I enjoyed this book about the Roman Emperor Claudius (lived 10 B.C.--54 A.D.)immensely. The jacket calls it the best fictional reconstruction of Rome ever written. It is one of the classics of modern fiction, written in the form of Cladius' autobiography. Despised as a weakling and considered an idiot because of his physical infirmities, he survived the intrigues and poisonings of the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and the mad Caligula to become emperor in 41 A.D.
I, Claudius_ chronicles the reign of the Caesars in Rome from the perspective of the 4th Caesar. Julius is dead by the time Claudius is born, but our hero is intimately acquainted with Augustus and his wife Livia, Tiberius, and finally Caligula. Claudius plays the fool and manages to survive these turbulent years of Rome's history, filled with poisonings, treachery, and the deaths of many honest men and women. Especially during Caligula's reign, Claudius lives on a knife's edge, fearful everyday for his life, playing along with the mad emperor and trying to prevent him from doing Rome irreversible damage.
Stunted from birth, Claudius is a sickly, stuttering child and young man. Ironically, this is the only thing that saves him. Most of his family believes he is an imbecile too unimportant to kill. Ignored by Augustus and Tiberius, tormented by his mother and by Livia, Claudius managed his last hurdle by entertaining Caligula with pert quotes from Homer and flattery. Claudius is a scholar-the only pastime he can manage in his crippled body. His knowledge of history serves him well during this period, providing him with examples from the past to guide his actions during a frightening childhood and youth.
The book follows him up to the point of Caligula's death when Claudius finds himself suddenly the only surviving Caesar, hurled into the office by a dangerous mob of soldiers. He makes his peace with the senate and begins his long reign.
Robert Graves tells the story in first person and provides the necessary guesswork details of Claudius's thoughts and feelings.
Stunted from birth, Claudius is a sickly, stuttering child and young man. Ironically, this is the only thing that saves him. Most of his family believes he is an imbecile too unimportant to kill. Ignored by Augustus and Tiberius, tormented by his mother and by Livia, Claudius managed his last hurdle by entertaining Caligula with pert quotes from Homer and flattery. Claudius is a scholar-the only pastime he can manage in his crippled body. His knowledge of history serves him well during this period, providing him with examples from the past to guide his actions during a frightening childhood and youth.
The book follows him up to the point of Caligula's death when Claudius finds himself suddenly the only surviving Caesar, hurled into the office by a dangerous mob of soldiers. He makes his peace with the senate and begins his long reign.
Robert Graves tells the story in first person and provides the necessary guesswork details of Claudius's thoughts and feelings.
At the time, this wasn't one of my "usual reads;" in retrospect, this may have been the book that expanded my taste to include historical fiction. Well-written and well-paced, I not only couldn't put it down, I immediately read the sequel, which I enjoyed as well.
'Autobiography' of Claudius who is lame from polio and suffers multiple other physical problems, including a prominent stutter. He hides his intellect for years, which helps him survive his bloodthirsty family, who have written him off as a threat. This book ends when, supported by the Palace Guards, he is acclaimed emperor after the assassination of Caligula. Follow up novel 'Claudius the God' continues his story. Well-written historical fiction. I had to read the first chapter twice to get the main players straight, and wish there had been a family tree included.
