t her evil
words and begs his pardon.

Tigellinus, Nero's friend and confidant, has heard her last words. He
excites his master's hatred against his false mother still more, and
they decide to take vengeance on her at some favourable time.

Hearing Acte singing in the vestibule Tigellinus leaves Nero, who
receives his lady with open arms. A charming love-duet closes the
first Act.--

{521}

In the second Act Marcus, an old Christian Patriarch, meets Acte in the
gardens of the Palatine at night and wins her over to his faith. She
promises to join the Christians, and to this purpose calls her slave
Parthos, whom she persuades to guide her to the cave of Marcus.--After
having given him a ring, Nero's love-token, to deliver to Caesar, she
bribes Parthos, to swear, not to betray her secret, by making over to
him all her worldly goods.--

Unfortunately this interview has been witnessed by Agrippina from her
hiding place in the bushes, and she decides to make use of her
discovery against her son.

When day breaks a grand festival takes place in the gardens. Agrippina
hails her son, and seeing him alone she sweetly asks where his faithful
companion Acte is.--Nero at once sends Tigellinus in search of her.

A beautiful ballet is now danced, and afterwards Caesar himself takes
his lute and sings a hymn in praise of Venus, the Goddess of love.--He
has hardly ended, when Tigellinus rushes in and exclaims that Acte is
not to be found.

Nero storms and Agrippina, pretending to know nothing, suggests that
Parthos should be questioned. The poor slave is dragged forward; he
denies any knowledge of Acte's whereabouts, but her ring is found upon
him. This he tremblingly gives to Nero, declaring that Acte gave it to
him to return to Caesar.--Tigellinus says, that the slave evidently
{522} knows more than this, and Nero orders him to be tortured. While
the wretched Parthos is being led away Agrippina declares defiantly,
that she alone knows where Acte is, and offers to tell Nero on the
condition, that he will restore to her the imperial power, that she
covets. Nero, enraged beyond measure orders Tigellinus to keep his
mother as a prisoner, until she reveals Acte's hiding-place.

He then turns to the frightened spectators and with the words "My will
is law, I am Caesar and will remain so for ever" the Act closes.

In the third Act Nero accompanied by Tigellinus leads his Pretorian
guards to the hiding-place of the Christ