.—Defeat of Maxentius’s Armies in Italy.
, however, filled with compassion on account of all these
miseries, began to arm himself with all warlike preparation against the
tyranny. Assuming therefore the Supreme God as his patron, and invoking
His Christ to be his preserver and aid, and setting the victorious
trophy, the salutary symbol, in front of his soldiers and body-guard, he marched with his whole forces, trying to obtain again for the Romans the freedom they had inherited from their ancestors.
And whereas, Maxentius, trusting
more in his magic arts than in the affection of his subjects, dared not
even advance outside the city gates, but had
guarded every place and district and city subject to his tyranny, with
large bodies of soldiers, the emperor, confiding in the help of God, advanced against the first and second and third divisions of the tyrant’s forces, defeated them all with ease at the first assault, and made his way into the very interior of Italy.