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After this reverse, Licinius, who had previously respected the
Christians, changed his opinion, and ill-treated many of the priests
who lived under his government; he also persecuted a multitude of other
persons, but especially the soldiers. He was deeply incensed against
the Christians on account of his disagreement with Constantine, and
thought to wound him by their sufferings for religion, and besides, he
suspected that the churches were praying and zealous that Constantine
alone should enjoy the sovereign rule. In addition to all this, when
on the eve of another battle with Constantine, Licinius, as was wont
to be done, made a forecast of the expected war, by sacrifices and
oracles, and, deceived by promises of conquest. he returned to the
religion of the pagans.
The pagans themselves, too, relate that about this period he
consulted the oracle of Apollo Didymus at Miletus, and received an
answer concerning the result of the war from the demon, couched in the
following verses of Homer: "Much, old man, do the youths distress
thee, warring against thee! Feeble thy strength has become, but thy
old age yet shall be hardy."
From many facts it has often appeared to me that the teaching of the
Christians is supported, and its advancement secured, by the
providence of God; and not least from what then occurred for at the
very moment that Licinius was about to persecute all the churches under
him, the war in Bithynia broke out, which ended in a war between him
and Constantine, and in which Constantine was so strengthened by
Divine assistance that he was victorious over his enemies by land and
by sea. On the destruction of his fleet and army, Licinius threw
himself into Nicomedia, and resided for some time at Thessalonica as
a private individual, and was eventually killed there. Such was the
end of one who, at the beginning of his reign, had distinguished
himself in war and in peace, and who had been honored by receiving the
sister of Constantine in marriage.
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