Plot Concept

Julius Claudius Drusus Nero Antonius is a philosopher, who has been given the title “Observer of Souls” by the Greeks for his ability to read into the souls of men. In modern terms he’s something of a prototype forensic psychologist. A scant six months ago he arrived back in Rome at the request of his uncle, the new emperor Claudius. Despite his abilities, he’s a conceited dandy, a womanizer and a rich idler, more concerned with his appearance than with duty to his family. This has the effect of enraging the emperor, his uncle and paterfamilias, who is responsible for him. Despite Julius Claudius’ flaws, he has proven his astuteness in catching the murderer of a pornographer. But now a much more complicated case awaits him.

While walking in the forum he discovers the severed head of Annius Vinicianus on the shoulders of the statue of Jupiter. He is given the task of finding the murderer by his uncle. During his investigation he uncovers a plot that threatens the stability of the empire, for Annius Vinicianus was involved in a conspiracy to murder the current emperor and return Rome to the hands of the senate, thereby restoring the republic.

There are three key connections that lead Julius Claudius to this discovery, and ultimately to the discovery of the killer. The first is the “Oil Connection”. Vinicianus was an oil mogul, a veritable and quintessential “barbarian at the gates” of the oil business who generated quite a few enemies in his quest to amass a fortune through his oil importation business. The second is the “Love Connection”, a suitor’s contest for the ample charms of Annius Vinicianus’ beautiful daughter, Gala Pulchra. One of the suitors is the son of a powerful senator, Scribonius, who is a co-conspirator in the plot to assassinate Claudius. This leads to the third “Caligula Connection”. Caligula was the previous emperor, a cruel madman who was assassinated by a band of conspirators which included Annius Vinicianus and Arruntius Scribonius. Though many of the active participants in the assassination are put to death by Claudius, three key masterminds of the plot, Vinicianus, Scribonius and Callistus are pardoned.

This third and most important connection leads Julius Claudius to the killer, Gaius Alexander. Gaius was a slave of Caligula, manumitted (given his freedom) upon the death of his master. His emotional dependence on the Caligula leads him into insanity. His nature is gentle to a fault, but the frustration of watching his ex master’s pardoned murderers walking free through the streets causes his mind to snap. He “becomes” the shade of Caligula and exacts his revenge on the conspirators.

Julius Claudius is led to his discovery through the special knife that was used in the murder of Vinicianus and later Callistus, and through observation of the characters of the suspects.

Key Scene Synopses

Opener

Julius Claudius Drusus Antonius is expecting his dear friend, Valeria the vestal virgin, for supper. Though the cook, Inutilis, has been given specific instructions on the preparations, he screws it up. Julius Claudius and his trusted slave, Agrippa, go to the forum markets to purchase replacement ingredients for the supper. While they are there, Julius Claudius notices everyone running up the Capitoline hill toward the temple of Jupiter. In the distance he can hear shouts and screams. When he goes to investigate, he finds the sacred statue of Jupiter desecrated: the statue's head has been knocked off and a human head has been put in its place. The head belongs to Annius Vinicianus, a senator and oil importer.

Plot Point One

After an investigation at the house of Annius Vinicianus, where he meets Gala Pulchra, Vinicianus' beautiful daughter, Julius Claudius goes to the banks of the Tiber. There he meets Callistus, the scapegoat. After a search of the area, Julius Claudius finds the headless corpse of Annius Vinicianus.

Midpoint

Julius Claudius follows investigations and interrogations centered around the oil connection. The subplot of Julius Claudius' wooing the daughter of the victim, Gala Pulchra, leads him to the "love connection". He follows the clues until he discovers that the father of her main suitor, Arruntius Scribonius, is involved in a plot to assassinate the emperor and that the victim, Annius Vinicianus, was also part of the plot.

Plot Point Two

Callistus the scapegoat looks better and better as the killer. He has an extensive collection of knives and he connects to the victim on all three counts. He had an argument about olive oil shipments with Vinicianus the morning of the day he died, tying him in with the oil connection; he was hopelessly in love with the much younger Gala Pulchra, involving him with the love connection; and he was a secret member of the conspiracy against the dead emperor Caligula. Trouble is, his head winds up on a statue in the forum, too, eliminating him definitively from Julius Claudius' suspect list. At the same time, Agrippa, Julius' slave, is attacked and mortally wounded because he finds out crucial information from Callistus that would lead Julius Claudius to the killer.

Climax

Julius Claudius follows the lead of the plot against his uncle Claudius, the emperor, and discovers that the victims had worked together in the past. They were key conspirators in Caligula's assassination and were pardoned by Claudius. He is led back to Gaius Alexander. He had interviewed him during the oil connection and now questions him on details of Caligula's murder since he was the dead emperor's slave and close friend. Julius Claudius discovers that Gaius believes himself to be the shade of Caligula. He confronts him and a deadly knife fight ensues. Here Julius Claudius shows that all those Greek dancing classes he took to impress the ladies has paid off with agility, and he defeats and kills Gaius Alexander.

Wrap up

Agrippa will live, Julius is safe, Claudius is safe, the empire is no longer under a threat. Claudius gives Julius Claudius something he has always wanted: a statue of him in the forum with his name and the Greek words OBISPOS TES PSIQUES, observer of souls, chiseled on the plinth. Oh, and in the end, Julius Claudius wins the contest for Gala Pulchra charms.