Actea

Actea – a beautiful Greek woman from the island of Samos – tames the fierce tiger every day. This tiger is the young Roman emperor Nero. Nero's wise mentor, the philosopher Seneca, deliberately introduced Actea to his student so that she would soften Nero's fierce temper for the good of the Roman state and its people. However, Actea sincerely loves Nero. His happiness is more important to her than abstract state welfare. Actea is even ready to sacrifice her own happiness, which is why she concedes Nero to the calculating patrician Poppaea. If he is drawn to Poppaea, so be it. But it seems that for Nero, for the state, and even for Poppaea, it would be better if Actea showed selfishness and did not give anyone power over the tiger.