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XXIX. Sylvester
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250 XXIX Sylvester Sylvester I (bishop of Rome 314-335) never served as anything like emperor, although it is easy to see why he became a quasi-emperor in medieval legend. He was pope during the period of Constantine ’s gradual conversion to Christianity from generic monotheism , but he did not baptize him. Like many Christians of his day, Constantine chose to wait until he sensed approaching death before being baptized, so that all his significant sins would be absolved in the rite and he would not be burdened with many more. Bishop Eusebius of Nicomedia baptized Constantine several years after Sylvester’s death. As discussed in the general introduction, the image of Sylvester as ruler was much strengthened by the forged eighth-century Donation of Constantine (as discussed at some length in the general Introduction), which leaves Sylvester in charge of much of the former Western Empire with its revenues. While the historical Constantine did found Constantinople as a capital in the East, he did not relinquish Rome itself or western territories to anyone else during his lifetime. the year was a very difficult one, filled with suffering for the people, as hunger spread throughout the lands of Rome. The emperor viewed it with a ruler’s responsibility and said to Saint Sylvester, “Dear father and master, the people are looking to us. Now must be the right time for me to leave you. I entrust my Empire here to you until I shall return. Master, I have complete trust in you. Grain will be expensive for you to buy, but I am placing all the revenues of the Empire at your disposal for the love of the true God. This will enable you to take care of my people well.” Sylvester 251 God’s stalwart promised to do as he was asked. Constantine then asked some Romans to come along with him for one year. It was part of a cunning plan for him to tell them that. The Romans affirmed how willingly they would serve him in everything to maintain his honors. They readied themselves for departure and accompanied the mighty emperor through the lands to Greece. Constantine wanted to rebuild Troy, but an angel from heaven appeared to him and showed him Constantinople in a way that he could see it through and through. “Here you are to settle,” said the angel, “and build your capital, which shall be your legacy until Judgment Day. Our Lord commands you to do this.” The emperor was very happy. He understood the heavenly message very well, and went about expanding the capital and measuring off the foundations of buildings. He was well assisted by those who came with him. The city was formerly called Byzantia; however, the name was changed in honor of the noble king, and today it is called Constantinople. Very early one morning the Romans reminded the emperor to let the promise come true which he had made almost a year before, for they wanted to see their wives and children again. The emperor took each one aside by himself. He asked each of the princes of his Empire who had come with him from Rome to give him his seal-ring and insisted that every last one of them should give him his wife’s name. The Romans gladly complied with the emperor’s request. Then, quickly and secretly the emperor ordered letters to be written containing messages for the women of Rome, each sealed in a way to make it look as if it had come from her husband. The letters told them to be mindful of the faith they had pledged and that they should now come and be reunited with their husbands, who did not want to farm and build on foreign soil without them. The women responded by making themselves ready for the journey, which they made very willingly. It was touching to see the crowd of them emerge, each one showing how dear her husband was to her. The fabled Constantine then summoned his chamberlains and told them to go out on the peninsula and strew it with soil from Rome, so that they would be able to swear later that the good heroes had been standing on Roman earth. [3.95.233.107] Project MUSE (2024-03-19 09:40 GMT) 252 Chapter Twenty-nine It happened one Saturday morning that the emperor asked the brave Romans to accompany him to an assembly. The noblemen were pleased with this...