The inside story of the lives and deaths of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, from the reign of the first Emperor Augustus to the fifth, Nero, told through the secret memoirs of their obscure relation, Claudius. Born a drooling, stammering weakling, Claudius' early reputation as an idiot keeps him safe from office and assassination, until a puzzling prophecy about him begins to come shockingly true.
Robert Graves' 1934 classic brings first-century Rome alive, complete with murder, passion, blackmail, debauchery, conspiracy, torture and magic, as well as love, heroism, sacrifice and a generous dose of comedy. Claudius's exotically detailed and witty tale is told to us from the dusty peace of his private rooms, where his only permitted occupation is to write the history of his age. But the information he gathers, clues from the past, and the stories his family confide in him, will allow him to secretly play a pivotal part in their fates. Meanwhile the public consequences of this violent family saga are played out in the glaring sun of Imperial Rome; in the Senate, the great battles of the Imperial Armies, or before the crowds at the Games, where because of his nerves - and for his own safety - Claudius will appear to the rest of the world only as a gibbering fool.
-description from BBC website
BBC Radio Classic Serial
Replies
If you've read I CLAUDIUS, the plot of the old A.E. Van Vogt science fiction novel EMPIRE OF THE ATOM may seem very familiar.....
Interesting, was just getting ready to re-read I,Claud this weekend actually as it's been a few years. Now need to hunt down AE Van Vogt!
EXCELLENT!
Thanks,
Bob
THANK YOU (late) for THIS!!!
The ageing Emperor Claudius works to restore the Republic. But his beautiful young wife Messalina has other plans.
Claudius ..... Tom Goodman-Hill
Messalina ..... Jessica Raine
Narcissus ..... Robin Soans
Burrhus ..... Jude Akuwudike
Britannicus ..... Ryan Watson
Euodus ..... Adeel Akhtar
Asiaticus ..... Sean Baker
Frontinus ..... Tony Bell
Tacitus ..... Sam Dale
Callistus ..... Henry Devas
Agrippinilla ..... Claire Harry
Soldier ..... Iain Batchelor
I, Claudius 6of6 Messalina 2011-01-02.mp3
Here's Episode Four (of Six)
The craziness continues ...
I, Claudius - 4 - Caligula.mp3
Classic Serial I, Claudius Claudius 26-12-10.mp3
There were only 3 installments? For such a long story, they must have crammed a lot into these 3 episodes. Thanks for offering this excellent piece. Graves' two volumes of THE GREEK MYTHS, VOLS. 1 AND 2 are also well worth the time to investigate for anyone interested in Greek myths and their roots.
If the radio production follows the TV series there should be more to follow. Claudius has to outlive both his grandmother and the emporers Nero and Caligula and before becoming emporer himself and then invade England all before the final curtain.
The series is definitely SIX parts, per the BBC website.
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