I, Claudius
by Robert Graves
From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius,
Born 10 B.C., Murdered and Deified A.D. 54.
Considered an idiot because
of his physical infirmities, Claudius survived the intrigues and poisonings of
the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and the Mad Caligula to become emperor in 41
A.D. Historical novel set in 1st-century-AD Rome by Robert Graves, published in
1934. The book is written as an autobiographical memoir by Roman emperor
Claudius. Physically weak, afflicted with stammering, and inclined to drool,
Claudius is an embarrassment to his family and is shunted to the background of
imperial affairs. The benefits of his seeming ineffectuality are twofold: he
becomes a scholar and historian, and he is spared the worst cruelties inflicted
on the imperial family by its own members during the reigns of Augustus,
Tiberius, and Caligula. Palace intrigues and murders surround him. Claudius'
informal narration serves to emphasize the banality of the imperial family's endless
greed and lust. The story concludes with Claudius ascending to the imperial
throne. A sequel, Claudius, the God and His Wife Messalina (1935), covers
Claudius' years as Roman emperor.
Claudius the God and His Wife Messalina (Claudius #2)
by Robert Graves
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.
Thanks for uploading this book. I love Roman history, and Robert Graves' Claudius has always been one of my favorite books.
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