Rejoicing Throughout the Empire

And now that the wicked had been removed, the sun shone brightly once more after the gloomy cloud of tyranny. Each separate part of the Roman dominion was joined with the rest. The eastern nations were united with those of the west, and the whole body of the Roman empire was adorned, as it were, by its head, in the person of one supreme ruler whose sole authority reached through the whole. Now too the bright rays of the light of godliness gladdened the days of those who had until then been sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. Past sorrows were remembered no more, for all joined in singing the praises of the victorious prince, and openly acknowledged his preserver as the only true God. So he whose character shone with every virtue of godliness, the emperor Victor, took possession of the East. He had himself taken this name as a most fitting title to express the victory God had given him over all who hated or opposed him. So he governed the Roman empire alone, united once more under one head, as in former times. And just as he was the first to proclaim to all the sole sovereignty of God, so he himself, as sole sovereign of the Roman world, extended his authority over the whole human race. Every fear of the evils under which all had suffered was now removed. People whose heads had hung in sorrow now looked at one another with smiling faces and looks that showed their inner joy. With processions and hymns of praise they first of all, as they had been told, gave the supreme sovereignty to God as truly the King of kings. Then, with continued acclamations, they honored the victorious emperor and the Caesars, his most prudent and godly sons. Former afflictions were forgotten and all past wickedness forgiven, while the enjoyment of present happiness was mingled with the expectation of blessings to come. [a]