“I was going to visit you tomorrow, before Dacius and I leave for the Euphrates,” Constantine said. “Is anything wrong?” “Wrong enough that it seemed better to tell you of it here instead of in Nicomedia, where Galerius’ spies might overhear. A man cannot even trust his servants any more when they can be sure of a reward by denouncing their owner.”
“Not as a Christian. You were never that.”
“No. For a while people were denouncing each other for selling under the table, but Galerius had the good sense I’ll give him that much to let the wage and price laws of Diocletian die unsung. It was a disastrous experiment that did nothing but create an army of thieves and spies.”
“What about the coinage?”
“Rumors say he is adding base metal again, but so far he is moving slowly and the people still have confidence in the value of Roman money.”
“Then the experiment, as you call it, was not a total loss?”
Marios admitted
“In that way, perhaps not,” Marios admitted. “But when half the people are encouraged to spy on the rest, instead of working, new crimes have to be invented to keep them busy. Galerius created a number of them with vague edicts covering what he calls ‘offenses against the state,’ allowing him to imprison those lucky enough to have any possessions left. But enough of that,” he added briskly. “Fortunately none of your mother’s family is likely to suffer at his hands as long as your father has the finest army in the Empire ready beyond the Alps. Actually, it’s you I’m concerned about.”
“What could possibly happen to me in the East? The Persians have been at peace now for several years.”
“You aren’t going there.”
“How do you know that?”
“Galerius is not the only one with spies, though he would have my head if he could prove it. When you went to Salonae with Diocletian, I wrote to Constantius and suggested that he ask for you to be sent to Gaul. A letter came about a month ago with the request! That’s why Galerius sent for you so hurriedly and planned to bury you on the Euphrates.”
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