At another time Constantine would have been interested in seeing it, for a group of Illyrian legionnaires were demonstrating the use of martiobarbuli, the pairs of leaden balls joined together that were a traditional weapon among the Dalmatian troops. Boys started throwing the odd weapons as soon as they were strong enough to lift them. And by the time they were old enough for military service, they were able to use the leaden balls swinging at the end of a short chain as extremely lethal weapons, fully capable of bringing down a man.
Dacius met them at the edge of the field and together they led Crocus to a litter where he could lie down. The face of the Gallic prince was drawn with pain, as the centurion’s gnarled hands moved swiftly over his body with surprising skill, but he bore the examination unflinchingly.
“I’m sure there are no broken bones,” Dacius said, finally. “But it will be many a day before you can sit a horse comfortably again.”
“Ordinarily a man on his feet has no chance against a skilled cavalryman, yet you made a fool of me, a veteran of the wars.” Crocus looked up at Constantine and managed to smile wryly. “I’m still not sure just what happened.”
“It was an old Greek trick. If you hadn’t been overconfident, it would never have worked.”
Galerius by humbling the son of Caesar Constantius
Crocus shook his head. “Not confidence vanity. I told myself I would gain favor with Galerius by humbling the son of Caesar Constantius publicly, and you very rightly put me in my place. Will you forgive me for even having such a thought?”
“I almost spitted you with Dacius’ sword,” Constantine reminded him. “We were both wrong, so we really came out even.”
“Unless I miss my guess, you have both lost today,” Dacius said, and there was no levity in his tone. “If I had Galerius here, I would cheerfully cut his throat.”
A messenger appeared just then at Dacius’ side. “Caesar orders Cadet Constantinus to appear before him at once,” he said. “I am to escort him to the palace.”
Dacius put his hand on Constantine’s arm. “You could be in more danger now than you were out there on the field,” he warned. “Let Galerius do the talking and, above all, don’t argue with him.”
The messenger guided Constantine to a luxurious suite inside the palace where an aide was working on some maps behind a table and two scribes were busy in the comer, copying military documents on rolls of parchment. No one offered him a place to sit, so he stood and watched. Presently Galerius came striding into the room, followed by General Severus, who commanded the Emperor’s household troops.
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