of his prowess. The victor is the son of one
of the Consuls and the hero of the piece; the heroine
is the Vestal Virgin who crowns him with the garland.
The young victor becomes desperately enamored of the
Vestale, and she appears also to feel an incipient
flame. After the games are over, the victor returns
to his father’s house, and meeting there one
of his friends, discloses to him his love for the
Vestale and his idea of entering by stealth into the
temple of Vesta, where his beloved was appointed to
watch the sacred fire. His friend endeavors,
but in vain, to dissuade him from so rash an attempt,
which can only end in the destruction, both of his
beloved and himself. All the remonstrances, however,
of the friend are vain; and the hero fixed in his
resolve watches for the opportunity, when it is the
turn of his beloved to officiate in the temple of
Vesta, and enters therein. The Vestale is terrified
and supplicates him to retire: in vain; and after
a long but ineffectual struggle she sinks into his
arms at the foot of the altar. Suddenly the sacred
flame becomes extinguished; a noise is heard; the
Vestals enter; the unfortunate fair is roused from
her stupor by the noise of footsteps and has just
time to oblige her lover to retire, which he reluctantly
does, but not unperceived by the Vestals. The
Matron of the Vestals reproaches her with the crime
she has committed and orders her to be placed in a
dungeon. She is brought out to be examined by
the High Priest, found guilty and condemned by him
to the usual punishment of the Vestals for a breach
of their vow, viz., the being buried alive outside
the gates of Rome. The moment the sentence is
pronounced a black veil is thrown over her. The
scene then changes to the place of execution; the funeral
procession takes place; the vault is dug and a man
stands by with a pitcher of water and loaf of bread,
to deliver to her when she should descend. The
Consuls are present, attended by the Lictors and Aediles.
All the other vestals are present, of whom the culprit
takes an affectionate leave and is about to descend
into the vault. Suddenly a noise of arms and shouts
are heard. It is her lover who having collected
a few followers come rushing forward with arms in
their hands to arrest the execution. He forces
his way into the presence of the Consuls, but the
sight of his father inspires him with awe; he staggers
back; at this moment a Lictor at the command of the
other Consul plunges a spear into his breast.
The Vestal is hurried to the brink of the vault, into
which she is forced to descend to the accompaniment
of mournful music, while her dying lover vainly endeavours
to crawl towards her. The curtain falls.