3. Goes to the east

3-1 "Clorus, I can't believe you became Caesar!"   For Helena, it was like a dream. She felt anxiety. She asked herself if she had a right to enjoy such a luck.  She was born in a family running a bar, met a roman centurion, fell in love fast and had a family. Clorus was sincere and warm-hearted. For him, his family was all. At least Helena thought so. When she heard from Crassus, a friend of his husband, that he changes into a brave and valiant man in a war, she couldn't believe it. It's because he was a person who never killed even a bird.     "We owe it all to the emperor Maximianus. He recommended me to the emperor Diocletianus and he approved it.  Helena heard a few years ago that the general for whom Clorus worked had become an emperor, and she was reminded that there was another emperor that had appointed the emperor.   "Are there a lot of emperors in Rome? Clorus laughed out loud with her question.  "Is it a problem that there are many emperors? "I'm not saying that..." More than two emperors meant that there would be a fight among them and the loser would die. Also, she heard that, like the fight between a lion and a tiger, the whole corps of the loser side could be massacred. She was afraid of her husband getting caught up in a big danger.      "Don't worry, Helena! This is not the case. I mean... this case is not that another emperor appeared due to any political conflict but that the previous emperor appointed his friend to an emperor status in order to effectively control the big Roman Empire. This is not easy. I can't believe he is willing to share his own power."     Clorus, narrowing eyes and looking far away, continued. "Without sincere love about Rome, the emperor could have done that. Now Rome has two Augustus(emperor) who control the country, deeply trusting each other. They have decided to appoint two more Caesar(vice emperor) to help them. All this is a choice for the stability and peace of Rome. Rome has become stronger and more stable than before." Contrary to his own saying, Clorus felt heart-breaking. The emperor Diocletianus, the head of the emperors, had discreetly called Clorus over before appointing him Caesar.    "Maximianus recommended you to be Caesar. What do you think of it?" Diocletianus asked with his face filled with smile.  "I fully respect Maximiaus Augustus. I am willing to do whatever he wants me to. Yet, am I Caesar? How dare I ..." The emperor Diocletianus just stopped him before he finished talking.  'Ah, that's enough. I have heard of your modesty enough. I have one more question. Do you love Rome?" "Of course, I do. I am ready to willingly die for Rome no matter when."  Though Diocletianus was nodding, his smile left his face. The emperor stared at him. 'Did I answer wrong?' He, feeling stiffened on all of his body, looked at the frozen face of the emperor.   "That's enough. I will appoint you Caesar of the western Empire. Do your best for Rome. Most of all, help my friend, Maximiaus, with all your strength."  "Your Highness...!" "I have a favor, no, I have an order." "Please tell me.  Whatever it is..." Clorus suppressed the following words, "I will do it." He felt that the saying would tie him up in the end. If it is an order, he has to follow anyway, though.   "I need you to marry my daughter." Diocletianus, taking a few steps without saying and suddenly turning back, looked him in the face and asked.  "What did you say? I have already got married. So now I have a wife and a son all grown up..."   "I know that. But you don't belong only to one individual any more. You have to be able to sacrifice your personal life for the Empire. No privacy and no freedom to emperors. There is only duty. Me too. And..." The emperor seemed to be hesitant to say, but he continued to say decisively.    "You need to get divorced your wife. I believe you know why you have to."  Clorus could understand what the emperor had said. At least, in his head. But he couldn't accept his order in his heart. Divorce Helena? How could that be possible?"  "Your Highness, could you give me a day to think about? I can't answer you right now...." Clorus replied with difficulty. His mouth became dry and his hands were sweating. But he knew very well that he had no choice but to do it. The emperor is not asking but ordering.  "Sure, just give me an answer tomorrow. If you don't like, I can't help it." The emperor said with a smile all over his face. From the nodding face, Clorus could read the inside of the emperor.   'You must be hard and tough. I totally understand you. However, I believe you are a true soldier who can sacrifice your private happiness for Rome!' 3-2 Clorus heard a cock crowing far away. 'Dawn is breaking already?' Having tossed and turned all night, he was now falling into a dream to the far past. He was dreaming of the first encounter with Helena and was vividly reminded of the time, one year before his son Constantine was born.   In the summer of 274 AD, Constantius Clorus, a centurion, was drunk happily. It's been a long time since he took a break. The Gallic Empire, having advanced its independence, died out and was incorporated into the Roman Empire. The Germans which would invade over the Rhine was tied up by a peace treaty. After a long time, peace was finally settling down all over Gallia.  Now the Roman Empire didn't need to worry about the borders for the time being. The agreement with the Germans was in theory a peace treaty, but in reality a forced one by the Roman's overwhelming victory. There were twelve captured relatives of the German head. They could be well taken care of and learn the advanced civilization of Rome if they obey. On the contrary, they could be all devastated if they don't.   The soldiers around the Rhine were allowed to take a break on shifts. Clorus was also enjoying his two weeks break in his turn. He loved the bar he used to visit during vacation and enjoyed the drinking party with his colleague centurion Crassus working for the same corps, forgetting about the blood smell of battlefields.        Suddenly, a scream from a woman was heard. A guy, hugging a woman from behind, was wildly catching her breast. About half a dozen guys, who looked like his party, enjoyed it giggling one another.   'How dare...' While Clorus was standing up from the seat, Crassus caught him on the shoulder. "Pretend you saw nothing, Clorus! You are not allowed to get in the way of civilians during vacation, are you?" Though drunk, Crassus maintained calmness. He showed a military bearing with experience. When Clorus was about to sit, her scream was heard again.   "Please leave me alone!" "Hey, girl, you must respect customers, mustn't you?" The guy, having a wicked smile, forcibly kissed her. His hand was touching the inside of her skirt. Her white and shapely legs stimulated men's animal instinct.  "Stop it!" Clorus stormed. The six guys turned and looked fiercely at him at the same time.  "Hey, don't mind others' business and drink quietly!" A guy, who was glaring at him as if he was going to eat him alive, mocked and laughed at him. The others, swinging shoulders, pressing fists against each other and making the bone sound, walked toward Clorus. Crassus and Clorus, keeping eye contact with each other, smiled. 'I'll take care of these three and you those three...'  Crassus could understand what he meant in his eyes.  The guy sexually harassing the woman, giggling and looking at Clorus and Crassus in turn as though it was something interesting to watch, didn't let her go. She looked as if a creepy insect were crawling on her face and it turned deadly pale with shame and fear.   A big guy was dashing toward Clorus with a fist lifted. Clorus kicked his shin quickly and he fell flat on his face with a ouch sound.  Clorus and Crassus pulled out a wood stick, a daggar size, from their waist at the same time. The punks were no match for the two centurions who had trained themselves with a sword for a long time. In a flash, the guys fell to the ground of the bar and groaned mixed up one another.   The guy harassing the woman just disappeared and another man came from the kitchen.   "Are you okay? Thank you so much. You saved my daughter!"  The old man, who came near with his daughter, said that with his both hands put together. She lowered her head with shame and fear covering the face.  "Ah, you are the daughter of this bar..." Clorus fell to the ground before he finished the words. It's because one of the guys knocked down on the floor hit him with a chair.   “Auch!" Clorus, who was trying to stand up with his head up, fell to the floor covering his head. He was painful as if his head broke in two.   "You woke up already. Are you all right?" A young woman was taking good care of him lying in a small room.  "You are...." "I can't thank you enough..." Looking at the flushed face of the woman, Clorus finally came to realize why he had been in such a tiny room.   "What happened to Crassus..?" "Are you talking about your friend? He told me that he would bring some medicine and that he would come back until the sunset tomorrow."  While he was nodding at her speaking, he groaned with a frowning face. His pain  increased whenever he moved his head. He felt as if he was hit by a hammer.    "Don't say anything and just stay lying. You got hurt too much." Tears formed in her eyes. He slowly reached his head. It was all tied up by a bandage with only eyes, nose and mouth uncovered.   "Ow..." He groaned unwittingly by the unbearable pain.  "What should I do...?" She cried holding his hands.  "Your name is...?" "Helena, just call me Helena!" "Helena! I am Constantius Clorus. I am a roman centurion. If I don't return to the army within 13 days, they will think that I ran away." "I am sure you will get restored soon." "Helena talked grabbing his hands tightly. Clorus held her hands, too.   "Thanks, Helena! You've taken great care of me. You saved my life!" He thought he should have said with a smile. But he couldn't because his face was all covered up.   "A savior? You saved my life..." Helena, sobbing, brought his hands to her face. He could feel her soft cheeks. 'How lovely and pretty she is!'  "Ow..." Severe pain came back to him again. He tore his hair unwittingly by the pain.   "What should I do! What should I do!" She burst into tears touching his bandaged face. His pain was lessening little by little.   He, slowly raising his hands up, touched her face. A tear in her big and sad eyes, like that of a deer, rolled down on his face.    Suddenly, he put his hands around her neck. She, surprised a little, stepped back unconsciously, but she didn't refuse him and allowed her lips. No, she couldn't resist.  He thought he was dreaming. 'I have to wake up!' Opening the eyes wide, he shook his head. 'How could I dump her? How! I will take her to my hometown with me! I will live there all my life farming! With my lovely Helena...! But he closed eyes again. He couldn't resist the unbearable fatigue.  3-3 Clorus couldn't understand at all. He was left alone in an open wilderness. 'Where are all of my soldiers? Why am I wandering alone here?' 'Crassus! Where are you? Where are my soldiers? Answer me!' His voice was just echoing in the air and nobody answered.  Something was coming to him from far away. Is it a human? But they were a group of wild dogs drooling at the mouth and approaching. One, two, three... an increasingly growing number of wild dogs were surrounding him barking as though they would eat him alive.     One of the wild dogs stood up and walked toward him like a human. His face also changed to that of a human. It was bleeding at the mouth "I will kill all the Romans. I won't leave anyone alive. I will behead each of you and pile them up in the barns of the Germans."  Each one of the wild dogs stood up and they turned into a German soldier. The number looked like hundreds. Pulling the swords at the same time, they were dashing to him with a shout.  "Let's revenge. Kill him!" The wild dogs, changing into the Germans, started to attack all at the same time.  "You die!" His heart was stabbed with a sharp blade of a sword. Strangely, it didn't hurt.   "You are the enemy who killed my father!"  A hissing sound splitting the air was heard with another sound of hatred. A German soldier with an ox chopped his head. Clorus, losing his balance, fell back. His face was full of blood, but he was still alive.  The German soldiers turned back into the wild dogs. They sprang at him with the mouth open wide and bit him up. He blankly watched his body getting torn into pieces.   He looked like a skeleton, but he was still alive. He tried to stand up as with all his strength. His head fell off his body. The skull rolled down a hill. He thought he should not lose it. The body without a head stood up and ran to get it  The skull, shrieking, was falling down into the cliff. The head falling down rose up and turned into a human face. He was the head emperor Diocletianus. He, shedding tears and coming near, demanded.  "Clorus! Protect Rome. My Rome!" "Your Highness, Why me? I am not the right man." What a coward you are! Are you going to pursue only your private happiness and comfort, leaving all the heavy burdens with me? "Your Highness! What do you mean by heavy burdens? People call you an iron man. Do you think the emperor position is hard for you? "You're still not a grownup. You are immature. You just judge me by the appearance! I have been such a hypocrite as to be called the iron emperor. But the inside of me is filled with fear. I am living in hell everyday. I need a fellow worker who is competent and reliable..."  The emperor, leaving the saying unfinished, was falling down the cliff again with a shriek.    "Clorus, help me, help me, please...!" "Your Highness! I will assist you with all my strength. Your Highness, come back!" Clorus, swinging his hands in the air, shouted. "Dear my Clorus, have you decided? The emperor on a cloudless morning asked the question as soon as he saw Clorus coming into the reception room for the imperial family. 'How poor you are!' Clorus was reminded of the dream at dawn.   "Would you mind if I ask you a favor, Your Highness?" "Feel free to tell me." "I have a 18-year-old son. I ask you to take care of my wife and son." Clorus couldn't have another family with her staying around him. Also, he thought it would be safer for Constantine to live far away. If possible, with Helena and Constantine protected by the head emperor, he wanted to devote himself only to his work for the Empire. He was sure that Diocletianus wouldn't disappoint him.     "Of course, I will do as you want." There was no reason for Diocletianus not to accept his offer. Though she was a step daughter, he couldn't help allowing her to marry Clorus to strengthen the unity of the emperor group. If he could keep Caesar's wife and son under his power, he believed the unity would be stronger.    3-4 In 293 AD, Constantius Clorus bacame Caesar of the west of the Roman Empire. Now he was in charge of one of the four axis in the Tetrarchia system Diocletianus had brought in. At that time he was 43 and his son Constantine was 18.  Now four emperors came to rule the huge Roman Empire together sharing the responsibility of its national defense and government. The emperor Diocletianus himself has gone through the unceasing coups of almost 50 years' Military Anarchy. The political situation became very unstable and people's livelihood became impoverished due to other nations' invasion and pillage.      Thinking that a groundbreaking plan was needed to break the vicious cycle of blood, the emperor Diocletianus gave the control over the west part of the Roman Empire to his close friend, Maximianus and appointed him Augustus, the same status as his. Though that was too risky, Maximianus suppressed the desire toward power and reputation, and, as the second-in-command, he repaid Diocletianus for the trust.   Constantine, while the two emperors, Diocletianus and Maximianus, were showing a perfect match, spent his teens in the west of the Empire. His father Constantius Clorus was the very leader that the emperor Maximianus trusted fully. Clorus achieved brilliant success in battles with the Saxon, the Franks and the Langobards at the northern part of the Rhine and Gallia.    The diarchy having been successful, Diocletianus, appointing two Caesar as a successor of the two emperors, organized an emperor group of four members. Diocletianus, the head emperor, became Augustus of the east and  Maximianus, having showed friendship and trust, became that of the west. However, Diocletianus wasn't satisfied with the diarchy system, so he took a step forward implementing a new policy where a coup was basically impossible. He appointed Galerius to the east and Constantius Clorus to the west as Caesar, both of whom would help the emperors and have a priority right as a successor of them.      The fact that there were four rulers meant that it was nearly impossible for a coup to occur. It's because, though one of them was removed, there were still three more emperors. The worst scenario was the case of one betraying the others. But that didn't happen at least during the Diocletianus' ruling period, which meant that Diocletianus had an eye for a person and worked right.  Constantius Clorus, elevated to Caesar by the emperor Maximianus, the second-in-command, was in charge of the very west part of the Empire split into four territory. He came to rule Britannia, Gallia, Hispania, and the northwestern Africa. As a result, Clorus, Constantine's father, became such a real ruler controlling a huge land as Maximianus, who, centering on Italy, his homeland, governed the east part of the west of the Empire.   3-5 “We might not be able to see each other for years."  Clorus, filling the glass of his son with drinks, said that. He was going to drink wine but just stopped it staring at the face of his son. He was all choked up with emotion but just pretended to cough to hide that feeling. The father and the son just looked at each other without saying anything. Although he had to bend his head back to see his tall son, Clorus felt proud and satisfied.      'My son, you became a real man! He drank in a good mood, saying that in his head. Constantine also emptied his glass very quickly.  "Are you saying that I should go to the east to assist the emperor Diocletianus? This might be the last time you and I can see each other."   Raising up the glass he had just emptied and getting it around his eyes, he said that. His father's success has turned into a tragedy for his family. 'Ah, mom...!' He didn't care about himself. 'How could mom live without dad? Even in the far east of the Empire!'       What his son had said was hurting his heart slowly and painfully. Clorus, taking a few steps, slowly turned back toward his son and talked. "You are now an 18-year-old man. You joined my corps last year and have gone through several combats. I have observed you all the time. You will be an outstanding leader of Rome in the future. Someday I will call you when you are needed. Do your best until then. Diocletianus is very different from the previous emperors. You will be able to learn from him not only military things but many other things you have to do for your country Rome." Clorus knew well that his son also couldn't avoid the destiny. There was no reason why the surrounding people would leave Caesar's son alone. He thought that, if it is impossible for his son to be left alone and his son has to do something for Rome, it will be better for him to get involved in the midst of the rough sea earlier.    Clorus determined to leave his son with the emperor Diocletianus that allowed the chance to work for his country who was wise, efficient to employ men and put importance on trust. He has pledged he would be with lovely Helena for his life, but he has to let her leave for the east of the Empire with his son. He started to feel heartbroken as soon as he was reminded of her.  "Take good care of your mother. She was everything to me." "Yes, father." Constantine swallowed the following words.  'So is she to me.' 3-6 “You are Constantine, the son of Constantius Clorus, aren't you!" The head emperor Diocletianus, looking down at him on the throne, asked with a big smile on his face "Yes, Your Highness! My father said hello to you." "Oh, did he? How about your father? I heard he was in poor health." "He often feels pain in his chest because of the wound he got in the battle last year. Other than that, he's fine." Constantine was worried about his father's health again.  "Oh, feels pain in the chest..." Diocletianus, looking worried for a while, turned to Helena and showed a big smile to her. Helena, surprised, shrank and lowered her head. The emperor asked with a pitiful voice.   “Are you Helena? Caesar's wife..." "Yes, Your Highness!" Helena managed to answer with a shaking voice. She just became all frozen before the supreme ruler she had heard of.    "You must have blamed me much." continued the emperor.  "No way, Your Highness. How could I do that? It can't be." Thinking her inside mind was caught, she hurriedly lowered her head and waved her hands. Her face was being flushed.   "It's okay. All women will have the same mind in that case. I understand you. I did a bad thing to you." Diocletianus was honestly saying that. "Forgive me. All of this was an unavoidable choice for the peace and wellbeing of the Empire." Helena has heard of the same words three times: the first from her husband, another from Maximiaus, the emperor of the west of the Empire, the third one from the head emperor ruling the whole Empire. But Helena couldn't still understand what those men had said. 'Why did they do that? Don't they trust each other unless they are connected by blood?'     "Hey, a young man!" The emperor called Constantine with a big smile on his face. "Yes, Your Highness!" Constantine looked up at the emperor. 'Is the one in front of me now the head emperor my father respects the most? He elevated my father to Caesar in the Tetrarchia system! But, because of that, my mother and I were separated from him!' Constantine could fully understand his father's situation for peace and unity. He didn't want to blame the emperor, either. However, the pitiful emotion toward his mother, the anger and the regret of the situation didn't stop welling up from the inside.             "I know what accomplishments you've made with your father for the last year. It's lucky for me to have someone competent like you. Also, you are the son of Caesar. I ask you to help me in the Royal Guard."   Diocletianus talked to Constantine with a loving look. Though he was only 18, he looked strong and behaved with discipline like a son of a soldier grown up in a battle. The head emperor has heard of him and his brilliant achievements enough ever since he reached majority and became a soldier last year. He thought that the young man deserved to take a heavy responsibility even if he was not Caesar's blood.   A knock at the door was heard.   "Come in!" The emperor, turning toward the door, said that. A guy in good shape came in with sharp eyes "Are you ready?" "Yes, Your Highness! It's all fixed up. It is available right now."   A secretary offered a scroll paper upon two hands.  "My dear son! I have prepared a house for you and your mother. This is a little token of my gratitude. Feel free to accept it. The house is in your mother's name."   The emperor handed the paper over to the hands of Constantine who was being confused.   3-7 The house, given to Constantinus and his mother by the head emperor Diocletianus, was located in the middle of a hill not so far away from the imperial palace in Nicomedia. It had a luxurious garden with well-trimmed grass and a small bathroom in it. Inside of it looked harmonious the kitchen and the furniture of the living room. It was built with luxurious material, prepared with one's whole heart but gave a cozy and old feeling.    Helena, looking around the house, was brightening little by little. It's been a long time since she had that face. Constantine smiled looking at her face.    "The house management will be done by your son from now on. My job is no more than taking over." The secretary said that with a smile.  "And some money for a living will be given to Helena every month. It will be enough for you to keep your dignity as an ex-wife of Caesar. A butler for its management and a maid for the kitchen will be provided soon. Their labor costs will be paid from the management expenses of the imperial House. That was the emperor's consideration that he would take care of Helena even if a military mission forces the son to move far away. Also, you don't have to worry about your safety because you are staying within the guard zone which the Royal guards keep alert. But Constantine, you have to earn your own living expense. I think the salary from the corps will be enough to live." Even though the secretary was smiling, his eyes still looked cold and sharp.  'Your Highness, I appreciate it. I will ten times.. twenty times repay for it! Constantine tried to open his eyes wide to stop the tears welling up.   He thought he didn't have to worry about his mother for the time being. But he knew well that it wasn't necessarily good that he came to work for Diocletianus. He was being protected by the emperor but at the same time was a kind of hostage.   3-8 At the threshold on the way down to the garden from the living room lied a bird cage. A couple of parrots were playing innocently inside of it. Constantine gazed at them. 'They must be frustrated! I am sorry that they have to be locked up in such a small cage the whole day.' He thought he would let go of them. Opening it, he got them out one by one. The scared birds struggled. In his eyes looking at them overlapped a pitifully fluttering dove he saw in childhood.         The blood from its neck flew down to the white belly and dried up. Young Constantine thought it was attacked by its predator.  'How pathetic!' The boy held it in his arms. He felt warm and soft. Blearily opening its eyes and fluttering, the dove closed its eyes. A wave of sadness rushed to his heart. 'Why were you born as a dove? Why not an eagle or a hawk? If you had been, you wouldn't have gone through such a death. No way, if so, this dove would have attacked another weak bird. The boy shook his head. 'Why one has to hurt another? What about an eagle or a hawk feeding on beans or worms like doves?' The dove groaned with its mouth open. He ran to a stream nearby.  'Never die! I will save you for sure. You shouldn't die! Fluttering several times in his arms, the dove didn't move and gasped.  'Pull yourself together! We're almost there.' The boy finally reached there. 'Come on, dude! Drink water and live!' It looked as if it were drinking some water with its mouth open a little bit. But that's all. The mouth didn't move any more. He flopped down on the ground. Tears were continuously flowing down from his eyes.     A prayer was heard from a room. It was mom's.  "Merciful God. Thank you. You didn't give me up and offered me a new hope. I remember your words. We rejoice in our sufferings because we know that sufferings produce perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope."   Her voice in the prayer was trembling with tears and gratitude. He talked to himself hearing the player.   'You have to be strong! You have to protect your mother no matter what! Don't be emotional! You are strong. You are the son of Mithra, the god of sun.' A strong emotion welled up. He shouted looking up at the sky.  "Christ, the one crucified and died, those who follow you call you the Son of God. If you are the Son of the Almighty and the God of mercy and love, you can't avoid my mother's player that asks for help. She has devoted all of her life to you. How could you pay back such a thing to her? You are the christ who you said would save the world."  'Christ, Christ.' Something was heard nearby. Constantine, surprised, raised his hands. A couple of parrots were put on his hands. He strengthened his grip. They struggled croaking. He looked straight at the dying eyes of them. The two birds' body hung down one by one. He shouted again looking up at the sky.      "Mithra, the son of sun! You see me stand up on my own! I'll show you my life that deserves a son of Caesar! I will dedicate my whole life for Rome and my mother!"  The young man, 18, stared at the empty sky beyond the hill with his fist. In the place his sharp eyes were looking at was the Nicomedia imperial palace located. He got a cramp on his flushed face.