. . . representations in the Campus Martius of the storming and sacking of a town in the manner of real warfare, as well as of the surrender of the Kings of the Britons, and presided clad in a general's cloak. Even when he was on the point of letting out the water from Lake Fucinus, he gave a sham sea-fight first. But when the combatants cried out: "Hail, Imperator, those about to die salute thee," he replied: "Or not," and after that, all of them refused to fight, maintaining that they had been pardoned.

This anecdote from Suetonius’ Lives of the Caesars presents a lighter moment amidst the grandeur and spectacle of Roman entertainment. The phrase "Hail, Imperator, those about to die salute thee" was a customary salute by gladiators acknowledging their impending peril. In this scene, Emperor Claudius, either through an ill-timed jest or a tragic lack of understanding, responds with "Or not." This unintended consequence leads the gladiators to believe they have been spared from combat. This incident offers a glimpse into Claudius's awkward attempts at humor and highlights the complex relationship between power and spectacle in ancient Rome. It further underscores the emperor's role in public life and the ways in which his words, even in jest, could sway the actions of others.