Episode 3: 'What Shall we do about Claudius?', BBC2, tx. 4/10/1976
Written by Jack Pulman, directed by Herbert Wise

At a family dinner, Claudius listens to Horace reciting poetry and awakens Caesar Augustus when he claps at the end. The poet is thanked profusely by Augustus, husband to Claudius's grandmother, Livia. The guests all leave, and Augustus and Livia discuss what to do about Claudius, whose stammer, twitching and general clumsiness due to his lameness are a source of embarrassment to the family. Although the forthcoming games are in honour of his late father Drusus, they decide that Claudius will be kept in the background for fear of public ridicule. A courier arrives with the news that the Roman armies on the Rhine have been slaughtered. Augustus sends Livia's son Tiberius and all available soldiers to defend Rome's provinces in Gaul.

In the library, Claudius meets the famous historians Pollio and Livy. Claudius infuriates Livy by correcting some of his mistakes and Pollio realises that Claudius is not the fool that everyone takes him for. Pollio tells Claudius that his father Drusus did not die of battle injuries but was in fact poisoned, probably by Livia. He suggests that Claudius should emphasise his physical ailments and continue to play the fool, if he wishes to stay alive.

In his gardens, Augustus rebukes Postumus for his rakish behaviour. Livia overhears him say that he dislikes Tiberius and that he really wants Postumus to be his heir. At the games given in honour of his father, Claudius faints at the first sight of blood and has to be carried out. Postumus makes plans to see Livilla.

Livia discovers that Livilla, Claudius's sister and the wife of Castor, has been having an affair with Postumus. Livia threatens Livilla with exile and forces her to set a trap for Postumus. When he goes to spend the night with her, she calls the guards and falsely accuses him of rape. Postumus tries to tell Augustus that the accusations are untrue and part of Livia's plot to make Tiberius emperor, but Augustus won't listen and sends him into exile. Postumus briefly escapes and tells Claudius that Livia must have planned it with Livilla and that he believes she did kill Drusus. He tells Claudius that he must continue with his charade as a simpleton to survive.

Claudius goes through with his arranged marriage to Urgulanilla, who turns out to be much bigger and taller than him, much to amusement of the rest of the family.