Chapter 24: Revenge

Although the words spoken by Constantine to Maximian
had been just in the circumstances, the latter considered that he
had crossed the line. Maximian the tyrant had been used to
getting what he wanted, through force if necessary. His Caesar
had at one time been Constantius, whose patient and moral
character had often conflicted with the aggressive character of
Maximian. He had long held a grudge against Constantine's
father, whose slow and steady success had surpassed his own.
His hostility had carried over to Constantine. The offensive
words that had come from Constantine's mouth marked him in
the eyes of Maximian.

As Constantine addressed his subjects from the terrace,
Maximian plotted yet another scheme. He cornered Fausta, who
was alone inside the palace. She was unconcerned about the
entire affair and greeted her father with open arms. She chose to
dismiss the negative words that had been rumored against him
and instead was happy to see him. The smile on her face soon
vanished as she took in Maximian's stem expression.

"I must confide in you, Fausta."

"No, please father, do not get me involved in this."

He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her violently to
him. "You have been involved from the beginning. Now hear me
out!"

She started weeping. "I am not interested in your personal
qualms." He slapped her and sent her collapsing to the ground.

"It is your duty to continue the Herculean line. If it were
not for me, you wouldn't have been bom. You owe me."

"Very well," she said, wiping her nose.

"Do not sleep in your bedchamber this evening. Stay clear
of it until the sun shines over the palace." He hugged her. "You
are the only one I trust."

"Yes, father."

He left her and she stared from below at Constantine,
whose speech was being praised by the crowd. She was in love
with him and knew that her father plotted his assassination. She
left the palace and walked in the court alone, contemplating what
she should do. He was family after all, looking out for her and
his best interests. Yet to murder, especially a person she loved,
led her to question her father's motives.

Crispus ran to her and hugged her, to her surprise. His
sudden appearance seemed to make her worries disappear for a
brief instant. She stared into his olive irises and knew then that
she could not go through with her father's request. She kissed
Crispus on his cheek and sent him on his way. She was now in
search of Constantine, whom she urgently needed to warn. A last
thought regarding the matter sealed her decision. Maximian
could only make her the daughter of the emperor, but
Constantine's life meant that she would remain empress.

She spotted Constantine in the palace, speaking to Cassius.
Fausta rushed to him and pulled him away from his exhausted
friend. He, too, had been exposed to enough excitement and was
in need of a good rest. However she would not allow it.

"Do not sleep in the bedchamber tonight."

"Why? I have been on the road for too long and spent too
many nights on hard bumpy grounds. I miss my soft warm bed
with you in it."

"I will not be in your bed tonight and neither will you."

"I am too tired for games, Fausta. If there is something I
need to know, then tell me. If not, I am going to bed and if you
do not care to join me, then that is your prerogative." He walked
several feet from her before she continued.

"Stop!"

He turned to face her.

"Promise me..."

He came closer.

"That my father will not be harmed."

"What are you talking about? I just put my reputation on
the line to try and protect him." He started to walk away.

"If you sleep in your bed tonight, you will never awake
again." Tears streamed down her cheeks as Constantine stared
perplexed.

"Maximian is going to kill me in my own home? How
dare he even ponder such a scheme!"

"Sh! Lower your voice! He will hear you."

Constantine grabbed her by the arm and escorted her
quickly to a remote area of the palace. He looked behind him and
around columns and other structures where a person might hide
to listen. Everything was clear except the story.

"Speak, woman, and don't hold back," he commanded.

"He told me not to be in our bedchamber this evening.
That is all."

"He will pay dearly for this."

"No, you promised."

He covered her mouth with his hand. "I promised
nothing." Keeping his hand over her mouth he led her to Cassius'
room. Cassius was awakened as Constantine and Fausta barged
in.

"Cassius, we have yet another development. Maximian
plans on killing me tonight. Watch over his daughter here, while
I have him arrested."

Cassius leaped to him and whispered in his ear. "Do not be
a fool. You will need hard evidence. Disguise yourself, as if you
are sleeping and arrest him when he attempts the assassination.
Be sure to have plenty of witnesses who can vouch for the
actions you take against him." Cassius was overcome. "That
ungrateful ass, after you went out of your way to defend him, he
plots this."

The door to the room slammed behind Constantine as he
made his exit.

Constantine scoured the palace for a soldier with the same
frame as his. In so doing, he saw a eunuch who was the same
size as him. He forced the eunuch to a standing position and
pulled him aside.

"Strip."

The eunuch put his hand by his ear, thinking he had heard
the emperor wrong.

"Excuse me."

"Take off your garments." Constantine quickly undressed
and clothed himself with the eunuch's attire.

"Shall I wear your clothes?"

Constantine nodded and helped him dress to speed the
process.

"You are emperor for a night," Constantine said as the
man clothed himself. "Go to my bedchamber and rest in my bed.
However, stay awake. Now, be off with you before my guards
return."

Constantine had set the bait, yet still needed the witnesses.
For a while, it was uncomfortable not being noticed by everyone
as he walked past them. They saw a simple eunuch, and thus paid

no attention. He came to a group of soldiers who were
conversing amongst themselves. They were off duty, about to
replace the sentries that served him at midnight. They were
familiar men and when he approached them, they were shocked
to discover him in eunuch attire. They knelt when he stopped
them.

"Stand, what are you doing? Do you wish to compromise
my disguise?"

They resumed their casual poses.

"Why are you dressed this way?" inquired one of them.

"Because tonight I plan on catching my assassin in the
act." He pointed out two of the guards. "Stand post at my
bedchamber door and if anyone comes to try and enter it tonight,
allow them to pass. Once the person enters the bedchamber, one
of you will remain at post, while the other notifies me in the
room adjacent my bedchamber. Now, be off with you."

They immediately took to their usual posts, replacing their
predecessors on duty.

"You men crowd around me and take me to my room.
Stop for no one, regardless of their rank. Let us go."

The soldiers did as they were commanded, ignoring
passing friends and advisors on the way to the room. They
passed the sentries outside Constantine's bedchamber, who
signaled that nobody had entered the room. When they reached
the other room, they sat and waited patiently for word from the
sentries.

Constantine had carefully devised a trap for Maximian. He
purposely held back information to make the ruse seem more
realistic and to ensure that it would work to the last detail. For
example, he hadn't mentioned the identity of Maximian because
he was unsure if his father-in-law would actually do the killing.
Furthermore, the sentries would be on their toes if they
discovered Maximian wanting to enter the room. As for the
eunuch, he was naturally oblivious to the fact that an assassin
was going to enter the room and attempt to assassinate him.

Maximian did not appear until late into the night. He
attempted to enter without saying a word, but was stopped by the
sentries' lances.

"Let me through I tell you. I had a disturbing dream that
the emperor must know about at once."

"No one is permitted to enter his bedchamber this
evening," a guard said. The guard was about to speak of the plan
to Maximian when he saw the glimmer of a blade inside his robe
near his waist.

The other sentry didn't see and proceeded ignorantly.
"Emperor Constantine has planned—"

"To rise at dawn and cares not to be disturbed," the guard
interrupted. "His orders were specific."

The other guard then realized that the assassin stood
before him. "However, this is a trying matter and I believe he
would want you to notify him of anything that may be
dangerous."

The sentries opened the bedchamber doors and Maximian
entered, slowly closing them behind him. His eyes quickly
adapted to the darkness of the room. He spotted the figure on the
bed. Aiming for his left pectoral, he raised his dagger over his
head and plunged it into the sleeping eunuch with all his might.
The unsuspecting man's eyes opened in shock and pain as his
lips gasped for air. Maximian plunged his blade several times,
until he was sure he had hit his target.

Constantine and his guards rushed to the room with lit
torches. Maximian's expression matched that of the dying
eunuch on the bed. Constantine went to him as the guards
arrested Maximian.

"I'm sorry," Constantine said to the innocent man.

Blood dripped from the victim's mouth and Constantine's
words were the last he heard.

Constantine observed Maximian with rage in his eyes.
Blood dripped from Maximian's right hand and from the dagger
by his feet. Constantine was moments away from becoming
Maximian's executioner.

"It isn't what it looks like. I did you a favor. He was
impersonating you and that is punishable by death."

Constantine lunged and grabbed his neck. "Choose your
death. Tomorrow at dusk, a mass assembly will watch your
execution and cheer for your death. Take him away."

No amount of pleading or excuse could be made that
would grant Maximian any sort of immunity for his actions. He
was sent to the prison to share the company of the common
criminal, the place where he would spend his final hours.

Once the body was removed and the blood-soaked sheets
were thrown into the fire, Constantine took rest alone in his bed.
Fausta spent the night with Cassius, who comforted her and
eased the pain that came in her thoughts of her betrayal of her
father and the punishment he would receive as a result. The night
passed and the vicious episode artificially disappeared.

The morning came and with it returned harsh reality.
Constantine awoke, debating whether to devise a scheme
whereby it would appear that Maximian had been executed, yet
allowing the former Augustus to leave with his life under the
condition that he would stay clear of the public eye. He
entertained countless ideas that could never be implemented for a
man whose freedom meant Constantine's danger.

A sudden pounding on the door awakened Constantine
from his meditative state. It was opened and Fausta came in with
tear tracks on her cheeks. She tried to slap and kick him, but he
blocked her attempts. He held her arms over her head and she
continued her attacks with words.

"Murderer!"

"I haven't done anything to Maximian. He killed a man in
my bed last night. Are you aware of that?"

"I don't care. You're a murderer!"

Cassius entered the room. "He is right Fausta," said
Cassius. "Your father took his own life."

"Maximian is dead?" Relief came over Constantine as the
impossible debate vanished from his mind.

"He was found this morning. He apparently hung himself
from the rafters. No doubt a last attempt at making a statement."

Fausta's arms relaxed and came to her sides. Tears of rage
became tears of sorrow that washed her face as she stared into
Constantine's olive eyes. He took her in his arms and embraced
her. He was sorry, but knew that it was for the best. The silence
of the room spoke for itself.

In that silence something developed that would grow in
the years to come. It would gradually take what was good and
pristine in Fausta's character and transform it into rage and a
desire for vengeance.

Maximian's fate became the fate of an old era.
Diocletian's scheme of things had crumbled as the original
members of the imperial college died off, either politically or
mentally. Diocletian was dead, in that his involvement in politics
was at an end. Galerius lacked the powerful leverage he had once
had. However, he was dying in two ways. His hope of
establishing a tetrarchy with his cronies as co-emperors had
turned out to be an impossible task. Also, he suffered from a
disease that was gradually destroying his health. Galerius was en
route to join Maximian and bring with him the end of an era.