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I. NO: Gaius, Julius Caesar's fallier, had died without violence: and so had Augustus's grandson, Gaius Caesar.
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WHEN three monilis after her marriage to Augustus, Livia gavebirili to Decimus later Neroὶ Drusus, peopte naturassy suspected that Augustus, not her e hvsband, was the Ather. This pro-voked the sol lowing epigram:
How fortunate those parents are for Whom
Their child is only three monilis in the wombi Drusus, fallier of the future Eniperor Claudius, commanded anariny against the Raetians, and subsequently against the Germans, while holding the successive ranks of quaestor and praetor. He was ste first Roman generat to navigate the North Sea: and also excavated the Drusus Canal, as they stili cali it - a remarkable elagi neering workwhicli connecis the Rhine with Η1e Ysset. Aster deseating the localtribes in a series of batiles, Drusus drove them far bach into the wild interior, untii checked by an apparition: a barbarous woman of phei omenal sige who wamed him in Latin to venture no farther.
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ΤΗΕ Τ ELUE CAESAR SThese campaigns eamed Drusus an ovation, with triumphalregalia: and he became Consul directly the praetorship ended. Onresuming the war he died at his summer headquarters, thetice riliknown as 'The Accursed Camp'. His body was carried to Rome in acossin by relays of lea ding citigens froni the various seee towns and veterans' colonies which lay along the route. There a watting deputation os magistrates' clerks took it to a pyre on the Campus Martius. .
respects witia prayers and sacrifices: soldiers in fuit equipment wereto run around the memoris pisar. The Senate voted Drusus many honours, among them a marbie arch on the Appian Way decorated with the trophies he had won, and the surname Germanicus to beheld by himself and his descendanis in perpetui ty. Drusus was, they say, no iras eager for personas glory than loyal toste republican institutions then in abeyance. Not content with gaining victories over the enemy, he had a long-standing ambition to winwhat were called 'The Noblest Spotis', namely the armour of the opposing general taken from him in single combat: and used to chase German chiestassis across the batilefield at great risk to his Ese. Ηe also openly announced that, as soon as he came to power, he would ι
Tlus must be why some writers allege that Augustus suspected hi mos being a revolutionar , recassed him stom his province and, whenhe did not come bach at once, had him polsoned. Ι think it right notio suppress what seems to me a most improbable view: in possit offaci, Augustus felt so deep a love for Drusus that, as he admitted toste Senate on one occasion, he considered him no less his hela than were Julia's fons, whom he had adopted; and his funerat speech in the House not oesy eulogized Drusus but included a prayer that thegods would mahe these young Caesars closely resemble his, and grant them as bonourable a death. Nor did he think it enough to have an adulatory inscription carved on Drusus's tomb: he also wrote his biography. Antonia the Younger bore Drusus severat children, three of whomsurvived him: Germanicus, Livisa, and Claudius. a. Claudius - Tiberius Claudius Drusus - was born at Lyons, in theconsulfhip of Iulius Antonius and Fabius Africanus, on I August, IO B.C., the Very day when the first altar was dedicated there to
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Augustus the God: Drusus di ed in the following year. Claudius took the sumante Germanicus aster his brother had been engrafted in the Julian House as Tiberius's adopted son. Nearly the whole of his child-hood and youth was so troubled by various diseases that he grewdull-witted and had litti e physical strength: and on reaching the age
was considered by his family incapable of doing either.
out the customary Solemn procession.
3. Though he applied himself seriousty to literature while stili achild, and published severat samples of his proficiency in iis various deparemenis, this did not advance his to public ossice or inspire theiam1ly with brighter liopes for his future.
Claudius's mollier osten called him 'a monster: a man whom
Mother Nature had begun to work upon but then flung aside'; and, is site ever accused anyone of stupidity, would exclaim: 'He is a bigger ol even than my son Claudiust ' Livia Augusta, his grandmother, never Diled to treat hina with the deepest scoria, and seldom addressedhim personalty; her reproosi came in the form of bries, bitter lettersor orat messages. When his sister Liuilla heard sonaeone predici thathe would one day succeed to the throne, site prayed aloud that the Roman peopte might be spared so cruei and undeserved a missortune. Finasy, to fhow what his great-uncte, Augustus, thought of him, Iquote the following extracis from the Imperiat correspondeiace: 4. My dear Livia,
As you suggested, I have now discussed Mili Tiberius what weshould do about your grandson Claudius at the coming Festival of Mars the Avenger. me both agreed that an immediate decision ought to betaen. The question is whether he has - shali I sayρ - fuit command of his sive senses. Is so, I can see nothing against sending him through thesanae degrees of ossice as his brother: but should he prove physically
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and mental ly deficient, the public whicli is always amused by triflesin
must not be gi ven a chance of laughing at hirn and us. I fear that weshali find o selves in constant troubie is the question of his fitness to officiate in this or that capaci ty keeps cropping up. We should there redecide in advance whether he can or cannot be trusted with offices of state generally. As regards the immediate question in your last letter, I have no objection to his taking charge of the priesis' banquet at the Festivat, is he leis his Cousin, young Silvanus, stand by to see that he does not mine a seolos himself But Ι am against his watching the Games in the Circus Domthe Imperiat boX, where the eyes of the whole audience would be onhim. I am also against his heing made Germanicus's assistant during the Latin Festival on the Alban Mount, merely to avoid the embarrassmentos appossiting him City Prefect at Rome while the Senate is absent: because is capable of the former appotniment, he is also capable of the
Augustus wrote to Livia on another occasion: ... While you are away, Ι shali certainly invite young Tiberius Claudius to dine every afternoon: rather than leave him to the exclusiVeco any of his tutors Athenodorus and Sulpicius. Is oesy he would show greater concentration and bellave with less capriciousnessi - What he needs is sOmeone to imitate: someone who holds himself up pro perly, wassis well, and has gracessit gestures. I am sorry for the poorfello , hecause in serious matters, when not wOougathering, he shows
considerable nobili ty of principie. And again: My dear Livia, I'll be damned is your grandson Tiberius Claudius hasn't given me a
However, it is clear what decision Augustus eventuatly took:because he gave Claudius no honours excepi a seat in the College of
Augurs, and listed him in his will among heirs to the stati, part of hisestate - relatives so distant as to be practicatly no hin at ali and in the
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third degree, whicli meant that is any heir in the sirst degree died, orrefused the bequest, and is the sanie happened with heirs of the seconddegree, he might have a prospect of receiving a bequest. The onlylegacy Claudius got in hard casti was a mere I OOO gold piec . 3. When lais uncte Tiberius succeeded Augustus, Claudius askedio be gi ven some office of state. Tiberius sent him the consular regalia. Claudius then pressed for the duties as weli as the empty tille os a Consul. Tiberius's reply ran: 'The forty gold pieces I sent you were meant to be squandered on toys during the Satumalian holidays.' Aster that Claudius renounced ali liopes of a political career, spendiugan obscure and idie life between his suburban mansion and a villa in Campania. Since severat of his intimates were men of the lowest class, Claudius's reputation sor stupidity was further enhanced by stories of his drunkenness and love of gambling. Vel many men of distinctioncontinued to visit him, and he never lost the people's respecl. 6. The Knights twice chose Claudius as head os a deputation to the Consuis: the si1rst time was when they requested the privilege of carrying Augustus's body bach to Rome on their shoulders: thesecond, when Sejanus's conspiracy had been suppressed and they were offering felicitations. At Claudius's appearance in the theatre oramphitheatre, the entire Equestrian Order would rise and take offtheir cloaks as a mark of honour-The Senate, for their pari, Voted that he should be made an extraordinary member of the Augustanpriesthood, who were as a rule chosen by lot: and when one day his mansion burned down they decreed that it should be rebulli at public expense, and that he should have the honour of addressing the Houseamong men os consular rank. Tiberius, however, vetoed this second
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r a second consulfhip, and won one that would fati due four years later. Claudius osten presided as Caligula's substitute at the Games, where the audience greeted him with: 'Long live the Emperor's Unclel ' and 'Long live Germanicus's Brotheri' 8. Nevertheless, these honours did not proieci him stom frequent insulis. Is ever he arrived a litile late in the dining hall, there was noti ring for it but to tour the tables in search of a vacant couch: and when he took his usual aste dinner nap the company would pelt hianwith olives and date stones. Some johesters exercised their wit byputting stippers on his hands as he lay snoring, and then gave him asudden blow of a whip or cane to wake him, so that he rubbed hiseyes with them. 9. At times he found himself in real danger. He was nearly deposed from his first consulsi ip for haring taken so long to set up statues of Caligula's murdered brothers Nero and Drusus: and later had avariety of VeXatious accusations brought against bim, not only bystrangers but by lais own servants. When the Senate sent him, withother enuoys, to felicitate Caligula, then in Germany, on the detectionos a conspiracy headed by Lepidus and Gaetulicus, Caligula felt soannoyed that his uncte, of ait people, had been entrusted with this mission - as is to a child in need os a guardian that he nearly killed
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at a loss what to do: however, they placed him in a litter and, because his own bearers had decamped, took turias at carrying him to Generat Headquarters. Claudius looked the picture of terror and despair: in his passage through the streets cveryone cast him pitying glances as is he were an innocent man being hurri ed to execution. Once fas ely in the Guards' Camp. Claudius spent the night among the sentries,
confident now that no immediate danger threatened, but Deling linteliope for the future since the Consuls, with the approvat of the Senate and the aid of City militiamen, had seiged the Forum and Capitol, and were determined on restoring the Republic. When the tribunes of the peopte summoned him to visit the Houseand there clarisy the siluation, Claudius replied that he was beings orcibly detained and could not come. The Senate, however, were far from unanimous on questions os practical poticy: tiresome recriminations prolonged the debate and prevented the passing of any decree. Meanwhile, crowds surro ded the bullding and demandeda monarchy, eXpressty calling for Claudius: so he allowed the Guardsto acclaim him Emperor and to swear allegi ance. He also promised every man 15O gold pieces, whicli made him the first of the Caesarsto purchase the loyalty of this troops. II. No sooner had Claudius's power been established than he gave priori to the task of obliterating ali records of those two Jays whenthere had been tal of a new Constitution. He ordered a generalamnesty, and observed ii himself, apari frona executig a few of the coloneis and junior ossicers who had conspired against Caligula - tomiae an example of them and because they had, he knew, planned his own murder as weli. Nexi, to fhow his family devotion, he alwaysused 'By Augustusi' as the most sacred and frequent of his Oaths: made the Senate decree his grandinother Livia divine honours, as wellas an elephan dram carriage for her image, to match Augustus's, during ritual processions around the Circus: and instituted annuat
Circus Games on his father's birthday, during whicli the image of his
mollier - now posthumousty given the titie of 'Augusta', which she had refused while alive - was paraded in a carri age, and public sacrifces were offered to both his parenis. He also never missed a chance
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of keeping green the fame of his brother Germanicus: he entered a Greeli comedy written by him for a theatrices contest at Naples, and had the satisfaction of anno cing that the judges awarded it firstprige. Nor did he fati to honour Mark Antony: in one proclamationhe begged the peopte 'to celebrate my father Drusus's birthday si themore heartily because it happens likewise to have been that of my
but neglected by Caligula: and while annulling ali Caligula's edicis, would not allow the day of his assassination to be proclai med a public festivat, although it marked the begi ing of his own reign.
Ia. Claudius did not presume to accepi excessive honorifcs, evenresusing that of The Emperor Claudius': and let the betrothal of thisdaughter, and the birthday of this grandson, be privately celebrated.
He recalled no exile from banishment without Senatorial permission, and when wishing to bring the Guards' Commander and some coloneis lato the House, or to have the judiciat decisions of this provinciat agenis rataeed, would ash the Senate for these privileges as afavour; and actualla approached the Consuls for leave to hold fairson lais private estates. Osten he sat on the Ad visory Coincit during i trials in magistrates' couris; and at public games would rise with the
for not offering them seats - only lack of room on the platforni, hesaid, condemned them to stand. This sori of bellaviour endeared hi in to the people so soon that when a rumour went around of his haring been ambushed and assassinated on the Ostia road, everyone Wasaghasi and began accusing the troops of treachery and the Senators of murder. The magistrates h ad to bring two or three witnesses forwardon the Rostra, followed by severat more, to assure the City that he was safe and on the way home. 13. Nevertheless, Various attempts were made on lais life: by dissident individuals, by a group of conspirators, and by a full-scale
rebellion. To be precise: a commoner with a dagger mas arrestedabovi midnight near Claudius's bedroom. Two knights were found wast g to kill him - one with a sword-cane, as he lest the Theatre; the other with a hunting-knise, as he sacrificed in the Temple of Mars. Then Asinius Gallus and Statilius Corvinus, grandsons respectively of the orators Pollio and Messala, brought some of Claudius's own