Chapter XIX.—Of his Son Constantine, who in his Youth accompanied Diocletian into Palestine.

The latter had been with his father’s imperial colleagues, 3089 and had passed his life among them, as we have said, like God’s ancient prophet. And even in the very earliest period of his youth he was judged by them to be worthy of the highest honor. An instance of this we have ourselves seen, when he passed through Palestine with the senior emperor, 3090 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 3091 qualities than for his superior physical endowments; being gifted in the first place with a sound judgment, 3092 and having also reaped the advantages of a liberal education. He was p. 488 also distinguished in no ordinary degree both by natural intelligence and divinely imparted wisdom.

Footnotes

Diocletian and Galerius.

Diocletian. He was on his way to Egypt in the famous campaign against Achilleus in 296–297.

Or “psychical,” meaning more than intellectual.

Rather, perhaps, “self-control.”