(Part 1/2)
Today I'd love to share with you the first few lines of a very famous Mediaeval Russian piece of literature, known as the Domostroj (Домострой), literally meaning "Household Order".
Heavily inspired and containing many passages from the Bible, mediaeval Christian and Slavic sources, it contains household rules, instructions and advice on various topics covering pretty much every aspect of daily Russian life, with a primary focus on obedience and total submission to God, the Tsar and the (Russian) Church. Basically a very early "how-to-life-your-life-and-be-happy™" self-help book)
Even though historians and linguists aren't 100% sure, it most likely traces its origins to 15th century Novgorod, and was eventually acquired and re-edited in the mid-16th century by the priest Sylvester, a close advisor of Tsar Ivan the "Terrible". An early 17th century copy of this text can be seen above.
Today I'd love to share with you the first few lines of a very famous Mediaeval Russian piece of literature, known as the Domostroj (Домострой), literally meaning "Household Order".
Heavily inspired and containing many passages from the Bible, mediaeval Christian and Slavic sources, it contains household rules, instructions and advice on various topics covering pretty much every aspect of daily Russian life, with a primary focus on obedience and total submission to God, the Tsar and the (Russian) Church. Basically a very early "how-to-life-your-life-and-be-happy™" self-help book)
Even though historians and linguists aren't 100% sure, it most likely traces its origins to 15th century Novgorod, and was eventually acquired and re-edited in the mid-16th century by the priest Sylvester, a close advisor of Tsar Ivan the "Terrible". An early 17th century copy of this text can be seen above.