Life of Constantine 1.57.1–2.27.1
Greek text: Heikel, GCS 7 (Greek text: Ivar A. Heikel, Eusebius Werke 1 (GCS 7, 1902), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 1 (1890).
Life 1, chapter 57
1.57.1Heikel
Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῆς τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν κατήρχετο πολιορκίας οὑτος πρῶτός τε τὴν ἐαυτοῦ ψυχὴν δικαίων καὶ θεοσεβῶν ἐνέφυρεν αἴμασι, θεόπεμπτος αὐτὸν μετήρχετο τιμωρία ἐξ αὐτῆς αὐτοῦ καταρξαμένη σαρκὸς καὶ μέχρι τῆς ψυχῆς προελθοῦσα. ἀθρόα μὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ περὶ τὰ μέσα τῶν ἀπορρήτων τοῦ σώματος ἀπόστασις γίνεται, εἶθʼ ἕλκος ἐν βάθει συριγγῶδες, καὶ τούτων ἀνίατος νομὴ κατὰ τῶν ἐνδοτάτω σπλάγχνων, ἀφʼ ὡν ἄλεκτόν τι πλῆθος σκωλήκων βρύειν θανατώδη τε ὀδμὴν ἀποπνεῖν, τοῦ παντὸς ὄγκου τῶν σαρκῶν ἐκ πολυτροφίας εἰς ὑπερβολὴν πλήθους πιμελῆς μεταβεβληκότος, ἢν τότε κατασαπεῖσαν ἀφόρητον καὶ φρικτοτάτην τοῖς πλησιάζουσι παρέχειν τὴν θέαν φασι. καὶ δὴ τοσούτοις παλαίων κακοῖς όψέ ποτε συναίσθησιν τῶν κατὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τετολμημένων αὐτῷ λαμβάνει, βάνει, κἄπειτα τῷ θεῷ ἐξομολογησάμενος τὸν κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀποπαύει διωγμόν, νόμοις τε καὶ διατάγμασι βασιλικοῖς τὰς ἐκκλησίας αὐτῶν οἰκοδομεῖν ἐπισπέρχει, τά τε συνήθη πράττειν αὐτοὺς εὐχὰς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ποιουμένους διακελεύεται.
Epeidē gar tēs tōn ekklēsiōn katērcheto poliorkias houtos prōtos te tēn eautou psychēn dikaiōn kai theosebōn enephyren aimasi, theopemptos auton metērcheto timōria ex autēs autou katarxamenē sarkos kai mechri tēs psychēs proelthousa. athroa men gar autǭ peri ta mesa tōn aporrētōn tou sōmatos apostasis ginetai, eithʼ helkos en bathei syringōdes, kai toutōn aniatos nomē kata tōn endotatō splanchnōn, aphʼ hōn alekton ti plēthos skōlēkōn bryein thanatōdē te odmēn apopnein, tou pantos onkou tōn sarkōn ek polytrophias eis hyperbolēn plēthous pimelēs metabeblēkotos, ēn tote katasapeisan aphorēton kai phriktotatēn tois plēsiazousi parechein tēn thean phasi. kai dē tosoutois palaiōn kakois opse pote synaisthēsin tōn kata tēs ekklēsias tetolmēmenōn autǭ lambanei, banei, kapeita tǭ theǭ exomologēsamenos ton kata tōn Christianōn apopauei diōgmon, nomois te kai diatagmasi basilikois tas ekklēsias autōn oikodomein episperchei, ta te synēthē prattein autous euchas hyper autou poioumenous diakeleuetai.
For since this man had begun the siege of the churches and had been the first to defile his own soul with the blood of righteous and godly men, a punishment sent by God pursued him, beginning from his very flesh and advancing to his soul. Suddenly an abscess formed around the middle of the secret parts of his body, then a deep fistulous ulcer, and an incurable spreading of these through the innermost bowels, from which an unspeakable multitude of worms swarmed and a deadly stench was given off; the whole mass of his flesh had been turned by gluttony into an excessive quantity of fat, which, rotting then, presented, they say, an unbearable and most horrifying sight to those who came near. Wrestling with such evils, he at last came to a realization of what he had dared against the church; and then, confessing to God, he stopped the persecution against the Christians, urged them by laws and imperial decrees to build their churches, and ordered them to perform their customary worship, making prayers for him.
Acts 12:23 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Galerius, who began the persecution, died of a horrible disease after ending the persecution by edict.
- The ringleader is Galerius, whose edict of toleration (311) is quoted in Church History 8.17. The disease recalls the deaths of Antiochus in 2 Macc 9:9 and of Herod Agrippa in Acts 12:23.
Extrabiblical texts: 2 Macc 9:9 (2 Maccabees [in RC, EO canons]; echo)
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 1.57.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-1-57-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-1-57-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 1, chapter 58
1.58.1Heikel
Ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν τοῦ διωγμοῦ κατάρξας τοιαύτην ὑπεῖχε δίκην. τούτων δʼ αὐτόπτης ὁ πρὸς τοῦ λογου δηλούμενος γεγονὼς ταῦτα τ΄ ἀκριβῶς ἀκριβῶς τῇ πείρᾳ, λήθην λήθην ἁπάντων ἐποιεῖτο. οὔτε τὴν κατὰ τοῦ προτέρου ποινὴν ἀνενέγκας τῇ μνήμῃ οὔτε τὴν ἐκ τοῦ δευτέρου τιμωρὸν δίκην.
Allʼ ho men tou diōgmou katarxas toiautēn hypeiche dikēn. toutōn dʼ autoptēs ho pros tou logou dēloumenos gegonōs tauta t΄ akribōs akribōs tę̄ peirą, lēthēn lēthēn hapantōn epoieito. oute tēn kata tou proterou poinēn anenenkas tę̄ mnēmę̄ oute tēn ek tou deuterou timōron dikēn.
Such was the penalty suffered by the one who began the persecution. The man now spoken of in our account, though he had been an eyewitness of these things and knew them precisely by experience, forgot them all, calling to mind neither the punishment of the first nor the avenging justice that came upon the second.
Notes and citation
Summary: Licinius forgot the punishments of Galerius and Maximinus.
- “The second” is Maximinus Daia (see 1.58.2–3).
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 1.58.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-1-58-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-1-58-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
1.58.2Heikel
ὃς δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπερβαλέσθαι τὸν πρωτον ὡς ἐν κακῶν πεφιλοτιμημένος ἀγῶνι, καινοτέρων τιμωριῶν εὑρέσει καθʼ ἡμῶν ἐκαλλωπίξετο. οὐκ ἀπήρκει γὰρ αὐτῷ πῦρ καὶ σίδηρος καὶ προσήλωσις οὐδέ γε θῆρες ἄγριοι καὶ θαλάσσης βυθοί, ἤδη δὲ πρὸς ἅπασι τούτοις ξένην τινὰ κόλασιν αὐτὸς ἐφευρών, τὰ τοῦ φωτὸς αἰσθητήρια λυμαίνεσθαι δεῖν ἐνομοθέτει. ἀθρόα δῆτα πλήθη οὐκ ἀνδρῶν μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ παίδων καὶ γυναικῶν, ὁράσεις δεξιῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ποδῶν τ΄ ἀγκύλας σιδήρῳ καὶ καυτῆρσιν ἀχρειού- μενα, ταλαιπωρεῖσθαι μετάλλοις παρεδίδοτο.
hos dē kai autos hyperbalesthai ton prōton hōs en kakōn pephilotimēmenos agōni, kainoterōn timōriōn heuresei kathʼ hēmōn ekallōpixeto. ouk apērkei gar autǭ pyr kai sidēros kai prosēlōsis oude ge thēres agrioi kai thalassēs bythoi, ēdē de pros hapasi toutois xenēn tina kolasin autos epheurōn, ta tou phōtos aisthētēria lymainesthai dein enomothetei. athroa dēta plēthē ouk andrōn monon alla kai paidōn kai gynaikōn, horaseis dexiōn ophthalmōn podōn t΄ ankylas sidērǭ kai kautērsin achreiou- mena, talaipōreisthai metallois paredidoto.
He too, as if striving to outdo the first in a contest of evils, prided himself on inventing newer punishments against us. Fire and sword and nailing were not enough for him, nor wild beasts and the depths of the sea; besides all these he devised a strange punishment of his own and decreed that the organs of sight be destroyed. So whole crowds, not of men only but also of children and women, had the sight of their right eyes and the sinews of their feet disabled with iron and cautery, and were handed over to be worn out in the mines.
Notes and citation
Summary: Maximinus invented new tortures, blinding and laming Christians and sending them to the mines.
- The second persecutor is Maximinus Daia; compare Church History 8.12.10.
Topics: Persecution, Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 1.58.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-1-58-2).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-1-58-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
1.58.3Heikel
ὡς εἴνεκα καὶ τοῦτον οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιοκρισία μετᾐει, ὅτε δαιμόνων ἐλπί- σιν, ὧν δὴ ᾤετο θεῶν, ὁπλιτῶν τε μυριάσιν ἀναρίθμοις ἐπιθαρσήσας πολέμῳ παρετάττετο. τηνικαῦτα γὰρ γυμνωθεὶς τῆς ἐκ θεοῦ ἐλπίδος ὑπεκδύεται τὸν οὐ πρέποντα αὐτῷ βασιλικὸν κόσμον, δειλῶς τε καὶ ἀνάνδρως ὑποδὺς τὸ πλῆθος δρασμῷ τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐπινοεῖ, κἄπειτα κρυπταζόμενος ἀνὰ τοὺς ἀγροὺς καὶ τὰς κώμας ἐν οἰκέτου σχήματι διαλανθάνειν ᾤετο. ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ καὶ τὸν μέγαν καὶ τῆς καθόλου προνοίας διαδέδρακεν ὁφθαλμόν. ὡς γὰρ ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ λοιπὸν κεῖσθαι αὐτῷ τὴν ζωὴν ἤλπισε, βέλει θεοῦ πεπυρωμένῳ πληγὶς πρηνὴς ἔκειτο, θεηλάτῳ πυρὶ τὸ πᾶν δαπανώμενος σῶμα, ὡς τὸ πᾶν εἶδος αὐτῷ τῆς παλαιᾶς μορφῆς ἀφανισθῆναι, ξηρῶν όστέων καὶ κατεσκελετευμένων δίκην εἰδώλων περιλειφθέντων αὐτῷ μόνων. Σφοδροτέρας δὲ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ πληγῆς ἐνταθείσης προπηδῶσιν αὐτῷ τὰ ὄμματα, τῆς τε οἰκείας λήξεως ἐκπεσόντα πηρὸν αὐτὸν ἀφίησιν, ἃ κατὰ τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ μαρτύρων πρῶτος ἐφεῦρε κολαστήρια, ταῦθʼ ὑπομείναντα δικαιοτάτῃ τοῦ θεοῦ ψήφῳ. καὶ δὴ ἔτʼ ἐμπνέων ἐπὶ τοῖς τοσούτοις ὁψέ ποτε καὶ οὗτος τῷ Χριστιανῶν ἀνθωμολογεῖτο θεῷ καὶ τὰς οἰκείας ἐξηγόρευε θεομαχίας, παλινῳδίας τε συνέταττεν ὁμοίως τῷ προτέρῳ καὶ αὐτός, νόμοις καὶ διατάγμασιν ἐγγράφως τὴν οὐκείαν περὶ οὓς ᾤετο θεοὺς πλάνην ὁμολογῶν, μόνον τε τὸν Χριστιανῶν αὐτῇ πείρᾳ θεὸν ἐγνωκέναι μαρτυρόμενος. ταῦτʼ ἔργοις μαθὼν ὁ Δικίνιος ἀλλʼ οὐ παρʼ ἐτέροις ἀκοῇ πυθόμενος τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπεφύετο, ὥσπερ τινὶ σκοτομήνῃ τὴν διάνοιαν ἐγακλυπτόμενος.
hōs eineka kai touton ouk eis makran hē tou theou dikaiokrisia metę̄ei, hote daimonōn elpi- sin, hōn dē ǭeto theōn, hoplitōn te myriasin anarithmois epitharsēsas polemǭ paretatteto. tēnikauta gar gymnōtheis tēs ek theou elpidos hypekdyetai ton ou preponta autǭ basilikon kosmon, deilōs te kai anandrōs hypodys to plēthos drasmǭ tēn sōtērian epinoei, kapeita kryptazomenos ana tous agrous kai tas kōmas en oiketou schēmati dialanthanein ǭeto. allʼ ouchi kai ton megan kai tēs katholou pronoias diadedraken hophthalmon. hōs gar en asphalei loipon keisthai autǭ tēn zōēn ēlpise, belei theou pepyrōmenǭ plēgis prēnēs ekeito, theēlatǭ pyri to pan dapanōmenos sōma, hōs to pan eidos autǭ tēs palaias morphēs aphanisthēnai, xērōn osteōn kai kateskeleteumenōn dikēn eidōlōn perileiphthentōn autǭ monōn. Sphodroteras de tēs tou theou plēgēs entatheisēs propēdōsin autǭ ta ommata, tēs te oikeias lēxeōs ekpesonta pēron auton aphiēsin, ha kata tōn tou theou martyrōn prōtos epheure kolastēria, tauthʼ hypomeinanta dikaiotatę̄ tou theou psēphǭ. kai dē etʼ empneōn epi tois tosoutois hopse pote kai houtos tǭ Christianōn anthōmologeito theǭ kai tas oikeias exēgoreue theomachias, palinǭdias te synetatten homoiōs tǭ proterǭ kai autos, nomois kai diatagmasin engraphōs tēn oukeian peri hous ǭeto theous planēn homologōn, monon te ton Christianōn autę̄ peirą theon egnōkenai martyromenos. tautʼ ergois mathōn ho Dikinios allʼ ou parʼ eterois akoę̄ pythomenos tois autois epephyeto, hōsper tini skotomēnę̄ tēn dianoian egaklyptomenos.
For this reason God's righteous judgment overtook him too before long, when, trusting in the hopes of demons, whom he took for gods, and in countless myriads of soldiers, he drew up for war. Then, stripped of any hope from God, he slipped off the imperial dress that did not befit him, cowardly and unmanly crept into the crowd, and thought of saving himself by flight; then, hiding in the fields and villages in the dress of a servant, he thought he could escape notice. But he did not escape the great eye of universal providence. For just when he hoped that his life was now safe, he was struck by God's fiery dart and lay prostrate, his whole body consumed by fire sent from God, so that every trace of his former appearance vanished, and only dry bones, reduced to a skeleton, were left to him, like phantoms. [59] As God's blow pressed on more violently, his eyes started out and, falling from their sockets, left him blind; so by God's most just verdict he suffered the very punishments he had first devised against the martyrs of God. And while he still breathed, after all this, he too at last made confession to the God of the Christians and openly declared his own fighting against God. He too, like the former, composed recantations, confessing in writing, by laws and decrees, his error concerning those he took for gods, and testifying that he had come to know by experience that the God of the Christians alone [is God]. Licinius, who had learned these things by events and not by hearsay from others, nevertheless clung to the same courses, as if his mind were veiled in moonless darkness.
Notes and citation
Summary: Maximinus was defeated, fled in disguise, died of a wasting disease that blinded him, and recanted; yet Licinius followed his example.
- Maximinus was defeated by Licinius in 313 and died at Tarsus; Eusebius tells the story at greater length in Church History 9.10. The digital text runs NPNF's chapter 59 into this section (its numeral “LIX.” is removed).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garble of θεοῦ; OCR letter error; leaked chapter numeral; repeated word fragment; stray bracket; truncated word): ξωὴν → ζωὴν; όστέων καὶ] → όστέων καὶ; κατεσκελετευμένων νων → κατεσκελετευμένων; LIX. Σφοδροτέρας → Σφοδροτέρας; τοῦ Μοῦ μαρτύρων → τοῦ θεοῦ μαρτύρων; ἀνθωμο θεῷ → ἀνθωμολογεῖτο θεῷ.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 1.58.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-1-58-3).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-1-58-3) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 1
2.1.1Heikel
Ὡδε μὲν οὖν ὁ δηλωθεὶς ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν θεομάχων βυθὸν κατεκρημνίζετο, καὶ ὡν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐπεῖδεν τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς δυσσεβείας ὀλέθρους, τούτων τὸν ζῆλον ἐπὶ κακῷ τῷ αὐτοῦ μετιών, τὸν κατὰ Χριστιανῶν διωγμὸν ὥσπερ τινὰ πάλαι κατεσβεσμένην πυρὸς ἀκμὴν ἀνερρίπιζε, δεινοτέραν ἢ οἱ πρόσθεν τὴν τῆς δυσσεβείας ἐξάπτων φλόγα. καὶ δὴ οἷά τις θὴρ δεινὸς ἢ σκολιὸς ὄφις περὶ ἑαυτὸν ἰλυσπώμενος, θυμοῦ τε καὶ ἀπειλῆς θεομάχου πνέων, οὔπω μὲν ἐκ τοῦ προφανοῦς διὰ τὸν Κωνσταντίνου φόβον ταῖς ὑπʼ αὐτὸν ἐκκλη- σίαις τοῦ θεοῦ πολεμεῖν ἐτόλμα, κρύπτων δὲ τῆς κακίας τὸν ἰὸν λαθραίας καὶ μερικὰς ἐποιεῖτο τὰς κατὰ τῶν ἐπισκόπων συσκευάς, ἀνῄρει τε διʼ ἐπιβουλῆς τῶν κατʼ ἔθνος ἀρχόντων τοὺς τούτων δοκιμωτάτους. καὶ ὁ τρόπος δὲ τοῦ κατʼ αὐτῶν φόνου ξενίζων τις ἠν, οἶος οὐδὲ πώποτε ἀκοῇ γνωσθῆναι. τὰ γοῦν ἀμφὶ τὴν Ἀμάσειαν τοῦ Πόντου κατεργασθέντα πᾶσαν ὑπερβολὴν ὠμότητος ὑπερηκοντιζεν.
Hōde men oun ho dēlōtheis epi ton tōn theomachōn bython katekrēmnizeto, kai hōn ophthalmois epeiden tous epi tēs dyssebeias olethrous, toutōn ton zēlon epi kakǭ tǭ autou metiōn, ton kata Christianōn diōgmon hōsper tina palai katesbesmenēn pyros akmēn anerripize, deinoteran ē hoi prosthen tēn tēs dyssebeias exaptōn phloga. kai dē hoia tis thēr deinos ē skolios ophis peri heauton ilyspōmenos, thymou te kai apeilēs theomachou pneōn, oupō men ek tou prophanous dia ton Kōnstantinou phobon tais hypʼ auton ekklē- siais tou theou polemein etolma, kryptōn de tēs kakias ton ion lathraias kai merikas epoieito tas kata tōn episkopōn syskeuas, anę̄rei te diʼ epiboulēs tōn katʼ ethnos archontōn tous toutōn dokimōtatous. kai ho tropos de tou katʼ autōn phonou xenizōn tis ēn, oios oude pōpote akoę̄ gnōsthēnai. ta goun amphi tēn Amaseian tou Pontou katergasthenta pasan hyperbolēn ōmotētos hyperēkontizen.
Thus the man described was plunging himself into the pit of the God-fighters. Emulating, to his own harm, those whose destruction for impiety he had seen with his own eyes, he fanned up again the persecution against the Christians like a blaze of fire long since extinguished, kindling the flame of impiety more fiercely than those before him. And like some terrible beast or crooked serpent writhing about itself, breathing anger and God-fighting threats, he did not yet dare, for fear of Constantine, to make open war on the churches of God under him; but hiding the venom of his wickedness, he made secret and piecemeal plots against the bishops, and did away with the most esteemed of them through the treachery of the provincial governors. The manner of their murder was strange, such as had never before been heard of. What was done at Amaseia in Pontus surpassed every excess of cruelty.
Acts 9:1 (echo, medium confidence) · Isa 27:1 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Licinius renewed the persecution in secret, having bishops killed by his governors, especially at Amaseia in Pontus.
- “Breathing threats” recalls Acts 9:1; the crooked serpent recalls Isa 27:1.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error): ςῆλον → ζῆλον; ὥοπερ → ὥσπερ.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.1.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-1-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-1-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 2
2.2.1Heikel
Ἔνθα τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν αἱ μὲν ἐξ ὕψους εἰς ἔδαφος τοῦτο δεύτερον μετὰ τὰς πρώτας καθῃροῦντο πολιορκίας, τὰς δʼ ἀπέκλειον οἱ κατὰ τόπους ἡγεμόνες, ὡς ἂν μὴ συνάγοιτό τις τῶν εἰωθότων μηδὲ τῷ θεῷ τὰς ἐνθέσμους ἀποδιδοίη λατρείας. συντελεῖσθαι γὰρ οὐχ ἡγεῖτο ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ταύτας ὁ τὰ τοιάδε προστάττων, συνειδότι φαύλῳ τοῦτο λογιζόμενος, ὑπὲρ δὲ Κωνσταντίνου πάντα πράττειν ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸν θεὸν ἱλεοῦσθαι πέπειστο.
Entha tōn ekklēsiōn hai men ex hypsous eis edaphos touto deuteron meta tas prōtas kathę̄rounto poliorkias, tas dʼ apekleion hoi kata topous hēgemones, hōs an mē synagoito tis tōn eiōthotōn mēde tǭ theǭ tas enthesmous apodidoiē latreias. synteleisthai gar ouch hēgeito hyper autou tautas ho ta toiade prostattōn, syneidoti phaulǭ touto logizomenos, hyper de Kōnstantinou panta prattein hēmas kai ton theon hileousthai pepeisto.
There some of the churches were pulled down from top to bottom, for the second time since the first sieges, while others were shut up by the local governors, so that none of the regular worshipers might assemble or render to God the lawful services. For the man who gave these orders did not think the services were performed for him, reckoning so from a bad conscience, but was convinced that we did everything, and propitiated God, on Constantine's behalf.
Notes and citation
Summary: Churches were destroyed or closed, since Licinius believed Christians prayed only for Constantine.
Topics: Persecution, Prayer
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.2.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-2-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-2-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.2.2Heikel
οἱ δʼ αὐτοὶ θῶπες ὄντες τινὲς καὶ κόλακες, τὰ φίλα πράττειν τῷ δυσαγεῖ πεπεισμένοι, τοὺς δοκιμωτάτους τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν προέδρους κεφαλικαῖς ὑπέβαλλον τιμωρίαις, ἀπήγοντό τε καὶ ἐχολάςοντο ἀπροφασίστως τοῖς μιαιφόνοις ὁμοίως οἱ κατὰ μηδὲν ἠδικηκότες. ἤδη δέ τινες καινοτέραν ὑπέμενον τοῦ βίου τελευτήν, ξίφει τὸ σῶμα εἰς πολλὰ κατακρεουργούμενοι τμήματα καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀπηνῆ ταύτην καὶ πάσης τραγικῆς ἀκοῆς φρικτοτἐραν κόλασιν θαλαττίοις βυθοῖς ἰχθύσιν εἰς βορὰν ῥιπτούμενοι.
hoi dʼ autoi thōpes ontes tines kai kolakes, ta phila prattein tǭ dysagei pepeismenoi, tous dokimōtatous tōn ekklēsiōn proedrous kephalikais hypeballon timōriais, apēgonto te kai echolasonto aprophasistōs tois miaiphonois homoiōs hoi kata mēden ēdikēkotes. ēdē de tines kainoteran hypemenon tou biou teleutēn, xiphei to sōma eis polla katakreourgoumenoi tmēmata kai meta tēn apēnē tautēn kai pasēs tragikēs akoēs phriktoteran kolasin thalattiois bythois ichthysin eis boran rhiptoumenoi.
Certain fawners and flatterers, convinced that they were doing what pleased the accursed man, subjected the most esteemed presidents of the churches to capital punishment; men who had done no wrong were led away and punished without any pretext, like murderers. Some even suffered a new kind of death: their bodies were hacked with the sword into many pieces, and after this cruel punishment, more horrifying than any tragic tale, they were thrown into the depths of the sea as food for fish.
Notes and citation
Summary: Bishops were executed, some cut to pieces and thrown into the sea.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; doubled letter (digitization slip)): ἐκκληοιῶν → ἐκκλησιῶν; ἠόικηκότες → ἠδικηκότες; τμηήματα → τμήματα.
Topics: Persecution, Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.2.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-2-2).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-2-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.2.3Heikel
φυγαὶ δὴ αὐθις ἐπὶ τούτοις ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ σμικρῷ πρότερον τῶν θεοσεβῶν ἐγίνοντο ἀνδρῶν, καὶ πάλιν ἀγροὶ καὶ πάλιν ἐρημίαι τοὺς τοῦ θεοῦ θεραπευτὰς ὑπεδέχοντο. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ταῦτα τοῦτον προὐχώρει τῷ τυράννῳ τὸν τρόπον, λοιπὸν τὸν κατὰ πάντων ἀνακινεῖν διωγμὸν ἐπὶ διάνοιαν ἐβάλλετο, ἐκράτει τε γνώμης καὶ οὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἦν αὐτῷ μὴ οὐχὶ διʼ ἔργων ἤδη χωρεῖν, εἰ δὴ μὴ φθάσας τὸ μέλλον ὁ τῶν οἰκείων ὑπέρμαχος ὡς ἐν σκότῳ καὶ νυκτὶ ζοφωδεστάτῃ φωστῆρα μέγαν ἐξέλαμψε, τὸν αὐτοῦ θεράποντα Κωνσταντῖνον ἐπὶ τὰ τῇδε χειραγωγήσας.
phygai dē authis epi toutois hōsper oun kai smikrǭ proteron tōn theosebōn eginonto andrōn, kai palin agroi kai palin erēmiai tous tou theou therapeutas hypedechonto. epei de kai tauta touton prouchōrei tǭ tyrannǭ ton tropon, loipon ton kata pantōn anakinein diōgmon epi dianoian eballeto, ekratei te gnōmēs kai ouden empodōn ēn autǭ mē ouchi diʼ ergōn ēdē chōrein, ei dē mē phthasas to mellon ho tōn oikeiōn hypermachos hōs en skotǭ kai nykti zophōdestatę̄ phōstēra megan exelampse, ton autou theraponta Kōnstantinon epi ta tę̄de cheiragōgēsas.
So once more, as a little before, godly men took to flight, and again the fields and again the deserts received the servants of God. And when these things had gone forward as the tyrant wished, he then set his mind on stirring up the persecution against all, and was fixed in his purpose; nothing would have prevented him from proceeding to action, had not the champion of his own people anticipated what was coming and made a great luminary shine out, as in darkness and the gloomiest night, leading his servant Constantine by the hand to those regions.
Notes and citation
Summary: As Licinius prepared a general persecution, God sent Constantine to the East.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter errors): Κωνοταυτῖνον → Κωνσταντῖνον.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.2.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-2-3).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-2-3) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 3
2.3.1Heikel
Ὃς οὐκέτ ἀνεκτὴν εἶναι συνιδὼν τὴν τῶν εἰρημένων ἀκοήν, τὸν σώφρονα συνάγει λογισμόν, καὶ τὸ στερρὸν τοῦ τρόπου τῇ συμφύῳ φιλανθρωπίᾳ κερασάμενος ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμυναν τῶν καταπονουμένων ὲ́σπευδεν, κρίνας δεῖν εἶναι εὐσεβὲς καὶ ὅσιον ἐκποδὼν ἕνα ποιησάμενον τὸ πλεῖστον τῶν ἀνθρώπων διασώσασθαι γένος· πολλῇ γὰρ αὐτῷ χρωμένῳ φιλανθρωπίᾳ καὶ τὸν οὐ συμπαθείας ἄξιον ἐλεοῦντι, τῷ μὲν μηθὲν γίγνεσθαι πλέον, τῆς τῶν κακῶν ἐπιτηδεύσεως μηδαμῶς ἀπαλλαττομένῳ ἐπαύξοντι ἐπαύξοντι δὲ μᾶλλον τὴν κατὰ τῶν ὑποχειρἱων λύτταν, τοῖς δὲ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ κεκακωμένοις μηδεμίαν σωτηρίας ἐλπίδα λείπεσθαι. ταῦτʼ ἐννοήσας βασιλεὺς ἀνυπερθέτως δεξιὰν ορέγειν σωτήριον τοῖς εἰς ἔσχατα κακῶν ἐληλακόσιν ὡρμᾶτο. τῆς μὲν οὐν στρατιωτικῆς ἐξοπλίσεως τὴν συνήθη παρασκευὴν ἐποιεῖτο, ἤθροιστό τε αὐτῷ πᾶσα φάλαγξ πεζοῦ τε καὶ ἱππικοῦ τάγματος, ἡγεῖτο δʼ ἐπὶ πάντων τὰ τῆς ἐπὶ τὸν θεὸν ἀγαθῆς ἐλπίδος διὰ τοῦ προλεχθέντος σημείου σύμβολα.
Hos ouket anektēn einai synidōn tēn tōn eirēmenōn akoēn, ton sōphrona synagei logismon, kai to sterron tou tropou tę̄ symphyǭ philanthrōpią kerasamenos epi tēn amynan tōn kataponoumenōn espeuden, krinas dein einai eusebes kai hosion ekpodōn hena poiēsamenon to pleiston tōn anthrōpōn diasōsasthai genos; pollę̄ gar autǭ chrōmenǭ philanthrōpią kai ton ou sympatheias axion eleounti, tǭ men mēthen gignesthai pleon, tēs tōn kakōn epitēdeuseōs mēdamōs apallattomenǭ epauxonti epauxonti de mallon tēn kata tōn hypocheiriōn lyttan, tois de hypʼ autou kekakōmenois mēdemian sōtērias elpida leipesthai. tautʼ ennoēsas basileus anyperthetōs dexian oregein sōtērion tois eis eschata kakōn elēlakosin hōrmato. tēs men oun stratiōtikēs exopliseōs tēn synēthē paraskeuēn epoieito, ēthroisto te autǭ pasa phalanx pezou te kai hippikou tagmatos, hēgeito dʼ epi pantōn ta tēs epi ton theon agathēs elpidos dia tou prolechthentos sēmeiou symbola.
Constantine, seeing that what he heard was no longer bearable, collected his sober judgment, and, tempering the firmness of his character with his innate humanity, hastened to the defense of the oppressed. He judged it pious and holy to remove one man and so save the greater part of the human race. For while he had shown great humanity and pitied one unworthy of sympathy, nothing was gained with that man, who in no way gave up the practice of evil but rather increased his fury against his subjects, while no hope of safety was left to those he ill-treated. With this in mind the emperor set out without delay to stretch out a saving right hand to those driven to the extremity of evils. He made the usual preparations of military armament; the whole phalanx of infantry and cavalry was assembled, and before them all went the symbols of good hope in God, in the form of the sign already described.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine decided to make war on Licinius to save his oppressed subjects, marching behind the sign of the cross.
- This is the war of 324.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.3.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-3-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-3-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 4
2.4.1Heikel
Εὐχῶν δʼ εἰ καί ποτε νῦν αὐτῶ δεῖσθαι καλῶς ἐπιστάμενος τοὺς τοῦ θεοῦ ἱεράρχας ἐπήγετο, συνεῖναι τʼ αὐτῷ καὶ παρεῖναι ὥσπερ τινὰς ψυχῆς ἀγαθοὺς φύλακας τούτους δεῖν ἡγούμενος. ἔνθεν εἰκότως ἡ τὴν τυραννίδα προβεβλημένος, πυθόμενος Κωνσταντίνῳ τὰς τὰς ἐχθρῶν νίκας μηδʼ ἄλλως ἢ τοῦ θεοῦ συμπράττοντος πορίζεσθαι, συνεῖναί τʼ αὐτῷ καὶ παρεῖναι διὰ παντὸς τοὺς εἐρημένους, καὶ τό γε τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους σύμβολον αὐτοῦ τε καὶ τοῦ παντὸς καθηγήσασθαι στρατοῦ, ταῦτα μὲν γέλωτος ἄξια ὑπελάμβανεν εἶναι, χλευάζων ἄμα καὶ βλασφήμοις αὐτὰ διασύρων λόγοις, αὐτός τε θεοπρόπους καὶ μάντεις Αἰγυπτίων φαρμακεῖς καὶ γόητας θύτας τε καὶ προφήτας ὦν ἡγεῖτο θεῶν περὶ ἑαυτὸν ἐποίει, κἄπειτα θυσίαις οὓς δὴ ᾤετο θεοὺς μειλισσόμενος, διηρώτα ὅπη αὐτῷ τὰ τῆς ἐκβάσεως τοῦ πολέμου χωρήσειεν. οἱ δʼ ἀμελλήτως ἑδρῶν νικητὴν ἔσεσθαι καὶ πολέμου κρατήσειν συμφώνως αὐτῷ μαντείαις μακραῖς ἐπῶν τε καλλιεπείαις τῶν ἁπανταχοῦ χρηστηρίων προίσχοντο, οἰωνοπόλοι δὲ διὰ τῆς τῶν ὀρνίθων πτήσεως σημαίνεσθαι αὐτῷ καὶ αἴσια προὔλεγον, καὶ θυται τὰ ὅμοια τὴν τῶν σπλάγχνων αἰνίττεσθαι κίνησιν ἐδήλουν. ἐπαρθεὶς δῆτα ταῖς τούτων ἀπατηλαῖς ἐπαγγελίαις σὺν πολλῷ θράσει προῄει ταῖς βασιλέως παρεμβολαῖς, ὡς οἷός τε ἠν, παρατάττεσθαι.
Euchōn dʼ ei kai pote nyn autō deisthai kalōs epistamenos tous tou theou hierarchas epēgeto, syneinai tʼ autǭ kai pareinai hōsper tinas psychēs agathous phylakas toutous dein hēgoumenos. enthen eikotōs hē tēn tyrannida probeblēmenos, pythomenos Kōnstantinǭ tas tas echthrōn nikas mēdʼ allōs ē tou theou symprattontos porizesthai, syneinai tʼ autǭ kai pareinai dia pantos tous eerēmenous, kai to ge tou sōtēriou pathous symbolon autou te kai tou pantos kathēgēsasthai stratou, tauta men gelōtos axia hypelambanen einai, chleuazōn ama kai blasphēmois auta diasyrōn logois, autos te theopropous kai manteis Aigyptiōn pharmakeis kai goētas thytas te kai prophētas ōn hēgeito theōn peri heauton epoiei, kapeita thysiais hous dē ǭeto theous meilissomenos, diērōta hopē autǭ ta tēs ekbaseōs tou polemou chōrēseien. hoi dʼ amellētōs hedrōn nikētēn esesthai kai polemou kratēsein symphōnōs autǭ manteiais makrais epōn te kalliepeiais tōn hapantachou chrēstēriōn proischonto, oiōnopoloi de dia tēs tōn ornithōn ptēseōs sēmainesthai autǭ kai aisia proulegon, kai thytai ta homoia tēn tōn splanchnōn ainittesthai kinēsin edēloun. epartheis dēta tais toutōn apatēlais epangeliais syn pollǭ thrasei proę̄ei tais basileōs parembolais, hōs hoios te ēn, paratattesthai.
Knowing well that now, if ever, he needed prayers, he took the priests of God with him, thinking it necessary that they should be with him and beside him as good guardians of the soul. Hence, naturally, the man who had set himself up as tyrant, learning that Constantine won his victories over his enemies only with God's help, that the men mentioned were always with him and at his side, and that the symbol of the saving passion led both him and his whole army, regarded these things as laughable, mocking them and tearing them to pieces with blasphemous words. He himself gathered around him diviners and seers, Egyptian sorcerers and magicians, sacrificers and prophets of those he took for gods; and then, propitiating with sacrifices those he thought gods, he asked how the outcome of the war would go for him. Without hesitation they held out to him, all in agreement, long oracles and elegant verses from oracles everywhere, saying that he would be victor and prevail in the war; augurs foretold that favorable things were signified to him by the flight of birds, and sacrificers declared that the movement of the entrails hinted the same. Elated by their deceitful promises, he advanced with great boldness to array himself, as best he could, against the emperor's camp.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine took bishops with him; Licinius mocked this and consulted diviners, who promised him victory.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; dropped letter (digitization slip)): πόλοις → λόγοις; αρατάττεσθαι → παρατάττεσθαι.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.4.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-4-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-4-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 5
2.5.1Heikel
Μέλλων δέ γε τοῦ πολέμου κατάρχειν, τῶν ἀμφʼ αὐτὸν ὑπα- σπιστῶν τῶν τε τετιμημένων φίλων τοὺς ἐrκρίτους εἴς τινα τῶν αὐτοῖς νενομισμένων ἱερῶν συνεκάλει τόπων. ἄλσος δʼ ἦν ἐπίρρυτον καὶ ἀμφιλαφές, παντοῖα δὲ ἐν τούτῳ γλυφαῖς λίθων ἀγάλματα ὡς ἡγεῖτο θεῶν ἵδρυτο. οἶς κηροὺς ἐξάψας καὶ τὰ συνήθη θυσάμενος, τοιόνδε λόγον ἀποδοῦναι λέγεται·
Mellōn de ge tou polemou katarchein, tōn amphʼ auton hypa- spistōn tōn te tetimēmenōn philōn tous erkritous eis tina tōn autois nenomismenōn hierōn synekalei topōn. alsos dʼ ēn epirryton kai amphilaphes, pantoia de en toutǭ glyphais lithōn agalmata hōs hēgeito theōn hidryto. ois kērous exapsas kai ta synēthē thysamenos, toionde logon apodounai legetai;
When he was about to begin the war, he summoned the picked men of his shield-bearers and his honored friends to one of the places they regarded as sacred. It was a well-watered and shady grove, and in it stood all kinds of statues, carved in stone, of those he regarded as gods. Having lit candles to them and performed the customary sacrifices, he is said to have delivered a speech like this:
Notes and citation
Summary: Before the battle Licinius gathered his officers in a sacred grove and sacrificed to his gods.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.5.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-5-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-5-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.5.2Heikel
„Ἄνδρες φίλοι καὶ σύμμαχοι, πάτριοι μὲν οἴδε θεοί, οὓς ἐκ προγόνων τῶν ἀνέκαθεν παρειληφότες σέβειν τιμῶμεν, ὁ δὲ τῆς ἐναντίας ἡμῖν ἐξάρχων παρατάξεως τὰ πάτρια παρασπονδήσας τὴν ἄθεον εἵλετο δόξαν, οἶδʼ ὁπόθεν ξένον τινὰ πεπλανημένως περιέπων θεόν, αἰσχρῷ τε τούτου σημείῳ τὸν οἰκεῖον καταισχύνει στρατόν· ᾧ πεποιθὼς ὁρμᾶται οὐ πρὸς ἡμᾶς πολὺ πρότερον δὲ πρὸς αὐτοῦς οὕς παρέβη θεοὺς ἀράμενος τὰ ὅπλα.
„Andres philoi kai symmachoi, patrioi men oide theoi, hous ek progonōn tōn anekathen pareilēphotes sebein timōmen, ho de tēs enantias hēmin exarchōn parataxeōs ta patria paraspondēsas tēn atheon heileto doxan, oidʼ hopothen xenon tina peplanēmenōs periepōn theon, aischrǭ te toutou sēmeiǭ ton oikeion kataischynei straton; hǭ pepoithōs hormatai ou pros hēmas poly proteron de pros autous hous parebē theous aramenos ta hopla.
“Friends and allies, these are our ancestral gods, whom we honor with worship, having received them from our forefathers of old. But the man who leads the army opposed to us has broken faith with the ways of our fathers and chosen the godless opinion, in his error cherishing some foreign god from who knows where, and he disgraces his own army with that god's shameful sign. Trusting in him he sets out, taking up arms not so much against us as, long before, against the very gods he has transgressed.
Notes and citation
Summary: Licinius tells his men that Constantine has betrayed the ancestral gods for a foreign god.
- The speech is reported from those who heard it (see 2.5.5); its wording is Eusebius's.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (words joined by the digitization): ὁρμᾶταιοὐ → ὁρμᾶται οὐ.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.5.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-5-2).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-5-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.5.3Heikel
ὁ δὴ οὖν παρὼν ἐλέγξει καιρὸς τὸν τῇ δόξῃ πεπλανημένον, θεοῖς τοῖς παρʼ ἡμῖν καὶ τοῖς παρὰ θατέρῳ μέρει τιμωμένοις βραβεύων. ἤ γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἀποδείξας νικητὰς δικαιότατα τοὺς ἡμετέρους θεοὺς σωτῆρας ἀληθεῖς καὶ βοηθοὺς ἐπιδείξει, ἤ εἰ κρατήσειεν τῶν ἡμετέρων, πλείστων γε ὄντων καὶ τέως τῷ πλήθει πλεονεκτούντων, εἷς τις οὗτος οὐκ οἶκ οἶδʼ ὁποῖος οὐδʼ ὁπόθεν ὡρμημένος ὁ Κωνσταντίνου θεός, μηδεὶς λοιπὸν ἐν ἀμφιβόλῳ τιθέσθω τίνα δέοι θεὸν σέβειν, προσχωρεῖν δέον τῷ κρατοῦντι καὶ τούτῳ τῆς νίκης ἀνατιθέναι τὰ βραβεῖα.
ho dē oun parōn elenxei kairos ton tę̄ doxę̄ peplanēmenon, theois tois parʼ hēmin kai tois para thaterǭ merei timōmenois brabeuōn. ē gar hēmas apodeixas nikētas dikaiotata tous hēmeterous theous sōtēras alētheis kai boēthous epideixei, ē ei kratēseien tōn hēmeterōn, pleistōn ge ontōn kai teōs tǭ plēthei pleonektountōn, heis tis houtos ouk oik oidʼ hopoios oudʼ hopothen hōrmēmenos ho Kōnstantinou theos, mēdeis loipon en amphibolǭ tithesthō tina deoi theon sebein, proschōrein deon tǭ kratounti kai toutǭ tēs nikēs anatithenai ta brabeia.
The present occasion, then, will expose which of us is mistaken in his opinion, acting as umpire between the gods honored by us and those honored by the other side. For either it will show us victors and so most justly prove our gods to be true saviors and helpers; or, if this one god of Constantine, of what sort and from where I do not know, prevails over ours, who are very many and so far have the advantage in numbers, then let no one hereafter be in doubt which god one ought to worship, but let him go over to the victor and ascribe to him the prizes of victory.
Notes and citation
Summary: Licinius declares that the battle will decide which god is true.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error): ἐπιδείζει → ἐπιδείξει.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.5.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-5-3).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-5-3) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.5.4Heikel
καὶ εἰ μὲν ὁ ξένος καὶ νῦν γελώμενος ἡμῖν κρείττων φανείη, μηδὲν ἐμποδὼν γινέσθω τοῦ καὶ ἡμᾶς αὐτὸν γνωρίζειν τε καὶ τιμᾶν, μακρὰ χαίρειν τούτοις εἰπόντας οἷς μάτην τοὺς κηροὺς ἐξάπτομεν, εἰ δʼοἱ ἡμέτεροι κρατήσειαν, ὅ δὴ οὐκ ἀμφιβάλλεται, μετὰ τὴν ἐνταυθοῖ νίκην ἐπὶ τὸν κατὰ τῶν ἀθέων πόλεμον ὁρμῶμεν“.
kai ei men ho xenos kai nyn gelōmenos hēmin kreittōn phaneiē, mēden empodōn ginesthō tou kai hēmas auton gnōrizein te kai timan, makra chairein toutois eipontas hois matēn tous kērous exaptomen, ei dʼhoi hēmeteroi kratēseian, ho dē ouk amphiballetai, meta tēn entauthoi nikēn epi ton kata tōn atheōn polemon hormōmen“.
And if the foreign god, now laughed at by us, should prove stronger, let nothing prevent us too from acknowledging and honoring him, bidding a long farewell to those for whom we light our candles in vain. But if ours prevail, which is not in doubt, then after the victory here let us set out on the war against the godless.”
Notes and citation
Summary: If Constantine's God wins, Licinius says, they will worship him; if not, they will make war on the Christians.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.5.4 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-5-4).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-5-4) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.5.5Heikel
ὁ μὲν δὴ τοῖς πραφὴν οἱ τῶν λόγων αὐτήκοοι τῆς τούτων σμικρὸν ὕστερον μετεδίδοσαν γνώσεως. καὶ δὴ τοιούτους διεξελθὼν λόγους ἡγεῖσθαι τῆς συμβολῆς τὰ στρατιωτικὰ παρήγελλεν.
ho men dē tois praphēn hoi tōn logōn autēkooi tēs toutōn smikron hysteron metedidosan gnōseōs. kai dē toioutous diexelthōn logous hēgeisthai tēs symbolēs ta stratiōtika parēgellen.
So he spoke to those present; and those who heard the words themselves passed on the knowledge of them a little later to the one writing this. Having gone through such words, he ordered the troops to begin the engagement.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Eusebius learned of the speech from men who heard it; then Licinius ordered the attack.
- The digital text is corrupt at the start (τοῖς πραφὴν, apparently from τοῖς παροῦσι … τῷ τὴν γραφὴν); translated by the sense.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.5.5 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-5-5).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-5-5) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 6
2.6.1Heikel
Τούτων δὲ πραττομένων φάσμα τι λόγου κρεῖττον ἀμφὶ τὰς ὑπηκόους τῷ τυράννῳ πόλεις ὦφθαί φασιν· ὀπλιτῶν γὰρ τῶν ὑπὸ Κωνσταντῖνον ἐδόκουν ὁρᾶν διάφορα τάγματα ἐν αὐταῖς μέσαις ἡμέραις διερχόμενα τὰς πόλεις ὡσανεὶ κεκρατηκότα τῆς μάχης· καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐβλέπετο μηδενός πω τῇ ἀληθείᾳ μηδαμῆ φαινομένου, θειοτέρᾳ δὲ καὶ κρείττονι δυνάμει τῆς φανείσης ὄψεως τὸ μέλλον ἔσεσθαι προφαινούσης. ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ στρατιωτικὰ συμβολῆς ἥπτετο, προκατῆρχε τοῦ πολέμου ὁ τὰς φιλικὰς διαρρήξας συνθήκας. ἐνταῦθα δὴ Κων- σταντῖνος θεὸν σωτῆρα τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων ἐπικαλεσάμενος, σύνθημά τε τοῦτο δοὺς τοῖς ἀμφ αὐτὸν ὁπλίταις, πρώτης ἐκράτει παρατάξεως, εἶτʼ οὐκ εἰς μακρὸν δευτέρας συμβολῆς κρείττων ἦν καὶ κρειττόνων ἤδη νικητηρίων ἐτύγχανεν, τοῦ σωτηρίου τροπαίου προπομπεύοντος τῆς ἀμφʼ αὐτὸν φάλαγγος. Ἔνθα δὴ οὖν ἀνεφάνη τοῦτο, φυγὴ μὲν τῶν ἐναντίων ἐγίνετο δίωξις δὲ τῶν κρατούντων. ὃ δὴ συνιδὼν βασιλεύς, τοῦ οἰκείου στρατοῦ εἴ που τι τάγμα κεκμη- κὸς ἑώρα, οἷόν τι νικητικὸν ἀλεξιφάρμακον ἐνταυθοῖ τὸ σωτήριον τρόπαιον παρεῖναι διεκελεύετο, ᾠ παραυτίκα συνανέβαινεν ἡ νίκη, ἀλκῆς καὶ ῥώμης σὺν θείᾳ τινὶ μοίρᾳ δυναμούσης τοὺς ἀγωνιζομένους
Toutōn de prattomenōn phasma ti logou kreitton amphi tas hypēkoous tǭ tyrannǭ poleis ōphthai phasin; oplitōn gar tōn hypo Kōnstantinon edokoun horan diaphora tagmata en autais mesais hēmerais dierchomena tas poleis hōsanei kekratēkota tēs machēs; kai tautʼ eblepeto mēdenos pō tę̄ alētheią mēdamē phainomenou, theioterą de kai kreittoni dynamei tēs phaneisēs opseōs to mellon esesthai prophainousēs. epei de ta stratiōtika symbolēs hēpteto, prokatērche tou polemou ho tas philikas diarrēxas synthēkas. entautha dē Kōn- stantinos theon sōtēra ton epi pantōn epikalesamenos, synthēma te touto dous tois amph auton hoplitais, prōtēs ekratei parataxeōs, eitʼ ouk eis makron deuteras symbolēs kreittōn ēn kai kreittonōn ēdē nikētēriōn etynchanen, tou sōtēriou tropaiou propompeuontos tēs amphʼ auton phalangos. Entha dē oun anephanē touto, phygē men tōn enantiōn egineto diōxis de tōn kratountōn. ho dē synidōn basileus, tou oikeiou stratou ei pou ti tagma kekmē- kos heōra, hoion ti nikētikon alexipharmakon entauthoi to sōtērion tropaion pareinai diekeleueto, ǭ parautika synanebainen hē nikē, alkēs kai rhōmēs syn theią tini moirą dynamousēs tous agōnizomenous
While this was going on, they say that an apparition beyond words was seen in the cities subject to the tyrant. People seemed to see various units of Constantine's troops passing through the cities at midday as though they had won the battle; and this was seen when none of them was actually present anywhere, a diviner and higher power showing beforehand, through the vision, what was going to happen. When the armies came to grips, the man who had broken the treaties of friendship began the war. Then Constantine, calling upon God the Savior over all and giving this as the watchword to his soldiers, won the first battle, and not long afterwards prevailed in a second engagement and gained still greater victories, the saving trophy going before the phalanx around him. [7] Wherever it appeared, the enemy fled and the victors pursued. When the emperor noticed this, wherever he saw any unit of his own army exhausted, he ordered the saving trophy to be brought there as a victorious remedy; and with it victory at once came up, courage and strength, with a certain divine dispensation, invigorating the combatants.
Notes and citation
Summary: A vision of Constantine's victorious troops appeared in Licinius's cities; in battle the standard of the cross brought victory wherever it was carried.
- The battles are those of 324 (Adrianople and Chrysopolis). The digital text runs NPNF's chapter 7 into this section (its numeral “VII” is removed).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; leaked chapter numeral; words joined by the digitization): δρείττονι → κρείττονι; VII Ἔνθα → Ἔνθα; εἴπου → εἴ που.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.6.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-6-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-6-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 8
2.8.1Heikel
Διὸ δὴ τῶν ἀμφʼ αὐτὸν ὑπασπιστῶν τοὺς καὶ σώματος ἰσχύι καὶ ἀρετῇ ἀρετῇ καὶ θεοσεβείας τρόποις ἐγκρίτους μόνῃ τῇ τοῦ σημείου διακονίᾳ προσκαρτερεῖν ἐκέλευσεν· ἦσαν δʼ ἄνδρες τὸν ἀριθμὸν οὐχ ἥττους πεντήκοντα, οἶς οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἦν μέλον ἢ κυκλοῦν καὶ περιέπειν δορυφορίᾳ τὸ σημεῖον, ἀμοιβαίως ἑκάστου φέροντος αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων. ταῦτα βασιλεὺς αὐτὸς τοῖς τὴν γραφὴν ποιουμένοις ἡμῖν ἐπὶ καιροῦ σχολῆς μακρῷ τῶν πραγμάτων ὕστερον ὑφηγεῖτο, προσθεὶς θαῦμα μνημονευθῆναι ἄξιον τῷ διηγήματι.
Dio dē tōn amphʼ auton hypaspistōn tous kai sōmatos ischui kai aretę̄ aretę̄ kai theosebeias tropois enkritous monę̄ tę̄ tou sēmeiou diakonią proskarterein ekeleusen; ēsan dʼ andres ton arithmon ouch hēttous pentēkonta, ois ouden heteron ēn melon ē kykloun kai periepein doryphorią to sēmeion, amoibaiōs hekastou pherontos auto epi tōn ōmōn. tauta basileus autos tois tēn graphēn poioumenois hēmin epi kairou scholēs makrǭ tōn pragmatōn hysteron hyphēgeito, prostheis thauma mnēmoneuthēnai axion tǭ diēgēmati.
Therefore he ordered those of his shield-bearers who excelled in bodily strength, courage, and godly character to devote themselves solely to the service of the sign. The men were no fewer than fifty in number, and their only concern was to surround and guard the sign, carrying it in turns on their shoulders. The emperor himself told these things to us who are writing this, at a time of leisure long after the events, and added to his account a wonder worth recording.
Notes and citation
Summary: Fifty chosen guards were assigned to carry and protect the standard.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.8.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-8-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-8-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 9
2.9.1Heikel
Ἔφη γάρ ποτε ἐν μέσῃ τοῦ πολέμου συμβολῇ κτύπου καὶ ταραχῆς ἀθρόας διαλαβούσης τὸ στρατιωτικόν, τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων φέροντα τὸ σημεῖον ὑπὸ δειλίας ἐν ἀγωνίᾳ γενέσθαι κἄπειτα μεταπαραδοῦναι αὐτὸ ἑτέρῳ, ὡς ἂν διαφύγοι τὸν πόλεμον. ὡς δʼ ὁ μὲν ὑπεδέδεκτο, ὁ δʼ ὑποβὰς ἐκτὸς ἐγένετο τῆς τοῦ σημείου φυλακῆς, βέλος ἀκοντισθὲν αὐτοῦ κατὰ τῆς νηδύος πήγνυται καὶ τὴν ζωὴν ἀφαιρεῖται αὐτοῦ. ἀλλʼ οὑτος μὲν δειλίας καὶ ἀπιστίας δίκην ἐκτίσας ἐνταυθοῖ νεκρὸς ἔκειτο, τοῦ δὲ τὸ σωτήριον τρόπαιον αἰωροῦντος ζωῆς ἐγίγνετο φυλακτήριον, ὡς πολλάκις βελῶν κατʼ αὐτοῦ πεμπομένων τὸν μὲν φέροντα διασώσεσθαι, τὸ δὲ τοῦ τροπαίου δόρυ δέχεσθαι βαλλόμενα. καὶ ἦν γε τοῦτο παντὸς ἐπέκεινα θαύματος, ὡς ἐν βραχυτάτῃ περιφερείᾳ τοῦ δόρατος ἱκνούμενα τὰ τῶν πολε- μίων βέλη ἐν αὐτῷ μὲν πηγνύμενα κατεπείρετο, ἠλευθέρου δὲ θανάτου τὸν φέροντα, ὡς μηδὲν ἅπτεσθαι τῶν ταύτην ποιουμένων τὴν διακονίαν πώποτε. οὐχ ἡμέτερος δʼ ὁ λόγος ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ πάλιν βασιλέως εἰς ἡμετέρας ἀκοὰς πρὸς ἑτέροις καὶ τοῦτον ἀπομνημονεύσαντος· ὃς ἐπειδὴ θεοῦ δυνάμει τὰς πρώτας ἤρατο νίκας, ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσω λοιπὸν ἤλαυνε, τὸ στρατιωτικὸν ἐν τάξει κινήσας.
Ephē gar pote en mesę̄ tou polemou symbolę̄ ktypou kai tarachēs athroas dialabousēs to stratiōtikon, ton epi tōn ōmōn pheronta to sēmeion hypo deilias en agōnią genesthai kapeita metaparadounai auto heterǭ, hōs an diaphygoi ton polemon. hōs dʼ ho men hypededekto, ho dʼ hypobas ektos egeneto tēs tou sēmeiou phylakēs, belos akontisthen autou kata tēs nēdyos pēgnytai kai tēn zōēn aphaireitai autou. allʼ houtos men deilias kai apistias dikēn ektisas entauthoi nekros ekeito, tou de to sōtērion tropaion aiōrountos zōēs egigneto phylaktērion, hōs pollakis belōn katʼ autou pempomenōn ton men pheronta diasōsesthai, to de tou tropaiou dory dechesthai ballomena. kai ēn ge touto pantos epekeina thaumatos, hōs en brachytatę̄ periphereią tou doratos hiknoumena ta tōn pole- miōn belē en autǭ men pēgnymena katepeireto, ēleutherou de thanatou ton pheronta, hōs mēden haptesthai tōn tautēn poioumenōn tēn diakonian pōpote. ouch hēmeteros dʼ ho logos allʼ autou palin basileōs eis hēmeteras akoas pros heterois kai touton apomnēmoneusantos; hos epeidē theou dynamei tas prōtas ērato nikas, epi ta prosō loipon ēlaune, to stratiōtikon en taxei kinēsas.
He said that once, in the middle of an engagement, when sudden noise and confusion seized the army, the man carrying the sign on his shoulders fell into a panic from cowardice and handed it over to another, so as to escape the fighting. When the other had taken it, and he had stepped back out of the protection of the sign, a spear thrown at him pierced his belly and took his life. So he paid the penalty for cowardice and unbelief and lay dead there; but to the one who held the saving trophy aloft it became a safeguard of life, so that, though many missiles were sent against him, the bearer was preserved and the shaft of the trophy received the missiles. And this was beyond all wonder: the enemy's missiles struck the very narrow circumference of the shaft and stuck fast in it, while it freed the bearer from death, so that none of those performing this service was ever touched. The account is not ours, but again the emperor's own, who related this too, among other things, in our hearing. Having won the first victories by God's power, he then advanced, moving his army forward in order.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine told Eusebius that a bearer who abandoned the standard was killed, while the standard's shaft caught the missiles aimed at its bearers.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; stray Latin letters): xa βαλλόμενα → βαλλόμενα; δπειδὴ → ἐπειδὴ.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.9.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-9-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-9-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 10
2.10.1Heikel
Τούτων δὲ τὴν πρώτην ὁρμὴν οἱ τῆς ἐναντίας προκατάρχοντες λήξεως οὐχ ὑποστάντες, τοῖν χεροῖν ῥίψαντες τὰ ὅπλα προσεχώρουν τοῖς βασιλέως ποσίν, ὁ δὲ τοὺς πάντας σώους ὑπεδέχετο τῇ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀσμενίζων σωτηρίᾳ. ἄλλοι δʼ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὅπλοις μείναντες ἐνεχείρουν τῇ τοῦ πολέμου συμβολῇ· οὓς ἐπειδὴ προκλήσεις φιλικὰς προισχόμενος βασιλεὺς οὐ πειθομένους ἔγνω, τὸν στρατὸν ἠφίει. οἱ δʼ αὐτίκα νῶτα δόντες εἰς φυγὴν ἐτράποντο. εἶτα οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν νόμῳ πολέμου ἐκτείνοντο καταλαμβανόμενοι, πλείους δʼ ἐπ ἀλλήλοις πίπτοντες τοῖς οἰκείοις κατεβάλλοντο ξίφεσιν.
Toutōn de tēn prōtēn hormēn hoi tēs enantias prokatarchontes lēxeōs ouch hypostantes, toin cheroin rhipsantes ta hopla prosechōroun tois basileōs posin, ho de tous pantas sōous hypedecheto tę̄ tōn andrōn asmenizōn sōtērią. alloi dʼ epi tois hoplois meinantes enecheiroun tę̄ tou polemou symbolę̄; hous epeidē proklēseis philikas proischomenos basileus ou peithomenous egnō, ton straton ēphiei. hoi dʼ autika nōta dontes eis phygēn etraponto. eita hoi men autōn nomǭ polemou ekteinonto katalambanomenoi, pleious dʼ ep allēlois piptontes tois oikeiois kateballonto xiphesin.
The leaders on the opposing side could not withstand their first onset; they threw down their weapons and fell at the emperor's feet, and he received them all unharmed, glad at the men's deliverance. Others remained under arms and attempted to give battle. When the emperor, after offering them friendly terms, found that they would not be persuaded, he let his army loose on them. They at once turned their backs and fled. Then some of them were overtaken and killed by the law of war, while more fell upon one another and were cut down by their own swords.
Notes and citation
Summary: Some of Licinius's commanders surrendered and were spared; those who resisted were routed.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.10.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-10-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-10-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 11
2.11.1Heikel
Ἐκπλαγεὶς δʼ ἐπὶ τούτοις ὁ τούτων ἐξάρχων, ἐπειδὴ τῆς παρὰ τῶν οἰκείων βοηθείας γυμνωθέντα συνεῖδεν ἑαυτόν, φροῦδον τε ἠν αὐτῷ τὸ πολὺ πλῆθος τῆς συνειλεγμένης αὐτῷ στρατείας τε καὶ συμμαχίας, ἥ τε ὡν ᾤετο θεῶν ἐλπὶς τὸ μηθὲν οὐσα πείρᾳ διηλέγχετο, τηνικαῦτα δρασμὸν αἴσχιστον ὑπομένει· φεύγων δῆτα σὺν βραχέσιν ἐπὶ τὰ εἴσω τῆς ὑπηκόου διέβαινεν έν ἀσφαλεῖ τʼ ἐγίνετο, τοῦ θεοφιλοῦς μὴ κατὰ πόδας διώκειν τοῖς οἰκείοις ἐγκελευομένου, ὡς ἂν τύχοι σωτηρίας ὁ φεύγων. ἤλπιζε γάρ ποτε αὐτόν, συναισθόμενον οἶ κακῶν ἵοι, λῆξαι μὲν τῆς μανιώδους. θρασύτητος, ἐπὶ τὸν κρείττονα δὲ λογισμὸν μεταβαλεῖσθαι τὴν γνώμην.
Ekplageis dʼ epi toutois ho toutōn exarchōn, epeidē tēs para tōn oikeiōn boētheias gymnōthenta syneiden heauton, phroudon te ēn autǭ to poly plēthos tēs syneilegmenēs autǭ strateias te kai symmachias, hē te hōn ǭeto theōn elpis to mēthen ousa peirą diēlencheto, tēnikauta drasmon aischiston hypomenei; pheugōn dēta syn brachesin epi ta eisō tēs hypēkoou diebainen en asphalei tʼ egineto, tou theophilous mē kata podas diōkein tois oikeiois enkeleuomenou, hōs an tychoi sōtērias ho pheugōn. ēlpize gar pote auton, synaisthomenon oi kakōn hioi, lēxai men tēs maniōdous. thrasytētos, epi ton kreittona de logismon metabaleisthai tēn gnōmēn.
Their leader was struck with dismay at this, when he saw himself stripped of help from his own men, the great host of troops and allies he had assembled gone, and his hope in those he thought gods proved by experience to be nothing. Then he took to a most shameful flight. Fleeing with a few, he crossed into the interior of his domain and was in safety, since the God-beloved man ordered his men not to pursue him closely, so that the fugitive might be saved. For he hoped that one day, perceiving what evils he was headed for, he would cease his mad rashness and change his mind to better counsel.
Notes and citation
Summary: Licinius fled, and Constantine let him escape in the hope that he would repent.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.11.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-11-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-11-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.11.2Heikel
ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν φιλανθρωπίας ὑπερβολῇ ταῦτα διενοεῖτο ἀνεξικακεῖν τʼ ἤθελεν καὶ νἐμειν τῷ μὴ ἀξίῳ συγγνώμην, ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἀπείχετο μοχθηρίας, κακὰ δʼ ἐπὶ κακοῖς σωρεύων χειρόνων ἥπτετο τολμημάτων, καὶ δὴ πάλιν γοήτων κακοτέχνοις ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ἐγχειρῶν ἐθρασύνετο· ἠν δὲ καὶ ἐπʼ ἀυτῷ, ὡς ἅρα „ὁ θεὸς ἐσκλήρυνε τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ“ παλαιῷ τυράννῳ παραπλησίως, φάναι.
allʼ ho men philanthrōpias hyperbolę̄ tauta dienoeito anexikakein tʼ ēthelen kai nemein tǭ mē axiǭ syngnōmēn, ho de ouk apeicheto mochthērias, kaka dʼ epi kakois sōreuōn cheironōn hēpteto tolmēmatōn, kai dē palin goētōn kakotechnois epitēdeumasin encheirōn ethrasyneto; ēn de kai epʼ autǭ, hōs hara „ho theos esklēryne tēn kardian autou“ palaiǭ tyrannǭ paraplēsiōs, phanai.
But while the one, in his exceeding humanity, intended this, and was willing to bear with him and grant pardon to the undeserving, the other did not refrain from wickedness, but, heaping evils on evils, took up worse audacities, and again grew bold, resorting to the evil arts of sorcerers. Of him too one could say, as of the ancient tyrant, that “God hardened his heart.”
Exod 9:12 (quotation, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Licinius did not repent but turned again to sorcery; like Pharaoh, his heart was hardened.
- Exod 9:12 and elsewhere, of Pharaoh.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.11.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-11-2).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-11-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 12
2.12.1Heikel
Ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν τοιούτοις ἐμπλέκων ἑαυτὸν κατὰ βαράθρων ἀπωλείας ὤθει, βασιλεὺς δὲ ἐπεὶ ἑώρα δευτέρας αὐτῷ δεῖσθαι πολέμου παρατάξεως, τῷ αὐτοῦ σωτῆρι τὴν σχολὴν ἀνετίθει, τοῦ μὲν στρατοῦ τὴν σκηνὴν ἐκτὸς καὶ πορρωτάτω πηξάμενος, ἁγνῇ δʼ ἐνταυθοῖ χρώμενος καὶ καθαρᾷ διαίτῃ τῷ τε θεῷ θεῷ τὰς εὐχὰς ἀποδιδούς, κατʼ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον τὸν παλαιὸν τοῦ θεοῦ προφήτην, ὅν τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἐκτὸς πήξασθαι τὴν σκηνὴν τὰ θεῖα πιστοῦνται λόγια. προσεκαρτέρουν δʼ αὐτῷ βραχεῖς οἱ πίστει καὶ θεοσεβείας εὐνοίᾳ παρʼ αὐτῷ δεδοκιμασμένοι. τοῦτο δʼ αὐτῷ σύνηθες ἦς πράττειν, καὶ εἴποτε ἄλλοτε παρατάξει πολέμων ὡρμᾶτο συμβαλεῖν. βραδὺς μὲν γὰρ ἦν διʼ ἀσφάλειαν, θεοῦ δὲ βουλῇ πάντα πράττειν ἠξίου.
Allʼ ho men toioutois emplekōn heauton kata barathrōn apōleias ōthei, basileus de epei heōra deuteras autǭ deisthai polemou parataxeōs, tǭ autou sōtēri tēn scholēn anetithei, tou men stratou tēn skēnēn ektos kai porrōtatō pēxamenos, hagnę̄ dʼ entauthoi chrōmenos kai katharą diaitę̄ tǭ te theǭ theǭ tas euchas apodidous, katʼ auton ekeinon ton palaion tou theou prophētēn, hon tēs parembolēs ektos pēxasthai tēn skēnēn ta theia pistountai logia. prosekarteroun dʼ autǭ bracheis hoi pistei kai theosebeias eunoią parʼ autǭ dedokimasmenoi. touto dʼ autǭ synēthes ēs prattein, kai eipote allote parataxei polemōn hōrmato symbalein. bradys men gar ēn diʼ asphaleian, theou de boulę̄ panta prattein ēxiou.
While the one, entangling himself in such things, was pushing himself into the pits of destruction, the emperor, when he saw that a second battle would be needed, devoted his leisure to his Savior. He pitched his tent outside and far away from the army, and there kept a pure and holy way of life and offered prayers to God, just like that ancient prophet of God who, as the divine oracles assure us, pitched his tent outside the camp. A few men attended him, those proved to him by their faith and loyal godliness. This was his custom whenever else he set out to join battle; for he was slow for safety's sake, and wished to do everything by God's counsel.
Exod 33:7 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Before battle Constantine prayed in a tent outside the camp, like Moses.
- Moses' tent outside the camp: Exod 33:7.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letter (digitization slip)): παιστοῦνται → πιστοῦνται.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.12.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-12-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-12-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.12.2Heikel
ἐπὶ καὶ θεοφανείας ἐτύγχανεν, εἶτα ὥσπερ θειοτέρᾳ κινηθεὶς ἐμπνεύσει, τῆς μέλλειν ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῆς ὥρας ξιφῶν ἅπτεσθαι παρεκελεύετο. οἱ δʼ ἀθρόως ἐπιθέμενοι ἡβηδὸν ἔκοπτον, ἔστʼ ἄν τὴν νίκην ἐν ὥρας ἀκαρεῖ ῥοπῇ ἀπολαβόντες τρόπαια κατʼ ἐχθρῶν ἀνίστων ἐπινίκια.
epi kai theophaneias etynchanen, eita hōsper theioterą kinētheis empneusei, tēs mellein alla kai autēs hōras xiphōn haptesthai parekeleueto. hoi dʼ athroōs epithemenoi hēbēdon ekopton, estʼ an tēn nikēn en hōras akarei rhopę̄ apolabontes tropaia katʼ echthrōn anistōn epinikia.
[Praying earnestly to God, he was always shortly] granted a manifestation of God; then, as if moved by a diviner inspiration, he would order them not to delay but to take up their swords that very hour. They attacked all together and cut down [the enemy] to a man, until, having won the victory in a moment of time, they set up trophies of victory over their enemies.
Notes and citation
Summary: After prayer Constantine received divine signs and at once ordered attacks that brought swift victory.
- The beginning of the section is damaged in the digital text; the bracketed words give the sense of the sentence, which begins in 2.12.1. τῆς μέλλειν is read as μὴ μέλλειν (“not to delay”).
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.12.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-12-2).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-12-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 13
2.13.1Heikel
Οὕτω μὲν δὴ βασιλεὺς ἄγειν ἑαυτόν τε καὶ τὸν αὐτοῦ στρατὸν ἐν ταῖς τῶν πολέμων παρατάξεσι καὶ πάλαι πρότερον εἰώθει, τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θεὸν πρὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀεὶ τιθέμενος καὶ πάντα ταῖς αὐτοῦ βουλαῖς πράττειν διανοούμενος ἐν εὐλαβείᾳ τε τιθέμενος τὸν τῶν πολλῶν θάνατον.
Houtō men dē basileus agein heauton te kai ton autou straton en tais tōn polemōn parataxesi kai palai proteron eiōthei, ton heautou theon pro tēs psychēs aei tithemenos kai panta tais autou boulais prattein dianooumenos en eulabeią te tithemenos ton tōn pollōn thanaton.
This was how the emperor had long been accustomed to conduct himself and his army in battle: always setting his God before his soul, intending to do everything by his counsels, and taking care to avoid the death of many.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine always put God first in war and sought to avoid bloodshed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (dropped letter (digitization slip)): πράτειν → πράττειν.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.13.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-13-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-13-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.13.2Heikel
ἔνθεν οὐ μᾶλλον τῆς τῶν οἰκείων ἤ τῶν ἐχθρῶν προυνόει σωτηρίας. διὸ καὶ κρατήσασιν ἐν μάχῃ τοῖς οἰκείοις τῶν ἁλόντων φειδὼ ποιεῖσθαι παρῄνει μηδʼἀνθρώπους ὄντας τῆς ὁμογενοῦς φύσεως ἐν λήθῃ γίγνεσθαι. εἰ δὲ καί ποτε τῶν ὁπλιτῶν τοὺς θυμοὺς ἀκρατεῖς ἑώρα, χρυσοῦ δόσει αὐτοὺς ἐχαλίνου, τὸν ζωγροῦντά τινα τῶν πολεμίων ὡρισμένῃ χρυσοῦ τιμάσθαι προστάττων ὁλκῇ. καὶ τοῦτο δέλεαρ ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίας ἡ βασιλέως εὕρατο σύνεσις, ὥστʼ ἤδη μυρίοι καὶ αὐτῶν ἐσώξοντο βαρβάρων, χρυσῷ βασιλέως τὴν ζωὴν αὐτοῖς ἔξωνουμένου.
enthen ou mallon tēs tōn oikeiōn ē tōn echthrōn prounoei sōtērias. dio kai kratēsasin en machę̄ tois oikeiois tōn halontōn pheidō poieisthai parę̄nei mēdʼanthrōpous ontas tēs homogenous physeōs en lēthę̄ gignesthai. ei de kai pote tōn hoplitōn tous thymous akrateis heōra, chrysou dosei autous echalinou, ton zōgrounta tina tōn polemiōn hōrismenę̄ chrysou timasthai prostattōn holkę̄. kai touto delear anthrōpōn sōtērias hē basileōs heurato synesis, hōstʼ ēdē myrioi kai autōn esōxonto barbarōn, chrysǭ basileōs tēn zōēn autois exōnoumenou.
Hence he cared for the safety of the enemy no less than for that of his own men. So he urged his soldiers, when victorious in battle, to spare those they captured, and not, being human, to forget their common nature. And if he ever saw the soldiers' passions unrestrained, he curbed them with gifts of gold, ordering that anyone who took one of the enemy alive should be rewarded with a fixed weight of gold. The emperor's wisdom found this bait for saving human lives, so that countless men, even of the barbarians, were saved, the emperor buying their lives with gold.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine paid his soldiers for every prisoner taken alive, to spare enemy lives.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.13.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-13-2).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-13-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 14
2.14.1Heikel
Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν καὶ τούτοις ἀδελφὰ μυρία φίλα ἦν πράττειν Βασιλεῖ καὶ ἄλλοτε. κἀπὶ τοῦ παρόντος δὲ συνήθως πρὸ τῆς μάχης ἐφʼ ἑαυτῷ σκηνοποιούμενος ταῖς πρὸς τὸν θεὸν εὐχαῖς τὴν σχολὴν ἀνετίθει, ῥᾳστώνης μὲν ἁπάσης καὶ τρυφηλῆς διαίτης ἀλλοτριούμενος ἀσιτίαις δὲ καὶ κακώσει τοῦ σώματος πιέζων ἑαυτόν ταύτῃ τε τὸν θεὸν ἱκετηρίοις λιταῖς ἱλεούμενος, ὡς ἂν δεξιὸν αὐτὸν καὶ βοηθὸν ἔχοι πράττοι τε ταῦτα ἅπερ αὐτῷ θεὸς ἐμβάλλοι τῇ διανοίᾳ. ἀλλ΄ ὁ μὲν ἄυπνον ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν κοινῶν φροντίδα, οὐ μᾶλλον τῶν οἰκείων ἢ τῆς τῶν πολεμίων ὑπερευχόμενος σωτηρίας.
Tauta men oun kai toutois adelpha myria phila ēn prattein Basilei kai allote. kapi tou parontos de synēthōs pro tēs machēs ephʼ heautǭ skēnopoioumenos tais pros ton theon euchais tēn scholēn anetithei, rhąstōnēs men hapasēs kai tryphēlēs diaitēs allotrioumenos asitiais de kai kakōsei tou sōmatos piezōn heauton tautę̄ te ton theon hiketēriois litais hileoumenos, hōs an dexion auton kai boēthon echoi prattoi te tauta haper autǭ theos emballoi tę̄ dianoią. all΄ ho men aupnon epoieito tēn hyper tōn koinōn phrontida, ou mallon tōn oikeiōn ē tēs tōn polemiōn hypereuchomenos sōtērias.
These and countless similar things the emperor was glad to do at other times too. On the present occasion also, as was his custom before battle, he pitched a tent for himself and devoted his leisure to prayers to God, keeping away from all ease and luxurious living, disciplining himself with fasts and bodily mortification, and propitiating God with suppliant prayers, so that he might have him at his right hand as his helper and might do whatever God put into his mind. He kept a sleepless watch over the common good, praying for the safety of the enemy no less than for that of his own men.
Notes and citation
Summary: Before the battle Constantine withdrew to his tent to pray and fast, praying even for the enemy.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.14.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-14-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-14-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 15
2.15.1Heikel
Ἐπεὶ δʼ ὁ μικρῷ πρόσθεν φυγὰς εἰρωνείᾳ καθυπεκρίνετο φιλικὰς αὖθις ἀντιβολῶν σπείσασθαι δεξιάς, καὶ ταύτας αὐτῷ παρέχειν ἠξίου, ἐπὶ συνθηκῶν ὅροις βιωφελῶς καὶ τῷ παντὶ λυσιτελῶς προτεινομένας. ταῖς μὲν οὐν συνθήκαις προθύμως ὑπακούειν ὁ δηλωθεὶς ὑπεκρίνετο ὅρκοις βεβαιῶν τὴν πίστιν, λαθραίαν δὲ αὐθις ὁπλιτῶν συνῆγεν παρασκευὴν καὶ πάλιν πολέμου καὶ μάχης κατῆρχεν βαρβάρους τʼ ἄνδρας ἀνεκαλεῖτο συμμάχους, θεούς τε ζητῶν περιῄει ἑτέρους, ὡς ἂν ἐπὶ τοῖς προτέροις ἠπατημένος. καὶ τῶν αὐτῷ πρὸ μικροῦ περὶ θεῶν ὁμιληθέντων οὐδεμίαν ἐν νῷ κατεβάλλετο μνήμην, οὐδὲ τὸν ὑπέρμαχον Κωνσταντίνου γνωρίζειν θεὸν ἤθελε, πλεiους δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ καινότεροι γελοίως ἀνεζητοῦντο.
Epei dʼ ho mikrǭ prosthen phygas eirōneią kathypekrineto philikas authis antibolōn speisasthai dexias, kai tautas autǭ parechein ēxiou, epi synthēkōn horois biōphelōs kai tǭ panti lysitelōs proteinomenas. tais men oun synthēkais prothymōs hypakouein ho dēlōtheis hypekrineto horkois bebaiōn tēn pistin, lathraian de authis hoplitōn synēgen paraskeuēn kai palin polemou kai machēs katērchen barbarous tʼ andras anekaleito symmachous, theous te zētōn perię̄ei heterous, hōs an epi tois proterois ēpatēmenos. kai tōn autǭ pro mikrou peri theōn homilēthentōn oudemian en nǭ kateballeto mnēmēn, oude ton hypermachon Kōnstantinou gnōrizein theon ēthele, pleious dʼ autǭ kai kainoteroi geloiōs anezētounto.
When the recent fugitive, with dissimulation, pretended to beg again for a pact of friendship, [Constantine] thought fit to grant it to him, on terms of treaty offered for the good of life and the advantage of all. The man described pretended to accept the treaty eagerly, confirming his good faith with oaths; but again he secretly gathered a force of soldiers, again began war and battle, called in barbarian men as allies, and went about seeking other gods, as having been deceived by the former ones. He took to heart no memory of what he had said shortly before about gods, nor was he willing to acknowledge Constantine's champion God; instead, ridiculously, he sought out more and newer gods.
Notes and citation
Summary: Licinius made a treaty under oath, then broke it, recruited barbarians, and sought new gods.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error): πίοσιν → πίστιν.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.15.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-15-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-15-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 16
2.16.1Heikel
Εἲτα ἔργῳ μαθὼν ὁπόση τις ἦν θεικὴ καὶ ἀπόρρητος ἐν τῷ σωτηρίῳ τροπαίῳ δύναμις, διʼ ἦς ὁ Κωνοταντίνου κρατεῖν ἔμαθε στρατός, τοῖς ἀμφʼ αὐτὸν ὁπλίταις παρῄνει μηδαμῶς ἐξ ἐναντίας ἰέναι τούτῳ μηδʼ ὡς ἔτυχεν ἀπεριβλέπτως όρᾶν επʼ αὐτῷ· δεινὸν γὰρ εἶναι ἰσχύι αὐτῷ τε ἐχθρὸν καὶ πολέμιον, διὸ χρῆναι φυλάττεσθαι τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸ συμβολήν. καὶ δὴ ταῦτα συνταξάμενος, τῷ διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν ὀκνοῦντι καὶ τὸν κατʼ αὐτοῦ θάνατον ἀναβαλλομένῳ μἐνω̣ μάχῃ συμβαλεῖν ὡρμᾶτο. οἵδε μὲν οὖν πολυπληθείᾳ θεῶν θαρροῦντες σὺν πολλῇ δυνάμει χειρὸς στρατιωτικῆς ἐπῄεσαν, νεκρῶν εἴδωλα καμόντων ἐν ἀψύχοις ἀγάλμασι προβεβλημένοι· ὁ δʼ εὐσεβείας θώρακι περιπεφραγμένος, τὸ σωτήριον καὶ ζωοποιὸν σημεῖον ὥσπερ τι φόβητρον καὶ κακῶν ἀμυντήριον τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἐναντίων παρέταττεν. καὶ τέως μὲν ἐπεῖχε φειδοῖ χρώμενος τὰ πρῶτα, ὡς ἂν μὴ πρότερος κατάρχοι τοῦ πολἐμου ὡν πεποίητο συνθηκῶν εἵνεκα,
Eita ergǭ mathōn hoposē tis ēn theikē kai aporrētos en tǭ sōtēriǭ tropaiǭ dynamis, diʼ ēs ho Kōnotantinou kratein emathe stratos, tois amphʼ auton hoplitais parę̄nei mēdamōs ex enantias ienai toutǭ mēdʼ hōs etychen aperibleptōs oran epʼ autǭ; deinon gar einai ischui autǭ te echthron kai polemion, dio chrēnai phylattesthai tēn pros auto symbolēn. kai dē tauta syntaxamenos, tǭ dia philanthrōpian oknounti kai ton katʼ autou thanaton anaballomenǭ menō machę̄ symbalein hōrmato. hoide men oun polyplētheią theōn tharrountes syn pollę̄ dynamei cheiros stratiōtikēs epę̄esan, nekrōn eidōla kamontōn en apsychois agalmasi probeblēmenoi; ho dʼ eusebeias thōraki peripephragmenos, to sōtērion kai zōopoion sēmeion hōsper ti phobētron kai kakōn amyntērion tǭ plēthei tōn enantiōn paretatten. kai teōs men epeiche pheidoi chrōmenos ta prōta, hōs an mē proteros katarchoi tou polemou hōn pepoiēto synthēkōn heineka,
Then, having learned by experience how great a divine and secret power was in the saving trophy, through which Constantine's army had learned to prevail, he urged his soldiers never to advance against it, nor even to look at it carelessly; for it was terrible in strength and hostile and inimical to him, so they must avoid engaging with it. Having given these orders, he set out to join battle with the man who, out of humanity, was hesitating and putting off his death. They, trusting in their multitude of gods, advanced with a great force of soldiers, holding before them images of the dead in lifeless statues; but he, fortified with the breastplate of piety, set the saving and life-giving sign against the multitude of the enemy as a terror and a defense against evils. At first he held back, using forbearance, so as not to be the first to begin the war, because of the treaty that had been made;
Eph 6:14 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Licinius told his troops to avoid the standard of the cross; Constantine waited, unwilling to break the treaty first.
- “Breastplate” recalls Eph 6:14. The words μἐνω̣ μάχῃ are garbled in the digital text; translated by the sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; dropped letter (digitization slip)): δενὸν → δεινὸν; ἀφύχοις → ἀψύχοις.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.16.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-16-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-16-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 17
2.17.1Heikel
ὡς δʼ ἐπιμόνως ἔχοντας τοὺς ὑπεναντίους ἤδη τε ξιφῶν ἁπτομένους ἑώρα, τηνικαῦτα διαγανακτήσας βασιλεὺς μιᾷ ῥοπῇ πᾶσαν τὴν τῶν ἐναντίων ἐτροποῦτο δύναμιν ὁμοῦ τε τὰς κατʼ ἐχθρῶν καὶ κατὰ δαιμόνων ἀπεφέρετο νίκας.
hōs dʼ epimonōs echontas tous hypenantious ēdē te xiphōn haptomenous heōra, tēnikauta diaganaktēsas basileus mią rhopę̄ pasan tēn tōn enantiōn etropouto dynamin homou te tas katʼ echthrōn kai kata daimonōn apephereto nikas.
but when he saw his adversaries persisting and already grasping their swords, the emperor was roused to indignation, routed the whole force of the enemy with a single charge, and carried off victories over enemies and demons alike.
Notes and citation
Summary: When the enemy attacked, Constantine routed them at a stroke.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error): βαοιλεὺς → βασιλεὺς.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.17.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-17-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-17-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 18
2.18.1Heikel
Εἶτα αὐτὸν τὸν θεομισῆ κἄπειτα τοὺς ἀμφʼ αὐτὸν νόμῳ πολέμου διακρίνας τῇ πρεπούσῃ παρεδίδου τιμωρίᾳ, ἀπήγοντό τʼ αὐτῷ τυράννῳ καὶ ἀπώλλυντο τὴν προσήκουσαν ὑπέχοντες δίκην οἱ τῆς θεομαχίας σύμβουλοι, οἵ τε σμικρὸν ἔμπροσθεν τῇ τῶν ματαίων ἐλπίδι μετεωρισθέντες ἔργῳ τὸν Κωνσταντίνου θεὸν ὅστις ἠν παρελάμβανον καὶ τοῦτον ἄρα θεὸν ἀληθῆ καὶ μόνον γνωρίζειν ὡμολόγουν.
Eita auton ton theomisē kapeita tous amphʼ auton nomǭ polemou diakrinas tę̄ prepousę̄ paredidou timōrią, apēgonto tʼ autǭ tyrannǭ kai apōllynto tēn prosēkousan hypechontes dikēn hoi tēs theomachias symbouloi, hoi te smikron emprosthen tę̄ tōn mataiōn elpidi meteōristhentes ergǭ ton Kōnstantinou theon hostis ēn parelambanon kai touton ara theon alēthē kai monon gnōrizein hōmologoun.
Then, having judged the God-hater himself, and after him those about him, by the law of war, he handed them over to fitting punishment. Together with the tyrant were led away and put to death, paying the due penalty, the counselors of his war against God; and those who a little before had been buoyed up by hope in vain things learned by experience who Constantine's God was, and confessed that they acknowledged him as the true and only God.
Notes and citation
Summary: Licinius and his advisers were executed, and his followers acknowledged Constantine's God.
- Licinius surrendered after the battle of Chrysopolis (324) and was at first spared at his wife Constantia's request; he was put to death at Thessalonica in 325 on a charge of plotting. Eusebius compresses these events.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.18.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-18-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-18-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 19
2.19.1Heikel
Καὶ δὴ τῶν δυσσεβῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκποδὼν ἠρμένων καθαραὶ λοιπὸν ἠσαν ἡλίου αὐγαὶ τυραννικῆς δυναστείας, συνήπτετό τε πᾶσα ὅση τις ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίους ἐτύγχανε μοῖρα, τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἑῴαν Μνῶν ἑνουμένων θατέρῳ μέρει, μιᾷ τε τῇ τοῦ παντὸς ἀρχῇ ὥσπερ τινὶ κεφαλῇ τὸ πᾶν κατεκοσμεῖτο σῶμα μοναρχικῆς ἐξουσίας διὰ πάντων ἡκούσης, λαμπραί τε φωτὸς εὐσεβείας μαρμαρυγαὶ τοῖς πρὶν καθημένοις ἐν σκότῳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου φαιδρὰς παρεῖχον ἡμέρας. οὐδʼ ἦν τις ἔτι προτἐρων μνήμη κακῶν. ἁπανταχοῦ πάντων τὸν νικητὴν ἀνυμνούντων μόνον τε τὸν τούτου σωτῆρα θεὸν ὁμολογούντων γνωρίζειν. ὁ δʼ ἀρετῇ θεοσεβείας πάσῃ ἐμπρέπων νικητὴς βασιλεὺς ταύτην γὰρ αὐτὸς αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπώνυμον κυριωτάτην ἐπηγορίαν εὕρατο τῆς ἐκ θεοῦ δεδομένης αὐτῷ κατὰ πάντων ἐχθρῶν τε καὶ πολεμίων νίκης εἵνεκα) τὴν ἑᾠαν ἀπελάμβανε, καὶ μίαν συνημ- μένην κατὰ τὸ παλαιὸν τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀρχὴν ὑφʼ ἑαυτὸν ἐποιεῖτο, μοναρχίας μὲν ἐξάρχων θεοῦ κηρύγματος τοῖς πᾶσι μοναρχίᾳ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦ Ῥωμαίων κράτους τὸν σύμπαντα πηδαλιουχῶν βίον. ἀφᾐρητό τε πᾶν δέος τῶν πρὶν πιεζούντων τοὺς πάντας κακῶν, λαμπρὰς δʼ ἐπετέλουν ἑορτὰς οἱ κατὰ πάσας ἐπαρχίας καὶ πόλεις δῆμοι, μειδιῶσί τε προσώποις ὄμμασί τε φαιδροῖς οἱ πρὶν κατηφεῖς ἀλλήλοις ἐνέβλεπον, χοροὶ δʼ αὐτοῖς καὶ ὕμνοι τὸν παμβασιλέα θεὸν πρώτιστα πάντων ὄντα δὴ τοῦτον ἐδίδασκον, κἄπειτα τὸν καλλίνικον παῖδάς τʼ αὐτοῦ κοσμιωτάτους καὶ θεοφιλεῖς καίσαρας φωναῖς ἀσχέτοις ἐγέραιρον, κακῶν τʼ ἀμνηστία παλαιῶν ἦν καὶ δυσσεβείας πάσης λήθη, παρόντων δʼ ἀγαθῶν ἀπόλαυσις καὶ προσέτι μελλόντων προσδοκία.
Kai dē tōn dyssebōn andrōn ekpodōn ērmenōn katharai loipon ēsan hēliou augai tyrannikēs dynasteias, synēpteto te pasa hosē tis hypo Rhōmaious etynchane moira, tōn kata tēn heǭan Mnōn henoumenōn thaterǭ merei, mią te tę̄ tou pantos archę̄ hōsper tini kephalę̄ to pan katekosmeito sōma monarchikēs exousias dia pantōn hēkousēs, lamprai te phōtos eusebeias marmarygai tois prin kathēmenois en skotǭ kai skią thanatou phaidras pareichon hēmeras. oudʼ ēn tis eti proterōn mnēmē kakōn. hapantachou pantōn ton nikētēn anymnountōn monon te ton toutou sōtēra theon homologountōn gnōrizein. ho dʼ aretę̄ theosebeias pasę̄ emprepōn nikētēs basileus tautēn gar autos autǭ tēn epōnymon kyriōtatēn epēgorian heurato tēs ek theou dedomenēs autǭ kata pantōn echthrōn te kai polemiōn nikēs heineka) tēn heǭan apelambane, kai mian synēm- menēn kata to palaion tēn Rhōmaiōn archēn hyphʼ heauton epoieito, monarchias men exarchōn theou kērygmatos tois pasi monarchią de kai autos tou Rhōmaiōn kratous ton sympanta pēdaliouchōn bion. aphę̄rēto te pan deos tōn prin piezountōn tous pantas kakōn, lampras dʼ epeteloun heortas hoi kata pasas eparchias kai poleis dēmoi, meidiōsi te prosōpois ommasi te phaidrois hoi prin katēpheis allēlois eneblepon, choroi dʼ autois kai hymnoi ton pambasilea theon prōtista pantōn onta dē touton edidaskon, kapeita ton kallinikon paidas tʼ autou kosmiōtatous kai theophileis kaisaras phōnais aschetois egerairon, kakōn tʼ amnēstia palaiōn ēn kai dyssebeias pasēs lēthē, parontōn dʼ agathōn apolausis kai proseti mellontōn prosdokia.
So, with the impious men removed, the sun's rays were at last clear of tyrannical domination. Every portion under Roman rule was joined together, the peoples of the east being united to the other part, and the whole body was adorned with one rule over all, as with a single head, the authority of one ruler extending through all; and bright gleams of the light of piety gave shining days to those who had before sat in darkness and the shadow of death. There was no longer any memory of former evils, as all everywhere hymned the victor and confessed that they acknowledged his Savior as the only God. And the victorious emperor, resplendent in every virtue of godliness (for he found for himself this most fitting title, Victor, because of the victory God had given him over all his enemies and foes), took over the east, and made the Roman empire, joined into one as of old, subject to himself. He was the first to proclaim to all the sole rule of God, and he himself steered the whole of life by the sole rule of Roman power. All fear of the evils that had formerly oppressed everyone was removed. The peoples in every province and city celebrated brilliant festivals; those who before had been downcast looked at one another with smiling faces and bright eyes; with dances and hymns they declared first of all that the God and King of all is indeed this one, and then honored with unrestrained voices the glorious victor and his most orderly and God-beloved sons, the Caesars. There was forgetfulness of old evils and oblivion of all impiety, enjoyment of present goods, and besides, expectation of those to come.
Luke 1:79 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 9:2 (9:1 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: With Licinius gone, the empire was reunited under Constantine, who took the title Victor, and the East celebrated.
- “Sat in darkness and the shadow of death”: Luke 1:79 (Isa 9:2). Constantine used the title Victor (Νικητής) after 324. Eusebius pairs the one God's sole rule with the one emperor's sole rule.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; OCR letter errors): δνναοτείας → δυναστείας; θεοοεβείας → θεοσεβείας; πιεςούντων → πιεζούντων.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.19.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-19-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-19-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 20
2.20.1Heikel
Ἡπλοῦντο δὲ καὶ παρʼ ἡμῖν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ πρότερον παρὰ τοῖς θάτερον μέρος τῆς οἰκουμένης λαχοῦσι, βασιλέως φιλανθρωπίας ἔμπλεοι διατάξεις, νόμοι τε τῆς πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ὁσίας πνέοντες παντοίας παρεῖχον ἀγαθῶν ἐπαγγελίας, τοῖς μὲν κατʼ ἔθνος ἐπαρχιώταις τὰ πρόσφορα καὶ λυσιτελῆ δωρούμενοι, ταῖς δʼ ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ κατάλληλα διαγορεύοντες.
Hēplounto de kai parʼ hēmin, hōsper oun kai proteron para tois thateron meros tēs oikoumenēs lachousi, basileōs philanthrōpias empleoi diataxeis, nomoi te tēs pros ton theon hosias pneontes pantoias pareichon agathōn epangelias, tois men katʼ ethnos eparchiōtais ta prosphora kai lysitelē dōroumenoi, tais dʼ ekklēsiais tou theou ta katallēla diagoreuontes.
Among us too, as before among those who had the other part of the world, the emperor's ordinances full of humanity were published; and laws breathing holiness toward God offered all kinds of promised benefits, granting to the provincials in each nation what was suitable and useful, and prescribing to the churches of God what was fitting for them.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine issued humane laws in the East, benefiting both the provinces and the churches.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.20.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-20-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-20-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.20.2Heikel
ἀνεκαλοῦντο γοῦν ἐκείνους πρώτιστα πάντων ὅσοι τοῦ μὴ εἰδωλολατρῆσαι χάριν ὑπὸ τῶν κατʼ ἔθνος ἡγουμένων ἐξορίας καὶ μετοικίας ὑπέμειναν, κἄπειτα τοὺς βουλευτηρίοις ἐγκριθέντας τῆς αὐτῆς ἕνεκεν ἀἰτίας ἠλευθέρουν τῶν λειτουργημάτων, καὶ τοῖς ἀφῃρημένοις δὲ τὰς οὐσίας ἀναλαμβάνειν ταύτας ἐγκελευόμενοι.
anekalounto goun ekeinous prōtista pantōn hosoi tou mē eidōlolatrēsai charin hypo tōn katʼ ethnos hēgoumenōn exorias kai metoikias hypemeinan, kapeita tous bouleutēriois enkrithentas tēs autēs heneken aitias ēleutheroun tōn leitourgēmatōn, kai tois aphę̄rēmenois de tas ousias analambanein tautas enkeleuomenoi.
First of all, they recalled those who, for refusing to worship idols, had endured exile and deportation at the hands of the provincial governors; then they freed from public duties those who for the same reason had been enrolled in the city councils; and they ordered that those deprived of their property should recover it.
Notes and citation
Summary: Exiled Christians were recalled, freed from punitive civic duties, and given back their property.
- Enrollment in a city council (with its costly obligations) had been imposed on Christians as a penalty.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.20.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-20-2).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-20-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.20.3Heikel
οἵ τʼ ἐν καιρῷ τοῦ ἀγῶνος καρτερίᾳ ψυχῆς διὰ θεὸν λαμπρυνόμενοι, μετάλλοις τε κακοπαθεῖν παραδοθέντες, ἢ νήσοις οἰκεῖν κριθέντες, ἢ δημοσίοις ἔργοις δουλεύειν κατηναγκασμένοι, τούτων ἀθρόως ἁπάντων ἐλευθερίας ἀπήλαυον. καὶ τοὺς στρατιωτικῆς δʼ ἀξίας διʼ ἔνστασιν θεοσεβείας ἀποβλήτους γενομένους ἀνεκαλεῖτο τῆς ὕβρεως ἡ βασιλικὴ δωρεά, τοῖς ἐπʼ ἐξουσίας αἴρεσιν παρέχουσα ἢ τὰς οἰκείας ἀπολαμβάνειν καὶ διαπρέπειν τοῖς προτέροις αὐτῶν ἀξιώμασιν, ἢ ἀγαπῶντας τὸν εὐσταλῆ βίον πάντων λειτουργημάτων ἀνεπηρεάστους διατελεῖν. καὶ τοὺς γυναικείοις δʼ ἔργοις ἐφ ὕβρει καὶ ἀτιμίᾳ δουλεύειν κριθέντας ὁμοίως τοῖς λοιποῖς ἠλευθέρουν.
hoi tʼ en kairǭ tou agōnos karterią psychēs dia theon lamprynomenoi, metallois te kakopathein paradothentes, ē nēsois oikein krithentes, ē dēmosiois ergois douleuein katēnankasmenoi, toutōn athroōs hapantōn eleutherias apēlauon. kai tous stratiōtikēs dʼ axias diʼ enstasin theosebeias apoblētous genomenous anekaleito tēs hybreōs hē basilikē dōrea, tois epʼ exousias airesin parechousa ē tas oikeias apolambanein kai diaprepein tois proterois autōn axiōmasin, ē agapōntas ton eustalē bion pantōn leitourgēmatōn anepēreastous diatelein. kai tous gynaikeiois dʼ ergois eph hybrei kai atimią douleuein krithentas homoiōs tois loipois ēleutheroun.
Those who in the time of the contest had shone through endurance of soul for God's sake, and had been handed over to suffer in the mines, or sentenced to live on islands, or forced to serve as slaves in public works — all of them at once enjoyed freedom. The imperial gift also recalled from disgrace those who had been dismissed from military rank for their steadfast piety, giving them the choice either to recover their own positions and be distinguished in their former ranks, or, if they preferred a quiet life, to remain free of all public duties. Those sentenced to serve in women's work, for outrage and disgrace, were likewise set free with the rest.
Notes and citation
Summary: Confessors in the mines, on islands, and in forced labor were freed, and Christian soldiers restored.
- “Women's work” refers to the state weaving mills, to which some confessors had been condemned.
Topics: Persecution, Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.20.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-20-3).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-20-3) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 21
2.21.1Heikel
Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν περὶ τῶν ταῦθʼ ὑπομεινάντων ἡ βασιλέως ἐνομοθέτει γραφή. περὶ δὲ τῆς ὑπάρξεως τῶν αὐτῶν ἐντελῶς διηγόρευεν ὁ νόμος. τῶν τε γὰρ ἁγίων τοῦ θεοῦ μαρτύρων τῶν ἐν ὁμολογίᾳ τὴν τελευτὴν ἀποθεμένων τοῦ βίου τὰς οὐσίας ἐκέλευε τοὺς τῷ γένει προσήκοντας ἀπολαμβάνειν, εἰ δὲ μὴ τούτων τις εἴη, τὰς ἐκκλησίας ὑποδέχεσθαι τοὺς κλήρους. καὶ τὰ ἐκ ταμείου δὲ πρό- τερον ἑτέροις ἢ κατὰ πρᾶσιν ἢ κατὰ δωρεὰν ἐκποιηθέντα τά τʼ ἐν αὐτῷ καταλειφθέντα εἰς τοὐπίσω προσήκειν τοῖς δεσπόταις ἀποδίδοσθαι τὸ τῆς δωρεᾶς γράμμα διεκελεύετο. τοσαῦτα μὲν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ αἱ καταπεμφθεῖσαι όωρεαὶ παρεἶχον.
Kai tauta men peri tōn tauthʼ hypomeinantōn hē basileōs enomothetei graphē. peri de tēs hyparxeōs tōn autōn entelōs diēgoreuen ho nomos. tōn te gar hagiōn tou theou martyrōn tōn en homologią tēn teleutēn apothemenōn tou biou tas ousias ekeleue tous tǭ genei prosēkontas apolambanein, ei de mē toutōn tis eiē, tas ekklēsias hypodechesthai tous klērous. kai ta ek tameiou de pro- teron heterois ē kata prasin ē kata dōrean ekpoiēthenta ta tʼ en autǭ kataleiphthenta eis toupisō prosēkein tois despotais apodidosthai to tēs dōreas gramma diekeleueto. tosauta men tę̄ ekklēsią tou theou hai katapemphtheisai oōreai pareichon.
These were the provisions of the emperor's letter concerning those who had endured such things. Concerning their property the law gave full directions. It ordered that the property of the holy martyrs of God who had ended their lives in confession should be received by their next of kin, and, if there were none of these, that the churches should inherit it. And whatever had earlier been alienated from the treasury to others, whether by sale or by gift, and whatever remained in it, the letter of grant ordered to be returned to the owners to whom it belonged. Such were the benefits the gifts sent down provided to the church of God.
Notes and citation
Summary: Martyrs' property went to their kin or, failing them, to the churches, and confiscated goods were restored.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; stray letter (digitization slip)): προοήκειν → προσήκειν; ἀποδίδοσθυαι → ἀποδίδοσθαι.
Topics: Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.21.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-21-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-21-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 22
2.22.1Heikel
Δήμοις τε τοῖς ἐκτὸς καὶ πᾶσιν ἔθνεσι τούτων ἐ̔τερα ὑπεμβάλλοντα τῷ πλήθει ἡ βασιλέως ἐδωρεῖτο μεγαλοψυχία, ἐφʼ οἶς ἅπαντες οἱ καθʼ ἡμᾶς, ὅσα τὸ πρὶν ἀκοῇ πυνθανόμενοι ἐν θατέρῳ μέρει τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς γιγνόμενα τοὺς εὖ πάοχοντας ἐμακάριζον, εὐχὴν εὐχὴν τῶν ἵσων ἀπολαῦσαι καὶ αὐτοί ποτε, ταῦθʼ ὑπʼ ὄψεσιν ὁρῶντες, ἤδη καὶ σφᾶς εὐδαιμονίζειν ἠξίουν, ξένον τι χρῆμα καὶ οἷον ὁ πᾶς αἰὼν ὑφʼ ἡλίου αὐγαῖς οὐδεπώποτε ἱστόρησεν ἐπιλάμφαι τῷ θνητῷ γένει τὸν τοσοῦτον ὁμολογοῦντες βασιλέα. ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν ὡδε ἐφρόνουν.
Dēmois te tois ektos kai pasin ethnesi toutōn hetera hypemballonta tǭ plēthei hē basileōs edōreito megalopsychia, ephʼ ois hapantes hoi kathʼ hēmas, hosa to prin akoę̄ pynthanomenoi en thaterǭ merei tēs Rhōmaiōn archēs gignomena tous eu paochontas emakarizon, euchēn euchēn tōn hisōn apolausai kai autoi pote, tauthʼ hypʼ opsesin horōntes, ēdē kai sphas eudaimonizein ēxioun, xenon ti chrēma kai hoion ho pas aiōn hyphʼ hēliou augais oudepōpote historēsen epilamphai tǭ thnētǭ genei ton tosouton homologountes basilea. allʼ hoi men hōde ephronoun.
And to the peoples outside the church and to all nations the emperor's generosity gave other gifts, surpassing these in number. At these, all of us in our region, who had formerly heard by report what was happening in the other part of the Roman empire and had called its beneficiaries blessed, praying that we too might one day enjoy the same, now saw these things before our eyes and thought ourselves happy as well, confessing that so great an emperor had shone upon the mortal race as something strange, such as all the ages under the sun's rays had never recorded. So they thought.
Notes and citation
Summary: The East, which had envied the West, now rejoiced in the same blessings.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error): ἔθνεος → ἔθνεσι.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.22.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-22-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-22-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 23
2.23.1Heikel
Ἐπεὶ δὲ πάνθʼ ὑποτέτακτο βασιλεῖ βασιλεῖ θεοῦ σωτῆρος δυνάμει, τὸν τῶν ἀγαθῶν αὐτῷ πάροχον τοῖς πᾶσι φανερὸν ἐποίει, κἀκεῖνον τῶν νικητηρίων αἴτιον ἀλλὰ μὴ αὐτὸν νομίζειν διεμαρτύρετο, τοῦτό τε αὐτὸ ἀνεκήρυττεν διὰ χαρακτήρων Ῥωμαίας τε καὶ Ἑλληνίδος φωνῆς εἰς ἕκαστον ἔθνος έν γραφῇ διαπεμφθείσῃ. μάθοις δʼ ἄν τοῦ λόγου τὴν ἀρετὴν αὐτοῖς προσβαλὼν τοῖς δόγμασι· δύο δ ἠν ταῦτα, τὸ μὲν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸ δὲ τοῖς ἐκτὸς κατὰ πόλιν δήμοις διαπεμφθέν, ὃ τῇ παρούσῃ προσῆκον ὑποθέσει ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ παρενθεῖναι, ὡς ἂν διὰ τῆς ἱστορίας μένοι καὶ διαφυλάττοιτο τοῖς μεθʼ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἡ τοῦδε τοῦ δόγματος ἔκθεσις πρός τε ἀληθείας καὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων διηγημάτων πίστωσιν. εἴληπται δʼ ἐξ αὐθεντικοῦ τοῦ παρʼ ἡμῖν φυλαττομένου βασιλικοῦ νόμου, ᾠ καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ δεξιᾶς ἔγγραφος ὑποσημείωσις τῆς τῶν λόγων πιστώσεως οἶά τινι σφραγῖδι κατασημαίνει τὴν μαρτυρίαν.
Epei de panthʼ hypotetakto basilei basilei theou sōtēros dynamei, ton tōn agathōn autǭ parochon tois pasi phaneron epoiei, kakeinon tōn nikētēriōn aition alla mē auton nomizein diemartyreto, touto te auto anekērytten dia charaktērōn Rhōmaias te kai Hellēnidos phōnēs eis hekaston ethnos en graphę̄ diapemphtheisę̄. mathois dʼ an tou logou tēn aretēn autois prosbalōn tois dogmasi; dyo d ēn tauta, to men tais ekklēsiais tou theou, to de tois ektos kata polin dēmois diapemphthen, ho tę̄ parousę̄ prosēkon hypothesei emoige dokei parentheinai, hōs an dia tēs historias menoi kai diaphylattoito tois methʼ hēmas kai hē toude tou dogmatos ekthesis pros te alētheias kai tōn hēmeterōn diēgēmatōn pistōsin. eilēptai dʼ ex authentikou tou parʼ hēmin phylattomenou basilikou nomou, ǭ kai tēs autou dexias engraphos hyposēmeiōsis tēs tōn logōn pistōseōs oia tini sphragidi katasēmainei tēn martyrian.
When all things had been subjected to the emperor by the power of God the Savior, he made known to all the provider of his blessings, and testified that they should regard him, and not himself, as the cause of his victories; and he proclaimed this very thing in a writing sent to every nation in the characters of the Latin and Greek languages. You may learn the excellence of the words by examining the ordinances themselves. There were two: one sent to the churches of God, the other to the peoples outside in each city. The latter it seems to me fitting to insert here, as belonging to the present subject, so that through this history the text of this ordinance too may remain and be preserved for those after us, for the confirmation of the truth and of our narratives. It is taken from the authentic imperial law preserved among us, on which the written subscription of his own right hand, confirming the words, attests its authenticity as with a seal.
Notes and citation
Summary: Eusebius introduces Constantine's letter to the provincials, copied from the signed original in his possession.
- A contemporary papyrus (P. Lond. 878) preserves part of this letter (2.26–29), confirming its authenticity. The last words of the section had been transliterated into Latin letters in the digital text.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Greek words transliterated into Latin letters by the digitization; OCR letter error): προοβαλὼν → προσβαλὼν; πιοτώσεως → πιστώσεως; katash- mainei thn marturian → κατασημαίνει τὴν μαρτυρίαν.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.23.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-23-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-23-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 24
2.24.1Heikel
Ἐπιστολὴ Κωνσταντίνου Κωνσταντίου Ῥωμαίων αὐτοκράτορος, τὸ πρῶτον καταπεμφθὲν τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς ἑῴοις γράμμα μετὰ τὴν κατὰ τῶν τυράννων νίκην. „Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς ἐπαρχιώταις Παλαιστίνης. Ἡν μὲν ἀνωθέν τε καὶ πάλαι παρὰ τοῖς ὀρθῶς καὶ σωφρόνως περὶ τοῦ κρείττονος δοξάζουσιν ἔκδηλος ἡ διαφορὰ καὶ πᾶσαν ἀνείργουσα πόρρωθεν ἀμφιβολίαν, ὅσῳ τῷ μέσῳ διήλλαττεν ἡ περὶ τῆς τοῦ χριστιανισμοῦ σεβασμιωτάτης θεραπείας ἀκριβὴς παρατήρησις παρὰ τοὺς πρὸς αὐτὴν ἐκπεπολεμωμένους τε καὶ καταφρονητικῶς ἔχειν ἐθέλοντας.
Epistolē Kōnstantinou Kōnstantiou Rhōmaiōn autokratoros, to prōton katapemphthen tois epi gēs heǭois gramma meta tēn kata tōn tyrannōn nikēn. „Nikētēs Kōnstantinos Megistos Sebastos eparchiōtais Palaistinēs. Hēn men anōthen te kai palai para tois orthōs kai sōphronōs peri tou kreittonos doxazousin ekdēlos hē diaphora kai pasan aneirgousa porrōthen amphibolian, hosǭ tǭ mesǭ diēllatten hē peri tēs tou christianismou sebasmiōtatēs therapeias akribēs paratērēsis para tous pros autēn ekpepolemōmenous te kai kataphronētikōs echein ethelontas.
Letter of Constantine, [son of] Constantius, Emperor of the Romans: the first letter sent to those in the eastern lands after the victory over the tyrants. “The Victor Constantine Maximus Augustus to the provincials of Palestine. It has long been, and from of old, plain to those who hold right and sober opinions about the Supreme Being — a difference that put all doubt far away — how far the careful observance of the most holy worship of Christianity surpassed the ways of those who made war on it and chose to despise it.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine's letter to the provincials opens: the superiority of Christian worship has always been evident to the wise.
- Constantine's letter, quoted in full through 2.42, is in a formal official style.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; OCR letter errors): Κωοταντίνου → Κωνσταντίνου; ἑῴσς → ἑῴοις.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.24.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-24-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-24-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.24.2Heikel
νυνὶ δὲ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπιφανεστέραις πράξεσι καὶ κατορθώμασι λαμπροτέροις τό τε τῆς ἀμφιβολίας ἄλογον ἀποδέδεικται καὶ ὁπόση τις ἡ τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ δύναμις, ἡνίκα τοῖς μὲν πιστῶς τὸν σεμνότατον σέβουσι νόμον καὶ μηδὲν τῶν παραγγελμάτων παραλύειν τολμῶσιν ἄφθονα τὰ ἀγαθὰ καὶ πρὸς τὰς ἐγχειρήσεις ἰσχὺς ἀρίστη καὶ μετʼ ἐλπίδων ἀγαθῶν ἀπαντῶσα, τοῖς δὲ τὴν ἀσεβῆ λαβοῦσι γνώμην πρὸς τὰς προαιρέσεις ἀκόλουθα καὶ τὰ ἀποβαίνοντα ἠν.
nyni de kai mallon epiphanesterais praxesi kai katorthōmasi lamproterois to te tēs amphibolias alogon apodedeiktai kai hoposē tis hē tou megalou theou dynamis, hēnika tois men pistōs ton semnotaton sebousi nomon kai mēden tōn parangelmatōn paralyein tolmōsin aphthona ta agatha kai pros tas encheirēseis ischys aristē kai metʼ elpidōn agathōn apantōsa, tois de tēn asebē labousi gnōmēn pros tas proaireseis akoloutha kai ta apobainonta ēn.
But now, by still more conspicuous actions and more brilliant successes, both the unreasonableness of that doubt and the greatness of the power of the great God have been shown, since for those who faithfully honor the most holy law and dare to break none of its commandments, good things are abundant, and in their undertakings the best strength comes to meet them together with good hopes, while for those who have adopted the impious opinion, the outcomes too have been in keeping with their choices.
Notes and citation
Summary: Recent events show that God blesses those who keep his law and punishes the impious.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.24.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-24-2).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-24-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
2.24.3Heikel
τίς γὰρ ἂν ἀγαθοῦ τύχοι τινός, τὸν τῶν ἀγαθῶν αἴτιον θεὸν οὔτε γνωρίζων οὔτε τὰ προσήκοντα σέβειν ἐθέλων; πίστιν δὲ τῷ ῥηθέντι καὶ τὰ ἔργα δίδωσιν.“
tis gar an agathou tychoi tinos, ton tōn agathōn aition theon oute gnōrizōn oute ta prosēkonta sebein ethelōn? pistin de tǭ rhēthenti kai ta erga didōsin.“
For who could obtain any good who neither acknowledges God, the cause of good things, nor is willing to worship him as is fitting? And the facts themselves confirm what has been said.”
Notes and citation
Summary: No one who rejects God can obtain good.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error): οἴτε → οὔτε.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.24.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-24-3).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-24-3) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 25
2.25.1Heikel
„Εἰ γοῦν τις εἰς τοὺς ἄνωθεν εἰς δεῦρο παρατείναντας χρόνους ἀναδράμοι τῷ νῷ καὶ τὰς πώποτε γενομένας πράξεις κατίδοι τῷ λογισμῷ, πάντας ἂν εὕροι τοὺς μὲν ὅσοι δικαίαν καὶ ἀγαθὴν προκατεβάλοντο τῶν πραγμάτων κρηπῖδα εἰς ἀγαθὸν καὶ προαγαγόντας τὰς ἐγχειρήσεις πέρας, καὶ οἷον ἀπὸ ῥίζης τινὸς ἡδείας κομισαμένους καὶ τὸν καρπὸν γλυκύν, τοὺς δὲ ἀδίκοις ἐπιχειρήσαντας τόλμαις καὶ ἢ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον ἀνοήτως ἐκμανέντας ἢ πρὸς τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος λογισμὸν ὅσιον οὐδένα λαβόντας, ἀλλὰ φυγὰς ἀτιμίας δημεύσεις σφαγὰς τοιαῦτα πολλὰ τολμήσαντας, καὶ οὕτε μεταμεληθέντας ποτὲ οὔτε τὸν νοῦν ἐπιστρέψαντας πρὸς τὰ καλλίω, ἵσων καὶ τῶν ἀμοιβαίων τυχόντας. καὶ ταῦτά γε οὐκ ἂν ἀπεικότως οὐδʼ ἂν ἀπὸ λόγου συμβαίνοι.“
„Ei goun tis eis tous anōthen eis deuro parateinantas chronous anadramoi tǭ nǭ kai tas pōpote genomenas praxeis katidoi tǭ logismǭ, pantas an heuroi tous men hosoi dikaian kai agathēn prokatebalonto tōn pragmatōn krēpida eis agathon kai proagagontas tas encheirēseis peras, kai hoion apo rhizēs tinos hēdeias komisamenous kai ton karpon glykyn, tous de adikois epicheirēsantas tolmais kai ē pros to kreitton anoētōs ekmanentas ē pros to anthrōpinon genos logismon hosion oudena labontas, alla phygas atimias dēmeuseis sphagas toiauta polla tolmēsantas, kai houte metamelēthentas pote oute ton noun epistrepsantas pros ta kalliō, hisōn kai tōn amoibaiōn tychontas. kai tauta ge ouk an apeikotōs oudʼ an apo logou symbainoi.“
“If anyone should run over in his mind the times reaching from of old to the present, and consider in his reasoning the deeds ever done, he would find that all who laid a just and good foundation for their affairs brought their undertakings to a good end and gathered sweet fruit, as from a pleasant root; while those who attempted unjust audacities, and either raged senselessly against the Supreme Being or took no holy thought for the human race, but dared banishments, dishonors, confiscations, slaughters, and many such things, and never repented nor turned their minds to better things, received a like requital. And this would happen neither unreasonably nor without cause.”
Notes and citation
Summary: History shows that the just prosper and persecutors who never repent meet a fitting end.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter errors): κοιμσαμάνους → κομισαμένους.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.25.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-25-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-25-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 26
2.26.1Heikel
Ὅσοι μὲν γὰρ μετὰ δικαίας γνώμης έπί τινας ὲ́ρχονται πράξεις καὶ τὸν τοῦ κρείττονος φόβον διηνεκῶς ἔχουσιν ἐν νῷ, βεβαίαν τὴν περὶ αὐτὸν φυλάττοντες πίστιν, καὶ τοὺς παρόντας φόβους τε καὶ κινδύνους οὐκ ἄγουσιν τῶν μελλουσῶν ἐκείνων ἐλπίδων προτιμοτέρους, κἄν εἰ πρὸς καιρὸν δυοχερῶν τινων πειραθεῖεν, τῷ μείζονας ἑαυτοῖς ἀποκεῖσθαι πιστεύειν τιμὰς ἤνεγκαν οὐδὲ τὰ προσπεσοντα βαρέως, ἀλλὰ τοσούτῳ λαμπροτέρας ἔτυχον εὐκλείας, ὅσῳ καὶ βαρυτέρων τῶν χαλεπῶν ἐπειράθησαν. ὅσοι δὲ ἢ τὸ δίκαιον ἀτίμως παρεῖδον ἢ τὸ κρεῖττον οὐκ ἔγνωσαν καὶ τοὺς τοῦτο πιστῶς μετιόντας ὕβρεσι καὶ κολάσεσιν ἀνηκέστοις ὑποβαλεῖν ὑποβαλεῖν καὶ οὐχ ἑαυτοὺς μὲν ἀθλίους ἐφʼ οἷς διὰ τὰς τοιαύτας ἐκόλαζον προφάσεις ἔκριναν, εὐδαίμονας δὲ καὶ μακαριστοὺς τοὺς καὶ μέχρι τῶν τοιούτων τὴν πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον διασωζομένους εὐσέβειαν, τούτων πολλαὶ μὲν ἔπεσον στρατιαί, πολλαὶ δὲ πρὸς φυγὴν ἐτράπησαν, πᾶσα δὲ τούτων πολέμων παράταξις εἰς αἰσχίστην ἐληξεν ἡτταν.“
Hosoi men gar meta dikaias gnōmēs epi tinas erchontai praxeis kai ton tou kreittonos phobon diēnekōs echousin en nǭ, bebaian tēn peri auton phylattontes pistin, kai tous parontas phobous te kai kindynous ouk agousin tōn mellousōn ekeinōn elpidōn protimoterous, kan ei pros kairon dyocherōn tinōn peiratheien, tǭ meizonas heautois apokeisthai pisteuein timas ēnenkan oude ta prospesonta bareōs, alla tosoutǭ lamproteras etychon eukleias, hosǭ kai baryterōn tōn chalepōn epeirathēsan. hosoi de ē to dikaion atimōs pareidon ē to kreitton ouk egnōsan kai tous touto pistōs metiontas hybresi kai kolasesin anēkestois hypobalein hypobalein kai ouch heautous men athlious ephʼ hois dia tas toiautas ekolazon prophaseis ekrinan, eudaimonas de kai makaristous tous kai mechri tōn toioutōn tēn pros to kreitton diasōzomenous eusebeian, toutōn pollai men epeson stratiai, pollai de pros phygēn etrapēsan, pasa de toutōn polemōn parataxis eis aischistēn elēxen hēttan.“
“For all who approach any undertaking with a just purpose, keep the fear of the Supreme Being continually in mind, preserve firm faith in him, and do not hold present fears and dangers more important than those hopes to come — even if for a time they have experienced hardships, they did not bear what befell them grievously, believing that greater honors were laid up for them, but obtained all the more brilliant glory the heavier the hardships they endured. But as for those who either dishonorably disregarded justice or did not acknowledge the Supreme Being, and dared to subject those who faithfully pursued it to outrages and incurable punishments, and neither judged themselves wretched for punishing on such pretexts, nor [judged] happy and blessed those who kept their piety toward the Supreme Being even to such extremes — of these, many armies fell, many were put to flight, and every battle line of their wars ended in most shameful defeat.”
2 Cor 4:17 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The faithful who suffered gained greater glory, while persecutors' armies were defeated.
- The thought that heavier affliction brings greater glory recalls 2 Cor 4:17.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.26.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-26-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-26-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.
Life 2, chapter 27
2.27.1Heikel
Ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων ἀναφύονται πόλεμοι βαρεῖς, ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων πορθήσεις πανίεροι, ἐντεῦθεν ἐντεῦθεν μὲν τῶν πρὸς τὰς χρείας ἀναγκαίων πλῆθος δὲ τῶν ἐπηρτημένων δεινῶν, ἑντεῦθεν οἱ τῆς τοσαύτης ἀρχηγοὶ δυσσεβείας ἢ ἀνατλάντες τὰ ἔσχατα θάνατον πανώλεθρον ἐδυστύχησαν, ἢ ςωὴν αἰσχίστην διάγοντες θανάτου ταύτην βαρυτέραν ἐπέγνωσαν, καὶ οἶον ἰσομέτρους ταῖς ἀδικίαις τὰς τιμωρίας ἐκομίσαντο. τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἕκαστος εὕραντο συμφορῶν, ὅσον τις καὶ καταπολεμῆσαι τὸν θεῖον ὡς ᾤετο] νόμον ὑπʼ ἀλογίας προήχθη, ὥστʼ αὐτοῖς μὴ παρὰ τὴν ςωὴν εiναι βαρέα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ὑπὸ γῆς κολαστηρίων χαλεπώτερον προσδοκᾶσθαι τὸν φόβον.“
Ek tōn toioutōn anaphyontai polemoi bareis, ek tōn toioutōn porthēseis panieroi, enteuthen enteuthen men tōn pros tas chreias anankaiōn plēthos de tōn epērtēmenōn deinōn, henteuthen hoi tēs tosautēs archēgoi dyssebeias ē anatlantes ta eschata thanaton panōlethron edystychēsan, ē sōēn aischistēn diagontes thanatou tautēn baryteran epegnōsan, kai oion isometrous tais adikiais tas timōrias ekomisanto. tosouton gar hekastos heuranto symphorōn, hoson tis kai katapolemēsai ton theion hōs ǭeto] nomon hypʼ alogias proēchthē, hōstʼ autois mē para tēn sōēn einai barea monon, alla kai tōn hypo gēs kolastēriōn chalepōteron prosdokasthai ton phobon.“
“From such things grievous wars spring up, from such things utter devastations; hence the lack of what is needed for life and a host of impending terrors; hence the leaders of such great impiety either endured the extremes and met with an all-destroying death, or, living a most shameful life, recognized it to be heavier than death, and received punishments, as it were, equal in measure to their wrongs. For each met with as many calamities as he had been led by folly to try to war down the divine law, as he thought; so that for them not only was life heavy, but the fear of the punishments beneath the earth was expected to be even harsher.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Persecution brought war and want, and its authors suffered death or disgrace and feared punishment hereafter.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; OCR letter errors): θάπτον → θάνατον; κολαοτηρίων → κολαστηρίων.
Topics: Persecution, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Vit. Const. 2.27.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-vita-constantini/1-57-1/#p-2-27-1).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-vita-constantini-2-27-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Heikel, GCS 7 (1902); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 1.