Publisher's Synopsis
Blessed Constantine, the youngest of the sons of Leo, already in his infancy showed something marvelous. When his mother, by birth, gave him the nurse to feed him, he did not want to eat someone else's milk, but only his mother's milk. Obviously, the pious industry should not have been fed other people's milk. With the birth of Constantine, good parents made a promise to live like a brother and sister, as they did 14 years before their death. Before the death of her husband, Mary cried, saying: - I don't grieve about anything as much as about Constantine: how will he settle in life?"Believe me, wife," answered Leo, "I hope in God that the Lord God will make him such a father and builder, that he will suit all Christians."And so it happened.Studying the books diligently, Konstantin saw how insignificant his knowledge was due to the lack of a good teacher, which made him very discouraged. In their city there lived one person (a wanderer) who knew grammar. Konstantin went to him, begged him, and, prostrating himself before him, said: "Do a good deed for me: teach me grammar."The wanderer answered him: "Boy, don't ask me." I made a promise not to teach anyone else.Again, Konstantin with tears began to say to him: "Take the part from my father's house that belongs to me, just teach me."But this did not convince this man. Then Konstantin went home and began to earnestly pray that the Lord would fulfill the desire of his heart and find a teacher for him. The Lord soon fulfilled his desire.In Constantinople Constantine lived either at the bolyarina in the house, or in the royal chambers. In 3 months, he learned grammar, then studied Homer 3101 and geometry, dialectics and philosophy, studied with Leo and Photius 3102 . In addition to these sciences, he studied rhetoric, arithmetic, astronomy, musical art and, in general, all other Hellenic sciences. He knew well not only the Greek language, but also others: Latin, Syrian and some foreign. With his mind and diligence, he surprised his teachers, for which he later received the name of a philosopher-sage. But he was wise not only in science, but also in life, he tried to be humble, talked with those from whom he wanted to receive instruction, and evaded those who could seduce evil. In a word, he tried to change the earthly to the heavenly and live with God.Logofet, seeing the good life of Konstantin and his successes in the sciences, made him the manager of his house, and also allowed him to enter the royal chambers without a report. Once logoget asked Constantine: "Tell me, philosopher, what is called philosophy?""Philosophy," replied Konstantin, "is the understanding of divine and human affairs, which teaches man through virtue, as far as possible, to approach God, who created man in His own image and like
