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Chapter 1. How Constantine honored many with gifts and advancement in dignity.
Performing so many works for the creation and glorification of God's Church, directing everything to ensure that the teachings of the Savior were magnified everywhere with praise, the basileus did not neglect external affairs. And in this regard, he did not cease to provide all the inhabitants of the provinces (εθος ακουσι), continuously, one after another, with benefits, now showing his fatherly concern for the entire Oecumene, now adorning various virtues of private, well-known persons, and generously giving everything to everyone. Whoever asked him for mercy, everyone achieved their goal, no one was deceived in their aspirations, feeding on good hope: one received money, another things, the post of praetorian judge 332, the rank of senator 333, another the title of consul 334. Many were made leaders (παειους δηγεονες εχρηματιζον), and some were awarded the title of courtiers (κομητων) - sometimes the first, sometimes the second, sometimes the third degree. Quite a few also received the titles of nobles (αξωματων) and other dignities; for, wanting to honor a larger number of his subjects, the basileus came up with various ranks 335.
Chapter 2. Forgiveness of the fourth part of taxes.
And how he cared about the general well-being of his subjects can be seen from one example, useful in everyday life, obligatory for everyone and memorable to this day. He separated the fourth part of the annual tax 336 levied on the lands, and donated it to the landowners, so that, counting this decrease, the cultivating fields were free from taxes every fourth year. Such a decree approved by law, retaining its force in subsequent times, not only for contemporaries, but also for their children, and for their most distant descendants, made the mercy of the basileus unforgettable and eternal.
Chapter 3. Equation of burdensome taxes.
Since some condemned the demarcation of land made under the previous rulers and complained that their plots were too burdened with taxes, here again, following the law of justice, the basileus sent land surveyors with the order to relieve the petitioners from the loss.
Chapter 4. About the fact that he gave money from his own treasury to those who lost money disputes.
The basileus judged everyone, but sometimes, so that someone, for the sake of the part of the estate taken from him, would not leave the court sadder than the one who took it, he cheerfully presented the vanquished from his own treasury with either things or money, and thus the defeated one, who was honored to see him, was equal in joy with the victor, for it was indecent for the one who appeared before the throne of the great basileus to move away from him in despondency and sadness. Thus, both of them returned from court with cheerful and smiling faces, and everyone was amazed at the magnanimity of the basileus.
Chapter 5. Conquest of the Scythians, defeated by the sign of the Cross of our Savior.
Is it even necessary to talk in passing about how he subjugated the barbarian tribes to Roman rule, how he was the first to place the yoke of power on the Scythians and Sauromatians, who were not accustomed to slavery, and forced them, against their will, to recognize the Romans as their masters. The former archons paid tribute to the Scythians, the Romans served the barbarians with annual contributions. For the basileus, such a state of the state was unbearable; it seemed humiliating to the winner to pay the same as his predecessors had paid. Therefore, with firm hope in his Savior, raising a victorious trophy and rushing against them, he in a short time conquered everyone, namely: some who were indignant, he pacified with an armed hand, others he made meek through prudent embassies, in general, who did not know the laws and their brutal life changed to a reasonable and legal life. As a result of this, the Scythians began to serve the Romans 337.
Chapter 6. Conquest of the Sauromatians, on the occasion of the slave uprising.
God himself brought the Savromats to the feet of Constantine, humbling the boastfulness of their barbaric arrogance like this: when the Scythians rebelled against them, then, to repel the enemies, the masters armed their servants. Having won a victory over the Scythians, the slaves turned their weapons against their masters and drove them all out of their homes. Then the Sauromatians found salvation in no one else but in Constantine alone. Out of habit of saving people, he accepted all of them into the Roman land (χωρα) and added those capable of carrying weapons to his troops, and assigned others lands for food that they had to cultivate. These new subjects themselves admitted that the misfortune served them for their good, for now they enjoyed Roman freedom, instead of a barbaric, savage life. This is how God subjugated various tribes of barbarians to him.
Chapter 7. Embassies from various barbarians are also here and gifts.
Ambassadors constantly coming from everywhere brought him gifts, which they considered more precious. We ourselves, in front of the gates of the basileus's palace, sometimes happened to see barbarians of various kinds standing nearby and orderly. Their clothes were foreign, of a special cut, the hair on their heads and beards was completely different from ours, their gaze seemed stern, wild and menacing, they were unusually tall, their faces were sometimes red, sometimes whiter than snow, sometimes a mixture of colors; because between them were the Blemmyes 338, the Indians 339 and the Ethiopians 340, who, as history says of them, were divided into two and lived on the borders of the world. Among them, each, as depicted in the picture, presented to the basileus what they considered precious: some presented him with golden crowns, others with diadems made of precious stones, others with red-haired boys, those with barbarian clothes that were embroidered with gold and flowers, these with horses, and some with shields, long spears, arrows and bows.
Through such gifts they expressed their desire to serve the basileus and be in alliance with him, if he wanted it. Accepting these gifts from those who brought them and putting them aside, the basileus reciprocated the gifts with such generosity that in an instant he made them rich people. And the most famous were granted Roman dignity 341, so that many of them considered it best to stay here, forgetting about returning to their fatherland.
Chapter 8. About what Constantine wrote to the king of Persia about the Christians there, when the latter sent ambassadors to him.
When the Persian king 342 wished to get acquainted with Constantine through an embassy and, as a sign of his friendly disposition, sent him gifts asking for an alliance, then the emperor, with his extreme generosity, defeated him, who showed him his respect in advance. Having learned that God’s Churches were multiplying among the Persian people and many thousands of sheep were gathering into the flock of Christ, he, as a common trustee for all, rejoiced at this news and extended his comprehensive concern even here:
Chapter 9. Constantine Augustus writes to Canopy, the king of Persia, and in his letter he confesses God and Christ with the greatest reverence.
“By observing the divine Faith, I join the light of truth, and guided by the light of truth, I cognize the divine Faith. These are the ways in which, as the matter itself shows, I maintain the most holy reverence for God and confess that this ministry is a teacher in the knowledge of the Holy God. Assisted by the power of this God, I began from the confines of the ocean and little by little inspired with a firm hope of salvation the entire Ecumene 343 so that all slavery to such cruel tyrants and all groaning under the burden of daily calamities disappeared. This is the God I honor and keep forever in my memory, this is the living God in the highest that I glorify with clear and pure thought.
Chapter 10. Against idols and about glorifying God.
I call upon Him with genuflection, abhorring all unclean blood 344, unpleasant incense, propitiatory sacrifices, and turning away from all earthly radiance 345, by which wicked and secret deception drags many nations and entire generations into the underworld, because the God of all kinds does not want people to attach to their whims what is His providence, according to love for mankind, produced for the benefit of all. He demands from people only a pure thought and an untainted soul, and only with this does He weigh the deeds of virtue and piety. He is pleased with the deeds of honesty and meekness, He loves the good-natured, and hates the rebellious, He loves loyalty, and punishes infidelity; destroys all arrogant power and executes the exaltation of the vain, overthrows those pompous with pride from the throne, and rewards the humble and gentle ones according to their dignity. Thus, highly valuing just reign, He strengthens it with His help and preserves royal wisdom in the silence of the world.
Chapter 11. Against tyrants and persecutors, also about the captivity of Valerian.
I do not think, my brother, that I am mistaken in recognizing this one God as the leader and father of everything. Many of the local basileus, carried away by violent and perverse thoughts, decided to reject Him, but all of them suffered such an unfortunate end that a whole generation of people who followed them, imitators of such a life, point to their disasters as an example. One of them, in my opinion, was the one whom God's wrath, like lightning, drove from here and delivered into your hands, where, to the dishonor of his countrymen, he became the trophy of victory so celebrated by you 346.
Chapter 12. That he himself saw the fall of the persecutors and now rejoices over the peace of Christians.
However, it was also for the good that the execution of such people in our century was carried out solemnly. I myself recently witnessed how they disturbed the peace of a people devoted to God with their unlawful orders. But let there be great thanks to God that, according to His all-perfect providence, all humanity, serving the divine law, enjoys the world given to it with joy and delight. This convinced me myself that everything is directed towards the best and safest goals, and that God wants to bring all people to Himself through pure and true reverence for God, instilling in them unanimity regarding divine objects.
Chapter 13. Request to Sapor that he love the Christians under his control.
You can imagine how happy I was when I heard about the number of people, I mean Christians, to whose benefit my present word is directed - when I heard that, according to my desire, the best provinces (κρατιστα) of Persia are decorated with them. May it be as good for them as it is good for you, may they enjoy well-being as you do. For this, the Lord of all, Father God, will honor you with mercy and favor. I entrust them to you, as a great king, I entrust them to your well-known piety, love them in accordance with your love for mankind: by this you will provide both yourself and us with indescribable benefits in relation to the Faith.”
Chapter 14. About how peace was granted to Christians through the fervent prayers of Constantine.
Thus, the peoples of the Ecumene, ruled everywhere as if by one helmsman and during the reign of the servant of God enjoying the benefits of citizenship, lived a calm and serene life, especially since no one was any longer disturbed the rule of the Romans. Convinced that the prayers of the pious greatly contribute to the preservation of the state, the basileus considered them necessary for himself and, just as he himself prayed to God, he also instructed the primates of the Churches to offer prayers for themselves.
Chapter 15. About the fact that he depicted himself both on coins and in portraits as if praying.
How deeply the power of divine faith was rooted in his soul, one can conclude from the fact that on gold coins he ordered to depict himself with his gaze turned to grief and directed towards God, in the form of a praying person. Such prints were spread throughout Rome, and in the palaces of some cities themselves there were images above the entrance doors that represented him standing in an upright position, with his eyes fixed on the sky, and with his hands raised in prayer.
Chapter 16. About the fact that he forbade by law the installation of his images in idol churches.
He also represented himself in such a prayerful position in portraits, but the law forbade images of his face to be placed in idol churches 347 so that the painting itself would not be desecrated in any shade by the delusion of the outcasts.
Chapter 17. Prayers in the palace and reading of the divine Scriptures.
The evidence of his piety is revealed even more clearly when you learn that in his very palaces he established a kind of church of God and through his personal zeal set an example for those who entered it. He took sacred books into his hands and reflected on divinely inspired truths, then with his entire court he performed the prayers prescribed by law.
Chapter 18. Legitimation - to honor the day of Sunday and Friday.
He set it as a decent day for prayer to honor the truly Lord's day, the first, truly Sunday and saving 348. Having appointed deacons and servants of God people who were adorned with integrity of life and every virtue, he entrusted to them the custody of the entire house 349 . The doryphors and bodyguards 350, armed with devotion and fidelity, having the basileus himself as a teacher of piety, no less honored the day of resurrection and salvation, and on this day they performed prayers pleasing to the basileus. In addition, the blessed basileus encouraged other subjects, prayerfully expressing his desire to little by little make all people pious. For this purpose, he instilled favor in everyone who was under the rule of the Romans - on the days of the same name as the Savior to abandon their activities and similarly honor their heels, it seems, in remembrance of those events that were committed on these days by the common Savior 351.
As for Sunday, sometimes also called the day of light and sun 352, he disposed all his soldiers to zealously guard it, and to those of them who became partakers of the divine Faith, he gave freedom from service on that day, so that they could freely watch in the Church of God, and so that no one would interfere with them then performing their prayers.
Chapter 19. About how he ordered the pagan soldiers to pray on Sundays.
And for others who had not yet accepted the divine teaching, he prescribed the second law: on Sundays to gather in open squares, on the outskirts of the city, and there, at a given sign, all together offer up to God the previously learned prayer. Their hopes, he said, should not be based on spears, not on weapons, not on bodily strength: they most of all need to know that the giver of every good and victory itself is God, to whom, therefore, they should offer legal prayers, raising their hands to the mountain - to heaven, and raising their mental gaze even higher - to the heavenly King, and Him, the giver of victory, Savior, guardian and helper, begging for help. Constantine himself was also the instructor of the entire army in prayer, ordering everyone to say the following in Roman:
Chapter 20. The words of the prayer that Constantine gave to the soldiers.
“We recognize You alone as God, We confess You as the King, We call You a helper, Through You we acquired victories, Through You we overcame our enemies, We offer thanks to You for the benefits we have received, from You we give tea and future blessings. We all pray to you and ask you to keep our basileus Constantine and His God-loving children healthy and victorious for many years.” This is what he ordered his troops to do on the day of light, and these were the words he taught them to say in prayer to God.
Chapter 21. On the warriors’ weapons are the signs of the Savior’s Cross.
He even ordered that the symbol of a saving victory be depicted on the weapons of the hoplites, 353 and in front of the army they should not wear golden statues, as was customary before, but only a saving trophy.
Chapter 22. Zeal for prayer and celebration of Easter.
He himself, as if some performer of a sacred action, every day at certain hours was confined to the inaccessible chambers of his palace and there he talked alone with God, there, kneeling in humble prayers, he asked for what he needed, and on the days of the saving holiday (Easter), intensifying his pious activities, he performed the divine celebration with all the strength of soul and body, and disposed of the celebration as follows: carried out in wakefulness he turned the sacred night into daylight, for the people assigned to it throughout the city lit high wax columns, like fiery lamps, illuminating every place, so that this mystical night became brighter than the brightest day; when morning came, then, in imitation of the good deeds of the Savior, he extended his beneficent right hand to all citizens and the mob, and distributed to them all kinds of rich gifts.
Chapter 23. About how he prohibited idolatry, and honored martyrs and holidays.
This is how he served his God. And for the people and troops within the authority of Rome, the gates of idolatry were closed everywhere and all types of sacrifices were prohibited. A law was sent to the people's archons, ordering them to honor the day of resurrection. By the will of the basileus, they also honored the days of the martyrs 354 and glorified other times of celebrations 355 in churches, and all this was done to the pleasure of the basileus.
Chapter 24. About the fact that he called himself a kind of bishop of external affairs.
Therefore, when he once entertained the bishops, Constantine rightly said that he himself was a bishop (we quote his own words spoken in front of us): “Only you are the bishops of the internal affairs of the Church, and I can be called the bishop of external affairs appointed by God.” Ordering in accordance with these words, he supervised everyone under his control and encouraged them, as much as he could, to lead a pious life.
Chapter 25. On the prohibition of sacrifices, initiations, gladiatorial combats and former shameless festivities in honor of the Nile River.
Therefore, by his laws and decrees, he constantly forbade making sacrifices to idols, asking fortune-tellers, erecting statues, performing mysterious dedications and desecrating cities by killing gladiators. Since those living in Egypt and Alexandria itself had the custom of appointing homosexuals to serve their river, a command was also sent to them: to destroy the entire race of such people as filth, so that those suffering from such a disease of debauchery would not even be seen. The superstitious inhabitants believed that after this the Nile would not, as usual, irrigate their fields, not favoring the law of the basileus, God did the completely opposite of what they feared: for when those who desecrated the cities with their shamelessness were gone; then the river, as if the whole country had been cleansed through this, rose as high as it had never risen, spilled its waters abundantly and covered all the fields, teaching the ignorant by its very deed that they should turn away from pernicious people, and attribute the reason for all good things to the one Giver of all good 356 .
Chapter 26. Correction of the law regarding childless people, also correction of the law on wills.
Since the basileus made an extremely large number of similar corrections in each eparchy, those wishing to describe them would not be hampered by the lack of objects. For example, he corrected and improved previous laws. We will talk briefly about how to correct them. Ancient laws punished the childless by depriving them of their family inheritance. By punishing the childless with disinheritance as if they had committed a crime, this law was cruel to them. Therefore, having abolished it, the basileus allowed them to be the heirs of their relatives. This fix was good. Deserved punishment should be awarded to those, he said, who committed a crime intentionally, and nature made many childless: they would like to have children, but are deprived of this due to the weakness of nature. Moreover, others remain childless not because they do not want to have offspring, but out of disgust for the marital bed, when they are imbued with the strongest love for wisdom. There were also pure and completely virgin wives who, devoting themselves to the service of God, lived a holy and chaste life, soul and body.
What then? Does this deserve punishment? Or surprise and approval? After all, the desire for this alone is very important, and the feat itself is higher than nature. Therefore, whose desire to have children is not satisfied due to the weakness of nature, one should regret it, and not punish him, and whoever loved the best is worthy not of punishment, but of the greatest admiration. So, following common sense, the basileus changed this law. Ancient laws also required that the wills drawn up by the dying, at the last breath, be stated in certain expressions, and it was determined what words and figures of speech should be used in this case 357. Hence, when expressing the will of the dying, many abuses occurred 358. Having learned about this, the basileus changed this law. He said that a dying person should express his desires in simple terms and in words that happen, expressing his will either in writing or even orally, if he wants, as long as it is in the presence of reliable witnesses capable of preserving the truth.
Chapter 27. That a Christian should not be enslaved by the Jews, also legitimizing that the definitions of the councils should remain unchanged.
He also decreed by law that no Christian should be enslaved by the Jews 359 ; for he considered it unfair that those redeemed by the Savior should be slaves of the murderers of the prophets and the Lord himself. If one is found, then the Christian is ordered to be released, and the Jew to be punished with a monetary penalty. The episcopal oros expressed at the Councils were confirmed by the basileus with his own seal, so that the people's archons could not destroy these opinions, for the priests of God are more experienced and reliable than any judge. He drew up countless similar laws for his subjects. It would take a lot of work and time if anyone, in order to compile an accurate concept of the wisdom of the basileus in this regard, wanted to collect them in one book. Is it still necessary to tell how he, clinging to the God of all, from morning to evening sought someone to do a good deed, and how in his benefactions he was equal and identical to everyone?
Chapter 28. Gifts to churches, also distribution of money to virgins and the poor.
Preferably, he gave a lot to the Churches of God: some lands, others bread, so that they would distribute it to poor people, orphans and widows worthy of compassion, and for the naked and covered with rags, with great care, he even provided clothes. He bestowed especially great honor on people who had devoted their entire lives to the wisdom of God, and he almost stood in awe of the holy host of eternal virgins of God, being convinced that God himself, to whom they had dedicated themselves, lived in their souls.
Chapter 29. Written arguments 360 and speeches of Constantine.
Reflecting on divine truths, he spent whole nights without sleep, in his leisure hours he composed and incessantly wrote scholia, addressing the people, he considered it his duty to govern his subjects, educating them, and to lead his entire kingdom to rationality. To do this, he convened meetings, and countless crowds hurried to listen to the philosophizing sovereign. And when, during the course of his speech, the opportunity presented itself for theologizing, he stood up and, with a downcast face and a quiet voice, very reverently initiated those present into the secrets of divine teaching. If the listeners then greeted him with shouts of approval, then he gave them a sign to raise their eyes to heaven and, with their surprise, with their reverent praise, honor the One All-Tsar.
Dividing his speeches into parts 361, he then denounced the error of polytheism, imagining that the superstitions of the pagans are a deception and a cover for atheism, then he spoke about the sovereign Deity, and after that he talked about universal and private providence, then he moved on to the saving economy and explained that the proper way to carry it out was necessary 362, extending further, he touched on the doctrine of the divine judge, and on this occasion he made strong reproaches to his listeners, shaming predators and covetous people who had given themselves over to insatiable greed. Striking and, as it were, scourging with words some of those around him, he forced them to lower their gaze and be tormented by their conscience, for in clear terms he announced to them that they would give an account to God of the service entrusted to themselves, that the God of all had given the kingdom of the earth to him, and he, imitating the All-Good One, entrusted the management of private regions to them, and that all of them would one day present to the great King an account of their deeds. theirs. He constantly testified to this, reminded them of this, taught them this.
But this is how the basileus himself, inspired by sincere faith, thought and instructed, and they were stupid and deaf for good instructions - they praised them with their tongues and shouts of approval, but in their deeds, out of their insatiability, they disparaged what they praised.
Chapter 30. About the fact that he showed one covetous man, with the intention of shaming him, the measure of the coffin.
So once upon a time, taking one of the comites by the hand, the basileus said to him: to what further limits will we extend our greed? Then, with a spear that he happened to hold in his hand, outlining a space on the ground the height of a human body, he said: if you acquire all the riches of the world and master all the elements of the earth, then you will not take with you anything more than this described area, and even then when you receive it. However, by saying and acting in this way, the blessed basileus could not restrain anyone, although events tangibly proved that the royal predictions were more like divine sentences than simple speeches.
Chapter 31. About the fact that he was blamed for being too philanthropic.
Due to the extreme philanthropy of the basileus and because the rulers of individual regions did not persecute anyone anywhere for crimes, there was no fear of death in the state that would keep evil people from lawless acts. This gave rise to considerable censure of the entire reign of Constantine. Whether such a censure is fair or not, let whoever wants to judge, my job is to write the truth.
Chapter 32. About the essay of Constantine, which he wrote for the assembly of saints.
Basileus wrote his works in the Roman language and their appointed translators translated them into our language. Of these translated speeches, as a sample, I will place at the end of this work the one that he wrote to the assembly of saints and dedicated to the Church of God. Let no one think that my testimony of his writings is exaggerated.
Chapter 33. About the fact that he listened to Eusebius’s speech about the tombs of the Savior while standing.
It seems impossible to erase from memory what the wondrous basileus did in our presence. Encouraged by his love for the divine, one day I asked permission to offer in his presence a word about the tomb of the Savior - and he listened to my word with all eagerness. In the circle of a large gathering, in the inner chambers of the palace, he listened to him along with others, standing. We invited him to sit on the throne (θρονος) of the basileus prepared for him, but he did not agree and, with intense attention analyzing what was said, confirmed the truth of the dogmas of faith with his own testimony. Since a lot of time had already passed, and the speech was still going on, I wanted to stop, but he did not allow me and forced me to continue to the end, but when they asked him to sit down, he again refused, adding this time that it would be indecent to listen to the teaching about God with carelessness, and that standing was useful and convenient for him. At the end of the speech, I returned home and began my usual activities.
Chapter 34. About what he wrote to Eusebius about Easter and divine books.
Caring for the needs of the Churches of God, he sent a letter to me about the preparation of (lists of) inspired books and about the most holy holiday of Easter, for when I dedicated to him a mystical explanation of the word about this holiday, he honored me with his answer. And everyone will see what this honor consisted of after reading his next letter.
Chapter 35. Constantine writes to Eusebius and praises his word about Easter.
Constantine the victor, the great Augustus - Eusebius.
“It is worthy to express the mysteries of Christ, and also to properly explain the important but difficult question of the celebration and origin of Easter - this is a very great matter, beyond any description, because even those who can understand them are not able to express divine truths as they should. However, being very surprised by your curiosity and zeal for learned works, I myself read your scroll with pleasure, and, at your request, I ordered it to be communicated to many who are sincerely devoted to the divine faith. Therefore, seeing with what pleasure we accept the gifts of your prudence, try to please us as often as possible with similar works, to which you, as you yourself say, are accustomed by your upbringing, so that when we excite you to these habitual activities, you yourself already strive for them. Such a high opinion of everyone about your work shows that it would not be useless for you to have a person who would translate your works into Latin, although such a translation for the most part cannot express a beautiful work. May God protect you, beloved brother!”
Constantine wrote about this this way, and his letter about the preparation of lists of divine readings was as follows:
Chapter 36. Letter from Constantine to Eusebius about copying divine books.
The winner Constantine, the great Augustus - Eusebius:
“In the city of the same name, according to the providence of the Savior God, the Holy Church again acquired a lot of people. With the rapid multiplication of believers, the multiplication of churches also turns out to be very necessary. So accept our decision with all readiness. We are pleased to announce to your discretion that you order experienced scribes who know their art perfectly to write fifty volumes on dressed parchment, convenient for reading and easily portable for use. These volumes should contain divine Scripture, which, in your opinion, is especially necessary to have and use in the Church 363. For this purpose, from our meekness, a letter has been sent to the ruler of the district, so that he will take care of delivering to you everything you need for their preparation. Their fastest correspondence will depend on your efforts. To transport written volumes, this letter from us gives you the right to take two public carts 364, on which especially well-written scrolls will be easy for you to deliver to me.
Such a task will be carried out by one of the deacons of your Church and, upon arrival to us, will test our love for mankind. May God protect you, beloved brother!”
Chapter 37. About how the divine books were written off.
This was the command of the basileus, and the word was immediately followed by action. I sent him luxuriously prepared three- and four-sheet scrolls, as will be seen from another reply letter sent to me by the basileus. Having learned that our city of Constantia, once extremely devoted to prejudice, felt a disposition towards piety and rejected the former idolatrous error, he expressed his joy in this letter and approved of the event.
Chapter 38. How the trading port of Gaza 365, for the sake of Christianity, was made a city and named Constantia.
On this occasion, the Palestinian city of Constantia, which accepted the saving faith, received great honor from both God himself and the basileus. It was declared a city 366, which it had never been before, and changed its name, receiving a better name - the pious sister of the basileus.
Chapter 39. The fact that in Phenicia one place was raised to the level of a city, and in other cities idols were overthrown and churches were built.
The same thing happened in many other places. For example, in one Phoenician city of the same name as Basileus, citizens set fire to countless idols and, in their place, adopted a saving law. And in other eparchies, voluntarily accepting the saving teaching, they, both in villages and cities, destroyed all previously considered sacred images from various kinds of materials, and looked at them as if they were nothing; also, without waiting for orders from anyone, they destroyed high-rising churches and groves 367 and, erecting churches on their ruins, renounced their previous way of thinking or delusions. However, it would be possible not so much for us to describe the deeds of the God-loving basileus, each separately, as for the persons who were honored to be with him at all times. As for us, having briefly conveyed in this work what we have learned, we will move on to the last time of his life.
Chapter 40. The fact that, over the course of three decades, having proclaimed his three sons basileus, he celebrated the consecration of the church he created in Jerusalem.
Constantine had already completed the thirty years of his reign and at different times proclaimed his three sons basileus. The first, the same name as his father, Constantine, received this honor when his father’s tenth birthday was completed. The second, adorned with the name of his grandfather, Constantius, was named ruler when his twentieth birthday was celebrated, and the third, Constantius, meaning by his name a firm and constant person, was elevated to this dignity at the end of the third decade. Thus, having three, in the image of the Trinity, God-loving tribes of sons, and in each ten-year period of his reign honoring one or another with participation in the reign, he now considered the time of his thirtieth birthday the most fitting for offering thanks to the Most High King of all, and therefore he was pleased to celebrate the consecration of the church, which he had diligently built with all grace in Jerusalem.
Chapter 41. About the fact that, on the occasion of disputes in Egypt, he ordered, among other things, to be a council in Tire.
But the hater of all good things - envy, like a dark cloud covering the radiant rays of the sun, planned to darken this bright triumph: it outraged the Churches of Egypt with its machinations. Confronting the envious demon, the basileus, protected by God, immediately armed, as it were, God's army, - he hastily convened many bishops from all over Egypt, Libya, Asia and Europe to the Council, first to stop the disputes, and then to consecrate the above-mentioned church. He ordered them to resolve the dispute on the way, in the Phoenician metropolis 368, because it is not permissible to begin worship without agreeing with each other in opinions: the divine law prescribes that those in a quarrel should not bring gifts to God before uniting in love and reconciling with each other. Thus, nourishing saving feelings in his soul, the basileus himself disposed the primates to unanimous agreement in everything, as can be seen from his next letter.
Chapter 42. Letter from Constantine to the Council of Tyre.
Victorious Constantine, great Augustus - to the Holy Council in Tire:
“Perhaps it is natural and with the peaceful state of the present time it is especially fitting for the universal Church to be serene, and for the servants of Christ to be far from any quarrel. But since some of them, incited by the sting of an unhealthy love of controversy, I am ashamed to say, lead a life unworthy of their title and decide to destroy all order, which, in my opinion, is the greatest misfortune, then I invite you to immediately, quickly gather in one place, form a Council, give help to those in need, heal brothers in danger, bring disparate members to unity, correct the evil, while time allows, so that such many dioceses to grant proper consent (συμφωνιαν), which - what a shame! – destroyed by the arrogance of a few people. And that such a thing is pleasing to the Lord God of all, and is most desirable to us, and to you yourself, if you restore peace, will bring considerable glory, I think everyone agrees on that. So, do not hesitate any longer, but from this very moment, use zeal and put a proper end to the discord that has occurred.
Gather yourself with all sincerity and faith, which the Savior whom we serve always, and almost verbally, especially demands from us. From the side of my reverence, nothing has been forgotten for you, I have done everything that you wrote about: I sent letters to those bishops to whom you wanted, and demanded that they come and participate in your concerns, I also sent the former consul, Dionysius 369, with the order to remind those who should come to your Council and to supervise the paperwork, and especially the deanery. If anyone, which I do not expect, dares now to ignore our command and does not appear at the Council 370, then we will send a person who, by the royal decree, having expelled the culprit, will teach him that he should not resist the autocrat’s orations aimed at defending the truth.
The task of your holiness will be: not prompted by hatred or partiality, but guided by the church and apostolic decree, to come up with decent healing for those who are criminal or accidentally lost, so that the Church will be freed from any criticism, I will be freed from anxiety, and you yourself, through returning the grace of peace to those who quarrel, will gain the greatest glory. May God protect you, beloved brothers!”
Chapter 43. About the fact that bishops from all eparchies gathered for the feast of the renewal of the Jerusalem temple.
While these commands were being carried out, another messenger arrived with a letter from the basileus, which ordered the Council to hasten without delay in leaving for Jerusalem 371. Then all the bishops, leaving Phenicia, went on public carts to where they were ordered, and this city of God's great country was filled with the most famous bishops from all regions, who were to converge on the same place in Jerusalem. The Macedonians 372 sent the primate of their metropolis here, the best flowers of God's nursery in Pannonia and Moesia came here, the chosen saint from among the Persian bishops, a man who deeply knew the Divine Scripture, also arrived here, the completeness of the Council was also adorned by the Bithynians and Thracians, the most excellent bishops of Cilicia were not lacking, among all of them the main bishops were remarkable for their learning Cappadocia, all of Syria and Mesopotamia, Phenicia, Arabia and Palestine, Egypt, Libya and the inhabitants of Thebaid, all entered the great host of God, and countless numbers (of people) followed them from all eparchies.
With all these bishops there was a guard (επικουφισητε) of the basileus to preserve peace, and the most noble courtiers (προξενησητε) were sent with an order: to increase the solemnity of the holiday with the generosity of the basileus.
Chapter 44. About how they were received by the notary (νοταριον) Marian 373, also about the distribution of money to the poor and about contributions to the church.
In addition, the basileus's favorite, Marian, was a husband distinguished by piety, faith and practice in the Divine Scripture. Even during the time of the tyrants, he became famous for his profession of piety, and therefore was rightly awarded the trust to manage this holiday. Fulfilling the will of the basileus with all sincerity, he very respectfully received the Council of Bishops and honored it with sumptuous dinners, luxurious feasts, and distributed a large amount of money and clothes to countless poor and beggars of both sexes who needed food and other necessities of life; The entire church was decorated with rich royal offerings. This was his ministry.
Chapter 45. Various interviews of bishops in assemblies, and conversations of Eusebius, the writer of this history.
The servants of God exalted the holiday with prayers and teachings: some praised the devotion of the God-loving basileus to the Savior of all and described the church magnificently built by him, others, with their solemn conversations about Divine dogmas, offered a meal of mental food to everyone’s ears; others explained the Divine Scripture and revealed its mystical contemplation, while some, being unable to follow this path, propitiated God with bloodless sacrifices and mystical sacred rites, offered up prayers to Him for universal peace, for the Church of God, for the basileus himself, the author of such great deeds, and for his God-loving children. It was then that we, who were awarded benefits not according to our deserts, honored the holiday with various conversations addressed to the entire assembly, either in writing explaining the expressions of the basileus’ taste for beauty, or adapting prophetic visions to the present occasion. This is how solemnly, on the thirtieth anniversary of the reign of Constantine, the feast of the consecration of the church was celebrated.
Chapter 46. That the description of the church to the Savior and the word on the occasion of his thirtieth birthday was subsequently read by Eusebius to Constantine himself.
What this church of the Savior was like, what the saving cave was like, what the generosity of the basileus was, proven by his numerous offerings of gold, silver and precious stones - I spoke about as much as my strength allowed in a special essay and dedicated it to the basileus himself. Over time, I will place this word at the end of this book and will add to it a speech spoken on the occasion of Constantine’s thirtieth birthday, which shortly after being called to Constantinople, I read aloud [for] the basileus himself. In the palace of the basileus, this is already the second time, we glorified God who reigns over all. Listening to my speech, the friend of God seemed enthusiastic and expressed his pleasure by listening when, while dining in the presence of bishops, he distinguished them with various honors.
Chapter 47. That the Council of Nicaea took place on the twentieth anniversary, and the renewal of the Jerusalem temple on the thirtieth anniversary of Constantine.
This second Council, convened by the basileus in Jerusalem itself, was more numerous than all that I know of after the first Council, which he solemnly convened in the city of Bithynians. But he was grateful: in Nicaea prayers were offered for victory over enemies and adversaries in the twentieth year of the reign of Constantine, and this adorned the third decade of his reign; this one was convened when the basileus consecrated the offering of peace - the church over the saving cave, built by him to the giver of all good things to God.
Chapter 48. How Constantine expressed his displeasure when someone praised him excessively.
While all this was happening and everyone was glorifying the virtue of the basileus in relation to God, one of the servants of God dared to personally call him blessed and said that in his present life he had been awarded autocratic dominion over all, and in the future he would reign together with the Son of God. Having heard this with displeasure, Constantine asked not to utter such praises in the future, but rather to pray for him, so that he would be worthy of being a servant of God both in this and in the future life.
Chapter 49. Marriage of his son, Caesar Constantius.
At the end of the thirtieth anniversary of his reign, he celebrated the marriage of his second son 374, and the marriage of his eldest son took place much earlier 375. On this occasion, wedding feasts and dinners were given, the basileus himself accompanied the groom, his son, to them, he himself treated him to luxurious dishes and received them at feasts: here there were processions of men, there there were singing and dancing women, and he distributed rich gifts to the common people and citizens.
Chapter 50. Embassy and gifts from the Indians.
At the same time, Indian ambassadors arrived from the east with gifts, and their gifts consisted of various kinds of shiny precious stones and animals, not similar in nature to those known to us. Presenting their gifts to the basileus, they said that his power extended to the very ocean, and that the rulers of India, depicting him in portraits and erecting statues to him, agreed to recognize him as basileus and autocrat. At the beginning of his reign, the British, living near the western ocean, were the first to submit to him, and now the Indians living in the east have done the same.
Chapter 51. About how Constantine, having divided power over the empire between his three sons, taught them to reign piously.
Having thus taken possession of both borders of the Oikumene, he, as family property is divided among the most beloved heirs, divided the administration of the entire kingdom [between] his three sons. He gave the eldest his grandfather's plot 376, entrusted the second with power over the east 377, and assigned the third the middle between these two parts 378. At the same time, wanting to leave them another better legacy that would save the soul, he planted seeds of piety in them, nourished them with Divine teaching and assigned teachers to them, men famous for their piety. He also gave them special mentors worthy of higher education in external sciences: some taught them military sciences, others introduced them to the knowledge of civil administration, and some made them experienced in law. Each of his children had a court of the basileus: hoplites, doryphoros, bodyguards and all branches of the army with their military leaders, that is, centurions (καθηγεμονες), lochagi, dukes of cohorts (στρατηγα), whose experience in military affairs and affection for their children the father had known before.
Chapter 52. How he guided them to godliness when they had reached the age of perfection.
While the Caesars were still young, of necessity they had assistants with them, who managed the affairs of the state, but when they reached manhood, then one father became enough for leadership. In his presence, he encouraged them to compete with himself and imitate his piety through personal instructions, and in his absence he taught them the rules of kingship in writing. Of these rules, the most important and primary was that they should prefer knowledge of the All-King God and piety to any wealth and the kingdom itself. Of course, he gave them the right to directly act for the benefit of the state, but first of all he urged them to take care of God’s Church and ordered them to openly be Christians. This is how he led his children, and acting as if not according to the orders of their father, but according to their own conviction, they extended even further than their father’s suggestions.
Directing their thoughts to please God, they, with all their household, in the very royal palaces, fulfilled the church rules, and this was also arranged by the care of their father, who made up their court of pious people. Such were the men who stood at the first levels of public service, people who believed in God, he was protected as by strong walls. When the blessed basileus arranged this too, then God, who distributes all blessings, seeing that Constantine’s affairs were finished everywhere, decided it was necessary to give him a better life, and led him to the need to repay his debt to nature.
Chapter 53. That, reigning for about thirty-two years, and living more than sixty, he kept his body healthy.
Thirty-two years of his reign had already passed, without several months and days, and the time of his life was twice as long. Despite his age, his body did not know illnesses and weaknesses, did not have any ulcers and was stronger than youth, beautiful in appearance and capable of intense activity, so that he could do gymnastics, ride a horse, walk on foot, participate in battles, erect trophies in honor of victory over enemies and gain the upper hand in bloodless struggles with opponents.
Chapter 54. About those who abused his excessive love for mankind for self-interest and pretense.
Equally, the powers of his soul were developed to the height of human perfection: he was distinguished by all his wonderful qualities, and especially by his love of mankind, which, however, was reproached by me, calling it carelessness in relation to villains, who considered the undemandingness of the basileus to be the reason for their malice. And indeed, at the time described, I myself noticed the dominance of two serious vices: the destructive power of insatiable and crafty people who stole other people’s property, and the inexpressible pretense of deceivers who hypocritically joined the Church and falsely bore the name of Christians. Philanthropy and love of kindness, sincerity of faith and straightforwardness disposed the basileus to trust people who were, apparently, Christians and, under the guise of pretense, tried to gain his true favor. Trusting them, he sometimes did things he shouldn’t. This is the stain that envy puts on his wonderful deeds.
Chapter 55. About the fact that until his death Constantine wrote speeches.
However, Divine justice was not slow to punish these people. Meanwhile, the basileus himself, in his soul, excelled in the wisdom of words, so that until his death he either wrote speeches, or made plans for speeches, and taught divine teaching to his listeners, or composed laws, either civil or military, and came up with all the ways for the common benefit of people. It is also necessary to mention how, shortly before his death, in an ordinary meeting place, he pronounced one funeral oration, and in it he spoke extensively about the immortality of the soul, about people who spent their lives piously, and about the blessings that God has prepared for his chosen ones, he also clearly and in detail showed what fate awaits those who are opposed to him, and described the disastrous death of the atheists. Testifying to this with importance and force, he apparently amazed those around him, and even asked one supposed sage: what did he think about what he had heard? He confirmed the truth of his words and without measure, although not willingly, began to praise the teaching against polytheism.
Talking with those close to him before his death about such subjects, he seemed to level and smooth out the path to a better life for himself.
Chapter 56. How, going to war against the Persians, he took with him bishops and a tent modeled after a church.
It should also be mentioned that, having heard at that time about the excitement of the eastern barbarians and showing that he had only this victory left to win, Constantine decided to go on a campaign against the Persians. Having accepted this intention, he set the military squads in motion, informed the bishops around him and announced that some of them should be with him to perform divine services. The bishops said that they were ready to follow his will with great zeal and did not think of refusing, that with their prayers to God they would assist and ally with him. Delighted by such words, he wrote them a travel document, then with great care he built a tent for this war, like a church, so that in it he could offer his prayers to God, the giver of victory, together with the bishops.
Chapter 57. About how, having received the Persian embassy, he spent Easter night with others.
Meanwhile, the Persians, having learned about the basileus’s preparations for war and were very afraid to enter into battle with him, sent ambassadors to him to ask for peace. The peace-loving basileus, having favorably received the Persian embassy, willingly concluded a friendly treaty with them. The great holiday of Easter had already arrived, and the basileus, together with others offering prayers to God, spent the entire Easter night awake.
Chapter 58. About the construction of a church in honor of the Apostles in Constantinople.
After this, he began to build a church in the city of the same name in memory of the Apostles, and when this building was erected to an unspeakable height, the basileus covered its walls from top to bottom with multi-colored shining stones, and the dome, decorated with small indentations, was covered all over with gold. On the outside, instead of tiles, copper provided the building with reliable protection from rain, and thick gilding was laid over the copper, so that its shine, when reflected by the sun's rays, was dazzling even for distant spectators; the dome was surrounded by a lattice bas-relief made of gold and copper.
Chapter 59. Description of the same church.
This is how the great generosity and zeal of the basileus decorated this church. Around the church stretched a very extensive courtyard, open to clean air, porticos stretched along its four sides and enclosed the area surrounding the church; behind the porticos the palace of the basileus, baths, hotels and many other rooms, adapted for the convenience of the guards (φρουροις) of this place, occupied the space.
Chapter 60. That he built a tomb in it for his burial.
The basileus dedicated this matter to the eternal memory of all the Apostles of our Savior. However, when building the church, he had something else in mind, which was previously hidden, but in the end became known to everyone. It was in this church that he prepared a place for himself in the event of his death, foreseeing with the extraordinary power of faith that after death his relics would be honored with the title of apostle, and desiring, even after his death, to take part in the prayers that would be offered in this church in honor of the Apostles. So, having built twelve arks there, like twelve sacred monuments, in honor and glory of the face of the Apostles, in the middle of them he placed a coffin for himself, so that on both sides of this coffin stood six apostles. Basileus foresaw, as has been said, with his wise mind that this would be the most decent place to calm his body. From time immemorial and long ago he had in mind to dedicate the church to the Apostles, hoping that the memory of them would bring him soul-saving benefits.
And God did not reject his prayer hopes, for while he accomplished the first feats of the Easter holiday and spent the saving day, trying, according to the custom of his whole life, to make it solemn for himself and for everyone, at the very time, as at the most favorable time, God, who helped him in this, deigned to resettle him into a better life.
Chapter 61. The breakdown of his body in Elenopol and pleas for baptism.
First there was a disorder in his body, then a disease appeared in him. Therefore, leaving his city, he went to warm waters, and from there he moved to the city of the same name as his mother 379. Here, spending time in the church of the martyrs, he sent fervent prayers and petitions to God, but when he felt the end of his life, he thought that it was time to cleanse himself of his previous sins, for he believed that everything in which he had sinned as a mortal would be removed from his soul by the power of mystical prayers and the saving word of baptism. Thinking in this way, he knelt on the ground, poured out prayers before God, confessed his sins in the church itself, and here for the first time he was honored with the laying on of hands in prayer 380. Then, having moved from here to the outskirts of the city of Nicomedia and there gathering bishops, he told them the following:
Chapter 62. Constantine begs the bishops to give him Baptism.
“The longed-for time has come, which I have long been longing for and for which I have been praying, as a time of salvation in God. It's time for us to accept the seal of immortality and partake of saving grace. I thought of doing this in the waters of the Jordan River, where, as we are told, the Savior himself was baptized in our image, but God, who knows what is beneficial, vouchsafes me this here. So, let us not hesitate any longer, for if the Lord of life and death will want to prolong my existence, if one day it is determined that from now on I should join the people of God and, as a member of the Church, participate in prayers along with everyone, then through this I will subject myself to the rules of life in accordance with the will of God. So said Constantine, and the bishops, having performed a sacred rite over him, fulfilled God’s decree, having prepared what was needed, they taught him the sacrament. Thus, Constantine, the first of all the former autocrats from centuries, through the revival of martyrs in the church, became a perfect Christian.
Having been awarded the Divine seal, he rejoiced in spirit, was renewed and filled with the light of God, from an overabundance of faith, he rejoiced mentally and was vividly amazed at the action of the power of God. After completing the sacred rite, he put on the ceremonial clothes of the basileus, shining like light 381, and rested on a bed covered with white covers, but did not want to touch the purple anymore.
Chapter 63. How he, having been baptized, praises God.
Then, raising his voice, he offered a prayer of gratitude to God and in conclusion said: now I recognize myself as truly blessed, now I am worthy of immortal life, now I believe that I have partaken of the Divine light, and he called those deprived of this good unhappy and pitiful. When the taxiarchs and hegemons came to him, and complaining that he was leaving them orphans, they prayed for the continuation of his life, he answered them that from now on he was awarded true life and that only he himself well understood what blessings he had been awarded, and therefore he was in a hurry and would not hesitate to go to his God. After this, he made the necessary orders: he appointed annual gifts to the Romans who lived in the royal capital, and to the children, as a paternal inheritance, he passed on the lot of the reign and so arranged everything that he desired.
Chapter 64. Death of Constantine on the Feast of Pentecost, around noon.
This happened during the greatest holiday of the all-honorable and all-holy Pentecost, which, although it lasts seven weeks, is one celebration. According to the testimony of the Divine Scriptures, on this holiday both the ascension of the common Savior to heaven and the descent of the Holy Spirit to men took place 382. Having received the same benefits during this holiday, Constantine, on its very last day, which it is not a sin to call the feast of holidays, was taken to his God around noon. He left mortal things to mortals, and with the rational and God-loving part of his soul he united with his God. This was the end of Constantine's life. But let's move on to the next step.
Chapter 65. Cry of warriors and leaders.
At that very moment, the doryphors and all the guards (εφρουν), tearing their clothes and throwing themselves to the ground, began to hit their heads, filled the palace with tears, sobs and screams, and called Constantine their ruler, lord, basileus, and not so much a ruler as the father of, as it were, blood children. Taxiarchs and lohagi called him their savior, guardian and benefactor, and the other troops, without violating due order, mourned, like abandoned flocks, for their good shepherd, the people, wandering around the city, expressed their spiritual grief with cries and cries, many seemed to be overcome with horror from sadness, everyone considered that misfortune their own and mourned their share as if the common good had been taken away from everyone.
Chapter 66. Transfer of his body from Nicomedia to the palace of Constantinople.
The soldiers, taking the body of Constantine, put it in a golden coffin, then covered it with purple, brought it to the city of the same name to the basileus and placed it on a high hearse in one of the best rooms of the royal palace. All around, on golden candlesticks, candles were lit, which presented to the eyes of those present an amazing sight, which no one had ever seen on earth under the sun since the creation of the world. It was in the middle of the inner hall of the palace, in a golden, high-placed coffin, that the body of the basileus lay, in royal order, covered with purple and a diadem; around it stood numerous guards who were awake day and night.
Chapter 67. That both the Comites and all the others gave him honors after death, as during life.
Comites, military hegemons, military archons (αρχοντον ταγμα), who during the life of the sovereign were duty-bound to come to him with greetings, without changing this order in the least, came now at the established hours to the one lying in the coffin, as if to a living basileus, and kneeling, greeted the deceased. After them, senators and all important persons appeared and did the same. Then people of various classes, with wives and children, were presented before this spectacle. And this was done in this way for a long time, because the strategists (στρατιωτιγων) decided to hold and preserve the body of the basileus until his children arrived to honor the burial of their parent with their presence. So, the blessed basileus, even after death, reigned alone, and everything went in the usual order, as it had during his life. Since the beginning of the world, God has bestowed such an honor on him alone. And indeed, of all the autocrats, he alone honored God and his Christ with various deeds, and therefore alone, in all justice, was honored with this.
To him alone, God, who exists above all, granted the privilege of reigning over people even after death, and to people who are not devoid of meaning, this clearly indicated the ageless and endless reign of his soul. This is how it all happened.
Chapter 68. How the army proclaimed his children Augusta.
Having chosen from among the military dignitaries (στρατωτικοων ταγματον) people who had long been known for their loyalty and devotion to the basileus, the taxiarchs sent them to inform the Caesars about the event, and they fulfilled the order. Meanwhile, the troops located in the military camps (στρατοπεδα) learned about the death of the basileus, as if by inspiration from above, as if the great basileus was still alive, unanimously decided not to recognize anyone as Roman autocrats except his children 383, and soon decided to call them all from now on not Caesars, but Augusti, a name that is taken as the greatest and highest symbol supreme power. The troops did this by communicating their opinions and feedback in writing, and the unanimous agreement of all of them spread everywhere in an instant.
Chapter 69. Rome's lamentation about Constantine and the honors shown to him after death through his image.
The inhabitants of the royal city, the Senate itself and the Roman people, having learned about the death of the basileus, indulged in unlimited grief, because such news struck them terribly, stronger than any misfortune. Baths and markets were closed, public spectacles and everything that was customary for the entertainment of idle people were prohibited, and those who had previously indulged in pleasure now wandered around with downcast eyes. At the same time, all the Romans unanimously called the basileus blessed, God-loving and truly worthy of reign, and they expressed this not only with exclamations, but also with deeds themselves, namely: they dedicated paintings to him and the dead, as if alive, depicting the view of the sky with paints and representing the basileus resting in a heavenly dwelling, above the heavenly circles. These people (like everyone else) also proclaimed no one else, but only his children, autocrators Augusti, and loudly begged that the body of the basileus be transferred to them and buried in the royal city.
Chapter 70. Constantius buries his body in Constantinople.
This is how the Romans praised the venerable God. Meanwhile, his second son, being with his father’s body, transferred it to Constantinople and himself managed the transfer. He walked ahead and led detachments of a military squad (στρατιωτικα ταγμα), followed by countless people, and the body of the basileus was followed by spearmen (λογχοφορο) and hoplites, who, upon arrival, placed a coffin in the church of the Apostles of the Savior. Thus expressing respect for his father, the new basileus Constantius retained due reverence for his memory - both by his presence and by his duties towards him.
Chapter 71. Meeting (Συναξις) in the mentioned church of the Apostles, at the burial of Constantine.
When he and the troops left, then the servants of God came to the middle, surrounded by a large crowd of Orthodox people, and began to perform divine services and prayers. Here, lying on a high hearse, the blessed one was glorified, and all the people, together with the clergy, not without tears and deep sighs, offered up prayers to God for the soul of the basileus and thereby fulfilled the desire of the God-loving one. In fact, God showed favor to his servant in the fact that after his death, he bestowed the kingdom on his beloved and legitimate children, and the church of his blessed soul, which he strongly desired, glorified by the title of Equal to the Apostles, numbered among the people of God, awarded the established worship and mystical sacred rites, and which showed the fruits of holy prayers, he honored with the Apostles. He himself, as if reborn for the highest power, retains the kingdom even after death, and preserving the name of the winner, the great Augustus, rules the Romans by his very name.
Chapter 72. About the phoenix bird.
He, not like that Egyptian bird, they say, is the only one of its kind, which dies on the chest of fragrant plants, burning itself, and then, reborn from its ashes, begins to fly and is the same as it was before - he was like the Savior, who, like a grain of wheat, multiplied from one itself, with the blessing of God, grew an ear, and filled the whole earth with its fruits. Like him, this blessed one, through the succession of his children, from one became numerous, so that among all nations he is depicted in honorary paintings together with his children, and the beloved name of Constantine lives no less after his death.
Chapter 73. About the fact that on the coins Constantine was depicted as if ascending to heaven.
His images were also minted on coins: on one side they depicted the blessed one with his head covered, and on the other, sitting on a four-horse chariot and ascending to heaven, where a hand extended from above received him.
Chapter 74. About the fact that God, whom he revered, rewarded him according to his dignity.
Having revealed all this before our eyes in Constantine, who was one of the kings who ever openly professed himself a Christian, the God of all showed how great a difference he believes, on the one hand, between the admirers of Him and His Christ, - on the other, between people who chose the opposite, who, having rebelled against the Church of God, thereby armed Him against themselves and made Him their enemy. The death of each of them clearly proved that they were under the wrath of God, while the well-known end of Constantine's life vouched for God's favor towards him.
Chapter 75. About the fact that of the former Roman basileus, Constantine was the most pious basileus.
Since he, one of the Roman basileos, revered the All-Tsar - God, with the deepest reverence, alone preached the teachings of Christ to everyone without hesitation, alone glorified His Church as much as anyone since the ages, alone overthrew all the errors of polytheism and exposed all types of idolatry, then alone, both during his life and after death, he was awarded benefits that no one else had achieved. Neither among the Hellenes, nor between the barbarians, nor among the Romans of previous centuries, until our time, is not a single thing mentioned.
Caesarea Palestine is a city on the Mediterranean coast of Palestine, the capital of the province since 6 AD, a bishopric since the 2nd century. from R.H. Eusebius was Bishop of Caesarea from 313 until his death in 339.
The position of praetorian judge (υπαρχικων αξιωματων) in the time of Constantine did not require a legal education as it later did and was largely just a lucrative position. Even the “Eternal Edict” of Hadrian forbade praetors to resolve disputes according to their own understanding, without referring to written laws (which had previously been the main feature of praetorian law). He allowed praetorian court to be administered not only by persons of senatorial and equestrian dignity, but by everyone who received such a position. Obviously, this edict was one of the steps towards the administrative system, finally established under Constantine, where it was not class that gave the right to hold a position (as in the Roman Republic and the Empire during the Principate, but the performance of the position gave a title. But before the introduction of compulsory legal education for judges, this rescript had dire consequences.
Ammianus Marcellinus, for example, speaks of the Roman judges of that time: “therefore they (Persians - A.K.) laugh at our custom, according to which sometimes lively orators and experts in law are located behind the back of an ignorant judge” (“Roman History”, XXIII, 6, 82). Lactantius (“On the Death of the Persecutors,” XXII), reporting on judicial practice in the provinces of Galerius during the persecution, accuses him of sending ignorant judges to the provinces without accompanying them with assessors versed in the law.
The rank of senator in the time of Constantine was not actually associated with the performance of specific duties and only gave the right to receive one of the highest titles associated with significant privileges - clarissima, spectacle or illustration, depending on the positions performed in addition to the senatorial rank. Some of these honorary titles provided immunity from certain taxes, and all titles associated with senatorial dignity were exempt from curial duties in their home city.
The title of consul (υπατων) at this time was not associated with the executive branch and was simply an honorary title.
This refers to the widespread introduction or consolidation of honorary titles - egregiat and perfectissimat for the equestrian class, which actually replaced the latter and clarissimat, spectabilat, illustrate and nobilissimat for the senatorial class. The receipt of these titles was initially associated with the fulfillment of certain official positions, although some of them were inherited. Also, a serving official sometimes retired with a greater title than his position entitles him to. In addition, the right to a title was given by a nominal position, when an official was called by the name of a particular position, but did not perform it.
This refers to the annona - land tax, from the payment of which townspeople and the highest titles of officials, starting with the clarissims, were exempted.
Most likely, here by Scythians Eusebius means Goths. It is known that the Goths have long received stipends from the empire. Thus, Jordanes reports that their scholarship was taken away during the reign of Emperor Philip (244–249) (“Getica,” 89). He also talks about the calling of the Goths as federates by Constantine (“Getica”, 111–112). Also Sozomen (“Ecclesiastical History”, I, 8.) mentions the victory of Constantine over the Goths. In addition, Jordanes mentions the resettlement of the Vandals to the empire under Constantine: “from Constantine they asked Pannonia for themselves and, having established villages there, served according to imperial decrees for approximately 60 years” (“Getica”, 115).
The Blemmyes are a Cushite tribe that has been disturbing the borders of the empire since the time of Diocletian, who, having pushed the borders of the empire to Elephantine, ordered an agreement to be concluded with them on the regular payment of money under the condition of stopping the raids. (Procopius of Caesarea, “War with the Persians,” I, 19, 29–32.)
This refers to the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Aksum.
The usual practice is to award Roman citizenship or any nominal ranks (up to consulate).
Apparently Shapur II (309–379). Most likely, this embassy is connected with the accession of Shapur II to the throne - there was a tradition between the Roman and Persian powers to solemnly inform each other about the accession of a new king or emperor.
The usual phrase, meaning, of course, not all generally known and inhabited lands, but only the lands of Roman-Greek culture.
That is, blood sacrificed to idols.
By earthly radiance we mean the artificial radiance produced by the priests in the darkness of the church and revered as sacred fire. Node media vidi solein, candido coruscan – leiu luniine, says Apuleius about the appearance in the church of Proserpina. It is also possible that here Constantine has in mind the Zoroastrian veneration of fire as one of the pure elements, and then this is a direct reproach to the Persian king.
This refers to the Roman emperor Publius Licinius Valerian (c. 193 - after 260), who was captured in the battle of Edessa by the Persians and died in captivity.
In Rome, the emperor was not always revered as a god after death - the title "divine" was given or not given by the Senate and successor. The cult of the emperor was always revered during his lifetime. One of the reasons for the persecution of Christians was precisely the need to make sacrifices to the god-emperor, as a sign of loyalty. For Christians, making sacrifices to created man was unacceptable. The very origin of this cult is usually associated with the “influence of the servile East.” However, such veneration of people during life and especially after death permeates all pagan culture in classical times. In Herodotus we see a huge number of examples of cult worship of former commanders and special people in general. Although, of course, this is a cult of heroes, not gods, nevertheless, the similarities here are obvious. Plutarch repeatedly mentions elements of divine honors given to people during their lifetime, both by the Greeks (for example, Titus Flamininus) and the Romans (the libation given to Mary before a meal after the victory over the Quadi is just one striking example).
Pausanias also describes a large number of similar heroic or semi-divine cults dedicated to completely earthly people. Not to mention the fact that in the east itself - that is, first of all, in Zoroastrian Persia, the king was by no means revered as a god, so borrowing from there is impossible.
This does not mean a church institution - we have known about the veneration of Sunday since the first century of Christianity, for example. 1 Cor. 16, 1–2. This refers to the law of 321: “Let all judges, city residents and artisans of all kinds rest in peace on the venerable day of the sun. Only in the villages let the farmers work unhindered and freely, because it often happens that on some day it is too inconvenient to entrust grains to a furrow, or grapes to a pit, so that, having lost an opportunity, you do not lose the convenient time sent by heavenly Providence” (Codex Justiniani III, 12, 2).
Of course, this does not mean ordination by appointment of Constantine, but the selection of priests for his home church by the emperor himself.
After the dissolution of the praetorians, Constantine replaced them with palace troops (auxilia palatina) and the emperor's retinue (protectores domestici).
The veneration of Friday is also much older than this decree of Constantine. Sozomen's report (Ecclesiastical History, I, 8) suggests that, unlike Sunday, work did not stop on this day, only the courts did not work and the soldiers were freed from their daily activities.
Wed. eg St. Justin Philosopher. Apology 1, 66–67.
Those. cross. Sozomen also mentions this (Ecclesiastical History, I, 8).
News of honoring the memory of martyrs and the careful preservation of their memory has existed since the 1st century - the instruction of St. Clement (91–100), Pope of Rome, about dividing Rome into 7 districts and assigning for each a special notary who would carefully and diligently study the acts of the martyrs in his area. The same is known about St. Cyprian of Carthage (M. Skaballonovich, “Explanatory Typikon”, part 1. p. 307) and, most likely, existed in all churches. Therefore, as soon as the persecution stopped and such celebrations became possible, they began everywhere.
By the beginning of the 4th century, the following were solemnly celebrated: Easter, the Nativity of Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension, Pentecost, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Candlemas, the Exaltation and the Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection. Of course, they were not celebrated everywhere in the same way. Thus, the holidays of Candlemas and Exaltation, widely celebrated in Jerusalem, were completely unknown in Gaul. Judging by even later calendars, the list of holidays celebrated not only in the Jerusalem church will be reduced even more: the Philokal calendar for 352 mentions only the Nativity of Christ (December 25); calendar Polemia Silvia Epiphany, death of Christ (March 25), His Resurrection (March 27), Christmas; Carthaginian calendar - Nativity of Christ and Epiphany (M. Skaballanovich, “Explanatory Typikon”, part 1, pp. 308–309.) But the absence in the calendars of the widely celebrated Easter and Pentecost may indicate that movable holidays were not recorded in the calendars.
In addition, the nilomer, which serves to determine the level of the river, was transferred from the church of Serapis, where it was previously kept, to the Christian church.
The nature and direction of Constantine's judicial reforms are still highly controversial. On the one hand, Hadrian had already issued the “Eternal Edict” (unfortunately, has not reached us in its entirety), which abolished numerous empty formalities necessary when concluding any transaction or filing any claim. On the other hand, Constantine’s decree of January 23, 342 (“Codex Justiniani”, 2, 57, 1), addressed to the president of the province of Phenicia, is known, ordering the abolition of these same strict literal formulas in legal documents. Thus, it is not entirely clear what exactly Adrian canceled. Regarding the meaning of the reform, in modern historiography there are two views, one explaining the legal reforms by the penetration of “vulgar” Greek into classical Roman law (Levi, I, 1951, p. 1), the other by the Christianization of the empire (Biondi. Diritto, I, 1952, p. 45).
But it is enough to consider the surprisingly meaningless formal nature of “classical” Roman law, based on numerous purely pagan rituals and ideas, to understand that there could be no talk of any vulgarization - the empire, having undergone Christianization, inevitably lost the rudiments of paganism, including in law. As E. Gibbon, who can hardly be suspected of a negative attitude towards Roman institutions, writes: “The legislation of the first Romans was likened to pantomime scenes, in which words were added to body movements; the slightest omission or neglect of the forms of legal proceedings was enough to invalidate the essence of the fairest litigation. The marital union was expressed by the necessary elements, fire and water (Pand. 1, XXIV, tit. I, lex. 66); the wife divorced from her husband gave a bunch of keys, with which she took control of the house.
When a son or slave was released, they were turned in all directions and given a light blow on the cheek; a thrown stone gave a sign to stop work; the prescription was stopped by the refraction of a tree branch; a clenched fist meant a pledge or surety... and the heir receiving the will was sometimes forced to snap his fingers, throw off his robe, jump and dance, with true or feigned joy" (E. Gibbon, "Historical Review of Roman Law", pp. 21-22). Characteristically, almost without changes, the codes of Theodosius and Justinian included the provisions of praetorian law - that part of the law that was least characterized by numerous formalities. In addition, to facilitate the legal process can be attributed the decrees of Constantine to destroy the notes of Ulpian and Paul to the text of Papinian, since they do not so much clarify it as spoil it in the name of their own glorification.
And the abolition of sportula (in 331) - payment for each step in court - starting from a correctly drawn up claim, which otherwise was not taken into account, but was drawn up by a judicial official, and ending with a fee for timely notification of the day of the court hearing.
For example, according to the Decemvirs, the transfer of inheritance was carried out as follows: “... each legislator expressed his will verbally or in writing, in the presence of five witnesses, representing the five classes of the Roman people; the sixth witness confirmed their presence, the seventh weighed the copper money paid by the counterfeit buyer, and so the appearance of a nationwide sale was completed; the estate was immediately returned to the owner, but lost its hereditary property” (E. Gibbon, “Historical Review of Roman Law,” p. 91) Moreover, this strange rite itself protected from otherwise considering the issue of inheritance in the People's Assembly - according to the general view of the ancient community on private property as part of public property. Subsequently, with the transfer of all executive and legislative power to the emperors, it was this ancient idea that allowed the emperors to inherit from their subjects at the slightest suspicion of the correctness of the procedure, and given its complexity, it was not difficult.
The procedure for any transaction was further aggravated by the arbitrariness of officials - the plaintiff had to pay the official for a correctly drawn up claim, even for the opportunity to be present in the courtroom when his case was considered. Of course, Constantine’s decree on the abolition of all these forms of legal proceedings did not abolish bureaucratic arbitrariness, but at least it made it possible to carry out many legal actions without them at all, while the course of those litigations that did take place in court became at least clear to the plaintiff and the defendant.
In addition, on August 13, 339, marriages between Christians and Jews were prohibited. ("Cod. Theod.", 16, 8, 6).
Min interprets the title of this chapter as a record of reflections - Λογογραφια και επιδειξεις, i.e. οσχολη λογογραφων
The usual form indicating that the speech was composed according to the rules of rhetoric.
As can be seen from the writings of St. Athanasius “On the incarnation of God the Word, and His coming to us in the flesh” and at the beginning of the fourth century, one of the problems of apologetics remained the proof of the need for salvation precisely through the incarnation and death on the cross.
As can be seen from the “Church History” (III, 25, 3–5 and are now accepted in this capacity. He doubted the authenticity (but accepted) the Epistles of James, the Epistle of Jude, the Second Epistle of the Apostle Peter and the Second and Third Epistles of the Apostle John. Of course, he did not accept only the Apocalypse as genuine, although in this work he clearly uses it.
This refers to state mail carts.
Large trading city in Palestine.
That is, she received the rights of the policy: the townspeople did not pay the annon, had a curia, their own bishop, etc.
In addition to the temples themselves, the pagans also considered certain places sacred - gorges, mountains, most often groves (see, for example, Sophocles, “Oedipus at Colonus,” 120–160).
The Council of Tire took place in 335.
Socrates Scholasticus (Ecclesiastical History, I, 28) calls him the acting consul. In the list of consuls given by E. Bickerman (“Chronology of the Ancient World,” pp. 234–235) there is no Dionysius at all, so Dionysius most likely was a titular consul.
This means St. Athanasius of Alexandria, about whom Socrates (“Ecclesiastical History”, I, 28) reports as follows: “But Athanasius did not want to go - not because he was afraid of accusations, because he did not even know what he was accused of, but because he feared that at the current Council they would introduce something new contrary to the Nicene Council. However, the king’s menacing message frightened him, for the king wrote that if he did not come of his own free will, he would be brought by force. So, yielding to necessity, Athanasius arrived.”
Eusebius deliberately omits the events that took place at the council - a complete justification of Athanasius.
That is, Metropolitan Alexander of Thessalonica, bishop of the main city of the diocese of Macedonia.
Marian - from Sozomen it is known that he was a notary and tribune
Constantine received Gaul, Britain, Iberia.
Constantius received control of the prefecture of the East.
Constant received control of Italy, Illyria and North Africa.
Most likely, this refers to the sacrament of anointing.
Like everyone who had just been baptized, Constantine put on white clothes, which Eusebius calls “royal” in the sense of likening the King of Heaven.
Ascension - Lk. 24, 51. The Descent of the Holy Spirit - Acts. 2, 1–4.
It was in connection with this that the soldiers killed Constantine's half-brother and the father of Julian the Apostate, Constantius.
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