I, Claudius (Paperback)

The novel is presented as an autobiography with Claudius narrating in the form of a "confidential" written history in which he reveals the "real scoop" of the years prior to his reign - not the expediential version of history usually documented by those afraid to be crucified...literally. Claudius was in an excellent position to write such a tell-all. He was born with numerous visible physical defects. He was lame, stammered, his head twitched, and he was partly deaf, so no one thought him capable of understanding their conversations, plotting and political intriguing and so spoke freely around him. In fact, many thought he was an idiot. However, he was quite intelligent and what these folks said and did makes for a fascinating, if somewhat diabolical read. In the Rome of Claudius' day, public speaking and the ability to behave with utmost dignity were crucial if one was to hold high office. Unable to meet this criteria, Claudius was left out of Augustus' and Livia's, (Claudius paternal grandmother) plans when preparing members of the imperial family for public positions. Thus he led a quiet life, devoting his time to writing histories instead of attending the Senate or commanding legions. His handicaps actually saved his life. While those around him warred over power and position, Claudius was virtually forgotten. Consequently, he was the only male member of the imperial family alive when Caligula was murdered, and was therefore the only royal candidate available to become emperor.

In order to give readers a more complete picture of the times, Graves does not begin this fictional autobiography with Claudius' birth in 9 BC, but goes back to cover the earlier reign of Augustus, and when necessary even further than that. Roman history is not at the top of my list of favorite topics, but I was really riveted to the page with this compelling account. The period covered is a tumultuous one, apart from the royal family's intriguing and inventive ways of eliminating one another. There were wars, uprisings and even rebellions at home. Christianity was on the rise as was persecution of Christians. Tiberius initiated a reign of terror with spies everywhere, numerous treason trials and executions. And Caligula was totally decadent and completely mad. It was also a time of cultural vitality, splendor and extreme excesses.

I highly recommend "I, Claudius" and its companion novel, "Claudius The God." They exemplify outstanding historical fiction.
JANA

The style is engaging with the use of propheshy and the sense of climax making the book very exciting. It's hard to put down once you've dipped into the glorious but cruel world that's described by Graves.

Robert Graves intriguing use of the vernacular language and the extensive research, following largely the histories of Suetonius (a gossipy historian) rather than Tacitus (the formal, more official historian), gives a rather racy and juicy insight into the flamboyant lifestyle of the early imperial family, as seen through the eyes primarily of its most unlikely heir, Claudius the stammerer. Claudius escaped much of the political intrigue and was seen as a harmless outsider due to his physical impediments, which helped mask his intellectual capabilities and cunning insight into the actions of others.

Grave's recreation is well-done, but a bit too sympathetic to his hero Claudius. Claudius was not the intellectual saintly character protrayed in theses novels--true, he wasn't nearly as bad as his predecessor Caligula or his successor Nero, but he had shortcomings that are often ignored for lacking the glamour of the evils of the two emperors who bookend his reign.

Graves' use of language is interesting to note. Instead of translating historical scenes into formal, high-academic English (as a classically-trained Oxbridge scholar might be inclined to do), he put things into what Alistair Cook called the everyday language of the English aristocracy, a social class accustomed to the easy exercise of world-domination power, politically and socially. This makes it an engaging work that avoids the pitfalls of academic histories.

Derek Jacobi's performance in the BBC production is stunning; what the novel leaves out in way of historical accuracy to detail (Claudius was married more times than would Graves' books attest, for instance) it more than makes up for by way of being an entertaining introduction to imperial Rome. Make sure to get both volumes!