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Plot Summary
Previously on I, Claudius Live
Episode
4: “What Shall We Do About Claudius??”
This episode takes place between 4 AD and 10 AD. It opens with family dinner,
attended by Caesar (Walter Brandes), Livia (Bianca Leigh), Tiberius (Erik Sherr), and Claudius' family: his mother Antonia
(Tonia Anderson), brother Germanicus (Paul Siemens) sister Livilla (Jen Doerr), and his Jewish friend Herod (Jason Jacobs). The "entertainment" for the evening is poet Horace (Ian W. Hill) who puts everyone,
except Claudius and Caesar, to sleep. Claudius (Peter Brown) is obviously an
embarrassment to everyone as he stammers and twitches. Livia asks Caesar what
to do with him at the upcoming games in honor of his deceased father, Drusus.
A courier arrives from Germany announcing that after a surprise attack by insurgents,
the army has been slaughtered, nearly to the last man. The Roman provinces in Gaul lay open to plunder by the Germans. Tiberius is dispatched with the few available units. Germanicus will follow with
more troops as they are conscripted. Meanwhile, Caesar is grooming his last direct
heir, grandson Postumus Agrippa (Julio Gambuto) to succeed him, much to Livia’s dismay.
Livia's spies have discovered a secret affair between Postumus and her granddaughter,
Livilla. Livia confronts Livilla and blackmails her into participating in a plot against Postumus. Livilla entices Postumus
to her room. They begin to make love, but Livilla suddenly screams “rape.” Augustus, Livia, and the palace guard
rush in. Postumus protests his innocence and confronts Augustus about Livia’s murders and manipulations. Despite Postumus'
accusations, Augustus believes Livilla and banishes him to "a small rock" in the Mediterranean. Before he can be shipped off, however, he slips the guard and tells Claudius everything. He advises Claudius to exaggerate his disabilities and go on “playing the idiot”
to ensure his own survival.
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| Julio Gambuto and Jenn Doerr |
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| Erik Sherr and Paul Siemens |
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| Walter Brandes and Julio Gambuto |
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| Tonia Anderson and Jason Jacobs |
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