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the governing offices of high rank, both over those of the highest station and those who held the praetorian authority. For he either allowed it to be fitting for those who were Christians by their profession, or for those otherwise disposed he commanded them not to worship idols. Then next two laws were sent out at the same time, the one forbidding the abominable idolatry formerly practiced in cities and the countryside, so that no one should dare to set up statues, nor to attempt divinations and other curious arts, nor indeed to offer sacrifice at all; and the other decreeing that the buildings of the houses of prayer be raised high, and that the churches of God be increased in breadth and length, as if almost all men, so to speak, were about to attach themselves to God in the future, now that the madness of polytheism had been removed from their path. 2.45.2 For his piety toward God led the emperor to think and write such things to the governors of each place, and the law contained instructions not to spare the giving of money, but to make repairs from the imperial treasuries themselves. And such things were also written to the presidents of the churches in every place, of the same kind which he thought fit to send to us, having sent this first letter to our own person. 2.46.1 Victor Constantinus, Maximus Augustus, to Eusebius. As long as the impious will and tyranny persecuted the servants of God our Savior up to the present time, I have believed and have accurately convinced myself that the works of all the churches have either fallen into decay through neglect, or through fear of impending injustice have become less than what is worthy, 2.46.2 most beloved brother. But now that freedom has been restored, and that dragon has been driven from the administration of public affairs by the providence of the most great God and by our service, I believe that the divine power has become manifest to all, and that those who through fear or unbelief have fallen into any sins, having acknowledged Him who truly is, will come to the true and right 2.46.3 state of life. Therefore, for as many churches as you yourself preside over, or you know of others who preside in their places, whether bishops, presbyters, or deacons, remind them to be diligent about the works of the churches, either to repair those that exist, or to enlarge them, or to build new ones wherever need requires. You yourself, and through you the others, shall request the necessary supplies from the governors and the provincial administration. For they have been instructed to assist with all eagerness in what is said by your holiness. May God preserve you, beloved brother. 2.46.4 These things, then, were written to the leaders of the churches throughout each nation, and the governors of the provinces were ordered to act in accordance with them, and what had been enacted was carried into effect with great speed. 2.47.1 But the emperor, increasing yet more his piety toward God, sent down to the provincials of every nation an instruction refuting the idolatrous error of those who ruled before him, more eloquently exhorting his subjects to acknowledge the God who is over all, and to confess His Christ openly 2.47.2 as their Savior. And this letter, being his own autograph, but translated from the Roman tongue, it is necessary to include in the present account, so that we may seem to hear the emperor himself proclaiming this in this manner to the ears of all men. 2.48.1 Victor Constantinus, Maximus Augustus, to the provincials of the East. All things indeed which are contained in the most sovereign laws of nature provide a sufficient perception for all of the providence and contemplation according to the divine ordering, nor is there any doubt for those whose mind is led to that end by the straight path of knowledge, that the accurate comprehension of sound reasoning and of sight itself leads in one moment of true virtue to the knowledge of God. Therefore, every prudent man would never be disturbed seeing the many borne along by contrary purposes. 2.48.2 For the grace of virtue would be unintelligible if vice had not set forth in opposition the life of perverted madness. Therefore a crown is set for virtue, but the most high God holds sovereign authority over judgment. And I, as manifestly as possible

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ἡγεμονικὰς ἀρχὰς ἀξιωμάτων, ἐπί τε τῶν ἀνωτάτω καὶ τὴν ἔπαρχον διειληφότων ἐξουσίαν. ἢ γὰρ Χριστιανοῖς οὖσιν ἐμπρέπειν ἐδίδου τῇ προσηγορίᾳ, ἢ διακειμένοις ἑτέρως τὸ μὴ εἰδωλολατρεῖν παρήγγελλεν. Εἶθ' ἑξῆς δύο κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐπέμποντο νόμοι, ὁ μὲν εἴργων τὰ μυσαρὰ τῆς κατὰ πόλεις καὶ χώρας τὸ παλαιὸν συντελουμένης εἰδωλολατρίας, ὡς μήτ' ἐγέρσεις ξοάνων ποιεῖσθαι τολμᾶν, μήτε μαντείαις καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις περιεργίαις ἐπιχειρεῖν, μήτε μὴν θύειν καθόλου μηδένα, ὁ δὲ τῶν εὐκτηρίων οἴκων τὰς οἰκοδομὰς ὑψοῦν αὔξειν τε εἰς πλάτος καὶ μῆκος τὰς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ θεοῦ διαγορεύων, ὡσανεὶ μελλόντων τῷ θεῷ σχεδὸν εἰπεῖν ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων τοῦ λοιποῦ προσοικειοῦσθαι τῆς πολυθέου μανίας ἐκποδὼν ἠρμέ2.45.2 νης. τοιαῦτα γὰρ φρονεῖν τε καὶ γράφειν τοῖς κατὰ τόπον ἄρχουσι βασιλέα ἡ αὐτοῦ περὶ τὸν θεὸν ἐνῆγεν ὁσία, χρημάτων δὲ μὴ φείδεσθαι δόσεως, ἀλλ' ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν βασιλικῶν θησαυρῶν τὰς ἐπισκευὰς ποιεῖσθαι περιεῖχεν ὁ νόμος. ἐγράφετο δὲ καὶ τοῖς κατὰ πάντα τόπον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν προέδροις τοιαῦτα, ὁποῖα καὶ ἡμῖν ἐπιστέλλειν ἠξίου, πρώτην ταύτην εἰς ἡμέτερον πρόσωπον γραφὴν διαπεμψάμενος. 2.46.1 Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς Εὐσεβίῳ. Ἕως τοῦ παρόντος χρόνου τῆς ἀνοσίου βουλήσεως καὶ τυραννίδος τοὺς ὑπηρέτας τοῦ σωτῆρος θεοῦ διωκούσης, πεπίστευκα καὶ ἀκριβῶς ἐμαυτὸν πέπεικα πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τὰ ἔργα ἢ ὑπὸ ἀμελείας διεφθάρθαι ἢ φόβῳ τῆς ἐπικειμένης ἀδικίας ἐλάττονα τῆς ἀξίας γεγενῆσθαι, 2.46.2 ἀδελφὲ προσφιλέστατε. νυνὶ δὲ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἀποδοθείσης καὶ τοῦ δράκοντος ἐκείνου ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν κοινῶν διοικήσεως θεοῦ τοῦ μεγίστου προνοίᾳ ἡμετέρᾳ δ' ὑπηρεσίᾳ διωχθέντος, ἡγοῦμαι καὶ πᾶσι φανερὰν γεγενῆσθαι τὴν θείαν δύναμιν, καὶ τοὺς ἢ φόβῳ ἢ ἀπιστίᾳ ἁμαρτήμασί τισι περιπεσόντας ἐπιγνόντας τε τὸ ὄντως ὂν ἥξειν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀληθῆ καὶ ὀρθὴν 2.46.3 τοῦ βίου κατάστασιν. ὅσων τοίνυν ἢ αὐτὸς προίστασαι ἐκκλησιῶν ἢ ἄλλους τοὺς κατὰ τόπον προισταμένους ἐπισκόπους πρεσβυτέρους τε ἢ διακόνους οἶσθα, ὑπόμνησον σπουδάζειν περὶ τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, ἢ ἐπανορθοῦσθαι τὰ ὄντα ἢ εἰς μείζονα αὔξειν ἢ ἔνθα ἂν χρεία ἀπαιτῇ καινὰ ποιεῖν. αἰτήσεις δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ διὰ σοῦ οἱ λοιποὶ τὰ ἀναγκαῖα παρά τε τῶν ἡγεμονευόντων καὶ τῆς ἐπαρχικῆς τάξεως. τούτοις γὰρ ἐπεστάλη πάσῃ προθυμίᾳ ἐξυπηρετήσασθαι τοῖς ὑπὸ τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος λεγομένοις. Ὁ θεός σε διαφυλάξοι, ἀδελφὲ ἀγαπητέ. 2.46.4 Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν καθ' ἕκαστον ἔθνος ἐγράφετο τοῖς τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν προεστῶσι, τὰ ἀκόλουθά τε τούτοις πράττειν οἱ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἡγεμόνες ἐκελεύοντο, σὺν πολλῷ τε τάχει δι' ἔργων ἐχώρει τὰ νενομοθετημένα. 2.47.1 Ἐπιτείνας δ' ἔτι μᾶλλον ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ὁσίαν διδασκαλίαν ἀπελεγκτικὴν τῆς εἰδωλολάτρου πλάνης τῶν πρὸ αὐτοῦ κεκρατηκότων τοῖς κατὰ πᾶν ἔθνος ἐπαρχιώταις κατέπεμπε, λογιώτερον τοὺς ἀρχομένους προτρέπων τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων θεὸν γνωρίζειν αὐτόν τε τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτοῦ 2.47.2 διαρρήδην ἐπιγράφεσθαι σωτῆρα. καὶ ταύτην δὲ τὴν γραφήν, αὐτόγραφον οὖσαν αὐτοῦ μεταληφθεῖσαν δ' ἐκ τῆς Ῥωμαίων φωνῆς, ἀπολαβεῖν ἀναγκαῖον τῷ παρόντι λόγῳ, ὡς ἂν δοκοῖμεν αὐτοῦ βασιλέως ἐπακούειν ταῖς πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀκοαῖς τοῦτον ἐκβοῶντος τὸν τρόπον. 2.48.1 Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς ἐπαρχιώταις ἀνατολικοῖς. Πάντα μὲν ὅσα τοῖς κυριωτάτοις τῆς φύσεως περιέχεται νόμοις, τῆς κατὰ τὴν θείαν διάταξιν προνοίας τε καὶ θεωρίας ἱκανὴν αἴσθησιν τοῖς πᾶσι παρέχει, οὐδὲ ἔστι τις ἀμφιβολία οἷς κατ' εὐθεῖαν γνώσεως ὁδὸν ἡ διάνοια ἐπ' ἐκεῖνον ἄγεται τὸν σκοπόν, ὡς ἡ τοῦ ὑγιοῦς λογισμοῦ καὶ τῆς ὄψεως αὐτῆς ἡ ἀκριβὴς κατάληψις μιᾷ ῥοπῇ τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἀρετῆς ἐπὶ τὴν γνῶσιν ἀναφέρει τοῦ θεοῦ. διόπερ πᾶς συνετὸς ἀνὴρ οὐκ ἄν ποτε ταραχθείη τοὺς πολλοὺς ὁρῶν ἐναντίαις προαιρέσεσι φερομένους. 2.48.2 ἀνόητος γὰρ ἂν ἡ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐλάνθανε χάρις, εἰ μὴ καταντικρὺ τὸν τῆς διεστραμμένης ἀπονοίας βίον ἡ κακία προὐβέβλητο. διὸ τῇ μὲν ἀρετῇ στέφανος πρόκειται, τῆς δὲ κρίσεως αὐθεντεῖ ὁ ὕψιστος θεός. ἐγὼ δ' ὡς ἔνι μάλιστα φανερῶς