Youth of Constantine
Constantine the Great was the eldest son of the Roman Emperor
Constantius and the British Princess Helena, or Elena, and was brought
up as a devout worshipper of the many gods of Rome. The lad grew up
strong and handsome, of a tall and majestic figure, skilled in all
warlike exercises, and, as he fought in the civil wars between the
various Roman emperors, he showed himself a bold and prudent general
in battle, a friendly and popular leader in time of peace. The
popularity of the youthful Constantine was dangerous to him, and he
needed, and showed, great skill in evading the deadly jealousy of the
old Emperor Diocletian, and the hatred of his father's rival,
Galerius. At last, however, his position became so dangerous that
Constantius felt his son's life was no longer safe, and earnestly
begged him to visit his native land of Britain, where Constantius had
just been proclaimed emperor and had defeated the wild Caledonians.
The excuse given was that Constantius was in bad health and needed his
son; but not until the young man was actually in Britain would his
anxious father avow that he feared for his son's life.
Acclaimed Emperor
When the half-British Constantius died, Constantine, who was the
favourite of the Roman soldiery of the west, was at once acclaimed as
emperor by his devoted troops. He professed unwillingness to accept
the honour, and it is said that he even tried in vain to escape on
horseback from the affectionate solicitations of his soldiers. Seeing
the uselessness of further protest, Constantine accepted the imperial
title, and wrote to Galerius claiming the throne and justifying his
acceptance of the unsought dignity thrust upon him. Galerius
acquiesced in the inevitable, and granted Constantine the inferior
title of "Caesar," with rule over Western Europe, and the wise prince
was content to wait until favouring circumstances should destroy his
rivals and give him that sole sway over the Roman Empire for which he
was so well fitted. He had now reached the age of thirty, had fought
valiantly in the wars in Egypt and Persia, and had risen by merit to
the rank of tribune. His marriage with Fausta, the daughter of the
Emperor Maximian, and his elevation to the rank of Augustus brought
him nearer to the attainment of his ambition; and at length the defeat
and death of his rivals placed him at the head of the world-wide
empire of Rome. It is to some period previous to Constantine's
elevation to the supreme authority that we must refer the following
story, told by Gower in his "Confessio Amantis" as an example of that
true charity which is the mother of pity, and makes a man's heart so
tender that,
"Though he might himself relieve,
Yet he would not another grieve,"
but in order to give pleasure to others would bear his own trouble
alone.
Becomes a Leper
The noble Constantine, Emperor of Rome, was in the full flower of his
age, goodly to look upon, strong and happy, when a great and sudden
affliction came upon him: leprosy attacked him. The horrible disease
showed itself first in his face, so that no concealment was possible,
and if he had not been the emperor he would have been driven out to
live in the forests and wilds. The leprosy spread from his face till
it entirely covered his body, and became so bad that he could no
longer ride out or show himself to his people. When all cures had been
tried and had failed, Constantine withdrew himself from his lords,
gave up all use of arms, abandoned his imperial duties, and shut
himself in his palace, where he lived such a secluded life in his own
apartments that Rome had, as it were, no lord, and all men throughout
the empire talked of his illness and prayed their gods to heal him.
When everything seemed to be in vain, Constantine yielded to the
prayer of his council, that he would summon all the doctors, learned
men, and physicians from every realm to Rome, that they might consider
his illness and try if any cure could be found for his malady.
Rewards Offered for his Cure
A proclamation went forth throughout the world and great rewards were
offered to any man who should heal the emperor. Tempted by the rewards
and the great fame to be won, there came leeches and physicians from
Persia and Arabia, and from every land that owned the sway of Rome,
philosophers from Greece and Egypt, and magicians and sorcerers from
the unexplored desert of the east. But, though Constantine tried all
the remedies suggested or recommended by the wise men, his leprosy
grew no better, but rather worse, and even magic could give him no
help.
Again the learned men assembled and consulted what they should advise,
for all were loath to abandon the emperor in his great distress, but
they were all at a loss. They sat in silence, till at last one very
old and very wise man, a great physician from Arabia, arose and said:
A Desperate Remedy
"Now that all else has failed, and naught is of any avail, I will tell
of a remedy of which I have heard. It will, I believe, certainly cure
our beloved emperor, but it is very terrible, and therefore I was
loath to name it till every other means had been tried and failed, for
it is a cruel thing for any man to do. Let the Emperor dip himself in
a full bath of the blood of infants and children, seven years old or
under, and he shall be healed, and his leprosy shall fall from him;
for this malady is not natural to his body, and it demands an
unnatural cure."
Constantine Assents Regretfully
The proposal was a terrible one to the assembly, and many would not
agree to it at first, but when they considered that nothing else would
heal the emperor they at length gave way, and sent two from among
themselves to bring the news to Constantine, who was waiting for them
in his darkened room. He was horrified when he heard the counsel they
brought, and at first utterly refused to carry out so evil a plan; but
because his life was very dear to his people, and because he felt that
he had a great work to do in the world, he ultimately agreed, with
many tears, to try the terrible remedy.
A Cruel Proclamation
Thereupon the council drew up letters, under the emperor's hand and
seal, and sent them out to all the world, bidding all mothers with
children of seven years of age or under to bring them with speed to
Rome, that there the blood of the innocents might prove healing to the
emperor's malady. Alas! what weeping and wailing there was among the
mothers when they heard this cruel decree! How they cried, and clasped
their babes to their breasts, and how they called Constantine more
cruel than Herod, who killed the Holy Innocents! The eastern ruler,
they said, slew only the infants of one poor village, but their
emperor, more ruthless, claimed the lives of all the young children of
his whole empire.
Constantine is Conscience-stricken
But though the mothers lamented bitterly, they must needs bow to the
emperor's decree, whether they were lief or loath, and thus a great
multitude gathered in the great courtyard of the imperial palace at
Rome: women nursing sucking-babes at the breast, or holding toddling
infants by the hand, or with little children running by their sides,
and all so heart-broken and woebegone that many swooned for very
grief. The mothers wailed aloud, the children cried, and the tumult
grew until Constantine heard it, where he sat lonely and wretched in
his darkened room. He looked out of his window on the mournful sight
in the courtyard, and was roused as from a trance, saying to himself:
"O Divine Providence, who hast formed all men alike, lo! the poor man
is born, lives, suffers, and dies, just as does the rich; to wise man
and fool alike come sickness and health; and no man may avoid that
fortune which Nature's law hath ordained for him. Likewise to all men
are Nature's gifts of strength and beauty, of soul and reason, freely
and fully given, so that the poor child is born as capable of virtue
as the king's son; and to each man is given free will to choose virtue
or vice. Yet thou givest to men diversity of rank, wealth or poverty,
lordship or servitude, not always according to their deserts; so much
the more virtuous should that man be to whom thou hast put other men
in subjection, men who are nevertheless his fellows and wear his
likeness. Thou, O God, who hast put Nature and the whole universe
under law, wouldst have all men rule themselves by law, and thou hast
said that a man must do to others such things as he would have done to
himself."
His Noble Resolve
Thus Constantine spoke within himself as he stood by the window and
looked upon the weeping mothers and children, the very sentinels of
his palace pitying them, and trying in vain to comfort them; and a
strife grew strong within him between his natural longing for healing
and deliverance from this loathsome disease which had darkened his
life, and the pity he felt for these poor creatures, and his horror at
the thought of so much human blood to be shed for himself alone. The
great moaning of the woeful mothers came to him and the pitiful crying
of the children, and he thought: "What am I that my health is to
outweigh the lives and happiness of so many of my people? Is my life
of more value to the world than those of all the children who must
shed their blood for my healing? Surely each babe is as precious as
Constantine the Emperor!" Thus his heart grew so tender and so full of
compassion that he chose rather to die by this terrible sickness than
to commit so great a slaughter of innocent children, and he renounced
all other physicians, and trusted himself wholly to God's care.
He Announces his Determination
He at once summoned his council, and announced to them his resolution,
giving as his reason, "He that will be truly master must be ever
servant to pity!" and without delay the anxious mothers were told
that their children were free and safe, for the emperor had renounced
the cure, and needed their blood no longer. What raptures of rejoicing
there were, what outpouring of blessing on the emperor, what songs of
praise and thanks from the women wild with joy, cannot be fully told;
and yet greater grew their joy and thankfulness when Constantine,
calling his high officials, bade them take all his gathered treasures
and distribute them among the poor women, that they might feed and
clothe their children, and so return home untouched by any loss, and
recompensed in some degree for their sufferings. Thus did Constantine
obey the behests of pity, and try to atone for the wrong to which he
had consented in his heart, and which he had so nearly done to his
people.
The Victims Sent Home Happy
Home to all parts of the Roman Empire went the women, bearing with
them their happy children, and the rich gifts they had received. Each
one thanked and blessed the emperor, and sang his praises, where
before she had passed with tears and bitter curses on his head; each
woman shared her joy with her neighbours; and the very children learnt
from their mothers and fathers to pray for the healing of their great
lord, who had given up his own will and sacrificed his own cure for
gentle pity's sake. Thus the whole world prayed for Constantine's
healing.
A Vision
Lo! it never yet was known that charity went unrequited and this
Constantine now learnt in his own glad experience; for that same
night, as he lay asleep, God sent to him a vision of two strangers,
men of noble face and form, whom he reverenced greatly, and who said
to him: "O Constantine, because thou hast obeyed the voice of pity,
thou hast deserved pity; therefore shalt thou find such mercy, that
God, in His great pity, will save thee. Double healing shalt thou
receive, first for thy body, and next for thy woeful soul; both alike
shall be made whole. And that thou mayst not despair, God will grant
thee a sign--thy leprosy shall not increase till thou hast sent to
Mount Celion, to Sylvester and all his clergy. There they dwell in
secret for dread of thee, who hast been a foe to the law of Christ,
and hast destroyed those who preach in His Holy Name. Now thou hast
appeased God somewhat by thy good deed, since thou hast had pity on
the innocent blood, and hast spared it; for this thou shalt find
teaching, from Sylvester, to the salvation of both body and soul. Thou
wilt need no other leech." The emperor, who had listened with
eagerness and awe, now spoke: "Great thanks I owe to you, my lords,
and I will indeed do as ye have said; but one thing I would pray
you--what shall I tell Sylvester of the name or estate of those who
send me to him?" The two strangers said: "We are the Apostles Peter
and Paul, who endured death here in thy city of Rome for the Holy Name
of Christ, and we bid Sylvester teach and baptize thee into the true
faith. So shall the Roman Empire become the kingdom of the Lord and of
His Christ." So saying, they blessed him, and passed into the heavens
out of his sight, and Constantine awoke from his slumber and knew that
he had seen a vision. He called aloud eagerly, and his servants
waiting in an outer room ran in to him quickly, for there was urgency
in his voice. To them Constantine told his vision and the command
which was laid upon him.
Sylvester Summoned
Messengers rode in hot haste to Mount Celion, and inquired long and
anxiously for Sylvester. At last they found him, a holy and venerable
man, and summoned him, saying: "The Emperor calls for thee: come,
therefore, at once." Sylvester's clergy were greatly affrighted, not
knowing what this summons might mean, and dreading the death of their
dear bishop and master; but he went forth gladly, not knowing to what
fate he was going. When he was brought to the palace the emperor
greeted him kindly, and told him all his dream, and the command of the
Apostles Peter and Paul, and ended with these words: "Now I have done
as the vision bade, and have fetched thee here: tell me, I pray, the
glad tidings which shall bring healing to my body and soul." When
Sylvester heard this speech he was filled with joy and wonder, and
thanked God for the vision He had sent to the emperor, and then he
began to preach to him the Christian faith: he told of the Fall of
Man, and the redemption of the world by the death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ, of the Ascension of Jesus and His return at the Day of
Judgment, of the justice of God, who will judge all men impartially
according to their works, good or bad, and of the life of joy or
misery to come. As Sylvester taught, the monarch listened and
believed, and, when the tale was ended, announced his conversion to
the true faith, and said he was ready, with his whole heart and soul,
to be baptized.
Constantine Baptized
At the emperor's command, they took the great vessel of silver which
had been made for the children's blood, and Sylvester bade them fill
it with pure water from the well. When that was done with all haste,
he bade Constantine stand therein, so that the water reached his chin.
As the holy rite began a great light like the sun's rays shone from
heaven into the place, and upon Constantine; and as the sacred words
were being read there fell now and again from his body scales like
those of a fish, till there was nothing left of his horrible disease;
and thus in baptism Constantine was purified in body and soul.
[Illustration: They filled the great vessel of silver with pure water]