# XLI explained — With Fire and Sword > Chapter companion for With Fire and Sword by Henryk Sienkiewicz. ## What happens Bogun's expedition against Prince Yeremi's division fails disastrously. After being defeated by Volodyovski, Podbipienta, and Skshetuski in succession, Bogun returns to Krívonos with only a few men. Meanwhile, the four officers reunite at Yarmolintsi, where Zagloba reveals that he learned from Bogun that Princess Helena is alive and still in Bogun's hands, though unharmed. The chapter also includes Vershul's account of the chaotic and faction-ridden march to Pilavtsi, where the Commonwealth army's indiscipline and lack of leadership lead to disaster. ## Themes in this chapter ### War and Rebellion The chapter depicts the brutal consequences of war through Bogun's defeat and the demoralization of his troops, as well as the larger strategic failures of the Commonwealth army. ### Leadership and Power Bogun's loss of authority over his men and Prince Yeremi's sidelining by the Commonwealth commanders illustrate the fragility of leadership in times of crisis. ### Honor and Betrayal Bogun's lament over his lost glory and the betrayal of Prince Yeremi by the Commonwealth nobility highlight themes of personal and political honor. ## Character check-ins ### Bogun Suffers a series of defeats at the hands of Volodyovski, Podbipienta, and Skshetuski; returns to Krívonos demoralized and ill. ### Pan Volodyovski Leads a surprise night attack on Bogun's camp, capturing him and causing his flight. ### Pan Longin Podbipienta Defeats Bogun after Volodyovski's attack, turning him over to Skshetuski. ### Pan Skshetuski Defeats Bogun after Podbipienta; learns from Zagloba that Princess Helena is alive and in Bogun's hands. ### Pan Zagloba Claims credit for the victory over Bogun; reveals that he learned from Bogun that Princess Helena is alive and unharmed. ### Bogdan Hmelnitski Mentioned as the enemy commander; the Commonwealth army's failure to strike him early is lamented. ### Prince Yeremi Vishnyevetski His division is the target of Bogun's expedition; later, his advice is ignored by the Commonwealth commanders at Pilavtsi. ### Krivonos Receives Bogun after his defeat; comforts and cares for him despite his failure. ## Key lines > Bogun, though a brave, clear-sighted leader, had no luck in this expedition against the supposed division of Prince Yeremi. Despite his courage and intelligence, Bogun's mission against Prince Yeremi's division was a failure. _Introduces Bogun's misfortune in the chapter._ > He was merely confirmed in the belief that the prince had really moved his whole force against Krívonos; for this was the information given by the captives from among Zagloba’s men, who believed most sacredly that the prince was marching after them. Bogun remained convinced that Prince Yeremi had sent his entire army against Krívonos, based on what Zagloba's captured men believed. _Explains Bogun's mistaken assumption about the prince's movements._ > Nothing remained then for the unfortunate ataman but to withdraw with all speed to Krívonos; but the task was not easy. The only option left for the unlucky leader was to retreat quickly to Krívonos, but this was difficult. _Highlights Bogun's predicament after the defeat._ > Scarcely on the third day was a party of two hundred and a few tens of Cossacks collected around him; the others had either fallen in the fight, were lying wounded on the field of struggle, or were wandering yet among the ravines and reeds, not knowing what to do, how to turn, or where to go. It took three days for Bogun to gather only about two hundred Cossacks; the rest were dead, wounded, or lost. _Describes the disintegration of Bogun's force._ > Besides, the party left to Bogun was not good for much; for it was beaten, inclined to flee at every alarm, demoralized, frightened. The remaining Cossacks were demoralized and prone to panic. _Emphasizes the poor state of Bogun's troops._ > But the heroes didn’t know with what a small force Pan Volodyovski had struck them, and that, thanks only to the unexpected attack on sleeping and unprepared men, could he inflict such a defeat. The Cossacks did not realize that Volodyovski's force was small and that his victory was due to a surprise attack. _Reveals the Cossacks' exaggerated fear of the prince's forces._ > Bogun raged like fire; cut in the hand, run over, sick, beaten, he had let his inveterate enemy out of his hands, and belittled his own fame. Bogun was furious and humiliated, having allowed his enemy to escape and damaged his reputation. _Shows Bogun's emotional state after the defeat._ > For now those Cossacks who on the eve of the defeat would have followed him blindly to the Crimea, to hell, and against the prince himself, had lost faith and courage, and were thinking only how to carry their lives out of the defeat. The Cossacks who once followed Bogun without question now only wanted to survive. _Illustrates the loss of morale among Bogun's men._ > Still Bogun had done everything that a leader was bound to do; he had neglected nothing, he had established pickets at a distance from the house, and rested only because the horses which had come from Kamenyets almost at one course were altogether unfit for the road. Bogun had taken all necessary precautions as a leader, but his horses were exhausted from the journey. _Explains that Bogun's defeat was not due to negligence._ > But Volodyovski, whose youth had been passed in surprising and hunting Tartars, approached the pickets like a fox in the night, seized them before they could shout or fire, and fell upon them in such fashion that Bogun could escape only in his shirt and trousers. Volodyovski, experienced in stealth attacks, captured the pickets silently and attacked so suddenly that Bogun fled half-dressed. _Describes Volodyovski's skillful surprise attack._ > When the chief thought of this the light grew dark in his eyes, his head swam, and despair gnawed his soul like a mad dog. The memory of his defeat filled Bogun with despair. _Emphasizes Bogun's psychological torment._ > He who on the Black Sea had rushed upon Turkish galleys, and galloped on the necks of Tartars to Perekop, and lighted up the eyes of the Khan with the blaze of his villages, and under the hand of the prince near Lubni itself had cut a garrison to pieces at Vassílyevka, had to flee in his shirt, bareheaded and without a sabre⁠—for he had lost that too in his meeting with the little knight. A once-feared warrior who had raided Turkish ships and Tartar lands was now fleeing in his underclothes, having lost his sabre to Volodyovski. _Contrasts Bogun's past glory with his current humiliation._ > So at the stopping-places where the horses were fed, when no man was looking, the chief seized himself by the head and cried: “Where is my Cossack glory, where my sabre friend?” In private moments, Bogun lamented the loss of his honor and weapon. _Shows Bogun's personal anguish._ > When he cried in this way a wild raving carried him away, and then he drank as if he were not a creature of God, and wanted to march against the prince, attack all his forces⁠—perish and disappear for the ages. In his rage, Bogun would drink heavily and threaten to attack the prince's entire army, even if it meant his own death. _Depicts Bogun's reckless despair._ > He wished it, but the Cossacks did not. “Though you kill us, father, we will not go!” was their gloomy answer to his outbursts; and vainly in accesses of fury he cut at them with his sabre and singed their faces with his pistol⁠—they would not, they did not go. Bogun's men refused to follow him on a suicidal attack, even when he threatened them with violence. _Highlights the breakdown of Bogun's authority._ > You would have said that the ground was slipping away from the ataman’s feet, for this was not the end of his misfortune. Bogun's troubles continued to mount. _Foreshadows further defeats._ > Fearing on account of probable pursuit to go straight to the south, and thinking that perhaps Krívonos had already given up the siege, he rushed straight to the east, and came upon the party of Pan Podbipienta. To avoid pursuit, Bogun fled east instead of south, where he encountered Podbipienta's force. _Explains how Bogun ran into another enemy._ > Pan Longin, wakeful as a stork, did not permit an attack, but falling first on Bogun, defeated him the more easily because his Cossacks were unwilling to fight; when he had defeated him he turned him over to Skshetuski, who beat him worst of all; so that Bogun, after long wanderings in the steppes with a few horses only, without glory, without Cossacks, without booty, without informants, made his way back at last to Krívonos. Podbipienta attacked first and defeated Bogun easily due to his men's reluctance, then handed him to Skshetuski, who inflicted the worst defeat. Bogun finally returned to Krívonos with almost nothing. _Summarizes Bogun's complete downfall._ > But the wild Krívonos, usually so terrible to subordinates whom fortune did not favor, was not angry this time. He knew from his own experience what an affair with Yeremi meant; therefore he even petted Bogun, comforted him, quieted him, pacified him, and when he fell into a violent fever, gave orders to nurse and cure him with all care. Krívonos, usually harsh, was lenient with Bogun because he understood the difficulty of fighting Prince Yeremi, and even cared for him when he fell ill. _Shows Krívonos's unusual mercy._ > The four officers of the prince, having filled the country with terror and dismay, returned safely to Yarmolintsi, where they remained several days to give rest to the men and horses. The prince's four officers returned to Yarmolintsi to rest after their successful campaign. _Sets the scene for the officers' reunion._ > There, when they came into the same quarters, they gave to Skshetuski, each in turn, an account of what had happened to them and what they had accomplished; then they sat down by the bottle to relieve their hearts in friendly converse and satisfy their mutual curiosity. The officers shared their stories with Skshetuski and then relaxed together over drinks. _Describes the camaraderie among the officers._ > But Zagloba gave little chance to any man to speak. He had no desire to listen, but wished only that others should listen to him⁠—in truth it came out that he had the most to tell. Zagloba dominated the conversation, eager to tell his own story. _Highlights Zagloba's boastful nature._ > “Gentlemen,” said he, “I fell into captivity, it is true; but fortune turns around. Bogun has been all his life victorious, but we beat him this time. That is how it is usually in war. Today you tan people, tomorrow they tan you. But God punished Bogun because he fell upon us, sleeping sweetly the sleep of the just, and roused us in such a dishonorable way. Ho, ho! he thought to terrify me with his filthy tongue; but I tell you here, gentlemen, that I cornered him so that he lost his boldness, became confused, and said what he didn’t want to say. What’s the use of talking long? If I hadn’t got into captivity, Pan Michael and I would not have defeated him. I say both of us, because in this affair magna pars fui , and I shall not cease to insist on it to my death. So God give me health! Hear my reasons further: If I and Volodyovski had not beaten him, then Podbipienta would not have beaten him, and further Skshetuski would not have beaten him; and finally if we hadn’t beaten him he would have beaten us, and who was the cause that this didn’t take place?” Zagloba boasts that his capture was the key to Bogun's defeat, claiming credit for the entire chain of victories. _Shows Zagloba's self-aggrandizing rhetoric._ > “Ah! it is with you as with a fox,” said Pan Longin; “you wave your tail here, slink away there, and always get out.” Podbipienta compares Zagloba to a fox, implying he is cunning and always escapes blame. _A humorous jab at Zagloba's cleverness._ > “It’s a foolish hound that runs after his own tail, for he will not catch it and will not smell anything honorable, and besides will lose his wind. How many men have you lost?” Zagloba dismisses the criticism and asks about casualties to compare their successes. _Zagloba deflects and turns to practical matters._ > “Twelve in all, and some wounded; they didn’t strike us very hard.” Podbipienta reports light casualties. _Indicates Podbipienta's efficient action._ > “And you, Pan Michael?” “About thirty, for I fell upon them unawares.” Volodyovski lost about thirty men due to his surprise attack. _Shows Volodyovski's heavier losses from his assault._ > “And you, Lieutenant?” “As many as Pan Longin.” Skshetuski's losses were similar to Podbipienta's. _Indicates Skshetuski's success with minimal casualties._ > “And I lost two. See yourselves who is the best leader! That’s the question. Why did we come here? On the service of the prince, to get news of Krívonos. Well, I tell you, gentlemen, that I first got news of him, and from the best source, because I got it from Bogun; and I know that he is at Kamenyets, but he thinks of raising the siege, for he is afraid. I know this openly; but I know something else which will put joy into your heart, and of which I have not spoken because I wanted that we should counsel about it together. I was sick till now, for weariness overpowered me, and my bowels rose up against that villainous binding on a stick. I thought my blood would boil over.” Zagloba boasts of losing only two men, claims to have obtained intelligence about Krívonos from Bogun, and hints at important news he has been keeping. _Zagloba builds suspense before revealing his news._ > “Tell us, for God’s sake!” cried Volodyovski, “have you heard anything of our unfortunate lady?” Volodyovski eagerly asks if Zagloba has news of Princess Helena. _Reveals the officers' concern for Helena._ > “Yes, God bless her,” said Zagloba. Skshetuski rose to his full height and then sat down. There followed such a silence that the buzzing of the mosquitoes was heard on the windows till Zagloba began again⁠— Zagloba confirms he has news, causing Skshetuski to react with shock and the room to fall silent. _Dramatic pause before Zagloba's revelation._ > “She lives, I know that certainly; she is in Bogun’s hands. Gentlemen, it is a terrible thing; however, God has not permitted harm or disgrace to meet her. Bogun himself told me this⁠—he who would rather boast of something else.” Zagloba reveals that Helena is alive and in Bogun's custody, but unharmed, as Bogun himself admitted. _The crucial revelation about Helena's fate._ > “How can that be? how can that be?” asked Skshetuski, feverishly. Skshetuski asks in agitation how this is possible. _Shows Skshetuski's desperate hope and confusion._ > “If I lie, may a thunderbolt strike me!” said Zagloba, with importance, “for this is a sacred thing. Listen to what Bogun said when he wished to jeer at me before I settled him at last. ‘Did you think,’ said he, ‘that you brought her to Bar for a Zagloba swears by a thunderbolt that he is telling the truth, and begins to recount Bogun's words. _Zagloba emphasizes the truth of his statement._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/with_fire_and_sword_se/chapters/xli - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/with_fire_and_sword_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/with_fire_and_sword_se/chapters