Claudius the God: And His Wife Messalina
by Robert Graves
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Book Summary Information
Author: Robert GravesEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1989-10-23
ISBN: 0679725733
Number of pages: 544
Publisher: Vintage
Book Reviews of Claudius the God: And His Wife Messalina
Book Review: "I have been as deaf and blind and wooden as a log."
Summary: 5 Stars
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
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