Suetonius And The ‘Mad' Emperors
Suetonius and the ‘Mad' Emperors
It is easy for most people to remember the terrible things a person has done than it is to remember the good; Suetonius plays on this flaw of human nature brilliantly. His take on the lives of Nero and Caligula are accurate sometimes, but for the most part he just published rumors and boldly criticized emperors without fear. Taking Suetonius too seriously now would be like people two thousand years from now taking the tabloids seriously. Yes, it is possible Barbra Bush gave birth to a mutant child, but it is entirely unlikely. The same goes for Nero and Caligula.
Like other emperors before him, Caligula was brutally murdered at the hands of the senate. Suetonius even goes so far as to say, "Some even applied the sword to his private parts." (pg 166) And if one were to take Suetonius seriously, they would think he deserved such treatment. Some things that were said were probably true, like manipulating the birth of his daughter as a way to get......
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