This afternoon, in the audience chamber. I went there to meditate and she came in. We agreed that she will retain the title of Augusta and I plan to turn enough of my father’s wealth over to her to assure that she and the children can live in comfort here, or wherever they choose.”
“You made no commitment for the future of the oldest boy, did you?” Crocus asked quickly.
None, nor did she ask. Besides, the throne is no longer handed down from father to son. Diocletian stopped all that.”
“The custom can always be revived,” Dacius reminded him.
Constantine smiled as he reached for a hunk of meat and a piece of bread. “I’m not even a Caesar officially, yet you are all busy de tiding my successor. Let us get to more important things the triumph Eumenius mentioned. How about five days from now? Gale rius can hardly get a letter back to us by then and it will give time for Crocus’ relatives to get here. With all of them behind me, I should be able to conquer the rest of Europe.”
Celebrating the capture
Although quickly arranged, the gala celebrating the capture of the rebel kings and Constantine’s return to Gaul was the largest affair ever staged in Treves, or for that matter in Gaul itself. It was held in the great Circus in the northeastern section of the city and long before it was to begin, the huge arena was packed with people. Knowing the excitable Gauls well, Crocus and Eumenius had arranged the affair carefully. It began with a set of exciting chariot races followed by gladiatorial contests. After a few hours of preliminaries, the crowd was in a frenzy of excitement in preparation for the real purpose of the event.
Constantine rode into the Circus in a chariot which had been hastily covered with gold leaf. It was drawn by six white horses selected and driven by Crocus. And since the dashing Gallic king was well known in his native land, his public acknowledgment of Constantine’s sovereignty impressed the people more than any words Crocus might have uttered.
Slowly the shining vehicle moved around the circular track where a short time before chariot drivers and horses had strained in exciting races. Behind the chariot rode the cavalry, followed by the legions from Britain and the Gallic levies, who defended the capital nobly against the Germanic thrust southward. After them, standing in open wagons, came the bound German kings, while their advisers and generals plodded along behind, likewise in bonds.
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