File:Constantine the Great; the reorganisation of the empire and the triumph of the church (1905) (14587115808).jpg

Identifier: constantinegreat00firt (find matches)
Title: Constantine the Great; the reorganisation of the empire and the triumph of the church
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Firth, John B. (John Benjamin), 1868-1943
Subjects: Constantine I, Emperor of Rome, d. 337 Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600
Publisher: New York, London, G.P. Putnam's Sons
Contributing Library: Columbia University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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obate of white marble,some nineteen feet high, which in turn stood upon astereobate of similar height composed of four spa-cious steps. Sacred relics were enclosed—or aresaid to have been enclosed—within this pediment,including things so precious as Mary Magdalenesalabaster box, the crosses of the two thieves whohad suffered with Christ upon Mount Calvary, theadze with which Noah had fashioned the Ark out ofrough, primeval timber, and—in strange company—the very Palladium of ancient Rome, transportedfrom the Capitol to an alien and a rival soil. Atthe foot of the column there was placed the follow-ing inscription : O Christ, Ruler and Master of theworld, to Thee have I now consecrated this obedi-ent city and this sceptre and the power of Rome.Guard and deliver it from every harm. At the summit of the column was a colossal statueof Apollo in bronze, filched from Athens, where itwas believed to be a genuine example of Pheidias.But before the statue had been raised into position,
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COLUMN OF CONSTANTINE THE GREAT. FROM GROSVENORS CONSTANTINOPLE. The Foundation of Constantinople 271 it suffered unworthy mutilation. The head of Apollowas removed and replaced by a head of Constantine.This may be interpreted as a confession of the sculp-tors of the day that they were unable to produce astatue worthy of their great Emperor; but the factthat a statue of Apollo was chosen for this doubtfulhonour of mutilation is worth at least passing remark,when we remember that before his conversion Con-stantine had selected Apollo for special reverence.It is certainly strange that the first Christian Em-peror should have been wiUing to be represented,on the site which was ever afterwards to be associatedwith his name, by a statue round which clustered somany pagan associations. He did not even disdainthe pagan inscription, To Constantine shining likethe Sun ; nor did he reject the pagan attribute of aradiated crown around the head. In the right handof Apollo the old Greek artist had

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