The Deluge

The middle and longest volume of Sienkiewicz’s Trilogy centers on Andrzej Kmicic, a bold and reckless young soldier of the Commonwealth whose hot temper nearly costs him his honor and his betrothed, Olenka Billewicz. When Sweden’s armies pour across the borders in the ruinous invasion Poles remember as the Deluge, Kmicic is given the chance to redeem himself through service and sacrifice. Sienkiewicz weaves fierce battles, disguise, treachery, and a slow moral awakening into a panorama of a nation fighting for survival. Long a cornerstone of Polish literature, it remains one of the great historical epics. Jeremiah Curtin’s English translation is offered here as a free PDF and EPUB edition.