moment when the guardian's back was turned, the two
Arians deleted their names from the profession of Faith and, returning
home, continued to teach the doctrines which the Church had condemned.
They counted on the protection of Constantia and her influence with
the Emperor, but they were mistaken.

Three months after the Council of Nicea, Eusebius and Theognis were
deposed by Alexander and the Bishops of Egypt, who elected Catholic
prelates in their stead. The Emperor supported the decision of the
Church, pronouncing a sentence of banishment on the rebels. "Eusebius
has deceived me shamefully," he wrote to the faithful in Nicomedia.

Who could foresee that the Emperor, whose eyes were at last opened to
the perfidy of his friend, would before long allow himself to be
deceived more shamefully still by the very man whose dishonesty he had
proved?

Chapter 4
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

WITH the enemies of the Church in exile, for a time there was peace.
The heathen came flocking from every side to embrace the Faith. Pagan
temples were overthrown and Christian churches were erected in their
place. The Emperor himself built no less than eight in Rome, under the
direction of Pope St. Sylvester, and furnished them with all that was
required for the worship of God.

But Constantine was a stranger in the capital of his kingdom; he had
spent his youth at the court of Nicomedia, and looked upon the East as
his home. Rome, moreover, had tragic associations for him. It was
there that he had caused his young son Crispus, falsely accused of
treason by his stepmother Fausta, to be put to death. The young Caesar
had been brave and upright and a favorite with all. Too late did his
father learn that he was innocent. Fausta paid the penalty for her
evil deed, but her death could not give life to the innocent victim.

Constantine resolved, therefore, to build himself an Imperial city in
the land which he loved, far from the scene of the tragedy. He laid
its foundations in Byzantium and gave it the name of Constantinople,
or the city of Constantine. Everything was done to make the new
capital the most magnificent city in the world. Works of art were
brought from afar, the most skillful artists and builders were
assembled from all the cities of Europe and of the East, enormous sums
of money were spent, Christian churches were built; but Constantine
could not give to his Imperial city what was wanting to himself--a
pure and steadfa