scullard quote is misleading the quote used in the illness section of the article from howard hayes scullard emerged from his sickness cruelty is misleading as it implies that the historian in question supported this view however the actual phrase from the book 'from the gracchi to nero' is emerged according to tradition a monster of lust and diabolical cruelty scullard does not support this view himself he is merely remarking that roman historians tended to take this view a view that most modern historians have moderated to a great extent i suggest that the quote is removed or changed to a more accurate modern reflection of the view with another quote from scullard the balance of his mind was to some degree upset which is quite different from the description of a monster