Edmond Dantès
Dantès the White
The acclaimed blackly comic historical drama series returns to terrestrial TV. Set amidst a web of power, corruption and lies, it chronicles the reigns of the Roman emperors - Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and finally Claudius.
Based on
Synopsis
Episode guideI, Claudius is a 1976 BBC Television adaptation of Robert Graves's I, Claudius and Claudius the God. Written by Jack Pulman, it proved one of the corporation's most successful drama serials of all time.
It starred Derek Jacobi as Claudius, with Siân Phillips, Brian Blessed, George Baker, John Hurt and Patrick Stewart.
I, Claudius follows the history of Rome, narrated by the elderly Claudius, from the death of Marcellus, nephew and son-in-law of Augustus, in the first episode to Claudius' own death in the last. The series opens with Augustus, the emperor of Rome, attempting to find an heir, and his wife, Livia, plotting to elevate her own son Tiberius to this position.
The plotting and double-crossing continue for many decades, through the conspiracy of Sejanus and the rule of the lunatic emperor Caligula, culminating in the seemingly accidental rise to power by Claudius.
1. A Touch of Murder
Rome, 2423 BC. Emperor Augustus begins to favour his nephew Marcellus over his friend Agrippa, who leaves Rome in protest. Livia wants her son Tiberius to become Augustus' heir, so she secretly poisons Marcellus, who eventually dies. Augustus has Agrippa return to Rome, and to seal their renewed friendship, he gives his daughter Julia, Marcellus' widow, to Agrippa to be his wife, infuriating Livia, who wanted Julia to marry Tiberius.
2. Family Affairs
Rome, 9 BC. Nine years have passed. Agrippa is dead and Tiberius has been forced to marry Julia, divorcing Vispania Agrippina, which has upset him. He meets Vispania secretly and strikes Julia, which angers Augustus. Augustus knows he was meeting Vispania but Livia says it wasn't in secret and she knew about it. Tiberius' brother Drusus, a general on campaign who favors a return to the Republic, smashes his leg by falling off a horse. His condition worsens under the oversight of Livia's personal physician and he dies in the presence of his wife, Antonia, and their recently born son Claudius. Augustus looks forward to sharing his power with his grandsons Lucius and Gaius when they come of age.
3. Waiting in the Wings
Rome, AD 35. Gaius has died and Tiberius has been banished to Rhodes for his mistreatment of Julia. One day in the garden, the young Claudius catches a wolf cub dropped from an eagle's claws, leading a seer to predict that he will protect Rome in an hour of need. Livia tricks Lucius into revealing Julia's infidelities and a grief-stricken Augustus banishes her from Rome. The death of Lucius in a boating accident ends Tiberius' exile and he returns to Rome to be named, along with Postumus, as co-heir to Augustus' throne.
4. What Shall We Do About Claudius?
Rome, AD 9. Three Roman legions have been massacred in Germania at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. Tiberius and Germanicus are dispatched to exact revenge. While Claudius is in the library researching his family's history he is advised by Pollio, the historian, to play up his infirmities to enhance his place in his family as a harmless fool, and thus no threat to anyone. Augustus has determined that Postumus will succeed him as Emperor, but Livia overhears this. She tells Livilla she knows of her affair with Postumus and that during the Republic there was civil war and that a single ruler is needed to bring peace, so the succession can't be disputed. With Livilla's help, Postumus is framed for rape. Postumus tells Augustus Livia has been killing those who could prevent Tiberius succeeding but is not believed. Before he is banished, Postumus tells Claudius his (correct) suspicions of all the people whom Livia has killed and reiterates the advice that Claudius should continue to play the fool. The episode ends with his marriage to Plautia Urgulanilla, who is so much taller than Claudius that he becomes the butt of his family's uproarious, mocking laughter at their wedding.
5. Poison is Queen
Rome, AD 1314. Germanicus has defeated the Germans and returns to Rome in triumph. Claudius tells him of Postumus' suspicions and Germanicus passes this information on to Augustus. On a trip to Corsica, Augustus stops to see Postumus and, now aware of Postumus' innocence, promises to change his will in favor of Postumus. Livia learns of this from a Vestal Virgin and is able to convince her to let her see the will. Soon afterward Augustus falls ill. He recovers slightly when he begins to eat only food that he has grown himself and picked by hand, but his recovery is short-lived, the implication being that Livia poisons Augustus' figs while they still ripen on the vine. A Praetorian officer, Sejanus, is dispatched to kill Postumus and Tiberius prepares to take over as Emperor, being left two-thirds of Augustus' property while Livia takes the remaining third.
6. Some Justice
Rome, AD 1920. Tiberius, with Sejanus' help, is ruling with an iron hand. Only Germanicus is preventing total tyranny, but he dies in Syria under mysterious circumstances. His wife Agrippina accuses Piso and his wife Plancina of complicity in Germanicus' death, and they are tried in the Senate to avert any subversion of the courts. Martina, the poisoner, is hidden by Herod Agrippa, but she is found by Livia's agents. She reveals to Livia that Germanicus' own son, Caligula, aided her in bringing about his death by terrifying him into thinking he had been cursed. Threatened in court, Piso blackmails Livia and Tiberius with evidence that they approved of Germanicus' murder. Plancina nearly convinces Piso to commit suicide, saying Livia agreed their Family wouldn't be punished if this happened. When Piso has second thoughts, Plancina stabs him, bringing the trial to an end, and Agrippina and her friends have to be satisfied that at least "some justice" was done.
7. Queen of Heaven
Rome, AD 23/29. Tiberius now only lives for his perversions, in which Caligula is only too happy to join. Sejanus oversees continual treason trials of notable citizens, and sleeps with Livilla, who becomes so enamored of him that she poisons her husband Castor to be able to marry Sejanus. Sejanus forces Claudius to marry his adopted sister Aelia, after telling him his wife is pregnant by another meaning he should divorce her. Anticipating her coming death, Livia confesses to Claudius all of her misdeeds and her fear that they will keep her locked in hell for eternity. She also reveals to Claudius that an unpublished Sibylline prophecy claims that he will become Emperor and makes him promise to make her a goddess when he rules so she can escape torment.
8. Reign of Terror
Rome, AD 3031. Tiberius has retired to Capri. Sejanus has divorced his wife and approaches Tiberius about marrying Livilla. Tiberius refuses as the marriage would mean Sejanus would be elevated in rank but suggests that he could marry Livilla's daughter Helen. This infuriates Livilla, who poisons Helen. Sejanus sets his final plans for taking power in motion by conniving in the banishment of Agrippina and her son Nero and having her other son Drusus arrested. Antonia discovers letters between Sejanus and her daughter implicating them in several deaths and a plan to murder Tiberius. Claudius smuggles the evidence to Tiberius under his Mother's orders. At Caligula's suggestion, Tiberius orders Macro to murder Sejanus, his family, and his followers. Meanwhile Antonia locks Livilla in her room and says she will stay there till she dies.
9. Zeus, by Jove!
Rome, AD 3738. Tiberius dies (actually smothered to death by Macro with Caligula's connivance), leaving Caligula and Gemellus as his joint heirs. Claudius' life-long friend Herod has returned to Rome in time for Caligula's ascension. Caligula passes popular decrees and the Senate make him Consul, he chooses Claudius as the other Consul despite Claudius not wanting this. Caligula displays signs of mental instability, falls into a coma, but then recovers, at which point he declares that he has become Zeus. Claudius hopes this will cause Caligula to be deposed and the Republic will be restored, but the Senate accept Caligula's claims of divinity. A Senator who told Macro during Caligula's coma he would give his life if Caligula lived is told by Caligula to commit suicide, failing to do so he is killed. Caligula has Gemellus killed and declares his sister Drusilla his wife and fellow goddess Hera. Antonia commits suicide, disgusted with the depths of depravity that her family and Rome have sunk to. Fearing that his child will become greater than he, Caligula tries to recreate the birth of Athena: as Zeus reportedly did with Hera, Caligula cuts his unborn child from his sister's belly and eats it.
10. Hail Who?
Rome, AD 4041. Claudius is living with the ex-prostitute Calpurnia in meagre circumstances. Caligula has turned the palace into a brothel where he sells the wives of high-ranking Senate members to the highest bidder during sexual orgies and forces Claudius to take money at the door. He takes his legions on a campaign to Germany to put down an alleged rebellion and then to the English Channel where he attempts to do battle with Neptune, and brings back shells as booty. He tries to kill Senators for not holding triumphs for this, despite having told them not to, but Claudius and his wife Caesonia convince him not to. He also makes his horse Incitatus a senator, and forces Claudius to marry Messalina as a joke. Cassius Chaerea, a leading general whom the Emperor continually mocks, forms a plan with several others to assassinate Caligula. They strike during the games held to celebrate Augustus, killing Caligula after luring him away from his German Guards through a side exit, his wife Caesonia, and their infant daughter Julia Drusilla. While the Praetorian Guard are looting the palace, they come upon Claudius and decide to make him emperor, despite Claudius saying he wants a Republic.
11. Fool's Luck
Rome, AD 4143.The leaders of the guard and Herod convince Claudius that he should take up the Imperial crown. Claudius in turn convinces the Senate of the same. Cassius is condemned to death but the other conspirators against Caligula are set free. Livia is finally deified and made a goddess. After successfully bearing Claudius children, Messalina convinces him to share the burdens of power with her. As Herod will soon be leaving to take control of the lands in the East that Claudius has granted him, Messalina suggests that Appius Silanus, a Senator, be brought in to assist her husband. Later her mother Domitia and Silanus marry. Before Herod leaves he warns Claudius that, as Emperor, Claudius must trust no one, not his advisors, not his wife, not even Herod himself. Messalina attempts to seduce Silanus and tells him that Claudius approves. Silanus then attempts to kill Claudius in the hopes of ending the line of depraved rulers. Messalina, with her mother's help, convinces Claudius of her innocence and Silanus is put to death.
12. A God in Colchester
Rome, AD 4748. Claudius is leading his troops in an invasion of Britain. Messalina's sexual excesses lead her to challenge the well-known prostitute Scilla to a contest to see who can take the most men in an evening; she wins easily. Claudius returns in triumph, and learns that Herod has organized a rebellion in the eastern provinces against his rule. Herod believes that he is the "King of the Jews", but he dies before completing his plans. Messalina takes Gaius Silius as her lover, and they divorce their respective spouses and marry, thinking that Rome will rally around them and proclaim them rulers. Forced to act, Claudius' servants Pallas and Narcissus enlist Calpurnia to tell the Emperor the truth. In the end he believes them and the conspirators are arrested and killed. As Claudius is mourning the fact that all whom he cared for are gone, he learns that the Britons have dedicated a temple to him in Colchester making him a god.
Airing: Currently on BBC Four. Numerous video releases.13. Old King's Log
Rome, AD 54. Claudius' benevolent rule of Rome leads the populace to accepting an emperor, but Claudius feels that this was a mistake. He decides that Rome must come to hate its ruling family, overthrow it, and restore the Republic. To do this, he marries his niece Agrippinilla and adopts her son Nero, making him co-heir with his son Britannicus. Because of a prophecy, Claudius knows that Nero will become the next ruler of Rome, but he still tries to protect Britannicus by planning to send him to Britain so that he may take over later when Nero dies; unfortunately, Britannicus' sense of honor will not allow him to fall in with Claudius' plans and Claudius, knowing the ultimate future, must leave his son to his fate. Ready for his end, Claudius voluntarily eats a poisoned mushroom from his wife's fork and dies. Looking for Claudius' will, Agrippinilla and Nero come upon his autobiography and burn it. Lying on his bier, Claudius and the Sibyl, knowing that Britannicus, Agripinilla and Nero will ultimately die violently, have a good laugh over the fact that he buried another copy of his book to be found later. Claudius is told that though the Republic won't be restored Nero will be last of the Claudians and the Emperors that follow mostly won't be as bad.
It has aged somewhat, but it still retains its brilliance and a sophistication far beyond that portrayed in HBO's Rome. Siân Phillips is the stand-out performer throughout the series with her masterful depiction of Livia.
