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THE emperor, amazed at the prophecies concerning Christ which were
expounded to him by the priests, sent for some skillful artisans, and
commanded them to remodel the standard called by the Romans Labarum,
to convert it into a representation of the cross, and to adorn it with
gold and precious stones. This warlike trophy was valued beyond all
others; for it was always wont to be carried before the emperor, and
was worshiped by the soldiery. I think that Constantine changed the
most honorable symbol of the Roman power into the sign of Christ,
chiefly that by the habit of having it always in view, and of
worshiping it, the soldiers might be induced to abandon their ancient
forms of superstition, and to recognize the true God, whom the
emperor worshiped, as their leader and their help in battle; for this
symbol was always borne in front of his own troops, and was, at the
command of the emperor, carried among the phalanxes in the thickest of
the fight by an illustrious band of spearmen, of whom each one in turn
took the standard upon his shoulders, and paraded it through the
ranks. It is said that on one occasion, on an unexpected movement of
the hostile forces, the man who held the standard in terror, placed it
in the hands of another, and secretly fled from the battle. When he
got beyond the reach of the enemy's weapons, he suddenly received a
wound and fell, while the man who had stood by the divine symbol
remained unhurt, although many weapons were aimed at him; for the
missiles of the enemy, marvelously directed by divine agency, lighted
upon the standard, and the bearer thereof, although in the midst of
danger, was preserved.
It is also asserted that no soldier who bore this standard in battle
ever fell, through any dark calamity, such as is wont to happen to the
soldiery in war, or was wounded, or taken prisoner.
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