Constantine and Christendom: the Oration to the Saints: the Greek and Latin Accounts of the Discovery of the Cross: the Edict of Constantine to Pope Silvester

Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2003. xlvii, 143 pages: maps; 21 cm Fine; nearly as new with previous owner's personal intials and date in pen to front free endpaper. . Paperback. ISBN: 9780853236481, 0853236488

This volume makes available three works attributed to Constantine - two of which were certainly not written by him - which are important sources for historians of the papacy, Christianity and Constantine himself. The Oration to the Saints is an intellectual defence of Christianity, which puts the case for monotheism, extols the incarnation and voluntary abasement of the Son of God, and finally declares Constantine's personal adherence to the Saviour. The legend of the discovery of the True Cross by the empress Helena, mother of Constantine, following her conversion to Christianity is presented in translations of two variant accounts. The third text, the Edict of Constantine, presents Constantine's supposed edict to Pope Silvester transferring lands to the papacy. An introduction considers the authorship, motivation and historical context for each of the works, and extensive annotation elucidates textual difficulties and allusions.—Publisher. // Contents: The oration to the saints. The coming of the Holy Cross (Latin version). Story of the discovery of the honourable and life-giving Cross (Greek version). The edict of Constantine to Pope Silvester. Language Notes: Translated from the Latin and Greek.