Chap. XLIII.
Of the adversaries of God there still remained one, whose overthrow and end I am now to relate.
Daia
had entertained jealousy and ill-will against
Licinius
from the time that the preference was given to him by
Galerius
; and those sentiments still subsisted, notwithstanding the treaty of peace lately concluded between them. When
Daia
heard that the sister of
Constantine
was betrothed to
Licinius
, he apprehended that the two emperors, by contracting this affinity, meant to league against him; so he privily sent ambassadors to Rome, desiring a friendly alliance with
Maxentius
: he also wrote to him in terms of cordiality. The ambassadors were received courteously, friendship established, and in token of it the effigies of
Maxentius
and
Daia
were placed together in public view.
Maxentius
willingly embraced this, as if it had been an aid from heaven; for he had already declared war against
Constantine
, as if to revenge the death of his father
Maximian
. From this appearance of filial piety a suspicion arose, that the detestable old man had but feigned a quarrel with his son that he might have an opportunity to destroy his rivals in power, and so make way for himself and his son to possess the whole empire. This conjecture, however, had no foundation; for his true purpose was to have destroyed his son and the others, and then to have reinstated himself and
Diocletian
in sovereign authority.