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he says with a great shout, "In the name of Jesus Christ, whom the lawless Jews crucified under Pontius Pilate, arise with dignity." And immediately the bull, moving its whole self, arose. And having loosed its bonds, Saint Sylvester released it, saying, "Go whence you came, harming no one along the way." When the Jews saw this great miracle, being exceedingly astonished, they all immediately fell at the feet of Saint Sylvester, asking for holy baptism. But also the most blessed queen Helena herself, falling at the feet of Saint Sylvester, was begging that a place of repentance be granted 1.495 to her. And when this happened, both the Christ-loving emperor and the most blessed Augusta and the whole multitude of the people rejoiced greatly, so that for two hours they all cried out, "Great is the God of the Christians." And thus the God of the Christians and his servant, Saint Sylvester, were marveled at by all. In that hour many who were possessed by demons were healed through the prayers of the holy pope, and many other sufferings and diseases were cleansed by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ who is glorified in his saints. And when the multitude of the Jews was baptized, there was great joy in all of Rome and its surrounding region.

In the 14th and 15th year, Licinius began to stir up a persecution against the Christians, having forgotten the previous treaties. The great Constantine, admonishing him through letters, did not persuade him to desist from his wickedness. In the 10th, 17th, and 18th year, the events concerning the impious Arius took place, and the first holy and ecumenical council of the three hundred and eighteen holy God-bearing fathers was held in Nicaea, which anathematized Arius and those of like mind with him. In this, he also converted those celebrating Passover in the Jewish manner, through the most holy bishop of Corduba; and having appointed his son Constans as Caesar, he sent him to Gaul. In these days he calls to mind the command given to him by the Lord in his sleep near Rome, which 1.496 was speaking to build a city for the Theotokos in the place that I myself will show you. And indeed, searching through region and places, he arrives at Thessalonica, and being pleased with the place, he spends two years there. And having constructed marvelous temples and baths and aqueducts, when he saw a plague arise, he leaves this place and comes to Chalcedon of Bithynia, which he found razed to the ground by the Persians and began to rebuild. And immediately eagles, snatching the stones of the craftsmen, would cast them down at Byzantium. And when this happened many times and all were perplexed, one of those serving the emperor, named Euphratas, made it clear that it was dear to God for a city to be built there for His mother. Immediately, therefore, having crossed over, and having seen and approved the manner, he leaves Euphratas as supervisor of the work with a strong force and much wealth. And the emperor himself departs against the Persians. There indeed, having been captured, by the providence of God he escapes their hands and returns to Byzantium. Euphratas, however, having constructed underground channels and having opened up all the springs of water, began the walls; and again the Persians against Romanía. And the emperor, having ordered Euphratas concerning the building of a temple, also added instructions concerning its settlement. And taking the signet rings of each of the first magistrates, having built splendid houses, he brought their wives with their children and all those under them up to 1.497 the queen of cities. And the emperor again marches out against the Persians. And having routed them, he returned again. In the 19th year, the great Constantine, seeing Licinius employing persecution against the Christians more madly and plotting against his benefactor, arms himself against him by land and by sea. And eleven and

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λέγει μετὰ κραυγῆς μεγάλης "ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃν οἱ παράνομοι Ἰουδαῖοι ἐσταύρωσαν ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου, ἀνάστηθι μετὰ σεμνότητος." καὶ παρευθὺς ὁ ταῦρος ὅλον ἑαυτὸν κινήσας ἀνέστη. καὶ λύσας αὐτοῦ τὰ δεσμὰ ὁ ἅγιος Σίλβεστρος ἀπέλυσεν αὐτόν, λέγων "πορεύου ὅθεν ἦλθες, μηδένα κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἀδι κήσας." ὅπερ μέγα θαῦμα Ἰουδαῖοι θεασάμενοι καὶ σφόδρα καταπλαγέντες αὐτίκα προσέπεσον εἰς τοὺς πόδας τοῦ ἁγίου Σιλ βέστρου πάντες, αἰτούμενοι τὸ ἅγιον βάπτισμα. ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ μακαριωτάτη βασίλισσα Ἑλένη προσπεσοῦσα τοῖς ποσὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Σιλβέστρου παρεκαλεῖτο τόπον αὐτῇ μετανοίας παρασχεθῆ 1.495 ναι. καὶ τούτου γενομένου ἐχάρη μεγάλως ὅ τε φιλόχριστος βα σιλεὺς καὶ ἡ μακαριωτάτη Αὔγουστα καὶ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ λαοῦ, ὥστε ἐπὶ ὥρας δύο κράζειν ἅπαντας "μέγας ὁ θεὸς τῶν Χριστιανῶν." καὶ οὕτως ἐθαυμαστώθη ὑπὸ πάντων ὁ θεὸς τῶν Χριστιανῶν καὶ ὁ τούτου θεράπων ἅγιος Σίλβεστρος. ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ πολλοὶ δαιμονῶντες ἐθεραπεύθησαν δι' εὐχῶν τοῦ ἁγίου πάπα, καὶ ἄλλα δὲ πάθη πολλὰ καὶ νόσοι ἐκαθαρίσθησαν τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἐνδοξαζομέ νου ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ. τοῦ δὲ πλήθους τῶν Ἰουδαίων βα πτισθέντος μεγάλη χαρὰ γέγονεν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ Ῥώμῃ καὶ τῇ περι χώρῳ αὐτῆς.

Τῷ ιδʹ καὶ ιεʹ ἔτει Λικίνιος ἤρξατο κατὰ Χριστιανῶν διω γμὸν κινεῖν, λήθην λαβὼν τῶν προγεγονότων συνθηκῶν. τοῦτον διὰ γραμμάτων νουθετῶν ὁ μέγας Κωνσταντῖνος ἀποστῆναι τῆς κακίας οὐκ ἔπεισε. Τῷ ιʹ καὶ ιζʹ καὶ ιηʹ ἔτει τὰ κατὰ Ἀρείου τοῦ δυσσεβοῦς ἐπράχθη, καὶ ἡ ἐν Νικαίᾳ πρώτη ἁγία καὶ οἰκουμενικὴ σύνοδος τῶν τριακοσίων δεκαοκτὼ ἁγίων θεοφόρων πατέρων ἐγένετο, ἥτις τὸν Ἄρειον καὶ τοὺς ὁμόφρονας αὐτοῦ ἀνεθεμάτισεν. ἐν τούτῳ καὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαϊκῶς τὸ πάσχα ἑορτάζοντας διὰ τοῦ ὁσιωτάτου ἐπισκόπου Κοδρούβης ἐπέστρεψε· καὶ Κώνσταντα τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ προβαλόμενος Καίσαρα εἰς Γαλλίας ἀπέστειλεν. ἐν ταύταις ταῖς ἡμέραις εἰς μνήμην ἔρχεται τοῦ γενομένου πλησίον Ῥώμης ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου πρὸς αὐτὸν κατὰ τοὺς ὕπνους προστάγματος, ὅπερ 1.496 ἦν λέγοντος οἰκοδομῆσαι τῇ θεοτόκῳ πόλιν ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ αὐτὸς ὑπο δείξω σοι. καὶ δὴ τὰ κατὰ χώραν καὶ τόπους ἐρευνῶν τῇ Θεσσα λονίκῃ ἐπιβαίνει, καὶ τῷ τόπῳ ἀρεσθεὶς δυσὶ χρόνοις ἐκεῖ διατρί βει. ναούς τε θαυμασίους καὶ λουτρὰ καὶ ὑδάτων εἰσαγωγὰς κατασκευασάμενος, ὡς εἶδε λοιμὸν ἐπιγενόμενον, ταύτην μὲν καταλιμπάνει, ἐπὶ δὲ τὴν Βιθυνῶν Χαλκηδόνα ἔρχεται, ὑπὸ τῶν Περσῶν ἐξηδαφισμένην εὑρὼν ἀνοικοδομεῖν ἤρξατο. καὶ εὐθέως ἀετοὶ τοὺς τῶν τεχνιτῶν λίθους ἁρπάζοντες τῷ Βυζαντίῳ προσέρ ριπτον. τούτου δὲ πολλάκις γενομένου ὑπὸ πάντων διαπορουμέ νου, εἷς τῶν ὑπηρετουμένων τῷ βασιλεῖ Εὐφρατᾶς λεγόμενος διε σάφησεν ὡς ἐκεῖ φίλον ἐστὶ τῷ θεῷ τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ κτισθῆναι πόλιν. εὐθέως οὖν διαπεράσας, καὶ τὸν τρόπον κατιδὼν καὶ ἀποδεξάμενος, τὸν Εὐφρατᾶν ἐπιστάτην τοῦ ἔργου καταλιμπάνει μετὰ βαρείας δυνάμεως καὶ πλούτου πολλοῦ. καὶ αὐτὸς βασιλεὺς κατὰ Περσῶν ἀποδημεῖ. ἔνθα δὴ καὶ κρατηθεὶς θεοῦ προνοίᾳ τὰς τούτων ἀποδιδράσκει χεῖρας καὶ πρὸς τὸ Βυζάντιον ἐπανα στρέφει. ὁ μέντοι Εὐφρατᾶς τοὺς κανάλους ὑπονόμους κατα σκευάσας καὶ πάσας πηγὰς ὑδάτων ἀναστομώσας τῶν τειχῶν ἤρ ξατο· καὶ πάλιν οἱ Πέρσαι κατὰ Ῥωμανίας. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τῷ Εὐφρατᾷ περὶ ναοῦ κτίσεως προστάξας αὐτὸς καὶ περὶ ἐνοι κήσεως προσέθηκε. καὶ τοὺς δακτυλίους ἑκάστου τῶν πρώτων ἀρχόντων ἀναλαβόμενος, οἴκους δειμάμενος περιφανεῖς τὰς γυ ναῖκας αὐτῶν μετὰ τῶν παίδων καὶ πάντων τῶν ὑπ' αὐτοὺς εἰς 1.497 τὴν βασιλίδα ἀνήγαγεν. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς πάλιν ἐπὶ Πέρσας ἐκστρα τεύει. καὶ τούτους τροπωσάμενος πάλιν ὑπέστρεψε. Τῷ ιθʹ ἔτει ὁ μέγας Κωνσταντῖνος θεωρῶν Λικίνιον μανι κώτερον κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν τῷ διωγμῷ χρώμενον καὶ ἐπιβου λὴν κατὰ τοῦ εὐεργέτου μελετῶντα, ὁπλίζεται κατ' αὐτοῦ διὰ ξηρᾶς καὶ θαλάσσης. ἕνδεκα δὲ καὶ