from Act II of the Italian opera
La Clemenza di Tito by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto: Pietro Metastasio
Role: Publius (Publio), prefect of the Pretorian Guard
Voice Part: bass Fach: lyric bass
Setting: the Imperial garden
Synopsis: Titus cannot believe that Sextus could attempt his murder and set fire to the city. He asks Publius about Sextus's loyalty and Publius responds with this aria, singing that a truly loyal person would not commit such a crime.