Chapter 20: Sign in the Sky

While developments in Rome continued to escalate,
Constantine left his residence at Trier en route for Britain. He
was wary of leaving the valuable island unattended and felt his
subjects there might be insecure because of the absence of
troops. He brought with him a legion of soldiers, which he could
leave for security purposes once his visit ended. In Gaul he left
ninety percent of his army, with Crocus in charge of the large
force. Cassius was a part of a special unit ordered to conduct
intelligence. He was to observe the crisis in Italy, most likely in
civilian attire as if himself one of the subjects of Rome. With
danger in the distance, Constantine headed for his father's island.

Another factor that was on Constantine's side was the
weather. It was winter, a season when the Straits were usually
unforgiving. The climate became frigid as the winds brought
with them the rains that made the land of the island so verdant
and lush. However, it turned out to be a mild winter in AD
306/307. The journey to Britain was not nearly as tedious as
Constantine had expected, and in a relatively short period of
time, they reached their destination.

The gray clouds hung low with occasional breaks in their
sheets. Beams of sunlight shot through the canopies here and
there as the sky beamed spotlights on remote portions of land.
The troops used the military highway and made it a point to stop
in the most populated towns. The subjects of Britain provided
room and board for the troops, and peasants working the fields
stopped their work and often ran alongside the convoy, cheering.
It was a smart decision on the part of Constantine, who increased
his people's morale and thus, his popularity in the region.

Constantine and his troops saw no subjects for a stretch of
land dimmed by the dark clouds covering the sky. The deeper
they entered into the valley, the darker it became. No voices
were heard, just the sound of carts, hooves, and feet on the hard
road. Then a portion of the clouds melted away and in their place
appeared a bright light. It was in the shape of a cross with a
bright aura gleaming from inside a halo. Constantine remained
speechless as he pointed at the object for others to see in his
presence. It hovered there briefly and then slowly vanished as the
melted cloud reformed and covered the light.

"Sol Invictus," Constantine mumbled aloud.

A Christian officer beside him offered a different
interpretation. "That was clearly the symbol of the crucifix. My
Lord."

"What does it mean?" Constantine continued awe stricken.

"It is a sign from God."

On the man's words, Constantine glanced at the sky where
the object had appeared. He said nothing more that day, captured
in thought about the vision.

That night he retired at an inn and was not seen until dawn
when his enthusiastic words awoke the majority of the troops. He
called for the soldier who had interpreted the sign the previous
day. Constantine was not yet in his full imperial attire as soldiers
and subjects crowded around the two in ecstatic conversation.

"He appeared to me in my dream," Constantine said.

"Who?"

"Christ. He told me to make my knowledge known and to
rule through this. Then he disappeared, leaving the sign behind in
his presence."

"Scribe!" The officer shouted until a half-awake man came
with split reeds and paper.

He quickly became alert when he realized that the person
in front of him was Constantine. He knelt and positioned himself
to write by leaning the paper on the wall.

Constantine took the material from the scribe's hands and
drew the sign. "I cannot draw it with the glory that it possessed.
Embellish it a bit, if you can, and make several copies for my
records. This will become the sign of my domain."

On the return journey from Britain to Trier, Constantine
silently debated the issue of his vision. He thought of it as an
anomalous act of nature, a coincidence that light would peek
through a cloud in the form of a crucifix. Was it the Sol Invictus
or really the sign of the crucifix as the Christian officer had
suggested? Then how could the dream be explained? The debate
went on like this until he reached Trier, at which time he realized
that he had found a tool that could be used to further distinguish
himself from Galerius and appeal to his own subjects.