CHAPTER XIX

OF HIS SON CONSTANTINE, WHO IN HIS YOUTH ACCOMPANIED DIOCLETIAN INTO PALESTINE

FOR Constantine had been already accustomed to the society of his father’s imperial colleagues, and had passed his time among them (like God’s ancient prophet Moses), as we have said. And even in the very earliest period of his youth he was judged by them to be worthy of the highest honour. An instance of this we have ourselves seen, when he passed through Palestine with the senior emperor, at whose right hand he stood, and commanded the admiration of all who beheld him by the indications he gave even then of royal greatness. For no one was comparable to him for grace and beauty of person, or height of stature; and he so far surpassed his compeers in personal strength as to be a terror to them. He was, however, even more conspicuous for the excellence of his mental qualities than for his superior personal endowments; being gifted in the first place with a sound and temperate judgment, and having also reaped the advantages of a liberal education. He was also distinguished in no ordinary degree both by natural intelligence and divinely imparted wisdom.