I, Claudius 40th Anniversary: Poison is Queen!

Escape for an Exile!

Episode 5: Poison is Queen!
Broadcast Date: UK: October 11, 1976 US: December 4, 1977
Studio BBC/London Film Productions Ltd.
Producer Martin Lisemore
Director Herbert Wise
Writer Jack Pulman (Based on the novel by Robert Graves)
Starring Derek Jacobi, Sian Phillips, Brian Blessed, George Baker, Kevin McNally, John Castle, Patricia Quinn, David Robb
Introducing Patrick Stewart as Sejanus.
Guest Starring Jonathan Burn as Fabius, Carol Gillies as Camilla.

It is now 14 AD. Claudius informs Germanicus of the depth of their grandmother's treachery. This leads to Augustus' realization of what kind of woman he's been married to for over forty years. The Emperor must set things right by making Postumus his heir. But Livia is a formidable opponent…

Death(s) in this episode: Augustus: poisoned. Fabius: stabbed. Postumus: stabbed.

Memorable quotes:
"Grandmother again? Between reading so many letters and arranging rapes, when does she ever sleep?" -Germanicus
"If you're in the mood to listen, I'll tell you what Postumus thinks about her, and what he thinks will stand up the hairs of your head! He believes that she has systematically destroyed his mother, his brothers, and his father Agrippa! He believes that she poisoned Julia's first husband Marcellus and may have had a hand in our father's death after he saw what she was doing! He believes she poisoned our grandfather. He believes she'll stop at nothing to ensure Tiberius follows Augustus. He believes she's mad!…and I said all that wi-wi-without stuttering. Well, nearly." -Claudius

"He's a bit of a fool." -Augustus
"Aren't we all?" -Postumus

"Is it true that you have written a book about religious changes during the reign of Augustus?"-Livia
"Y-yes, Grandmother."-Claudius
"And you intend to give a public reading of it?" -Livia
"Y-yes, Grandmother" -Claudius
"You will do no such thing." -Livia
"No-no, Grandmother. W-wasn't my idea. G-Germanicus suggested it before he left." -Claudius
"I won't have you making a laughing stock of my family." -Livia
"I'm B-B-Better when I'm rehearsed."-Claudius
"So is a trained monkey, but he still looks and sounds every inch a monkey." -Livia
"Y-yes, Grandmother." -Claudius
"If that head of yours doesn't stop twitching, I'll have it off and stuck on a pole. That'll fix it!"-Livia
"Th-thanks, Grandmother." -Claudius

"I must have been nodding when I gave birth to you."-Livia
"I sometimes wonder, mother, if you did anything as natural as giving birth." -Tiberius

"He's dead. Augustus is dead."-Livia
"The earth will shake." –Tiberius
"I must go and see the Senators and the Consuls from Rome. Stay with him until I return... By the way: don't touch the figs." -Livia

"You wicked woman! Wicked! What's this? Augustus' will! You stole it! His la-last will! Poison is Queen! Poison is Queen! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"-Claudius

Trivia
-Claudius' son by Urgulanilla was named Drusillus.
-The episode’s title comes from the novel. Claudius tells of how he came upon an ancient chest from Northern Syria. Inside the chest was a portrait with the title Poison is Queen. The portrait, created centuries before Rome, bears the uncanny resemblance of Livia. Also in the novel, Claudius cries out that title when informed of Augustus’ death.
-During the filming of Augustus’ death scene, the lights suddenly went out, frightening Brain Blessed (thinking it was the curse said to plague any adaptation of the novel) and causing a retake.
-According to the novel, Augustus managed to secretly spirit Postumus out of the island, where he traveled incognito. However, a chance meeting with Claudius inadvertently leads to Tiberius and Livia learning about it. Postumus is captured and executed.