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BY this course he drew upon himself the emperor Constantine's
heaviest displeasure; and they became enemies the pretended treaty of
friendship between them having been violated. Not long afterwards they
took up arms against each other as declared enemies. And after several
engagements both by sea and land, Licinius was at last utterly
defeated near Chrysopolis in Bithynia, a port of the Chalcedonians,
and surrendered himself to Constantine. Accordingly he having taken
him alive, treated take up his abode and live in tranquillity at
Thessalonica. He having, however, remained quiet a short time,
managed afterwards to collect some barbarian mercenaries and made an
effort to repair his late disaster by a fresh appeal to arms. The
emperor being made acquainted with his proceedings, directed that he
should be slain, which was carried into effect. Constantine thus
became possessed of the sole dominion and was accordingly proclaimed
sovereign Autocrat, and again sought to promote the welfare of
Christians. This he did in a variety of ways, and Christianity
enjoyed unbroken peace by reason of his efforts. But an internal
dissension soon succeeded this state of repose, the nature and origin
of which I shall now endeavor to describe.
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