Chapter 24 Summary

The principle events of this chapter occur between 25 AD and 26 AD. Tiberius and Livia continue to grow apart until their split is total and publicly acknowledged. Tiberius spurns Livia in the senate and Livia responds by holding a public reading for all of the senator's wives and mistresses. At the reading, she flips through several massive tomes of bound letters from Augustus. Picking carefully screened letters seemingly at random, Livia reads Augustus' damning condemnation and fault-finding of Tiberius and his questionable character. After Tiberius learns of Livia's performance, he leaves Rome in disgrace and stays out of the public eye for many months. Livia then invites Claudius to dinner, an unprecedented invitation. Claudius worries that he may quickly become dead but nonetheless accepts the invitation because he has no viable alternative.

Meanwhile, Agrippina falls sick, the victim of apparent poisoning. Sejanus continues to...