Section 423
The text on this page is estimated to be only 28.21% accurate
392 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. two most profane tyrants, and engaging in battle, in an extraor dinary manner, Maxentius fell under Constantine. But the other, (Maximinus) did not long survive him, being himself put to a most ignominious death, by Licinius, who had not yet at that time evinced his insanity. But Constantine, who was first both in dignity and imperial rank, first took compassion upon those who were oppressed at Rome, invoking the God of heaven, and his Son and word our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all, as his aid advanced with his whole army, purporting to restore the Romans to that liberty which they had derived from their ancestors. Maxentius, however, relying more upon the arts of juggling than the affection of his subjects, did not venture to advance beyond the gates of the city, but fortified every place and region and city, with vast numbers of soldiers and innumer able bands and garrisons in all places of Rome and Italy that were enslaved by him. But the emperor (Constantine) stimu lated by the divine assistance, proceeded against the tyrant, and defeating him without difficulty in the first, second, and third en gagements, he advanced through the greatest part of Italy, and came almost to the very gates of Rome. Then, however, that he might not be forced to wage war with the Romans for the sake of the tyrant, God himself drew the tyrant, as if bound in fetters, to a considerable distance from the gates ; and here he confirmed those miraculous events performed of old against the wicked, and which have been discredited by so many, as if belong ing to fiction and fable, but which have been established in the sacred volume, as credible to the believer. He confirmed them, I say, as true, by an immediate interposition of his power, ad dressed alike I may say to the eyes of believers and unbelievers. As, therefore, anciently in the days of Moses, and the religious people of the Hebrews, the chariots of Pharaoh, and his forces were cast into the Red Sea, and his chosen triple* combatants were overwhelmed in it; thus, also, Maxentius, and his com* This passage is found Exod. xv. 4. The Hebrew is v£>St£> irooi, is rendered in our version, his chosen captains. It probably refers to three combatants on one chariot. On the import of the word in the Hebrew, and the Alexandrian version, see Biel, Drusius, Bochart, Gesenius.