A few reasons to adore "I, Claudius"

Rarely have I been this constant in my love for a book. Rarely. "I,Claudius" had such an impact on me that I cannot begin to write it here for I shall embarrass myself in my attempts. Instead, let me write here of some of the wisdom that lies within.

"I, Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, this-that-and-the-other 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 ..."
~the famous first line.

"I had perhaps traveled farther, hobbling on my lame leg, than most men would have traveled on a sound pair, because only too conscious of my disability I allowed no halts or slackening of pace."

"You eat too much and drink too much. You must stop that. Make a rule to rise from the table without an unsatisfied longing for just one little thing more." ~ Xenephon, a Cos physician of Emperor Claudius

"And my advice to you, my friend Silas, is never to remind people of services that you have done them in the times past. If they are grateful and honourable men they will not need any reminder, and if they are ungrateful and dishonourable, the reminder will be wasted on them"
~ Herod Agrippa in "Claudius, the God"

"Things must be far worse before they can be better" ~ Pollio, the last of the Romans

"Pollio said (to young Claudius): "What's that you're reading, boy? Trash, I'll be bound, by the shamefaced way you hide it. Young fellows nowadays read only trash."
He turned to Livy: "I'll bet you ten gold pieces that it's some wretched 'Art of Love' or Arcadian pastoral nonsense, or something of that sort."
"I'll take the bet" said Livy. "Young Claudius is not that sort of young man at all. Well, Claudius, which of us wins?"
I said stammering to Pollio: "I'm glad to say sir, that you lose."
Pollio frowned angrily at me: "What's that you say? Glad that I lose, eh? Is that a proper way to speak to an old man like me, and a senator too?
I said:"I said it in all respect, sir. I am glad that you lose. I should not like to hear this book called trash. It's your own history of the Civil Wars and, if I may venture to praise it, a very fine book indeed." "

"Phaemon's dog was right." ~ Vitellius's last words referring to Phaemon the philosopher's dog.

"I meant, of course, that the fellow was concealing his immunity from what every honest man considered a very thankless and disagreeable duty and he threfore was almost certain to have crooked intention." ~ on the infamous remark"He want to be a jury man. Strike him off."