In this volume O. provides an invigorating translation of Suetonius’ biographies concerning four Roman emperors: Julius Caesar, Tiberius, Caligula and Nero. It seems that his intention is to show that these ancient anti-role models were destroyed by the fatal repercussions of power.
The book includes a short introductory note on each emperor and the original text, as well as the translation of various selections accompanied by notes. O.'s introduction emphasises that unrestrained potestas may seem fascinating, but eventually ends up being self-destructive.
Chapter 1 focuses on Julius Caesar. O. describes Caesar as an arrogant man who tried to excel in every aspect of his life, but, unfortunately, his self-confidence led him to ignore many signs full of ominous portent, and, consequently, he fell into the trap of his assassins.
In Chapter 2, on Tiberius, the reader discovers all the vices of this dark emperor, from drinking and sexual perversion on the island of Capri, to neglecting his political responsibilities in Rome. Chapter 3 is about Caligula – the most notorious of Suetonius’ 12 Caesars, who was famous only for his cruelty, without showing signs of any major accomplishment during his reign. However, I believe that O. could have included paragraphs 59 and 60, where Suetonius describes the public animosity towards Caligula and the sentiment of relief after being informed that he had been assassinated.
Chapter 4 focuses on Nero, one of the youngest Roman emperors, who did not hesitate to set a fire in order to burn the entirety of Rome. O. translates sections from Suetonius’ text that reveal his passion for horse racing, arts and athletic activities, in combination with his fatal errors that resulted in his death.
These chapters are followed by a section of explanatory notes that cover all the sections translated. These notes are very helpful, as they inform the reader about people or historical facts that Suetonius does not elaborate on in his biographies.
This volume is an excellent piece of scholarship. It is structured effectively and coherently. Moreover, the translation is attractive – accurate, clear, readable, close to the original text and will be a useful tool not only for scholars of Classics or ancient history, but also for anyone interested in Roman civilisation. Most importantly, the volume is accessible to readers without knowledge of Latin. The chapters are nicely laid out in easily manageable thematic sections, while the explanatory notes aim at helping the reader discover more about the characters that are presented by Suetonius. It is an innovative attempt that encourages new and intriguing approaches for studying Roman biography, a literary genre that is marginalised by contemporary research on Classics.
