I, Claudius, Graves - B +

                                               The sub title of this remarkable eighty -year -old novel is 'From The Autobiography Of Tiberius Claudius Born 10 BC Murdered And Deified AD 54'.  This classic is best-known today as the source of a famous BBC production starring Derek Jacobi as Claudius. It appeared on Masterpiece in America.  Claudius starts his tale well before his birth and recites the inside story of the reign of Caesar Augustus, husband of his grandmother, Livia. I'm certain that in the annals of literature there have been persons more evil than Livia. However, none come immediately to mind. She poisons, she destroys  families and marriages, she manipulates the Emperor and when her grandson  arrives on the scene, she mistreats him as well. On and on throughout the reign of Augustus, she plays with all causing the banishment of the worthy and the promotion of the evil. Although she despises Claudius, he manages to stay in the royal family's good graces by hiding his intelligence and emphasizing his physical disabilities and stammer. Upon the death of Augustus, Claudius' uncle, Tiberius succeeded to all of Augustus'  powers.  Tiberius combined personal debauchery with a governing style that allowed his mother Livia to continue to run the affairs of state.  Late in Tiberius' reign, Livia invited Claudius to dinner and told him that the young and evil Caligula would succeed because Tiberius suffered from the same weakness Augustus had - he wanted to be succeeded by someone so lacking in skill, that everyone would remember his greatness. Caligula's succession  was generally praised and there was hope that the tyranny of Tiberius would be replaced by a return to good government. and for a few months all was well. Then Caligula advised Claudius that that he, Caligula, was now a god, and Claudius hoped for a restoration of the Republic, as everyone would realize Caligula was mad. Unfortunately, in the topsy turvy world of Rome, Caligula's delusion was accepted and he pushed the outer limits on debauchery and treachery to the point that his name became synonymous with extreme evil. He murdered at will, stole wives and banished children, he bankrupted the state and stole from his subjects.  Finally and thankfully, the guards assassinated him and declared Claudius Emperor.