ditated his own retreat from
public life, after he should have accomplished a glorious reign of about
twenty years.

But within less than eighteen months, two unexpected revolutions
overturned the ambitious schemes of Galerius. The hopes of uniting the
western provinces to his empire were disappointed by the elevation of
Constantine, whilst Italy and Africa were lost by the successful revolt
of Maxentius.

I. The fame of Constantine has rendered posterity attentive to the most
minute circumstances of his life and actions. The place of his birth, as
well as the condition of his mother Helena, have been the subject, not
only of literary, but of national disputes. Notwithstanding the recent
tradition, which assigns for her father a British king, we are obliged
to confess, that Helena was the daughter of an innkeeper; but at the
same time, we may defend the legality of her marriage, against those
who have represented her as the concubine of Constantius. The great
Constantine was most probably born at Naissus, in Dacia; and it is not
surprising that, in a family and province distinguished only by the
profession of arms, the youth should discover very little inclination to
improve his mind by the acquisition of knowledge. He was about eighteen
years of age when his father was promoted to the rank of Caesar; but that
fortunate event was attended with his mother's divorce; and the splendor
of an Imperial alliance reduced the son of Helena to a state of disgrace
and humiliation. Instead of following Constantius in the West, he
remained in the service of Diocletian, signalized his valor in the wars
of Egypt and Persia, and gradually rose to the honorable station of
a tribune of the first order. The figure of Constantine was tall and
majestic; he was dexterous in all his exercises, intrepid in war,
affable in peace; in his whole conduct, the active spirit of youth
was tempered by habitual prudence; and while his mind was engrossed
by ambition, he appeared cold and insensible to the allurements of
pleasure. The favor of the people and soldiers, who had named him as a
worthy candidate for the rank of Caesar, served only to exasperate
the jealousy of Galerius; and though prudence might restrain him from
exercising any open violence, an absolute monarch is seldom at a loss
now to execute a sure and secret evenge. Every hour increased the danger
of Constantine, and the anxiety of his father, who, by repeated letters,
expressed the wa