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'Because of his baldness and hairiness, he announced it was a capital offence for anyone either to look down on him as he passed or to mention goats in any context.' The biography of the brutal, crazed and incestuous Roman Emperor Caligula, who tried to appoint his own horse consul. Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions. Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (c.70-130 CE). Suetonius's The Twelve Caesars is also available in Penguin Classics.
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2 primary books#4 in The Lives of the Twelve Caesars
The Lives of the Twelve Caesars is a 2-book series with 2 released primary works first released in 121 with contributions by Suetonius.
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just a bunch of people mistreating women and killing everybody they see in sight
I do know many forms of torture now because of this book so my knowledge has expanded and I will be a tiny tiny tiny bit harder to beat in trivial pursuit.
would be a 1 star but the writing was splendid
An excerpt, or collection of excerpts (I couldn't tell if they were consecutive or not) from Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars or The Twelve Caesars.
On the whole I was a bit disappointed with this. I am sure that when I was at school we read about the debauchery of Caligula in Classics class, and it was all booze and orgies, murders and incest. I was looking forward to a highlights package condensed into 60 pages.
What was delivered was more of a potted history - his family background, yes - a whole lot of murders, a bit of sister-shagging (only the youngest one), and some more murders, but it wasn't particularly engaging. I think they really missed a trick, and could have done a lot better with selecting the excerpts, and/or some heavy editing.
Still 3 stars of five, but could have been so much more.
The best part was quoted on the title page: Because of his baldness and hairiness, he announced that it was a capital offence for anyone either to look down on him as he passed or to mention goats in any context. ... Goats?
EN: I found it interesting that the people around Gaius Caligula tolerated him for so long, despite the horrific deeds presented! In short, Caligula is a leader almost verging on schizophrenia with a desire to see every person he meets dead. The way Suetonius writes reminds me of other ancient historical texts, however, the style may not be the easiest to understand for a new reader.
Rating: 3/5
RO: Mi s-a părut interesant faptul că oamenii din jurul lui Gaius Caligula l-au suportat pentru atât de mult timp, chiar și în lumina acțiunilor sale oribile! Pe scurt, Caligula este un conducător aproape dus spre schizofrenie, cu o dorință de a vedea moartea oricărei persoane pe care o întâlnește. Stilul în care Suetonius scrie aduce aminte de alte texte istorice antice, însă poate fi dificil de înțeles pentru un cititor nou.
Rating: 3/5
