Poison Is Queen story
Rome, AD 13–14. Germanicus has defeated the Germans and returns to Rome in triumph. Claudius tells him of Postumus' suspicions and Germanicus passes this information on to Augustus. On a trip to Corsica, Augustus stops to see Postumus and, now aware of Postumus' innocence, promises to pardon him. Augustus privately thanks Claudius for his role in opening his eyes, and informs him that he has already changed his will to favor Postumus. Livia, ever suspicious, tricks a Vestal Virgin into letting her inspect the revised will. Soon afterward Augustus falls ill. He recovers when he begins to eat only food that he has grown himself and picked by hand, but his recovery is short-lived, and after his death it becomes clear that Livia has poisoned Augustus' figs while they still ripen on the vine. A Praetorian officer, Sejanus, is dispatched to kill Postumus and Tiberius prepares to take over as Emperor, being left two-thirds of Augustus' property while Livia takes the remaining third.
27 total · 2 choice · 7 major · 18 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| courtly intrigues | choice | The plot turns on people of influence jockeying for power in the imperial court of Caesar Augustus. Notably, Livia plotted behind the scenes to clear a path for her son, Tiberius, to become heir to the imperial throne. Livia forged a new will for Augustus and poisoned him, and Tiberius ascended as emperor. |
| life in Ancient Rome | choice | The drama is mainly set in 13-14 AD within the imperial court of Caesar Augustus in Rome. |
| appearances can be deceiving | major | Augustus noticed that Claudius was not such a fool after all. Livia thought aloud that she might have been wrong all along as to Claudius being a fool. |
| husband and wife | major | Augustus and Livia quarreled. Claudius discussed his unpleasant marriage to his very tall wife. |
| poison murder | major | Livia poisoned her husband, Augustus, by smearing poison on his figs while they were still hanging from a tree in the courtyard. Claudius pieced together Livia's plot to poison or otherwise dispatch of her various rivals. |
| regicide | major | Livia poisoned her husband, Augustus, by smearing poison on his figs while they were still hanging from a tree in the courtyard. |
| remorse | major | Augustus was deeply remorseful when he realized the extent to which he was deceived and manipulated by Livia. He tried to make amends by, for example, recalling Postumus. Livia, however, managed to poison Augustus before he could put his plans into motion. |
| seeing the error of one's ways | major | Augustus was deeply remorseful when he realized the extent to which he was deceived and manipulated by Livia. He tried to make amends by, for example, recalling Postumus. Livia, however, managed to poison Augustus before he could put his plans into motion. |
| spouse murder | major | Livia poisoned her husband, Augustus, by smearing poison on his figs while they were still hanging from a tree in the courtyard. |
| brother and brother | minor | Claudius confided in his brother, Germanicus, that Livia had a history of poisoning the Tiberius' rivals. He urged Germanicus to tell Augustus of Livia's wicked ways. |