Young Constantine in Palestine with Diocletian

Constantine had been with his father’s imperial colleagues and had spent his life among them, as we have said, like God’s prophet of old. And even in the earliest period of his youth they judged him worthy of the highest honor. We ourselves saw an instance of this when he passed through Palestine with the senior emperor, at whose right hand he stood. He drew the admiration of all who saw him by the signs he gave even then of royal greatness. For no one could compare with him in grace and beauty of person or in height, and he so far surpassed those of his own age in bodily strength that he was a terror to them. Yet he stood out even more for the excellence of his inner qualities than for his physical gifts. He was gifted in the first place with sound judgment, and he had also reaped the benefits of a liberal education. He was distinguished in no ordinary degree both by natural intelligence and by wisdom given by God. [a]