The themes and facts displayed in this piece are inspired by actual events,
but may not necessarily be part of historical record.
Dear Diary,
Today, Rome is quiet. After eighteen brutal years of civil war, I have emerged victorious, sole emperor of the kingdom. So many years ago I held the title of Augustus, but only to the armies of Gaul and Britain, who had loyally raised me to the royal purple. Six others were declared Augustus then, and it is only now, after years of battles and bloodshed, that one rightfully bears the name. I am honored to restore peace to majestic Rome.
Eighteen long years of war. It seems I cannot remember a time when I was not on a windy battlefield, charging at an enemy who was moments before a friend. I cannot recall a night when I did not sleep in a tent with a mud floor, or a meal that wasn't cold and bland. One such night I remember well, the night I saw it, the sign that changed my life.
It was October 27, 312. We were in the midst of a brutal civil war. I had crossed the great mountains with my army. We had entered Italy from the North, and quickly, skillfully overcame it. After the emperors' horse guards had ransacked the city of Rome, I came to avenge the plundered citizens. They had been murdered and stolen from, and it was my duty to conquer the guards and their leader, Maxentius.
That night, we set up camp. Some five hundred tents were erected over the large field. My army was content, and ready for a fresh battle. They were strong and powerful, and were led by wise generals. My soldiers were mostly German, well-built and long-limbed. They were excellent archers and horsemen, meritoriously trained for their duties.
It was quiet that night, the men singing over open fires, songs of authority and vigor. I remember one of those wonderful melodies:
Oh here we go to battle forth
against our enemies true,
please guide us now, oh hand of god
we pray for guidnce from you.
Our blood will pour for great a cause
for truth and prayer and power,
so help us in our noble plight
in this our final hour.
I had left my generals planning. We knew we must use the Tiber River to our advantage in the battle. We had pondered many strategies, many plans for attack, but the best system still eluded us.
I stepped out of the tent. It was a crisp autumn night, clear and windy. The trees rustled overhead like the beautiful sounds of bells and the voices of babes. I started to walk out of our camp, towards the towering forests and foothills. I walked fast: there was no other way to keep warm, yet it was much too beautiful out to stay shut up in a tent. I knew that somewhere, amidst natures glory, I would find my plan for battle. I would find a way to conquer Maxentius and his ungodly army.
I walked through darkened alleyways of towering pines. I searched for something, but I can't recall what it was. There seemed to be a force pulling me on, dragging me with mighty power through the forest. In front of me, I saw a hill free of the monstrous branches and limbs. I was drawn up to it, and I climbed to the top.
Something made me look up. And then I saw it, clear in the midnight sky. It stood out as the lonely moon does on a bed of cloudy twilight. It was bright and unmistakable. There, in the heavens overhead, was the Chi-Ro, the mark of my now beloved Jesus Christ. I stood awed, taciturn. I was overcome with its beauty and elegance. But most of all, right then, I knew. I knew that Christianity was my destiny, that I must do everything in my power to spread its beliefs and prophecies and holy words. I knew that God and Christ were with me, and that they would help me through this battle. I knew that they would make me Emperor.
And they have. Today, with great welcome, I entered Rome as the one true ruler. I was saluted with banquets and festivals, laurel leaves and royal robes. But amidst the gaiety and commotion, I did not forget the Spirit that put me here. Through the banquetsand fairs, I thanked my generals, my armies, and my God, who helped me through the battles and the hardship to claim this position of power. It was He who put me here to deliver Christianity, but it is I who will fulfill His wishes with my authority.
As soon as I had recovered from the shock of witnessing the awesome spectacle, I kneeled to pray. I thanked Him for sending me this sign, and for being my protector. I asked Him to watch over my God-fearing army, and to guide us in our pursuit. And then I turned and ran as fast as I could back through the woods, toward the camp and my generals. I had been truly inspired by Gods sign. He had shown me the way to win the coming battle.
I ran that night like I have never run before. I went with Gods speed. Some sort of energy ran through my veins, not blood, but passion and excitement and courage. And since that night, I have had this feeling with me always. I believe I was blessed, given a piece of the almighty Spirit.
I plowed through the flaps of my tent. My generals turned in shock and disbelief--I had never acted this way before. They turned around, surprised, after being cut-off in mid sentence. "What is it?" they asked.
And then my words flowed out like a raging torrent. At first, they could not make out what I trying so desperately to express. Someone yelled, "Constantine, slow down!" So I tried, I really tried, but I was so excited I continued to speak quickly. Finally, my words slowed to a comprehensible speed.
I saw it, up in the sky, in the beautiful heavens. I saw Gods sign. He was with me. He told me what to do. He showed me how to win this battle.
But no one believed me. They looked at me in the most skeptical way, and I couldn't understand why. Of course it was quite startling, maybe even hard to believe, but it was God. He works in mysterious ways. He wanted to help me. And the wouldn't listen.
I carried on about my sighting, about how I had felt the Divinity. But still, they wouldn't listen. They looked at me as if I had gone crazy. My generals were good men, but they were mistrusting. They could not understand how I had felt, or what I had seen. They were strong, great soldiers, muscular and well-built, but not very imaginative.
Hours passed, and I finally gave up. It was no use. My generals had decided on a formation, had planned our attack, and had instructed the commanders. They had disregarded my plans, and so I went to sleep.
Soon the morning came. I awoke early to the rising sun. I stepped out of my tent to see a breathtaking aurora, one more beautiful and inspiring than any I had ever seen. I knew then that He was still with me, that He had made this heavenly sky to encourage me. He wanted me to lead the army with my strategy, not the one my generals had invented.
I stood there, inarticulate. I was overcome by that sunrise almost as much as I was by the Chi-Ro in the heavens the evening before. And I knew that I must subdue my generals skepticism, or we would most certainly lose the battle.
I stormed into their tent. "You must listen to me," I roared. "I know the way. And you may not believe me, or how I know this plan will work, but you must listen. You absolutely must, or you will be marked a traitor and executed before the war begins."
They listened after that. They certainly did listen.
I proposed a plan to use the surrounding natural features. He had told me to. We were to meet, Maxentius and I, on a battlefield near the Milvian Bridge, which crossed the Tiber River. To win, we must force the opposing army against that river, giving them no choice but to surrender or drown.
I knew Maxentius was a great swimmer, however. He would cross the Tiber and so would his armies. But I knew the bank on the other side was steep. We would send in the archers as Maxentius and his men tried to climb the sheer slope. We would conquer them, not only because of this plan, but because He was with us, and He would guide us to victory.
We did win the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. We killed Maxentius as he was climbing to safety, just as I had planned. We took hundreds of prisoners, those who had bravely tried to wade across, who had tried to ascend the slope, but had failed. And we killed much of Maxentius's army. God had led us to triumph. And never again did my soldiers question my plans or my devotion to the Almighty.
So many years ago, that was. So many battles fought since, some won, some lost. But I conquered all in the end, for now I am the sole ruler of Rome. He has put me here. He will stay with me, teach me how to lead this great empire. And I will spread His words so all may know the inspiration, excitement, and love I felt that night, October 27, 312, the night before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.
Yours truly,
Constantine