I, Claudius by Robert Graves

Grades: 9-12

I have undertaken the mammoth responsibility of reading I, Claudius by Robert Graves. Now, the book isn't even really that long. I guess it is like 400 pages. That is not the problem. And it's not that the book is dry or boring, it is just a commitment. I am entering another time, a time before watches, computers, cars, electricity, radio, Nike shoes...really, there is more that that world didn't have (that I need and use in everyday life) than what that world did have. The book is just epic.

It is the "auto-biography" of Claudius the grandson of Augustus Caesar (Octavian), or the great-grand-nephew of Julius Caesar. The book is based on the historical accounts of the time. However, it is important to not that the historical accounts wildly vary. History at that time is more relative. I mean, Homer's Odyssey is, for the most part, considered a historical piece--you know the whole thing with the sirens and the cyclops. So while this book is definitely historical fiction, it is still mostly fiction. There is just no way we can know for sure what happens.

Claudius is an unexpected hero. He stutters, has a permanent limp, drools, and is frequently ill. It is amazing that he lived at all. Think about the kind of medical care he would have received. Basically, none. Sure they had doctors but they didn't know anything. Plus, he is born into a family that is famous for the "accidental" deaths, back stabbing, immorality (despite Octavian's insistence of the old school moral code), and borderline incest.

I mean look at this family tree! This family tree is ridiculous. When you have to list the number of times a person is married and who that person had affairs with, the family tree gets very confused. Basically, you might be a redneck if your family tree needs a key. But, let's keep in mind that marriage is a different thing then.

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Now this could be very confusing because everyone basically has the same name. Rome is a culture of nick names because of this fact. But Robert Graves writing as Claudius is very clear when he mentions someone. But, it's still confusing.

But, it is not at all boring. Look at that family tree! HOW COULD IT BE BORING! You have Tiberius and Caligula as characters. If you don't know anything about those two, then you are in for a scandalous surprise. Tiberius hated being emperor. He built a pleasure palace in Capri. There he holed up and when not participating in demented and strange activities, he spent his time being paranoid.  He was able to run away to the country because of the momentum of the economy that Augustus left behind. When it was discovered the kinds of things he was doing there, it is thought that he was murdered by his great-nephew, adopted son, and successor Caligula (although it is not clear exactly what happened. Tiberius was in his 70s. He could very well have died of old age.).

Now, Caligula was just about as bad but he was just stinking crazy. At one point, while fighting in England, he ordered his troops to charge the ocean. He was just crazy. Although, he is considered moderate a moderate ruler for the first few years of his reign. After these relatively peaceful years it is thought that Caligula suffered from the end stages of syphilis which caused his insanity. But you have to think about how Caligula would have been effected by Tiberius's peculiar tastes as they spent a good deal of time together. Make a long story short Caligula is assassinated and our good Claudius becomes the emperor!

So it is sooo not a boring book, but as you can see complicated.

EPIC!