Thus the Ruthenians were conquered, and Frode made his way back home.
Finding that some envoys, whom he had sent into Russia to levy tribute, had been horribly murdered through the treachery of the inhabitants, Frode was stung by the double wrong and besieged closely their town Rotel.

Loth that the intervening river should delay his capture of the town, he divided the entire mass of the waters by making new and different streams, thus changing what had been a channel of unknown depth into passable fords; not ceasing till the speed of the eddy, slackened by the division of its outlet, rolled its waves onward in fainter current, and winding along its slender reaches, slowly thinned and dwindled into a shallow.

Thus he prevailed over the river; and the town, which lacked natural defences, he overthrew, his soldiers breaking in without resistance.

This done, he took his army to the city of Paltisca.

Thinking no force could overcome it, he exchanged war for guile.