But he aspired to the highest crown of all, Roman Emperor. As a devout Christian, he craved Rome's stamp of approval. But he didn't need to conquer Rome, Rome would come to him. On 25th April, 799, Pope Leo III was near here, on his way to the Church of San Lorenzo in Lucina, when he was ambushed by armed retainers of the previous pope. They tried to gouge out his eyes and slice off his tongue. Pope Leo needed Charlemagne's protection from his rivals, and from the threat of Arab and Lombard invasion. And Leo could offer Charlemagne the one thing he didn't already have. There was a story, told in this fresco, that Pope Sylvester had healed Constantine the Great of leprosy. Sylvester's reward was Constantine's conversion to Christianity. But that wasn't the only thing that Constantine was said to have given the Pope. Pope Sylvester is in firm control.


但他（查理曼大帝）追求的是无上王权——成为罗马帝国的皇帝。作为一个虔诚的基督徒，他渴望得到罗马的印证。然而，他无需征服罗马，罗马（当权者）自会去找到他。公元799年4月25日，教皇利奥三世在去往位于卢西纳的圣洛伦索教堂途中，正走到这附近时，遭到前任教皇党羽的武装埋伏。他们要挖掉他的眼睛、割下他的舌头。教皇利奥需要查理曼的保护，从而免受仇敌的谋害、阿拉伯人的威胁和伦巴蒂人的入侵。而利奥正好可以给查理曼提供他最梦寐以求的东西。这幅壁画讲述了这么一个故事，教皇西尔维斯特治好了君士坦丁大帝的麻风病。西尔维斯特获得的回报是君士坦丁信奉基督。但据说君士坦丁大帝给予这位教皇的还不仅于此。西尔维斯特教皇的权利牢牢在握。