Constantine Rebukes Excessive Praise

Now that all these ceremonies were over, and the divine qualities of the emperor’s character were still the theme of everyone’s praise, one of God’s ministers went so far as to call him blessed to his face. He said the emperor had been counted worthy to hold absolute and universal rule in this life, and was destined to share the rule of the Son of God in the world to come. Constantine, however, heard these words with indignation. He forbade the speaker to talk that way, and urged him instead to pray earnestly for him, that whether in this life or in the life to come he might be found worthy to be a servant of God.