Constantine himself led an austere life and there was a minimum of luxury in the palace, so the major part of the accumulation in the treasury was distributed to pay the additional legions and auxiliaries being raised and trained at Treves and other centers throughout Gaul. Meanwhile, several months had passed since Dacius’ departure for Rome to bring Constantine his bride; then one day he rode into Treves alone.
Constantine’s face was suffused by a sudden flood of rage. “Did Maximian dare refuse me again?”
“No one has refused you.” Dacius raised his hand, as if to ward off the force of the younger man’s anger.
“Then why didn’t you bring Fausta with you?”
“The lady herself agrees that the time is not yet ripe.”
“Does she want someone more important than the Augustus of Gaul, Britain and Spain?” Constantine demanded.
Maximian and Maxentius
“In the eyes of her family you are a Caesar not an Augustus,” Dacius reminded him. “Maximian and Maxentius hope to keep you in the lesser place, but Lady Fausta has other plans and you know how determined she can be.”
Constantine did know very well. “Suppose you tell me the whole story,” he suggested.
“When I discovered that the galley I was sailing on contained cargo for Rome, I ordered the shipmaster to go there first,” Dacius said. “Fortunately you made me a general, so he could not refuse.” Constantine found that he could smile, in spite of his anger and disappointment.
“At Rome I learned several interesting things,” Dacius continued. “Severus seems to be afraid to come into Italy. Even though he was appointed Augustus, he still remains at the border in the neighborhood of Aquileia.”
“Why?”
“He is Galerius’ puppet. Apparently both of them fear to lengthen the strings that make him dance.”
“Doesn’t he know he’s playing into the hands of Maxentius and Maximian?”
Dacius grinned. “If he doesn’t, we shall certainly not tell him and defeat our own purpose.”
“Go on,” Constantine urged.
“Galerius has revoked the freedom from taxation the people of Rome have always enjoyed.”
“That should cause a real upheaval,” Eumenius observed.
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