“I Claudius”

Press, 7 November 1978, Page 18

“I Claudius”

Sir, — Please convey my gratitude to Hazel Kenny for her article (November 4) which expressed so well the revulsion, anger and concern I felt after viewing the latest television episode of “I Claudius” on November 2. No pleas of good acting, expensive and attractive mounting, ar even of historical accuracy, can excuse the tastelersness and crass effrontery of the way in which the events in this episode were presented. — Yours, etc., RUTH A. BURNS. November 4, 1978. Sir, — I, too, watched last week’s episode of the above film, but remembering some of the facts from the reading of history was not particularly alarmed except for the thought that such Roman happenings should be a warning to our present decadent society both from a religious viewpoint and to those who may condone the way-out sex behaviour of the so-called broad-minded members of our society. — Yours, etc., M. HART. November 4, 1978. Sir, — Hazel Kenny’s views (“The Press,” November 4) give warning to all television viewers who deplore violence on the screen.

Thomas Carlyle once remarked on “that great dustheap called history.” I can see, hear and read • that "man’s inhumanity to man” has improved. At least Hitler’s victims were gassed, not fed ter the Roman lions. The decadent behaviour of those Roman Caesars, depicted in that splendid book by Robert Graves, “I Claudius” pales into insignificance, beside the atrocities of those war years. “Assassination has never changed the history of the world,” said Disraeli in 1865. One instance belies this. The Roman execution by crucifixion of one figure has changed man’s behaviour, slowly but surely. All is not lost. Venerating the course of history, I await each Thursday’s viewing of “I Claudius.” Haze! Kenny can turn off her TV, but not mine. — Yours, etc., J. SOUTHERN. November 5, 1978,