I, Claudius (Robert Graves)
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Life in Rome among the upper class during the Republican Era was steeped in intrigue, violence,and unscrupulous morals as well as a lust for greed and power. Many would argue that this is human nature and that nothing has changed in 2,000 years. Be that as it may, the reign of Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who lived from 10 B.C. to A.D. 54, was no different, in fact, by many standards was very ordinary in a frightening sort of way. Robert Graves, in I, Claudius, which was first published in 1934, attempts to provide a fascinating look at the period through the eyes of Claudius. The purpose of this paper is to critique Graves' non-fictionalized "autobiography" of Claudius particularly as to how it meshes with history in light of the writings by Tacitus in The Annals of Imperial Rome (translated and published in 1988) and Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars (translated and published in 1979). Claudius, whose father died shortly after his birth, was born a sickly child: "Nearly the whole of his childhood and youth was so troubled by various disease that he grew dull-witted and had little physical strength . . . " (Suetonius 187). As a result, he was called a "monster" by his mother, Livia, a woman who had turned her back on his father to secure the Republic's most powerful man as her husband, Augustus. Livia's actions were representative of Claudius' lineage. Speaking as Claudius, Graves writes that the Claudian family, one of the most ancient of Rome,
. . .
inside Claudius' mind" and view everything around him from this vantage point, Suetonius takes a more scholarly stance, identifying conflicting as well as complementing elements of Claudius' life.
One of these factors is Claudius' role as an historian. It is recognized by all parties that the emperor did have an extensive interest in this area. The level of its importance or insignificance in his life is questionable, however.
Though he applied himself seriously to literature while
still a child, and published several samples of his profi-
ciency in its various departments, this did not advance him
to public office or inspire the family with brighter hopes
for his future (Suetonius 18).
In I, Claudius, his role as an historian seems to be used as his "calling card," his reason for being, aside from gambling and womanizing, that is. However, in Suetonius' view, this scholarly endeavor is seen as nothing more than something he dabbled in. In addition, Claudius is viewed as a weak and abused man who is a victim of his life and as such wanders around aimlessly trying to meld in with the environment, not rock the boat. This factor alone is a key to his survival, for if nothing else, Claudius was a survivor in a world
. . .
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Approximate Word count = 1676
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)
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