Claudius the God: And His Wife Messalina

by Robert Graves

Book Overview

Robert Graves begins anew the tumultuous life of the Roman who became emporer in spite of himself. Captures the vitality, splendor, and decadence of the Roman world at the point of its decline.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679725733
• ISBN13: 9780679725732
• Release Date: October 1989
• Publisher: Vintage
• Length: 533 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

DEREK JACOBI RETURNS AS "CLAUDIUS" TO COMPLETE THE TALE OF ANCIENT ROME!

There are certain people who, after creating a role on television based on a character in literature, make such an impression as that character that the mere mention of that character brings that actor or actress's name and face to mind ... and Sir Derek Jacobi's portrayal of Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus "this-that-and-the-other" in the BBC TV series I, CLAUDIUS based on the two novels I, CLAUDIUS and CLAUDIUS THE GOD by Robert Graves is in the forefront of such portrayals. In 1980, Dove Audio decided to bring the Graves novels to audio book form, and the absolutely best idea they had for the narrator was to ask Sir Derek to recreate his role as "Claudius", which he did magnificently in the audio book I, CLAUDIUS and now returns (again even remembering to include Claudius' stammer) to complete Claudius' autobiography from his unwilling election (courtesy of the Roman Army!) to become the fourth Emperor of Rome to just before his death in 54 A.D. (at the hands of his fourth wife, although this historical fact is NOT contained in the audio book!), which he tells his audience that he expects at any moment. Sir Derek's wonderful voice and vocal inflections bring Claudius to life as he recounts all the details of the history of Rome behind the history ... all the things that the official historians either never knew, overlooked or deliberately buried! But Claudius, who managed to cleverly survive THREE reigns before he got stuck with the job, is deliberately writing for US, the people of future posterity, sees no need for secrecy and takes us the reader/listener step by step through the Roman military campaigns, the private lives of the Roman aristocracy, and the various plots and murders of those men (and women too!) trying to claw their way to the Imperial throne AND those who were already there trying to keep themselves there! The only thing I have to complain about this audio version is that while it is extremely satisfying to listen to, it is an Abridged version, but in the slightly-more-than-two hours that the recording lasts you the listener will never be bored! You may miss the overtly sexual scenes and acts that the TV series showed, but Claudius never glosses over that part in his narrative, and Sir Derek's voice expertly conveys not only the professional historian that Claudius was (in the novels, anyway!) but also a great deal of Claudius' emotion, especially in this half of his story when he is faced with the ultimate betrayals by those nearest and dearest to him. Definitely a MUST for any audio book collection!

"I have been as deaf and blind and wooden as a log."

Continuing the story of _I, Claudius_, which ends with his unexpected acclamation as Emperor of Rome, Robert Graves focuses less here on the genealogy and history of Claudius's ruling family and more on the personal characteristics which enable great leaders to rule--and to fall. Claudius is hugely popular when he first becomes Emperor, refusing many of the numerous titles claimed by his predecessors because he believes he has not yet earned them. An unpretentious man who respects the people, Claudius hopes to improve their miserable lives and, one day, to bring about a genuine republic--at least at first. Gradually, we observe the truism that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." As Graves is careful to point out, however, the ultimate corruption of Claudius's rule is due at least as much to the people with whom he surrounds himself, and whom he believes and/or empowers to act on his behalf, as it is to his personal missteps. As Claudius, an historian, records his memoirs and his feelings about his own reign as Emperor, the reader develops enormous sympathy for a man who began his reign with pure motives and a good heart but who was ultimately powerless to control his own destiny and that of Rome. "Monarchy turns our wits," Claudius notes. Graves masterfully controls our growing understanding of Claudius as a ruler by showing him in three separate arenas of action--during his invasion of Britain, in his relationship with Messalina, and finally, in his attempts to ensure a republic by controlling the succession to his throne. Exciting battle scenes reveal Claudius's insights into the psychological aspects of battle, his intelligence, and his clever manipulation of his enemies' perceptions. Domestic scenes with Messalina show his naivete, his own ability to be manipulated, and his ruthless pursuit of justice, at his own expense. And in a brilliant tour de force, Graves finally shows Claudius, late in his life, when the seers have already predicted his death, deliberately acting contrary to expectation in an attempt to manipulate Roman history and his own legacy. Taken together, Graves's two novels of Claudius constitute what is arguably the greatest fictional biography ever written. Precise historical detail creates a rich tapestry of life in the period, while, at the same time, Graves's keen awareness of psychology leads to vibrant and believable characters behaving badly. The values (or lack of values) of the period are presented in dramatic scenes of violence and excess, and the fickleness of the masses (whom Claudius calls "the frog pool") is both realistic and sadly universal. A masterful characterization of a lesser known Caesar. n Mary Whipple

A masterful political historic novel with wit and humor

Whereas Claudius the God is not quite as fast moving and dramatic as I, Claudius; the sequel is a worthy masterpiece equal to the first volume. Whereas I, Claudius was about survival without power; Claudius the God is about survival with power. This point is very well made as the parallel careers and lives of Claudius and Herod Agrippa are intertwined. Herod Agrippa and Cladius were close friends. Herod had been raised in the household of Octavia Caesar, Claudius' mother and sister to the Emporer Caesar Augustus. Claudius eventually realizes that the clever, witty, charming, light-hearted persona that Herod Agrippa presented to the royal court of the Julio-Claudians was in fact his shield and mask that hide his ambitions and aspirations. Claudius hide his intellect, wit,and insight behind his stutter and limp but because of his friendship with Herod, he learns late that Herod also had a mask. Yet, even though the rebellion of Herod, as king of the Jews, hurt Claudius because of their years of friendship; it was Herod who never betrayed Claudius at court, never revealed that Claudius was brighter than generally percieved, and gave him the best advice possible "Trust no one". There is no other wasy to describe Claudius' marriage to Mesalina except to say it was very messy. Love is certainly blind and Claudius almost loses his life to the manipulative and treacherous young wife with her thousand lovers. Mesalina was a mess. Graves documents that he used multiple sources other than Suetonius' Live of the Twelve Caesars. Suetonius wrote a hundred years after the reign of Claudius and thus had a republican axe to grind against all the Julio-Claudian family. Graves is far more sympathetic and balanced in his telling of the life of Claudius. I enjoyed I, Claudius in a different way from Claudius the God. Graves was able to capture Claudius the survivor in a treacherous family in I,Claudius. In Claudius the God, there is more maturity and sad reality about the limitations of human life and aspirations. They both are superb and must be considered two of the finest historic novels in the English language. Graves' use of the English language is perfectly beautiful and I found I quickly read through both novels, thorougly entertained by every page.

Explaining history

Roman Emperor Claudius (41-54) has long been regarded as a so-called 'bad emperor', standing in the line of notorious guys like Caligula, Nero and Domitianus. The main reasons for this image were the books of Latin authors like Seneca, Suetonius and Tacitus. These writers all shared the same image on Claudius: a messy guy 'who was not a master, but rather a servant', as Suetonius puts it. Apparently there are some reviewers on this page who regard these 'original' sources as genuine reports on this emperor. According to them, Graves, who paints a quite sympathetic image of the emperor, is just making a funny story and not offering the facts. But those aforementioned Latin writers were not very objective either, if you look at the facts. Seneca was a relative of Claudius, and had many personal conflicts with the emperor. Additionally, he was the one responsible for the education of cruel Nero, who would become emperor after Claudius. So I don't think you could trust Seneca. The other two authors, Suetonius and Tacitus, were both senators. They were men of the highest rank, and these people had the tradition to look down at emperors who listened more to their freedmen than to the Senate. Claudius was such an emperor: he gave many important bureaucratic jobs to his freedmen, because he could trust them better than those wolves from the Senate. Not a very bad idea, is it? But being senators themselves, Suetonius and Tacitus didn't like this attitude and so they disliked Claudius as well. What I mean to say with this is that the image we get of Claudius in this book is not less important than the one we see in the old sources: if Suetonius is called 'objective', so should Graves be. It's also quite interesting to compare the Roman writers with Graves. During the last months, I've read some texts by Suetonius in college, and it's striking to see how much of Suetonius' information is used by Graves as well. But while the Roman writer bluntly criticizes Claudius for everything he does wrong, Graves tries to explain the same cases in favour of Claudius. Whether Graves tells the truth or not, it is interesting to see how one tries to explain things. A good example is Claudius' order to execute Appius Silanus. Suetonius just tells that Claudius was faked by his wife, who wanted Silanus to be killed. Graves tells the same, but he adds to it that Silanus had refused to tell the truth (which was, that he was innocent) when he stood in front of Claudius. So he simply had to execute him. Another example: Suetonius tells about Claudius' habitude to allow farting and burping to his table-guests, because he once had a man at his table who nearly killed himself by holding up his farts. Of course, for ancient Romans like Suetonius, this was not done, but as a 20th-century writer Graves regards this deed as an act of mere humanity. And who wouldn't, after all? Claudius' very human attitude is the red line of Graves' entire story: it's about a quite unconventional empe

A cynical and sad tale, beautifully written

This novel, like its antecedent I, Claudius, will mesmerize those who love classical history, although casual readers may find it tedious. The two works together form a fictional autobiography of the Roman emperor Claudius, who - at least in this literary incarnation - is both an astute observer of first century Roman political society and an extraordinary character in his own right. Born into the Roman imperial family but repelled by the violence and treachery surrounding it, Claudius retreats from power for much of his adult life. He buries himself in obscure academic pursuits and hides, for what he believes to be his own safety, behind array of weird physical disabilities. When his nephew, the mad emperor Caligula, meets his just reward, the middle-aged Claudius is literally dragged against his will onto the Imperial throne. I, Claudius ends with this bizarre scene and Claudius the God takes up from there with the improbable emperor's own account of his reign up to point of his death. Much to everyone's surprise, Claudius emerges into the public eye as an energetic, able and just ruler. And while the great pride he takes in his enterprise is evident, both the style of his rule and the tone of his narrative is characterized by a wry and self-deprecating humor. Much of the book consists of a detailed recounting of the administrative, judicial and military minutia in which Claudius immersed himself. However, there is a deeper theme at work too, which is the inevitability that innocence in a corrupt world will be betrayed. Claudius's closest friend for much of his life is Herod Agrippa, the grandson of the biblical Herod the Great. Herod Agrippa is a charming rogue and schemer who, while genuinely fond of Claudius, teases him mercilessly for being a fool and warns him, as it turns out in all seriousness, to "trust no one". The irony in the admonition is apparent when Herod himself betrays Claudius, plotting militarily against him and almost succeeding. This is only a side story, however. The thematic climax of the book occurs when it comes to light that Claudius's beautiful wife Messalina, whom he adores with the intense innocence of a teenager in love, has been using him all along for the fool, taking lovers and mocking Claudius behind his back. He finally discovers the truth when she is found to be conspiring with one of these paramours to seize the throne. She is executed for her treachery, but Claudius's spirit dies with her. He re-marries, but to a woman he cares nothing about and who, with his knowledge and acquiescence - for his death has been foretold by augury - begins amassing power on her own and conspiring to make way for her own son by a previous marriage. This son is later to enter history as the decadent fiddler Nero. The book closes with actual historical accounts by Tacitus and Dio Cassius of the real-life emperor's death at the hands of his ambitious wife, who poisons him. The last pages give us the final degradation