SECTION A: Books written, co-written or translated by Robert Graves

A43 CLAUDIUS THE GOD 1934

a. First edition:

Collation: [A]8 B–2N8, 288 leaves.

p.[1] CLAUDIUS THE GOD | and his wife | MESSALINA; p.[2] By the same Author | I, CLAUDIUS; p.[3] title-page; p.[4] printer’s, publisher’s and edition notices; pp.5–6 AUTHOR’S NOTE; p.[7] CLAUDIUS THE GOD; p.[8] blank; pp.9–76 text [genealogical table of the Herods tipped to p.77]; pp.77–302 text; p.303 map; pp.304–553 text; pp.554–559 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH; pp.560–575 THE PUMPKINIFICATION OF CLAUDIUS; p.[576] blank; [genealogical table of the Roman Imperial Family tipped to p.[576].

Price: 10s. 6d. Number of copies unknown. Published 5 November 1934 in white dust-jacket printed in light and dark blue, pink and red-brown. The back panel of the dust-jacket has an advertisement for ‘I, Claudius’. Dust-jacket designed by John Aldridge.

Notes: Impressions: 2nd , November 1934; 3rd , December 1934; 4th , January 1935; 5th , December 1935; 6th , May 1936 (‘cheap’ edition, 3,000 copies).; 7th , November 1936 (‘cheap’ edition, 3,000 copies); 8th , February 1938 (‘cheap’ edition, 3,000 copies); 9th , 1939 [but published 1940?] (1st Methuen impression); 10th , 1941 (2nd Methuen impression).

There are two combined issues of A42 and A43. The first is bound in red morocco, top edges gilt, sheets of A42a and A43a, issued in December 1935 at 25s. the set. The volumes bound in red morocco were also available individually. The second is bound in three-quarter green leather, top edges gilt, sheets of A42c and the cheap issue of A43a, boxed, issued in November 1936 at 21s. the set. mottled pink and grey endpapers, inside which, front and back, is a heavy binder’s sheet of two leaves; spine stamped in gold: [heavy rule] | [light rule] | I, CLAUDIUS ROBERT GRAVES | [light rule] | [heavy rule] | and | [heavy rule] | [light rule] | CLAUDIUS | THE GOD | ROBERT GRAVES | [light rule] | [heavy rule]

Advertised in The Observer, 11 November 1934, p. 10, as avaiable in cloth at 10s 6d. and in full leather at 25s.

Ellsworth Mason reports a copy of the first impression with “COLONIAL EDITION” ink stamped in black on the front free endpaper, but how many of these copies were produced is not known. Another such copy seen ink stamped in green ink.

Bookseller James Pepper offered in 2016 a copy in dust-jacket with a white paper wrap-around band printed in blue reading ‘RECOMMENDED BY THE BOOK SOCIETY”.

In August 1939 the Barker rights were taken over by Methuen, who received 1,100 copies; of their impression in 1940 (3,000), 1,500 copies were destroyed by enemy action.

This book has been translated into Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Estonian, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portugese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish.

A43b. First American edition (1935):

General Comments

The first American edition of Claudius The God and the Book-of-the-Month Club (BOMC) issue were both issued in March 1935. The book described in H &W as the first American edition is actually the book club issue. The first American and the BOMC issue are similar in appearance and textually identical, as they were both printed from the same plates. The first American edition and the BOMC issue are indistinguishable except for differences in the bindings and dust-jackets. H &W provide no descriptive details which would allow one to distinguish the first American edition from the Book of-the-Month Club issue.

Collation: [1] –[7]16 [184 [19]16, 292 leaves.

p.[1] CLAUDIUS THE GOD; p.[2] By the same author | I, CLAUDIUS; p.[3] title-page; p.[4] copyright, publisher’s and printing notices; p.5–6 Author’s Note; p.[7] CLAUDIUS THE GOD | and his wife | Messalina; p.[8] blank; pp.9–559 text [genealogical table tipped in facing p.[64]; pp.560–565 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH; pp.566–583 THE PUMPKINIFICATION OF CLAUDIUS; p.[584] blank; [genealogical table, fold-out, tipped to rear endpaper].

21.3 × 14.3 cm. Bulk: 3.5/4.3 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. White wove endpapers. Bound in dark blue buckram; back blank; front stamped in blind with medallion; spine stamped in gold: CLAUDIUS | THE GOD | [double rule] | Graves | [publisher’s emblem]

Price: $3.00. Number of copies undetermined. Published 4 March 1935 in dust-jacket as A43a.

Note: The Book-of-the-Month Club (BOMC) issued this book as its selection for March 1935 and it seems likely that A43b and BOMC copies were printed and bound at or about the same time. Internally, the two are identical, differing only in the bindings and dust-jackets. The two books are much confused and debated among collectors and booksellers. The first and second editions of this bibliography have not helped matters as the binding described is that of BOMC copies, with the gold-stamped medallion on the front cover. The Smith and Haas first American edition is blind-stamped on the front cover. It is bound in sturdy slate blue buckram. Most BOMC copies seen were bound in very dark blue cloth and some in black cloth. It is a cheaper binding, although the gold-stamped medallion on the front might suggest otherwise.

The dust-jacket of the first American edition has three paragraphs of text on the front flap. The first begins: “A continuation of Mr. Graves’s I, Claudius . . .” The text on the back flap begins “suddenly and spectacularly . . .”

The price ($3.00) is printed as the last line on the front flap.

The BOMC jacket has two paragraphs of text on the front flap, beginning “In A.D. 41, on the assassination of his mad nephew Caligula . . .” The text on the back flap begins “At the height of his prosperity…”

There is no printed price on the front flap of the dust-jacket for the earliest copies issued. Later copies of the BOMC issue were furnished in a dust-jacket which bears a price of $3.00.

The Book-of-the Month Club News for March 1935 has this note: “The publisher’s retail price for this book is $3.00. It is a long book and an expensive one to make. Because of the saving made possible by the Club’s large printing, its authorized edition is being sold (to members only) for $2.75, but when that edition is exhausted, the price for any copies ordered by members will be $3.00, because these later copies will have to be obtained direct from the publisher.”

Grosset and Dunlap issued an impression of this edition in 1939 at $1.00

A43b.1. First European edition in English (1935):

Collaton: [1-4] 5-500 [501-512], 256 leaves.

p. [1] THE ALBATROSS | MODERN CONTINENTAL LIBRARY | VOLUME 290 | [star] | CLAUDIUS THE GOD; p. [2] publishers advertisements; p. [3] title-page; p. [4] copyright and publisher’s notices; pp. 5-6 AUTHOR’S NOTE; p. 7-9 TREE OF THE IMPERIAL FAMILY AND CONNEXIONS; pp. 10-484 text; pp. 485-488 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH; pp. 489-500 THE PUMPKINIFICATION OF CLAUDIUS; p. [501] SEQUEL; p. [502] printer’s notice; p. [503] – [512] publisher’s advertisements.

17.9 × 11.0 cm. Bulk: 2.8 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. Bound without endpapers in white paper covers printed in yellow and black.

Price: Reichsmark 3.00, French franc 18, Italian lire 15. Number of copies unknown. Published in 1935 in white wove dust-jacket printed in yellow and black.

Notes: 2nd impression 1936; 3rd 1939.

The publisher also produced 12 special copies for the author, bound in half leather and furnished in cardboard slipcases covered in marbled paper.

Published as Volume 290 in the publisher’s Modern Continental Library series and termed “COPYRIGHT EDITION” on front cover and front panel of dust-jacket.

Reference: Higginson, Appendix II, p. 298.

A43c. Second English edition ([1943]):

Collation: [both volumes:] [A]16 B–G16, 112 leaves.

Vol. I: p.[1] CLAUDIUS THE GOD | and his wife | MESSALINA | VOLUME I; p.[2] list of books by Graves; p. [3] title-page; p. [4] publication history and printer’s notices; p.[5] CONTENTS; p.[6] blank; pp.[7]–[8] AUTHOR’S NOTE; pp.9–223 text; p.[224] portrait and biographical note.

Vol. II: p.[i] CLAUDIUS THE GOD | and his wife | MESSALINA | VOLUME II; p.[ii] – [viii], as pp.[2] – [8] in

Vol. I; pp.225–243 text; p.244 map; pp.245–424 text; pp.425–428 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH; pp.429–439 THE PUMPKINIFICATION OF CLAUDIUS; p.[440] portrait and biographical note.

I: 17.2 × 10.7 cm.; II: 18.2 × 10.7 cm. Bulk [each volume]: 0.8 cm.

I have noticed variations in the vertical measurement of the leaves. In addition to 17.2, I have seen 17.3, 17.7, 18.2 and 18.5 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. Bound in paper covers printed in black and red-orange; inside front and back covers and back cover: advertisements.

Price: 9d. per volume. Number of copies unknown. Published in March 1943.

Notes: These are Penguin Books Nos. 421–422.

During World War II Penguin Books issued A43c in their Forces Book Club series. Pearson reports that the Forces Book Club issue of A43c was published in March 1943, with special Forces Book Club title-pages and bound in turquoise coloured paper covers with commercial advertisements on the outer back covers. Pearson estimates there were approximatey 10,000 copies of this issue. Pearson’s date of publication for the Forces Book Club issue is March 1943. He asserts that the main Penguin issue was not published until August 1943, thus indicating that the Forces Book Club issue preceded the main the Penguin main series issue by some five months. That assertion is not consistant with the date of publication as printed on the versos of the the title-pages of A43c.

Penguin also issued copies in their Prisoners of War Book Service series. These almost always used recycled Forces Book Club impressions with new covers. I have examined a copy of Volume I of the Prisoners of War Book Service issue. The title-page is as A43c up to and including the publisher’s emblem. Below which: Published by | PENGUIN BOOKS | for | THE FORCES BOOK CLUB

The front cover is as A43c (black and red-orange). The inner front cover is headed: THE PRISONERS OF WAR | BOOK SERVICE

Reference: Pearson.

A43c.1. Third English edition ([1944]):

Collation: [both volumes] 112 leaves.

Vol. I: p. [1] CLAUDIUS THE GOD | and his wife | MESSALINA | VOLUME I | (421) | [publisher’s statement regarding war-time publication difficulties]; p. [2] list of works by Graves; p. [3] title-page; p. [4] publication history and printer’s notices; p. [5]-[6] AUTHOR’S NOTE; pp. 7-221 text; p. [222] publisher’s advertisement; p. [223] advertisement for Pepsodent; p. [224] portrait of Graves and biographical note.

Vol. II: p. [1] CLAUDIUS THE GOD | and his wife | MESSALINA | VOLUME II | (422) | [publisher’s statement regarding war-time publication difficulties]; p. [2] list of works by Graves; p. [3] title-page; p. [4] publication history and printer’s notices; p. [5]- [6] AUTHOR’S NOTE; pp. 225-427 text, with map and text appearing together on p. 245; p. 428-431 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH; pp. 431-441 THE PUMPKINIFICATION OF CLAUDIUS; p. [442] portrait of Graves and biographical note.

17.9 × 11.0 cm (both volumes). Bulk: 0.9 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. Bound in paper covers printed in black and orange; inner front and back covers and back covers: advertisements.

Price: Unknown. Neither volume bears a printed price.

Notes: These are Penguin Books Nos. 421–422 (as A43c).

This is a new edition, rather than simply a second impression of A43c as indicated on the versos of the title-pages. The book has been reset throughout. In this edition, in Volume I, there is no CONTENTS page. In Volume II, p. 245 the map is integrated with text, above and below. In A43c, the map in Volume II appears by itself on p. 244.

The title as printed on the front cover is in two lines; in A43c it is in one line.

A43c.1 is a new entry in this bibliography.

A43d. Fourth English edition ([1944]):

Collation: [1]/28/83/4–31/328/8 338, 264 leaves.

p.[i] CLAUDIUS THE GOD | and his wife | MESSALINA; p.[ii] list of books by Graves; p.[iii] title-page; p.[iv] publication, war economy and printing notices; pp.v–vi AUTHOR’S NOTE; pp.1–64 text; [genealogical table tipped to p.65]; pp. 65–272 text; p.273 map; pp.274–499 text; pp.500–504 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH; pp.505–520 THE PUMPKINIFICATION OF CLAUDIUS; [genealogical table tipped to p.[521]]; p.[521] blank; p.[522] printer’s notice [blank in impressions after the third].

Price: 8s. 6d. Number of copies: 2,500 Published in 1944 in dust-jacket as A43a.

Notes: Impressions: 2nd , 1946 [but dated 1947] (2,500 copies); 3rd, 1949 [but dated 1950] (3,000 copies); 4th, 1951 [but dated 1953] (3,250 copies); 5th, 1957 (3,000 copies); 6th, 1962 (3,000 copies); 7th 1966, 8th 1969. The third and subsequent impressions have a slightly larger bulk and a different signing pattern (see A43d in the first edition of this bibliography).

A43d.1. Second European edition in English (1950):

Collation: [1-4] 5 [6] 7-9 [10] 11-469 [470-472] 473-492 [493-496], 248 leaves.

p. [1] THE ALBATROSS | MODERN CONTINENTAL LIBRARY | VOLUME 290 | [star] | CLAUDIUS THE GOD; p. [2] publisher’s advertisements; p. [3] title-page; p. [4] copyright and publisher’s notices; pp. 5 [6] AUTHOR’S NOTE; p. 7-9 TREE OF THE IMPERIAL FAMILY AND CONNEXIONS; p. [10] blank; pp.11-469 [470] text; pp. [471]-477 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH, with p. [472] being blank; pp. 478-492 THE PUMPKINIFICATION OF CLAUDIUS; p. [493] SEQUEL; p. [494] printer’s notice; p. [495] – [496] publisher’s advertisements.

17.9 × 11.2 cm. Bulk: 2.4 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. Bound without endpapers in white paper covers printed in magenta and black.

Price: The book does not bear a printed price. Number of copies unknown. Published 1950 in white dust-jacket printed in magenta and black.

Note: Published as Volume 290 in the publisher’s Modern Continental Library series and termed “AUTHORIZED EDITION” on front cover and front panel of dust-jacket.

A43e. Fifth English edition ([1954]):

Collation: [ A]16 B–O16, 224 leaves.

pp.[1]–[2] blank; p.[3] PENGUIN BOOKS | 421 | CLAUDIUS THE GOD | ROBERT GRAVES | [publisher’s emblem]; p.[4] blank; p.[5] title-page; p.[6] publisher’s, publication and printer’s notices; pp.7–8 Author’s Note; pp.9–418 text; p.419 map; p.[420] blank; p.pp.421–425 Three Accounts | of Claudius’s Death; p.[426] blank; pp.427–439 The Pumpkinification of Claudius; p.[440] blank; p.[441] THE

ROYAL FAMILY | OF THE | HERODS; pp.442–443 genealogical table; p.[444] blank; p. [445] publisher’s advertisement; p.[446] blank; pp.[447] — [448] publisher’s advertisements.

18.0 × 11.0 cm. Bulk: 1.2 cm. (later 1.6 cm.). White wove paper; all edges trimmed. Bound in paper covers printed in black and orange.

Price: 3s. 6d. Number of copies unknown. Published in 1954.

Notes: Impressions: 2nd, 31 May 1956; 3rd, 1957; 4th, 1959; 5th, 1961; 6th, 1964; 7th, 1965, 8th, 1966; 9th, 1968, 10th, 1970; 11th 1972, 12th, 1973; 13th, 1975. There were at least forty impressions in this series; covers and dimensions vary. On 3 August 2006 Penguin reisued the book in their Modern Classics series, with an introduction by Barry Unsworth. There were 10 impressions up to 2017.

This is Penguin Books No. 421.

A43e was previously listed in this bibliography as the fourth English edition.

A43f. Second American edition (1968):

Collation: 296 leaves, unsigned, glued at the spine.

p.[1] CLAUDIUS THE GOD; p.[2] blank; p.[3] title-page; p.[4] copyright, rights reservation, manufacturing and series notices; pp.5–6 Author’s Note; p.[7] CLAUDIUS THE GOD | and his wife | Messalina; p.[8] blank; pp.9–559 text; pp.560–565 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH; pp.566–582 THE PUMPKINIFICATION OF CLAUDIUS; pp.582–583 SEQUEL; pp.[584]–[585] genealogical tables; p.[586] blank; p.[587] biographical note; p.[588] blank; pp.[589] – [592] advertisements for Vintage Books.

18.3 × 10.8 cm. Bulk: 3.0 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. Bound in white paper covers printed in pink, red and black.

Price: $1.95 (later,$2.95, $3.95). Number of copies 15,000 (first impression). Published in 1968.

Notes: Vintage Book V–425. Cover design by George Giusti. After the Masterpiece Theatre dramatisation was broadcast in the United States this edition was reissued with a cover desgined by Seymour Chwast, though it is not attributed to him on the cover; the price $3.95 (later, $4.95) and it was redesignated as Vintage Book V–537.

Random House published a book club issue bound in paper-covered boards c. 1968, with dust-jacket design by George Giusti.

International Collectors Library (ICL), Garden City, New York published an impression (c. 1970s-1980s) in green imitation leather stamped in gold with a satin ribbon marker sewn in. The ICL series was published by Doubleday Book & Music Clubs, Inc., as a book club series.

A43g. Third American edition ([1982]):

Collation: 296 leaves, glued at the spine.

[2 blank pages]; p.[1] woodcut of Claudius; p.[2] blank; p.[3] title-page; p.[4] edition, copyright, rights reservation and manufacturing notices; pp.5–6 Author’s Note; p. [7] woodcut as on p.[1]; p.[8] blank; pp.9–305 text; p.[306] map; pp. 307–559 text; pp.560–565 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH; pp. 566–583 THE PUMPKINIFICATION OF CLAUDIUS; pp.[584]–[585] genealogical table; pp.[586]–[590]blank.

18.2 × 12.2 cm. Bulk: 3.3/3.8 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. White wove endpapers. Bound in reddish brown vinyl; back blank; front has publisher’s emblem in black; spine stamped in gold at top: Claudius | the God | Robert Graves | Modern Library

Price: $8.95. Number of copies undetermined. Published in 1982 in tan dust-jacket printed in black and red.

A43h. Fourth American edition ([1989[):

p. [i] VINTAGE | [publisher’s emblem] | INTERNATIONAL; p. [ii] ALSO BY ROBERT GRAVES, | I, CLAUDIUS. p. [iii] [2 lines in open type:] CLAUDIUS | THE GOD; p. [iv] blank; p. [v] title-page; p. [vi] publisher’s, copyright, cataloging and printer’s notices; pp. vii-viii AUTHOR’S NOTE; p. [1] [2 lines in open type:] CLAUDIUS | THE GOD; p. [2] blank; pp. 3-507 text; pp. 508-513 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH; p. 514-531 THE PUMPKINIFICATION | OF CLAUDIUS; pp. [532] – [533] genealogical table of the Herods; p. [534] blank; p. [535] ABOUT THE AUTHOR; p. [536] publisher’s advertisement.

20.3 × 13.2 cm. Bulk: 2.5 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed. White wove endpapers. Bound in white paper covers printed pictorially in multiple colours.

Price: $9.95. Number of copies unknown. Published October 1989.

Note: There were further impressions up to at least 2017.

A43i. Sixth English edition ([1995]):

Collation: 207 leaves.

p. [i] Claudius the God; p. [ii] blank; [frontispiece, back blank]; p.[iii] title-page; p.[4] edition, copyright, rights reservation, printer’s, binder’s notices; credit for design of endpapers; p. [5] Illustrations; p. [vi] map; pp. vii-xii Introduction; pp. xii-xiv Author’s Note; pp. 1-381 text; with pp. [11, 21, 32, 49, 67, 78, 90, 113, 124, 145, 160, 177, 188, 201, 212, 222, 231, 251, 277, 290, 329, 351, 376, 381] being unnumbered and illustrations facing pp. 50, [67], 146, 163, 242, 259, 394; pp. 382-386 Three Accounts of Claudius’s Death; pp. 387-400 The Punkinification of Claudius.

24.2 × 15.5 cm. Bulk: 2.9/ 3.5 cm. White wove paper; all edges trimmed; top edges stained purple. Pale lavender wove endpapers. The front and back endpapers are printed in purple. The front endpapers are printed with a genealogical table of the Herods; the back endpapers are printed with a genealogical table of the Roman Imperial Family. Bound in purple cloth blocked overall in gold with stylized a leaf, tendril and fruit design; front and back without text; spine printed in gold: [solid gold rectangular box] | [rule of purple cloth] | [gold rule] | [gold rectangular box with cloth showing through for 6 ll:] CLAUDIUS | THE GOD | [heavy rule of purple cloth] | [light rule of purple cloth] | ROBERT | GRAVES | [light rule of purple cloth] | [heavy rule of purple cloth] | [solid gold rectangular box].

Price: £26.95. Number of copies unknown. Published March 1995 in dark blue paper-covered cardboard slipcase.

A43j. Fifth American edition ([2000]):

p. [i] [in shaded letters:] CLAUDIUS | THE GOD; p. [ii] blank; [frontispiece, back blank]; p. [iii] title-page; p. [iv] copyright, publisher’s, rights reservation, Council of Library Resources, American National Standards Institute and printer’s notices; p. [v] – [vi] AUTHOR’S NOTE; p. [1] [in shaded letters:] CLAUDIUS | THE GOD; p. [2] blank; pp. 3-507 text; pp. 508- 513 THREE ACCOUNTS OF CLAUDIUS’S DEATH; pp [514] – [531] THE PUMPKINIFICATION OF CLAUDIUS, A SATIRE IN VERSE; pp. [532]-533 [genealogical table of the Herods]; pp. [534]-[536] blank.

Price: Undetermined. Number of copies undetermined. Published in 2000.

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