of thirty years, in his sixty-fourth year (337).

Constantine is entitled to great credit for the uniform kindness with
which he treated his Christian subjects. It is said that his mother,
HELENA, was a Christian, and that it was to her influence that this
mildness was due. The sect, notwithstanding many persecutions, had
kept on increasing, until now we find them a numerous and quite
influential body. It was during his reign that the DECREE OF MILAN was
issued, in 313, giving the imperial license to the religion of Christ;
and also in this reign the famous COUNCIL OF NICE, in Bithynia (325),
met to settle questions of creed.

In person Constantine was tall and majestic: he was dexterous in all
warlike accomplishments; intrepid in war, affable in peace; patient
and prudent in council, bold and unhesitating in action. Ambition
alone led him to attack the East; and the very madness of jealousy
marked his course after his success. He was filial in his affection
towards his mother; but he can scarcely be called affectionate who put
to death his father-in-law, his brother-in-law, his wife, and his son.
If he was great in his virtues, in his faults he was contemptible.


DECLINE OF THE EMPIRE.

Constantine was succeeded by his three sons, CONSTANTINE II.,
CONSTANTIUS, and CONSTANS, who divided the Empire among themselves
(337-353). Constantine and Constans almost at once quarrelled over the
possession of Italy, and the difficulty was ended only by the death of
the former. The other two brothers lived in harmony for some time,
because the Persian war in the East occupied Constantius, while