"But that is a mere sentiment," answered Constantine. "The Christians are not soldiers; in the East they refuse to bear arms, or to recognize an earthly ruler. Surely thou dost remember how difficult it was to bring them over to any active support of mine empire even in the West." "Yea, verily! But thou mayst gradually assume direction of the Church there as thou hast done here: by largesses to the bishops; by calling councils in thine own name to settle clerical differences; and by training them, as thou hast done here, to regard thee alone as the real source of both ecclesiastical and political authority; and so by degrees control them as thou wilt." "I have meditated over all of that," said Constantine, "and the great difficulty in the way of its accomplishment grows out of the fact that any attempt to interfere in the trial of charges against bishops or presbyters, whether upon accusations of personal misconduct, or of erroneous doctrine, within the dominions of the Emperor Licinius, would be regarded by him, and by his subjects, as an unwarrantable interference in matters which do not concern the Empire of the West; and such a course would only inflame and consolidate those whom I prefer to divide in sentiment." "But," said Eusebius, "if the question in dispute should be one, not between the members of some particular community, or locality, but between almost the whole body of the Christians in the Western Empire on the one hand, and almost the whole body of the Eastern Church upon the other, could there be any impropriety in calling a council of the whole Church, East and West, to consider and determine it?" "No," said Constantine. "If there were only such a question, the way would be laid open at least for a beginning. But how couldst thou ever create such a question?" "The question, or rather the questions (for there are two of them), are already created--the East upon one side of both, and the West upon the other." "What are these questions?" "One is a great dispute concerning the proper time for the celebration of Easter; and the other a most subtile controversy concerning the nature of Godhead and the relation of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; a dispute in which Hosius of Cordova leads many bishops and presbyters upon one side, and Arius the Libyan as many upon the other." "Arius the Libyan!" cried Constantine, with sudden wrath. "The Libyan serpent! The ram of Baucalis! a presbyter of Alexandria! By thundering Jove, I will yet crush that hard, stubborn, fearless nature, for he hath been more in my way than even the Emperor Licinius himself! Curse the man! curse him!"