Section III, ch. 6-8 Summary

Claudius takes the throne because Caligula left a mess of Rome and there is no one else to clean it up; he rules as the lesser of evils. He accepts the title of Caesar but not emperor because that is a title won in battle. Claudius gives himself the right to veto Senate who offers many signs of respect as an apology. Three statues of Claudius are made, and Claudius removes the statues of Caligula at Herod Agrippa's advice. When a coin is minted with Claudius' profile, he is disappointed in his ugliness, but Messalina assures him that it is accurate and she still loves him. Claudius burns Caligula's books and kills Protogenes. Claudius admits to Messalina that his Republic ideologies are becoming blunted. He appoints his ministers of state with Messalina's help, keeping some of Caligula's...