Teaching Ancient Biography
by Dr. Margaret Cotter-Lynch, Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Original text © 2005. Margaret Cotter-Lynch.
Suetonius: Gaius (Caligula)
Bust of Caligula
From Livius.org
What is your opinion of Caligula?
What in Suetonius’ text leads you to this opinion?
In-class writing assignment, 5-10 minutes: Is it possible to be both a good leader and a bad person? Explain your opinion with reference to Suetonius (Julius Caesar and/or Gaius).
Who thinks Caligula was crazy?
Who remembers anything about Caligula unrelated to his craziness? (Except for his being crazy, what can you tell me about Caligula?)
Suetonius writes by categories: origins, career, personal attributes. Only part 3 of this is about Caligula being crazy. Caligula does not look crazy in parts 1 and 2; he doesn’t even look crazy in all of part 3. What do we learn about Caligula, and how do we learn it?
Today we’ll walk through Suetonius’ text, according to his outline, to see how and why we decide that Caligula is crazy, if Suetonius is supposed to be objective and not pass judgement.
I. Background
a. Family origins: Germanicus, Caligula’s dad, p. 150-153, seems great
i. Militarily successful (earns the jealousy of Tiberius)
ii. "Outstanding physical and moral excellence" (p. 151)
b. Birth: disputed. On pages 153-154, Suetonius gives us all the available sources, and judges them on clear criteria and an “objective” basis: he points out discrepancies, and shows how the pieces fit together best. Here, he evaluates his sources, but in a very clear, factually-based manner. He also includes the sources which he thinks are mistaken, in case we want to come to a different conclusion.
c. Childhood: overall this seems unexceptional, although on p. 155 we do get our first hint that something may be wrong: “his natural brutality and viciousness,” in a paragraph discussing Caligula’s less-than-upstanding pastimes as an adolescent. But this is only one paragraph, and then we’re back to business as usual.
II. Career
a. Entry into public life
i. For Caligula, this is the same as his accession to the principate
ii. Caligula is unusual in that he becomes emperor at 25, while the cursus honorum customarily starts at 30.
iii. as of p. 156, everything seems to be going well
b. aspects of government, p. 156-161
i. Caligula is popular with the populace
ii. He honors his family
iii. He pardons prisoners and exiles, thus separating himself from Tiberius (who was clearly crazy)
iv. He stages public games and festivals
v. He undertakes public works
c. Up until now, everything seems to be going as you would expect for a Life of a Caesar by Suetonius.
III. Personal attributes: Here’s where it all goes to hell in a handbasket!
a. p. 161, Suetonius says, “So much for the Emperor; the rest of this history must deal with the Monster.” The topic changes, and so does the style and tone of Suetonius’ text. But perhaps not to the degree, or in the way, that you think.
b. Public and private behavior: p. 161-176. Once Suetonius calls Caligula a “monster,” he does not pass any more judgements, or attach a value (negative or positive) to any of Caligula’s actions. He just reports behavior, without explaining or condemning.
i. We find the behavior appalling
ii. Suetonius presumably finds the behavior appalling
iii. Suetonius merely tells us what Caligula did. He does not tell us what to think of it, although he assumes we’ll find it horrifying.
c. Suetonius’ style: show don’t tell
i. Contrast this with Plutarch: where Plutarch is argumentative, Suetonius is descriptive
ii. In some situations (including this one), description can be the most powerful argument
1. The evidence is overwhelming
2. The judgement is (nearly) universal on things like cruelty, incest, and bloodlust
3. Suetonius is giving us the evidence, and letting us decide: but he’s pretty sure he knows what we will decide.
Suetonius makes an argument through seemingly objective description. He keeps to his topical structure, but he does NOT dedicate the same amount of attention to all topics:
|
|
Pages 156-161
|
Pages 161-177 |
Pages 177-182 |
| Origins |
Career |
Behavior |
Appearance and Character |
| . |
. |
Longest Part - this is what we remember |
Studied Rhetoric
Enjoyed the Arts
Dressed Funny
Extreme Loyalty |
Just because Suetonius restrains his opinion, tells all sides, and reveals his sources, don’t think he doesn’t manipulate the reader!
Assignment: for next time, there is no reading assignment. In class, we will watch part 9 of “I, Claudius.” For next week, read Suetonius, “Nero.” What assumptions does Suetonius make of his readers? Are they valid?
