“I wasn’t making fun,” he assured her. “And I’m sure you told the truth when you said you always get your way.”
“Now about our marriage. You will have to become at least a Caesar before Father will give me to you. The daughters of the Augusti are used to make important alliances or to bind treaties.” “Emperor Diocletian doesn’t intend to make me a Caesar.” “Why not? Maxentius expects to be one.”
Constantine looked away quickly, lest she realize that she had revealed what he had come strongly to suspect, since he had come to Rome namely that the Augustus of the West, being younger and in much better health than Diocletian, had little intention of abdicating soon after the Vicennalia and turning over the purple robe of an Augustus to Constantius Chlorus, even though the Caesar of the West had already been designated in Diocletian’s plan of empire for promotion to that rank.
“You haven’t answered me.” Fausta’s cheeks were beginning to turn pink with anger. “Are you afraid to stand up for your rights as the son of Caesar Constantius?”
Emperor Diocletian believes
“No, of course not,” he said. “But Emperor Diocletian believes the best interest of Rome will not be served unless each Augustus names a Caesar from outside his own family to succeed him.” “Pooh! That’s foolish. What man would build up a fortune or an empire, and then not want his son to inherit it? But since you’re being kept at Diocletian’s court as a hostage ”
“Who told you that?”
“Maxentius. Didn’t you know it?”
“Well yes.”
“They’re keeping you away from your father because they fear that when Diocletian does abdicate, or dies, the two of you might seize control of the Empire, especially since the legions all know you saved the neck of Galerius in Persia.”
Constantine realized that he was hearing something of what must be common talk in the household of Maximian and could not help feeling a little guilty, for somehow it was almost like eavesdropping. But Fausta was untroubled.
“I wouldn’t tell you all this if I weren’t going to marry you,” she assured him. “You see we have to make our plans ahead, if you are going to be a Caesar and later on Augustus, with me as your Augusta.”
“What are these plans?” he asked.
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