Hail Flavia, Augusta, Iulia Helena!
The mother of great emperor Constantine!
Who toiled as simple bar maid in an inn
In ancient Drepanum, Bithynia.

One day some soldiers by her tavern passed,
Led by imperial an officer,
Chlorus Constantius, noted warrior,
Who ordered in her bistro a repast.

High officers can easily forget,
Their rank, when struck by beauty sans compare.
He fell in love with Helena the fair,
And in Apollo's temple they were wed.

A son was born to them, called Constantine,
Who’d follow in his father’s foot steps soon,
To lead division, squadron or platoon,
Both destined by the gods their wars to win.

But for political expedience
Constantius Chlorus put his wife aside,
And took Maxentius’ daughter as his bride,
To further his carreer and sure advance.

Forsaken, Helena bewailed her lot,
Heart broken the spurned spouse now lived,
Her tears were flowing as she cried and grieved.
But in her grief she found the Christian God.

And Helen, wounded deeply could but pray
In bitter exile, sorrowing alone,
For she had also lost her only son,
Who battled with his father far away.

Both fought the Picts at York, on British ground
Where Chlorus fell and died, - the battle won,
And the victorious army chose her son
As future Emperor to trumpet’s sound.



And Constantine acquired grace and fame,
As EASTERN Roman Emperor supreme,
Yet unfulfilled was still his secret dream,
To gain the Roman WEST, - his highest aim.



But fortune smiled and he won victory,
O'er Maxinimianus at the siege
And famous battle by the Milvian bridge,
And henceforth fostered Christianity.

He lifted up his mother from her woe,
Had struck on coins of gold her image fair,
Made her "Augusta" - vindicating her,
And pressed the imperial crown upon brow.



As ruling Empress, with great piety,
She served the sick, the homeless and the poor,
And for the churches Helen did procure
The funds with zeal and generosity.

Byzantium was at first their residence,
Their town and domicile - “Helenopolis”
With garden gates and flower line trellis,
A town of beauty and significance.

But later they chose Trier** as their domain,
First Teutons' pride, and then the Romans' gem,






But Helen’s heart longed for Jerusalem,
To search for treasure in its waste terrain.

The agèd Empress furrowed on her knee,
Beneath old rubble, debris, stones and dross,
She dug and searched, and found the real cross
On which our Savior hung in agony.

She traveled East to strange and foreign strands,
And searched and found beneath some temples’ stones
Three magi wise men's venerated bones,***
And had them transferred on to Western lands.

The cross did not at first a church adorn,-
The early Christians used Chi Ro and Fish,





In Catacombs, on caskets, walls and niche
Until the True Cross was to surface borne.

Basilicas soon graced each hallowed spot,
She financed them and many a sacred shrine,
In Palestine and on the Teuton Rhine,
In honor of the Christian Lord and God.

Eusebius, the church historian
In glowing pages sings the laud and praise
Of Emperor Constantine the Great and says
"Incomparable was Augusta's son"!.

St. Ambrose, Milan’s bishop sang the praise
Of Empress Helen and her sanctity,
The agèd Empress searching on her knees
That brought the world the symbol of God’s grace.




© Elizabeth Dandy


*"In hoc signum vinces
(conquer by this sign)"



**Trier is the oldest German city.
Celtic settlements existed already in the year 3000 BC
inhabited by the celtic Treverer tribe.

The later Trier, AUGUSTA TREVERORUM, was founded around the year 16 BC by Emperor Augustus in the vicinity of a former Celtic tribal sanctuary.

Towards the end of the 3rd century A.D. Emperor Diocletian made the city of Trier the Capital and Residence of the WESTERN Roman Empire

***The story of St. Helena's finding the relics of the 3 magis, (holy 3 kings) and their transfer to Cologne, Germany, will be the subject of another story

[comments] => 3 [counter] => 229 [topic] => 55 [informant] => Elizabeth_Dandy [notes] => [ihome] => 0 [alanguage] => english [acomm] => 0 [haspoll] => 0 [pollID] => 0 [score] => 45 [ratings] => 9 [editpoem] => 1 [associated] => [topicname] => dedicatedpoems )

AUGUSTA FLAVIA IULIA HELENA Contributed by Elizabeth_Dandy on Wednesday, 9th March 2005 @ 08:20:31 AM in AEST Topic: dedicatedpoems Hail Flavia, Augusta, Iulia Helena! The mother of great emperor Constantine! Who toiled as simple bar maid in an inn In ancient Drepanum, Bithynia. One day some soldiers by her tavern passed, Led by imperial an officer, Chlorus Constantius, noted warrior, Who ordered in her bistro a repast. High officers can easily forget, Their rank, when struck by beauty sans compare. He fell in love with Helena the fair, And in Apollo's temple they were wed. A son was born to them, called Constantine, Who’d follow in his father’s foot steps soon, To lead division, squadron or platoon, Both destined by the gods their wars to win. But for political expedience Constantius Chlorus put his wife aside, And took Maxentius’ daughter as his bride, To further his carreer and sure advance. Forsaken, Helena bewailed her lot, Heart broken the spurned spouse now lived, Her tears were flowing as she cried and grieved. But in her grief she found the Christian God. And Helen, wounded deeply could but pray In bitter exile, sorrowing alone, For she had also lost her only son, Who battled with his father far away. Both fought the Picts at York, on British ground Where Chlorus fell and died, - the battle won, And the victorious army chose her son As future Emperor to trumpet’s sound. And Constantine acquired grace and fame, As EASTERN Roman Emperor supreme, Yet unfulfilled was still his secret dream, To gain the Roman WEST, - his highest aim. But fortune smiled and he won victory, O'er Maxinimianus at the siege And famous battle by the Milvian bridge, And henceforth fostered Christianity. He lifted up his mother from her woe, Had struck on coins of gold her image fair, Made her "Augusta" - vindicating her, And pressed the imperial crown upon brow. As ruling Empress, with great piety, She served the sick, the homeless and the poor, And for the churches Helen did procure The funds with zeal and generosity. Byzantium was at first their residence, Their town and domicile - “Helenopolis” With garden gates and flower line trellis, A town of beauty and significance. But later they chose Trier** as their domain, First Teutons' pride, and then the Romans' gem, But Helen’s heart longed for Jerusalem, To search for treasure in its waste terrain. The agèd Empress furrowed on her knee, Beneath old rubble, debris, stones and dross, She dug and searched, and found the real cross On which our Savior hung in agony. She traveled East to strange and foreign strands, And searched and found beneath some temples’ stones Three magi wise men's venerated bones,*** And had them transferred on to Western lands. The cross did not at first a church adorn,- The early Christians used Chi Ro and Fish, In Catacombs, on caskets, walls and niche Until the True Cross was to surface borne. Basilicas soon graced each hallowed spot, She financed them and many a sacred shrine, In Palestine and on the Teuton Rhine, In honor of the Christian Lord and God. Eusebius, the church historian In glowing pages sings the laud and praise Of Emperor Constantine the Great and says "Incomparable was Augusta's son"!. St. Ambrose, Milan’s bishop sang the praise Of Empress Helen and her sanctity, The agèd Empress searching on her knees That brought the world the symbol of God’s grace. © Elizabeth Dandy *"In hoc signum vinces (conquer by this sign)" **Trier is the oldest German city. Celtic settlements existed already in the year 3000 BC inhabited by the celtic Treverer tribe. The later Trier, AUGUSTA TREVERORUM, was founded around the year 16 BC by Emperor Augustus in the vicinity of a former Celtic tribal sanctuary. Towards the end of the 3rd century A.D. Emperor Diocletian made the city of Trier the Capital and Residence of the WESTERN Roman Empire ***The story of St. Helena's finding the relics of the 3 magis, (holy 3 kings) and their transfer to Cologne, Germany, will be the subject of another story Copyright © Elizabeth_Dandy ... [ 2005-03-09 08:20:31] (Date/Time posted on site) Advertisments: Previous Posted Poem         | |         Next Posted Poem

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Re: AUGUSTA FLAVIA IULIA HELENA (User Rating: 1 ) by Lionel on Sunday, 20th March 2005 @ 01:44:54 PM AEST (User Info | Send a Message) Amazing. I'm captivated. If you haven't published, you should. If you are published, I want a copy. Please tell me where to buy a copy. I didn't know there was a poet like this living. I hope I haven't embarrassed you, and my praise may be a small thing, but I'm simply amazed at such tallent. You put me to shame - I thought I was a fairly good poet. hah Please, if you decide to read any of my poems; read: With good purpose, An appeal to secular reason, God's Glory or, Where time stands still. -The rest may simply bore you. God Bless. Lionel

Re: AUGUSTA FLAVIA IULIA HELENA (User Rating: 1 ) by reflections on Saturday, 23rd April 2005 @ 06:56:48 PM AEST (User Info | Send a Message) Posted by: REFLECTIONS on 03/03/05 @ 07:20AM Elizabeth: I am always awe struck at the love and time you commit to your research in order to present such lessons from the past, and then the labor of finding, and submitting to all of us, the beauty of such magnificent poetry. You must have the patience of Job accompanied by the creative ability of all the poetic masters of the past. The story, the graphics, and the words reflect a great labor of love on the part for one who is first of all, teacher, then extremely talented artist and poet. I applaud your capacity for all those things you do so very well. (John) AMDG.

Re: AUGUSTA FLAVIA IULIA HELENA (User Rating: 1 ) by Former_Member on Saturday, 14th January 2006 @ 07:44:22 PM AEST (User Info | Send a Message) Outstanding write, Elizabeth.. I Applaud you... Fascinating, lovely to read, you are very blessed with this writing gift, God is very pleased, keep sharing these remarkable stories, and the angels sing above, and also, those people you write about, and God is very pleased... Raquel Leah