Long ago Quote by Robert Graves
““I, Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus This-that-and-the-other (for I shall not trouble you yet with all my titles) who was once, and not so long ago either, known to my friends and relatives and associates as "Claudius the Idiot", or "That Claudius", or "Claudius the Stammerer", or "Clau-Clau-Claudius" or at best as "Poor Uncle Claudius", am now about to write this strange history of my life; starting from my earliest childhood and continuing year by year until I reach the fateful point of change where, some eight years ago, at the age of fifty-one, I suddenly found myself caught in what I may call the "golden predicament" from which I have never since become disentangled.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: I, Claudius by Robert Graves, 1934
The narrator introduces himself with a parade of self‑deprecating nicknames, setting a tone of irony and self‑awareness about his chaotic life.
In simple terms: A self‑mocking introduction that hints at a convoluted personal history.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility and humor in storytelling.
Themes
identity
humor
history
Mood
wry
reflective
Type
literary
historical
When to use this quote
- biography
- historical fiction
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
self‑deprecation
personal narrative
Questions to Reflect On
- What does self‑mockery reveal about power?
- Can humor mask vulnerability?
A Different Perspective
The exaggerated titles may obscure serious themes.
![“After a war of about 40 years, undertaken by the most stupid [Claudius], maintained by the most dissolute [Nero], and terminated by the most timid [Domitian] of all the emperors, the far greater part of the island [of Britain] submitted to the Roman yoke.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/276/anonymous-1_ancient-history_after-a-war-of-about-40-years-undertaken_2170828.jpg)
![“As the Jews were making constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he [ Claudius ] expelled them [the Jews] from Rome” quote by Suetonius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/440/suetonius-25582_constant_as-the-jews-were-making-constant-disturb_2692935.jpg)
