LIVES OF THE TWELVE CAESARS

While his histories are rich with the details of each Caesar's reign, what makes Suetonius's work particularly interesting are the subjective elements: his character portraits, lurid asides, and open evaluations of each Caesar as good, bad, or flat-out immoral. Derek Jacobi's narration fits this approach marvelously. His delivery is clear, even brisk, when reviewing the factual data, but he lingers over the more personal judgmental elements. Through Jacobi, Suetonius's outrage over what is done to his beloved Rome comes through as both heartfelt and personal. Jacobi brings this history to vivid, dramatic life. G.T.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 05/ JAN 06]