Chapter Summaries: Dole; The scene from the hill. The lay of the land. Prince Andrei's comprehension of the position. Discussion of death. The cannon-shot. Captain Tushin again.
Briggs: Andrey surveys the position. The first shot.
Maude: Prince Andrew surveys the position. The first shot
Translation:
XVI.
Having travelled the entire line of troops from the right to the left flank, Prince Andrey rose to that battery from which, by the words of the staff-officer, all of the field could be seen. Here he tore from his horse and stopped at the extreme of four taken front cannons. Ahead of the cannons went the hourly artillerist, stretched out before an officer, but by making a sign to him, renewed his uniform, dull walking. Behind the cannons standing in the front, were still back hitching posts and the fires of the artillerists. Left, near the extreme guns, was a new wicker hut, out of which was heard a lively officer’s voice.
Really, from the battery opened a view of almost all the location of the Russians troops and greater parts of the enemy. All against the battery, on the horizon of the opposite mound, was visible the village of Schongraben; to the left and to the right could be discerned in three places, among the smoke of their bonfires, the masses of French troops, which, obviously, the big part was found in most of the village and behind the mountain. To the left of the village, in the smoke, it seemed something similar to the battery, but the simple eye could not consider it very well. Our right flank settled down in the quite cool elevation, which dominated above the position of the French. By it was located our infantry, and on the very edge of visibility were dragoons. In the center, where is found that battery of Tushin, from which Prince Andrey considered the position, was the most sloping and straight descent and lifting to the stream, separating us from Schongraben. Our left infantry troops were adjoined to the wood, where smoked our fires, chopping firewood. The line of the French was wider than ours, and it was clear that the French easily could walk around us with both parties. Behind our positions was a steep and deep ravine, which was difficult to get behind the artillery and cavalry. Prince Andrey, leaning on the gun and getting his wallet, drew for himself the plan of the location of the troops. In two places he with pencil put notes, looking to report them to Bagration. He assumed, first to focus all artillery in the center, second, for the cavalry to transfer backwards, on that side of the ravine. Prince Andrey, constantly found at the commander in chief, keeping up with the movements of the masses and general orders and was constantly occupied by historical descriptions of battles, and in this lied ahead towards the unwittingly thought of the future movement of military action only in common outline. He imagined only the next kinds of large randomness: “Should the enemy lead an attack on the right flank, — he said to himself, — the Kiev grenadiers and Podolsky jaegers must hold their position until the reserves of the center approach to it. In this case the dragoons may hit the flank and knock over them. In the case of the same attacks at the center, we expose at this elevation the central battery and below it pull together under the cover of the left flank and retreat to the ravine echelons”, he reasoned with himself...
All the while, he was at the battery of guns, he, as this often is, not ceasing, heard the sounds of the voices of officers spoken at the booth, but did not understand one word of what they said. Suddenly the sound of a voice from the booth struck him with such a sincere tone that he unwittingly began to listen.
— No, darling, — spoke the agreeable and as if familiar to Prince Andrey voice, — I say that if it was possible to know what will be after death, then we would of death not be afraid. So it is darling.
A different, younger voice interrupted him:
— Yes afraid, not afraid, I don’t care, — you do not pass it.
— But all are afraid! Oh you scientist people, — said a third courageous voice, interrupting both. — That you, artillerists, are very learned because of how everything with yourselves you can bring, vodka and snacks.
And the owner of the courageous voice, apparently an infantry officer, bursted out laughing.
— But all are afraid, — continued the first familiar voice. — afraid of the suspense that is here. How there it is said that the soul to the sky will go... because we know that the sky is nothing, but atmosphere alone.
Again the courageous voice interrupted the artillerist.
— Well, treat again your herbalist, Tushin, — he said.
“Ah, this is that Captain, which without boots stood in the market”, thought Prince Andrey, with pleasure recognizing the agreeable philosophizing voice.
— The herbalist can, — said Tushin, — but all the same the future life comprehends... — he did not finish talking.
At this time in the air was heard a whistling; nearer, nearer, faster and more audible, more audible and faster, and a cannon ball, as if not finished saying only what was needed, with an inhuman force exploded into a spray, plopping down in the land near from the booth. The land as if gasped from a scary blow.
At that same moment from the booth, jumping out before all, little Tushin with his bitten in the side pipe; his good, clever face was somewhat pale. Behind him got out the owner of the courageous voice, the youngish infantry officer, and ran to his company, on the run fastening.
Time: see previous chapter
Location: the village of Schongraben (Schongrabren in Briggs.)
Mentioned: Russian, French
Pevear and Volkhonsky notes: Prince Andrei gets to where he should be able to see everything, where he can be the omniscient narrator. “Indeed, from the battery a view opened out of almost the entire disposition of the Russian troops and the greater part of the enemy’s.”
Briggs: Andrey surveys the position. The first shot.
Maude: Prince Andrew surveys the position. The first shot
Translation:
XVI.
Having travelled the entire line of troops from the right to the left flank, Prince Andrey rose to that battery from which, by the words of the staff-officer, all of the field could be seen. Here he tore from his horse and stopped at the extreme of four taken front cannons. Ahead of the cannons went the hourly artillerist, stretched out before an officer, but by making a sign to him, renewed his uniform, dull walking. Behind the cannons standing in the front, were still back hitching posts and the fires of the artillerists. Left, near the extreme guns, was a new wicker hut, out of which was heard a lively officer’s voice.
Really, from the battery opened a view of almost all the location of the Russians troops and greater parts of the enemy. All against the battery, on the horizon of the opposite mound, was visible the village of Schongraben; to the left and to the right could be discerned in three places, among the smoke of their bonfires, the masses of French troops, which, obviously, the big part was found in most of the village and behind the mountain. To the left of the village, in the smoke, it seemed something similar to the battery, but the simple eye could not consider it very well. Our right flank settled down in the quite cool elevation, which dominated above the position of the French. By it was located our infantry, and on the very edge of visibility were dragoons. In the center, where is found that battery of Tushin, from which Prince Andrey considered the position, was the most sloping and straight descent and lifting to the stream, separating us from Schongraben. Our left infantry troops were adjoined to the wood, where smoked our fires, chopping firewood. The line of the French was wider than ours, and it was clear that the French easily could walk around us with both parties. Behind our positions was a steep and deep ravine, which was difficult to get behind the artillery and cavalry. Prince Andrey, leaning on the gun and getting his wallet, drew for himself the plan of the location of the troops. In two places he with pencil put notes, looking to report them to Bagration. He assumed, first to focus all artillery in the center, second, for the cavalry to transfer backwards, on that side of the ravine. Prince Andrey, constantly found at the commander in chief, keeping up with the movements of the masses and general orders and was constantly occupied by historical descriptions of battles, and in this lied ahead towards the unwittingly thought of the future movement of military action only in common outline. He imagined only the next kinds of large randomness: “Should the enemy lead an attack on the right flank, — he said to himself, — the Kiev grenadiers and Podolsky jaegers must hold their position until the reserves of the center approach to it. In this case the dragoons may hit the flank and knock over them. In the case of the same attacks at the center, we expose at this elevation the central battery and below it pull together under the cover of the left flank and retreat to the ravine echelons”, he reasoned with himself...
All the while, he was at the battery of guns, he, as this often is, not ceasing, heard the sounds of the voices of officers spoken at the booth, but did not understand one word of what they said. Suddenly the sound of a voice from the booth struck him with such a sincere tone that he unwittingly began to listen.
— No, darling, — spoke the agreeable and as if familiar to Prince Andrey voice, — I say that if it was possible to know what will be after death, then we would of death not be afraid. So it is darling.
A different, younger voice interrupted him:
— Yes afraid, not afraid, I don’t care, — you do not pass it.
— But all are afraid! Oh you scientist people, — said a third courageous voice, interrupting both. — That you, artillerists, are very learned because of how everything with yourselves you can bring, vodka and snacks.
And the owner of the courageous voice, apparently an infantry officer, bursted out laughing.
— But all are afraid, — continued the first familiar voice. — afraid of the suspense that is here. How there it is said that the soul to the sky will go... because we know that the sky is nothing, but atmosphere alone.
Again the courageous voice interrupted the artillerist.
— Well, treat again your herbalist, Tushin, — he said.
“Ah, this is that Captain, which without boots stood in the market”, thought Prince Andrey, with pleasure recognizing the agreeable philosophizing voice.
— The herbalist can, — said Tushin, — but all the same the future life comprehends... — he did not finish talking.
At this time in the air was heard a whistling; nearer, nearer, faster and more audible, more audible and faster, and a cannon ball, as if not finished saying only what was needed, with an inhuman force exploded into a spray, plopping down in the land near from the booth. The land as if gasped from a scary blow.
At that same moment from the booth, jumping out before all, little Tushin with his bitten in the side pipe; his good, clever face was somewhat pale. Behind him got out the owner of the courageous voice, the youngish infantry officer, and ran to his company, on the run fastening.
Time: see previous chapter
Location: the village of Schongraben (Schongrabren in Briggs.)
Mentioned: Russian, French
Pevear and Volkhonsky notes: Prince Andrei gets to where he should be able to see everything, where he can be the omniscient narrator. “Indeed, from the battery a view opened out of almost the entire disposition of the Russian troops and the greater part of the enemy’s.”
Tushin’s battery is in the center. Andrei takes the description of the Russian’s disadvantage tactically and in position and wants to show it to Bagration. “In this forthcoming action involuntarily considered the future course of the military
operations only in general terms. He pictured only major occurrences”
operations only in general terms. He pictured only major occurrences”
Andrei begins to hear two people discussing the afterlife and whether it is possible to know what will happen after death.
“Only atmosphere: The officers’ conversation about immortality has its source in an article entitled “Man is Created to Expect Immortality,” by the German philosopher Johann Gottfried von Herder.”
It is Tushin being such a philosopher. The manly voice of another focuses on facts, such as food and drink.
“Just then a whistling was heard in the air; closer, closer, faster and louder, louder and faster, and a cannonball, as if not finishing all it had to say, crashed to the ground with inhuman force not far from the lean-to, throwing up a spray
of dirt. The earth seemed to gasp from the terrible blow.”
of dirt. The earth seemed to gasp from the terrible blow.”
Characters (characters who do not appear, but are mentioned are placed in italics. First appearances are in Bold. First mentions are underlined. Final appearance denoted by *):
Prince Andrei (also, “the officer”)
An officer on duty (“staff officer” here)
Sentry (as in Dole. “artillerist, doing sentinel duty” in Wiener. “Man on guard” in Bell. “artillery sentry” in Maude, Mandelker, and Dunnigan. “Artilleryman on sentry duty” in Briggs. “Artilleryman on sentinel duty” in Garnett and Edmonds.)
Captain Tushin (called “Tonshine” in Bell. Also, “artilleryman” and “little Tushin”)
Bagration
Kutuzof (just “commander-in-chief”)
A younger man (talking with Tushin. Just “a younger voice” in Bell, Maude, and Wiener.)
An infantry officer (who interrupts Tushin and the younger man’s conversation)
(of course, masses of armies and undifferentiated soldiers)
Abridged Versions: No break in Bell.
Gibian: Chapter 12.
Gibian: Chapter 12.
Fuller: Some of Andrei’s motive and view of how events like this unfold is removed, but the rest of the chapter is kept and followed by a break.
Komroff: The sentry is cut. A lot of the description of the battlefield is removed and we cut from him arriving on the hill immediately to him overhearing the conversation. That conversation is kept with a couple details removed and end of
chapter followed by a line break.
chapter followed by a line break.
Kropotkin: Makes essentially the same decision on cutting all the description and getting to the conversation, but the sentry is kept. No break.
Bromfield: Chapter 17 begins with Andrei mentioning the Army of Orthodoxy as he had previously done derisively, but this time says “is not so very bad...Not at all..”
The younger voice is given a name (Alyoshka) and made to run get snacks and a pipe from the other two men. The conversation is slightly longer, the addition being a small bit about Circassian women. This is what is interrupted by the
cannonball.
Simmons: Chapter 12: Some of Andrei's sketching of the battle is removed.
cannonball.
Simmons: Chapter 12: Some of Andrei's sketching of the battle is removed.
Additional Notes:
Speirs: Page 31: "Tolstoy has given as much space to Schongrabern as Austerlitz. For the first and last time he falters under his burden of historical data, unsure for a moment where his exploration of war has taken him.."
Kentish: Page 8: His religious understanding is based on commitment to life rather than withdrawal from it, on participation rather than passivity, on establishing the kingdom of God on earth rather than anticipating it in an after-life.
The Forged Coupon (Dover Thrift: Page 152): “‘It is much better never to change, but to take life as it comes,” said Maria Semenovna. “Take life as it comes,” she repeated. “Why, I wonder at you, Maria Semenovna,” said the lame tailor. “You alone do the work, and you are so good to everybody. But they don’t repay you in kind, I see.” Maria Semenovna did not utter a word in answer. “I dare say you have found out in books that we are rewarded in heaven for the good we do here.” “We don’t know that. But we must try to do the best we can.” “Is it said so in books?” “In books as well,” she said, and read to him the Sermon on the Mount…."
Speirs: Page 31: "Tolstoy has given as much space to Schongrabern as Austerlitz. For the first and last time he falters under his burden of historical data, unsure for a moment where his exploration of war has taken him.."
Kentish: Page 8: His religious understanding is based on commitment to life rather than withdrawal from it, on participation rather than passivity, on establishing the kingdom of God on earth rather than anticipating it in an after-life.
The Forged Coupon (Dover Thrift: Page 152): “‘It is much better never to change, but to take life as it comes,” said Maria Semenovna. “Take life as it comes,” she repeated. “Why, I wonder at you, Maria Semenovna,” said the lame tailor. “You alone do the work, and you are so good to everybody. But they don’t repay you in kind, I see.” Maria Semenovna did not utter a word in answer. “I dare say you have found out in books that we are rewarded in heaven for the good we do here.” “We don’t know that. But we must try to do the best we can.” “Is it said so in books?” “In books as well,” she said, and read to him the Sermon on the Mount…."
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