The Oration of the Emperor Constantine
Eusebius of Caesarea (260–339)
Which He Addressed "To the Assembly of the Saints."
Chapter I. Preliminary Remarks on the Feast of Easter: and How the Word of God, Having Conferred Manifold Benefits on Mankind, Was Betrayed by His Beneficiaries.
That light which far outshines the day and sun, first pledge of resurrection, and renovation of bodies long since dissolved, the divine token of promise, the path which leads to everlasting life-in a word, the day of the Passion-is arrived, best beloved doctors, and ye, my friends who are assembled here, ye blessed multitudes, who worship him who is the author of all worship, and praise him continually with heart and voice, according to the precepts of his holy word. But thou, Nature, parent of all things, what blessing like to this hast thou ever accomplished for mankind? Nay rather, what is in any sense thy workmanship, since he who formed the universe is himself the author of thy being? For it is he who has arrayed thee in thy beauty; and the beauty of Nature is life according to Nature's laws. But principles quite opposed to Nature have mightily prevailed; in that men have agreed in withholding his rightful worship from the Lord of all, believing that the order of the…
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