,
Like under patterned brocade,
Everything is a lawless dream
Her heart beat as before.
Before the altar, with the glow of candles,
During the hours of solemn singing,
A friend, in the midst of prayer,
She often heard speech.
Under the arch of the dark temple
A familiar image sometimes
Slipped without a sound and a trace
In a light mist of incense;
He shone quietly, like a star;
He beckoned and called... but - where?..
III
In the cool between two hills
A holy monastery was hidden.
Chinar and poplar trees in rows
He was surrounded - and at times,
When night fell in the gorges,
Flashed through them, in the windows of the cell,
Lamp of a young sinner.
All around, in the shade of almond trees,
Where there is a row of sad crosses,
Silent guardians of the tombs,
Choirs of light birds sang.
They jumped on the stones and made noise
Keys like a icy wave
And under the overhanging rock,
Merging friendly into the gorge,
Rolled on, between the bushes,
Frost-covered flowers.
IV
Mountains were visible to the north.
With the brilliance of the morning Aurora,
When the blue smoke
Smoking in the depths of the valley,
And, turning to the east,
The muezins are calling to prayer,
And the sonorous voice of the bell
It trembles, awakening the monastery;
In a solemn and peaceful hour,
When a Georgian woman is young
With a long jug for water
It's a steep descent from the mountain,
Tops of the snow chain
Light purple wall
Painted in the clear sky,
And at sunset they got dressed
They are a ruddy veil;
And between them, cutting through the clouds,
He stood taller than everyone else,
Kazbek, the mighty king of the Caucasus,
In a turban and brocade robe.
V
But, full of criminal thoughts,
Tamara's heart is inaccessible
Pure delight. In front of her
The whole world is dressed in a gloomy shadow;
And everything in it is an excuse for torment -
And the morning light and the darkness of the nights.
There were only sleepy nights
Coolness will cover the earth,
Before the divine icon
She'll fall into madness
And cries; and in the silence of the night
Her heavy sobbing
The traveler's attention disturbs him;
And he thinks: “That is the mountain spirit,
Chained in a cave, moaning!”
And, straining my sensitive ears,
He drives the exhausted horse...
VI
Full of longing and trepidation,
Tamara is often at the window
Sits alone in thought
And looks into the distance with a diligent eye,
And all day long, sighing, he waits...
Someone whispers to her: he will come!
No wonder her dreams caressed her,
No wonder he appeared to her,
With eyes full of sadness,
And the wonderful tenderness of speech.
She's been languishing for many days now,
Without knowing why;
Will he want to pray to the saints?
And the heart prays to him;
Tired of the constant struggle,
Will he bow down on his bed of sleep:
The pillow is burning, it’s stuffy, scary,
And she jumped up and trembled all over;
Her chest and shoulders are burning,
There is no strength to breathe, there is fog in the eyes,
Embraces eagerly seek a meeting,
Kisses melt on the lips...
………………
………………
VII
The evening haze covers the air
Already dressed the hills of Georgia.
Obedient to sweet habit,
The Demon flew to the monastery.
But for a long, long time he did not dare
Shrine of Peaceful Refuge
Violate. And there was a minute
When he seemed ready
Leave the intent to be cruel.
Thoughtful, near a high wall
He wanders: from his steps
Without wind, a leaf in the shadow flutters.
He looked up: her window,
Illuminated by a lamp, glittering;
She's been waiting for someone for a long time!
And in the midst of general silence
Chingura slender rattling
And the sounds of song were heard;
And those sounds flowed, flowed,
Like tears, measured one after another;
And this song was tender,
As if it were for the earth
It was laid out in heaven!
Isn't it an angel with a forgotten friend?
I wanted to see you again
Flew here stealthily
And sang to him about the past,
To ease his torment?..
The longing of love, its excitement
Befell the Demon for the first time;
He wants to leave in fear...
His wing doesn't move!
And, miracle! From darkened eyes
A heavy tear rolls down...
To this day, near that cell
The stone is visible through the burnt
A hot tear like a flame,
An inhuman tear!..
VIII
And he comes in, ready to love,
With a soul open to goodness,
And he thinks that there is a new life
The desired time has come.
A vague thrill of anticipation,
The fear of the unknown is silent,
It's like on a first date
We confessed with a proud soul.
It was an evil omen!
He enters, looks - in front of him
Messenger of Paradise, Cherub,
Guardian of the beautiful sinner,
Standing with a shining brow
And from the enemy with a clear smile
He shaded her with his wing;
And a ray of divine light
Suddenly blinded by an unclean gaze,
And instead of sweet hello
A painful reproach rang out:
IX
"A restless spirit, a vicious spirit,
Who called you in the midnight darkness?
Your fans are not here
Evil has not breathed here to this day;
To my love, to my shrine
Don't leave a criminal trail.
Who called you? In response to him
The evil spirit smiled insidiously;
His gaze lit up with jealousy;
And again he woke up in his soul
Ancient hatred is poison.
"She is mine! - he said menacingly, -
Leave her, she's mine!
You came, defender, late,
And to her, like to me, you are not a judge.
With a heart full of pride,
I have set my seal;
Your shrine is no longer here,
This is where I own and love!”
And the Angel with sad eyes
Looked at the poor victim
And slowly, flapping his wings,
Drowned in the ether of the sky.
………………
X
Tamara
ABOUT! Who are you? Your speech is dangerous!
Did heaven or hell send you to me?
What do you want?..
Daemon
You are beautiful!
Tamara
But tell me, who are you? Answer...
Daemon
I'm the one you listened to
You're in the midnight silence
Whose thought whispered to your soul,
Whose sadness you vaguely guessed,
Whose image I saw in a dream.
I am the one whose gaze destroys hope;
I am the one no one loves;
I am the scourge of my earthly slaves,
I am the king of knowledge and freedom,
I am the enemy of heaven, I am the evil of nature,
And, you see, I am at your feet!
I brought you joy
Silent prayer of love,
Earthly first torment
And my first tears.
ABOUT! Listen - out of pity!
Me to goodness and heaven
You could return it with a word.
Your love is a holy cover
Dressed, I would appear there,
Like a new angel in new splendor;
ABOUT! Just listen, I pray, -
I am your slave - I love you!
As soon as I saw you -
And secretly I suddenly hated
Immortality and power are mine.
I was jealous involuntarily
Incomplete earthly joy;
It hurt me not to live like you,
And it’s scary to live differently with you.
An unexpected ray in a bloodless heart
Again warmed up alive,
And sadness at the bottom of the ancient wound
She moved like a snake.
What is this eternity to me without you?
Are my possessions infinite?
Empty sonorous words
A vast temple - without a deity!
Tamara
Leave me, O evil spirit!
Shut up, I don’t trust the enemy...
Creator... Alas! I can't
Pray... a deadly poison
My weakening mind is overwhelmed!
Listen, you will destroy me;
Your words are fire and poison...
Tell me why you love me!
Daemon
Why, beauty? Alas,
I don’t know!.. Full of new life,
From my criminal head
I proudly took off the crown of thorns,
I threw everything that was before into dust:
My heaven, my hell in your eyes.
I love you with an unearthly passion,
How you can't love:
With all ecstasy, with all power
Immortal thoughts and dreams.
In my soul, since the beginning of the world,
Your image was imprinted
He rushed in front of me
In the deserts of the eternal ether.
My thoughts have been troubling me for a long time,
The name sounded sweet to me;
In days of bliss I am in heaven
You were the only one missing.
ABOUT! If only you could understand
What a bitter languor
All life, centuries without separation
And enjoy and suffer,
Don't expect praise for evil
No reward for good;
Live for yourself, be bored with yourself,
And this eternal struggle
No celebration, no reconciliation!
Always regret and not desire,
Know everything, feel everything, see everything,
Try to hate everything
And despise everything in the world!..
Only God's curse
Fulfilled, from the same day
Nature's warm embrace
Forever cooled down for me;
The space before me turned blue;
I saw the wedding decoration
Luminaries I have known for a long time...
They flowed in crowns of gold;
But what? Former brother
Not a single one recognized it.
Exiles, their own kind,
I began to call in desperation,
But the words and faces and glances of evil,
Alas! I didn't recognize it myself.
And in fear I, flapping my wings,
He rushed - but where? For what?
I don’t know... former friends
I was rejected; like Eden,
The world has become deaf and dumb for me.
At the free whim of the current
So damaged rook
Without sails and without a rudder
Floats without knowing its destination;
So early in the morning
A fragment of a thunder cloud,
In the azure heights turning black,
Alone, not daring to stick anywhere,
Flying without purpose or trace,
God knows from where and where!
And I didn’t rule people for long,
I didn’t teach them sin for long,
Everything noble has been dishonored
And he blasphemed everything beautiful;
Not for long... the flame of pure faith
I easily filled them forever...
Was my work worth it?
Only fools and hypocrites?
And I hid in the gorges of the mountains;
And began to wander like a meteor,
In the darkness of deep midnight...
And the lonely traveler rushed,
Deceived by a nearby light;
And falling into the abyss with a horse,
He called in vain - and there was a bloody trail
Behind him he wound up the steep slope...
But evil is dark fun
I didn't like it for long!
In the fight against a mighty hurricane,
How often, raising the ashes,
Dressed in lightning and fog,
I rushed noisily in the clouds,
So that in the crowd of rebellious elements
Silence the murmur of the heart,
Escape from the inevitable thought
And forget the unforgettable!
What a story of painful hardships,
The labors and troubles of the crowd of people
Future, past generations
Before one minute
My unacknowledged torment?
What people? What is their life and work?
They have passed, they will pass...
There is hope - a just trial awaits:
He can forgive, even if he condemns!
My sadness is always here,
And there will be no end for her, like for me;
And she won’t take a nap in her grave!
She caresses like a snake,
It burns and splashes like a flame,
That crushes my thought like a stone -
Hopes of the dead and passions
Indestructible mausoleum!..
[Tamara
Why should I know your sorrows?
Why are you complaining to me?
You have sinned...
Daemon
Is it against you?
Tamara
They can hear us!..
Daemon
We are alone.
Tamara
And God!
Daemon
He won't glance at us:
He is busy with the sky, not the earth!
Tamara
And the punishment, the torments of hell?
Daemon
So what? You will be there with me!
Tamara
Whoever you are, my random friend, -
Destroying peace forever,
Involuntarily I am with the joy of mystery,
Sufferer, I listen to you.
But if your speech is deceitful,
But if you, the deception...
ABOUT! Have mercy! What glory?
What do you need my soul for?
Am I really dearer to the sky?
Everyone you didn't notice?
They, alas! Beautiful too;
Like here, their virgin bed
Not crushed by a mortal hand...
No! Give me a fatal oath...
Tell me, you see: I’m sad;
You see women's dreams!
You involuntarily caress the fear in your soul...
But you understood everything, you know everything -
And, of course, you will take pity!
Swear to me... from evil acquisitions
Make a vow to renounce now.
Are there really no vows or promises?
There are no more indestructibles?..
Daemon
I swear by the first day of creation,
I swear on his last day,
I swear by the shame of crime
And eternal truth triumph.
I swear by the bitter torment of the fall,
Victory with a short dream;
I swear on a date with you
And again threatening separation.
I swear by the host of spirits,
By the fate of the brothers subject to me,
With the swords of impassive angels,
My never-sleeping enemies;
I swear by heaven and hell,
Earthly shrine and you,
I swear by your last glance
With your first tear,
Breath of your kind lips,
A wave of silken curls,
I swear by bliss and pain,
I swear by my love:
I have renounced my old revenge
I renounced proud thoughts;
From now on, the poison of insidious flattery
No one's mind will be alarmed;
I want to make peace with the sky,
I want to love, I want to pray,
I want to believe in goodness.
I will wipe away with a tear of repentance
I'm on a forehead worthy of you,
Traces of heavenly fire -
And the world is in calm ignorance
Let it flourish without me!
ABOUT! Believe me: I am alone today
I comprehended and appreciated you:
Having chosen you as my shrine,
I laid down my power at your feet.
I wait for your love like a gift,
And I will give you eternity in a moment;
In love, as in anger, believe, Tamara,
I am unchanging and great.
I am you, free son of the ether,
I’ll take you to the superstellar regions;
And you will be the queen of the world,
My first friend;
Without regret, without participation
You will look at the ground,
Where there is no true happiness,
No lasting beauty
Where there are only crimes and executions,
Where petty passions only live;
Where they can’t do it without fear
Neither hate nor love.
Or don't you know what it is
People's momentary love?
The excitement of the blood is young, -
But the days fly by and the blood runs cold!
Who can resist separation?
The temptation of new beauty
Against fatigue and boredom
And the waywardness of dreams?
No! Not for you, my friend,
Find out, destined
Wither silently in a close circle
The jealous rudeness of a slave,
Among the cowardly and cold,
Feigned friends and enemies,
Fears and fruitless hopes,
Empty and painful labors!
Sad behind the high wall
You will not fade away without passions,
Among prayers, equally far
From God and from people.
Oh no, beautiful creature,
You are condemned to something else;
A different kind of suffering awaits you,
Other delights are deep;
Leave your old desires
And the pitiful light of his fate:
The abyss of proud knowledge
In return, I will open it for you.
A crowd of my servant spirits
I will bring you to your feet;
Servants of the light and magical
I will give it to you, beauty;
And for you from the eastern star
I will tear off the golden crown;
I will take from the flowers of the midnight dew;
I will put him to sleep with that dew;
A ray of ruddy sunset
Your figure is like a ribbon, like a shoe,
Breathing pure aroma
I will drink the surrounding air;
Every hour with a wonderful game
I will cherish your hearing;
I will build magnificent palaces
From turquoise and amber;
I will sink to the bottom of the sea,
I'll fly beyond the clouds
I will give you everything, everything earthly -
Love me!..
XI
And he slightly
Touched with hot lips
Her trembling lips;
Tempted by full speeches
He answered her prayers.
A mighty gaze looked into her eyes!
He burned her. In the darkness of the night
He sparkled right above her,
Irresistible like a dagger
Alas! The evil spirit triumphed!
The deadly poison of his kiss
Instantly it penetrated into her chest.
A painful, terrible cry
The night was outraged by the silence.
It had everything: love, suffering,
Reproach with a final plea
And a hopeless farewell -
Farewell to young life.
XII
At that time the midnight watchman
One around the wall is steep
Quietly completing the lesson path,
Wandered around with a cast iron board,
And near the cell of the young maiden
He tamed his measured step
And a hand over a cast iron board,
Confused at heart, he stopped.
And through the surrounding silence,
It seemed to him that he heard
Two lips agreeing kiss,
A minute of screaming and a faint moan.
And unholy doubt
Penetrated into the old man's heart...
But another moment passed,
And everything became quiet; from afar
Just a breath of wind
The murmur of leaves brought
Yes, it’s sad with the dark shore
The mountain river whispered.
Canon of the saint
He hurries in fear to read,
So that the obsession of the evil spirit
Drive away from sinful thoughts;
Crosses with trembling fingers
Dream-stirred chest
And silently, with quick steps
The normal one continues on his way.
………………
XIII
Like a sleeping sweetheart,
She was lying in her coffin,
Whiter and cleaner bedspreads
There was a languid color to her brow.
Eyelashes forever drooping...
But who would, oh heaven! Didn't say
That the gaze under them only dozed
And, wonderful, I was just waiting
Or a kiss or a morning glory?
But the ray of daylight is useless
Slided over them like a stream of gold,
In vain they are in silent sorrow
Relatives kissed their lips...
No! Death's eternal seal
Nothing can stop it!
XIV
I've never been to the fun days
So colorful and rich
Tamara's festive outfit.
Flowers of the birthplace
(This is how the ancient ritual demands)
They pour their scent over her
And, squeezed with a dead hand,
It’s like saying goodbye to the earth!
And nothing in her face
There was no hint of the end
In the heat of passion and rapture;
And all her features were
Filled with that beauty
Like marble, alien to expression,
Devoid of feeling and mind,
Mysterious as death itself.
The strange smile froze
Flashing across her lips.
She talked about a lot of sad things
She to attentive eyes:
There was cold contempt in her
A soul ready to bloom,
The last thought expression,
Soundless farewell to the earth.
A vain glimpse of a former life,
She was even deader
Even more hopeless for the heart
Forever faded eyes.
So at the hour of solemn sunset,
When, having melted into a sea of gold,
The chariot of the day has already disappeared,
Snow of the Caucasus, for a moment
Preserving the ruddy tint,
Shining in the dark distance.
But this ray is half-dead
In the desert there will be no reflection;
And it won’t light anyone’s path
From its icy summit!..
XV
A crowd of neighbors and relatives
We are about to set off on a sad journey.
Tormenting gray curls,
Silently hitting the chest,
Gudal sits down for the last time
On a white-maned horse,
And the train started moving. Three days,
Their journey will last three nights:
Between old grandfather's bones
A shelter for the deceased was dug for her.
One of Gudal's forefathers,
Robber of wanderers and villages,
When illness struck him down
And the hour of repentance has come,
Past sins in redemption
He promised to build a church
On the heights of granite rocks,
Wherever the blizzards can be heard singing,
Wherever the kite flew.
And soon between the snows of Kazbek
A lonely temple has risen,
And the bones of an evil man
We calmed down there again;
And turned into a cemetery
Rock native to the clouds:
Feels closer to heaven
A warmer posthumous home?..
It's like being further away from people
The last dream will not be indignant...
In vain! The dead don't dream
Neither the sadness nor the joy of past days.
XVI
In the space of blue ether
One of the holy angels
Flew on golden wings,
And a sinful soul from the world
He carried him in his arms.
And with the sweet speech of hope
Dispelled her doubts
And a trace of misdeed and suffering
He washed it off with his tears.
From afar there are sounds of paradise
They heard it - when suddenly,
Crossing the free path,
A hellish spirit rose from the abyss.
He was powerful, like a noisy whirlwind,
Shined like a stream of lightning,
And proudly in insane audacity
He says: “She’s mine!”
She pressed herself to her protective breast,
I drowned out the horror with prayer,
Tamara is a sinful soul.
The fate of the future was being decided,
He stood before her again,
But, oh my! - who would recognize him?
How he looked with an evil gaze,
How full it was of deadly poison
Enmity that knows no end -
And the chill of the grave blew
From a still face.
“Get lost, gloomy spirit of doubt! –
The Messenger of Heaven answered:
You have triumphed enough;
But the hour of judgment has now come -
And God's decision is good!
The days of testing are over;
With clothes of mortal earth
The shackles of evil fell from her.
Find out! We've been waiting for her for a long time!
Her soul was one of those
Whose life is one moment
Unbearable torment
Unattainable pleasures:
Creator from the best air
I wove their living strings,
They are not made for the world
And the world was not created for them!
I redeemed it at a cruel price
She has her doubts...
She suffered and loved -
And heaven opened for love!”
And the Angel with stern eyes
Looked at the tempter
And, happily flapping his wings,
Drowned in the radiance of the sky.
And the defeated Demon cursed
Your crazy dreams,
And again he remained, arrogant,
Alone, as before, in the universe
Without hope and love!..
* * *
On the slope of a stone mountain
Above the Koishauri Valley
Still standing to this day
The battlements of an ancient ruin.
Scary stories for children
Legends are still full of them...
Like a ghost, a silent monument,
Witness of those magical days
It turns black between the trees.
The aul crumbled below,
The earth blooms and turns green;
And a discordant hum of voices
Lost and caravans
They come ringing from afar,
And, falling through the mists,
The river sparkles and foams.
And life forever young,
Coolness, sun and spring
Nature amuses itself jokingly,
Like a carefree child.
But sad is the castle that has served
Once in your turn.
Like a poor old man who survived
Friends and sweet family.
And just waiting for the moon to rise
Its invisible residents:
Then they have holiday and freedom!
They buzz and run in all directions.
Gray spider, new hermit,
Spins its warp webs;
Green lizard family
Plays merrily on the roof;
And a cautious snake
Crawls out of a dark crevice
On the slab of the old porch,
Then suddenly it will be wrapped in three rings,
It will fall in a long strip
And it shines like a damask sword,
Forgotten in the field of ancient battles,
Unnecessary to a fallen hero!..
Everything is wild; there are no traces anywhere
Years gone by: the hand of centuries
Diligently, it took a long time to sweep them away,
And it won’t remind you of anything
About the glorious name of Gudala,
About his dear daughter!
But the church is on a steep hill,
Where their bones are taken by the earth,
Guarded by holy power,
It is still visible between the clouds.
And they stand at her gate
Black granites are on guard,
Covered with snow cloaks;
And on their chests instead of armor
The eternal ice is burning.
Collapses of sleepy communities
From the ledges, like waterfalls,
Suddenly caught by frost,
They hang around frowning.
And there the blizzard goes on patrol,
Blowing dust from the gray walls,
Then he starts a long song,
Then he calls out to the sentries;
Hearing news in the distance
About a wonderful temple in that country,
One cloud from the east
They rush in a crowd to worship;
But over a family of gravestones
No one has been sad for a long time.
Rock of gloomy Kazbek
He greedily guards his prey,
And the eternal murmur of man
They will not be disturbed by eternal peace.
Pillar-shaped areas are pyramidal poplars.
Cover. (Lermontov's note).
Like bagpipes. (Lermontov's note).
Outerwear with fold-down sleeves. (Lermontov's note).
Georgians have stirrups, like shoes made of ringing metal (Lermontov's note).
A hat, like a Yerevan hat. (Lermontov's note).
Muezins (muezzins, muezzins) are Muslim religious ministers who call to prayer from the minaret.
Here Lermontov reflected the folk Georgian and Ossetian legends about the mountain spirit Amirani, who, like Prometheus, brought fire from the sky.
Chingar, a type of guitar. (Lermontov's note).
During Lermontov's lifetime, the poem was not published, but became quite widespread thanks to many copies. They went back to various editions of the poem and were sometimes artificially combined by copyists. No autograph or authorized copies of the latest edition of The Demon survive.
That's why for a long time questions of the text and dating of the poem caused difficulties: its completion most often dates back to 1841.
It has now been documented that Lermontov completed work on “The Demon” at the beginning of 1839 (no later than February 8) and that the copy that has come down to us, made by the poet’s relative A.I. Filosofov, quite accurately reproduces the autograph of this edition (see about this : E. E. Naiditsch. Latest edition of “The Demon” - Russian lit., 1971, No. 1, pp. 72–78).
It was also found out that on March 10, 1839, the manuscript of “The Demon” received censorship permission, but for some reason the poem was not published (Vatsuro V.E. On the censorship history of “The Demon” - In the book: Lermontov. Research and materials. L., 1979, pp. 410–414).
For the first time, excerpts from “The Demon” were published in “Notes of the Fatherland” (1842, No. 6, section I, pp. 187–201) according to a list personally prepared by V. G. Belinsky and representing a combination of texts from two editions (September 8, 1838 and the last one). However, this time even the publication of excerpts was subject to great censorship difficulties.
That same year, The Demon was published in Berlin, and again in Karlsruhe in 1857. However, both of these publications were significantly inferior to the first philosophical publication in textual terms.
In Russia, “The Demon” (in its latest edition) was fully published in 1860 (collected works of Lermontov, edited by Dudyshkin, vol. 1, pp. 7–50; with some inaccuracies).
Lermontov began writing the poem at the age of fourteen and returned to it throughout his life. Despite numerous alterations, the first line - "Sad Demon, spirit of exile", which appeared in 1829, was preserved in the final version.
The first draft of 1829 contained only 92 verses and a brief prose summary of the contents (see p. 437), conveying the plot of all earlier editions. The second edition dates back to the beginning of 1830, containing the already completed essay of “The Demon.” In the subsequent III (1831) and V editions (1832–1833)
Lermontov gradually develops the image of the Demon and the nun, somewhat expands the descriptive elements, and improves the verse. In fact, all three of these completed youth editions are variants of one. However, between transitions from editorial office to editorial office, Lermontov had other ideas related to the same hero. Thus, shortly before the creation of the third edition, he wrote: “Memor: write a long satirical poem: the adventures of a demon” (1831).
In the same year, Lermontov drafted seven stanzas of the so-called IV edition, written in a different meter.
A recording of a plot that was not realized by Lermontov dates back to 1832: “Demon. Plot. During the captivity of the Jews in Babylon (from the Bible). Jewish; father is blind; This is the first time he sees her sleeping. Then she sings to her father about the old days and about the closeness of an angel; and so on. like before. Jews return to their homeland - its grave remains in a foreign land” (see this edition, vol. 4).
Work on the early editions was largely completed in early 1833.
In 1834, some reductions were made in the text of the fifth edition (1833–1834), reflected in an authorized copy made by the hand of Lermontov’s friend A.P. Shan-Girey. In addition, one of the lists (by R.V. Zotov) contains an interesting addition, beginning with the words “Fragments of old generations” (see p. 486).
In early editions, Lermontov failed to achieve artistic integrity and persuasiveness. The poem was of an abstract philosophical nature, the action unfolded in a conventional setting, the images of the heroes, especially the nuns, were not individualized, the central image was consciously correlated with the lyrical hero (“Like my demon, I am the chosen one of evil”).
The editions created by the poet after returning from the Caucasus become a fundamentally new stage in the work on the poem.
Mature editions of “The Demon” are distinguished by greater ideological depth, symbolic versatility, concreteness of the image, psychological development of the images of the main characters, and unattainable heights in the depiction of pictures of nature. From edition to edition, the objective manner of narration intensifies, turning “The Demon” into “ eastern story", full of folklore motifs and depictions of Georgian feudal life.
There is also a significant change in the plot. In the period between the early and late editions, Lermontov created Masquerade, where the demonic hero also tried to escape from the world of evil through love.
Nina’s murder was both a manifestation of Arbenin’s evil will and the result of a combination of circumstances reflecting an unjust world order. It is in this sense that Arbenin’s words “I am not her killer” should be understood.
Tamara's death in later editions of the poem occurs not through the fault of the protagonist, but as a result of the law of the universe established by God: contact with the Demon brings death.
For the first time, the action of the poem is associated with the people and nature of the Caucasus in the so-called Yerevan edition, written by Lermontov shortly after returning from Georgia in the first half of 1838. This is the original version of the VI, “Lopukhin” edition, the only one of the later editions of “The Demon”, preserved in the authorized copies with the date September 8, 1838. This manuscript was donated by V. A. Lopukhina and accompanied by a dedication (“I have finished - and there is an involuntary doubt in my chest!”).
The famous poems “On the Ocean of Air” appeared here (in the “Yerevan” list this monologue was written in a different meter: “Look at the wide vault of heaven”). In other respects, the texts of the mentioned editions are very similar.
The VI edition has gained fame in many lists.
When planning to publish the poem, Lermontov continued to improve the text and at the same time took into account the difficulty of passing this kind of work through censorship. He kept the image of the Demon unchanged, but composed a new ending to the poem, in which the angel saves Tamara’s soul.
Her very image, the description of Tamara in the coffin has undergone changes. However, the double defeat of the Demon only strengthened the pathos of denial and the theme of despair, without changing the overall philosophical intent of the poem. This is how the VII edition of the poem, dated December 4, 1838, arose.
At the beginning of 1839, the poem attracted the attention of the highest circles of society close to the imperial court. The empress became interested in her. A corrected and calligraphically rewritten text was presented to the court, to which the poet made new amendments and excluded the dialogue about God (“Why should I know your sorrows?”).
On February 8–9, this text was read to the empress and returned to the author. The eighth edition of the poem, after which the text was no longer altered, formed the basis for the Karlsruhe edition of 1856.
Reworking of the poem in 1838–1839. presents a complex creative process; it cannot be reduced to the adaptation of the poem to censorship conditions. By eliminating some lines that are unacceptable from the point of view of censorship,
At the same time, Lermontov changed the plot, individual parts of the text, enriched the characteristics and descriptions, and polished the work as a whole. When the poem was rewritten, new monologues of the Demon arose, which became outstanding achievements of Russian poetry. Therefore, it is impossible to return to the VI edition of “The Demon”, rejecting the later ones, as some researchers have suggested.
At the same time, the VI edition is of significant interest for understanding the ideological concept of the poem. It is printed in full as an appendix to the main text. Excerpts from the first Caucasian edition of “The Demon” are also published there, known from the Yerevan list of Kh. I. Kuchuk-Ovanesyan and from the list of Olympiada Lermontova (photocopies in IRLI and GPB).
In these lists, the text of the poem is preceded by the dedication “To you, Caucasus, stern king of the earth...”, published for the first time as a separate poem (in the collection “Molodik”, 1844) and placed in the academic collected works of Lermontov (vol. 2. M.-L ., 1954, p. 233) under No. 1 next to the poem “To you,
The Caucasus, the harsh king of the earth,” designated No. 2 (ibid., p. 234). It has now been clarified that poem No. 2 was written without any connection with the “Demon”. The autograph of this poem, located in a private collection, is located on a double sheet with a drawing and a signature under it in Lermontov’s hand, “May 21 after a walk to Volobuev’s mill.”
Another similar drawing by Lermontov was recently found, also made near Stavropol with the poet’s signature “1837 May 13. Volobueva mill" (See Science and Life, 1972, No. 1, pp. 18–20).
Consequently, the poem “To you, Caucasus, stern king of the earth,” designated in the academic edition No. 2, was created in May 1837, when the Caucasian edition of “Demon” did not yet exist.
This date allows us to clarify the question of the relationship between the two texts and make adjustments to the existing comments (see pp. 538, 621, volume 1 of this edition).
Textually, thematically and in terms of poetic features, the poem “To you, Caucasus, harsh king of the earth” is connected with the dedication to “Aul Bastundzhi” and in the 1837 edition it was apparently thought of as an independent poem dedicated to the poet’s upcoming meeting with the Caucasus mountains.
The 1837 edition is a rough version that has not undergone final finishing. In 1838, it was completely revised, and on its basis the latest edition of “To You, Caucasus, Severe King of the Earth” (No. 1) appeared; it was already created in the north (cf. the lines: “In the north - in the country, a stranger to you, I am yours everywhere - always and everywhere yours”) and was sent to the “Demon” in the form of dedication.
In this edition, it is this edition that is printed in volume 1 (p. 510) as the final one; for the previous edition of 1837, see this volume on p. 486–487.
Lermontov's poem is based on the biblical myth of a fallen angel who rebelled against God. Many European poets turned to this image, personifying the “spirit of denial” (Satan in “ Paradise Lost"Milton, Lucifer in Byron's "Cain", Mephistopheles in Goethe's "Faust", the Fallen Spirit in the poem "Eloa" by Vigny, etc.), as well as Pushkin in the poems "Demon" and "Angel".
However, Lermontov is quite original in developing the plot and interpreting the main image; he does not follow directly after any of his predecessors. The uniqueness of Lermontov’s “Demon” is that it is unusually sublime and internally tragic.
Ultimately, through the symbolic and philosophical form in the poem, the features of Lermontov’s contemporary with his ideological and moral quests emerge.
If in Goethe's Faust the dialectic of life was revealed in the correlation of the images of Faust and Mephistopheles, then Lermontov seemed to combine these images, thereby focusing attention on internal contradictions and the fate of the individual.
V. G. Belinsky turned to the image of the Demon to determine general character Lermontov’s poetry: “The demon did not frighten Lermontov; he was his singer” (V. G. Belinsky. Complete collected works, vol. 7. M., 1955, p. 37). The theme of the Demon was associated by Belinsky with the pathos of struggle and negation, with which Lermontov’s thought is saturated: “a gigantic swing, a demonic flight - proud enmity with the sky” - with these words the critic defined the main feature of Lermontov’s poetry (ibid., vol. 12. M., 1956, p. 84). He agreed with his correspondent V.P. Botkin, who saw in “The Demon” “a negation of the spirit and worldview developed by the Middle Ages, or, in other words, the ongoing social order” (letter
V. P. Botkin to V. G. Belinsky dated March 31, 1842 - in the book: Belinsky. Letters. Ed. and note. E. A. Lyatsky, vol. II. St. Petersburg, 1914, p. 419).
Later, in a letter to V.P. Botkin dated March 17, 1842, Belinsky, calling the poem “childish, immature” and at the same time “colossal creation,” wrote excitedly: ““Demon” has become a fact of my life, I repeat to others, I tell myself, in it for me there are worlds of truths, feelings, beauties” (V. G. Belinsky. Complete collection of works, vol. 12. M., 1956, pp. 85 and 86).