劇情概要│《貝芮妮絲》拉辛原著

西元79年，羅馬。 
提圖斯自第一次猶太戰爭凱旋歸來，隨著父皇維斯帕先的離世，他繼承皇位，成為羅馬的新皇。 

征戰期間，提圖斯邂逅了來自奇里乞亞的猶太公主貝芮妮絲，迅速墜入愛河。貝芮妮絲對他也情深意篤，提圖斯遂決定帶她回羅馬，並承諾娶她為妻。 
殊不知，他的摯友兼盟友科馬基尼國王安提歐克斯，也暗自愛慕著這位公主。 
當提圖斯與貝芮妮絲的婚期將近時，安提歐克斯向貝芮妮絲表白愛意，並表示自己將離開羅馬，以避開婚禮。 

於此同時，提圖斯得知元老院與羅馬人民皆強烈反對這樁婚事。 

在羅馬帝國時期，皇帝迎娶異國王后是不合禮制的；此外，奉行共和制的元老院向來對任何形式的君主制皆深惡痛絕。 
提圖斯被迫放棄與貝芮妮絲的婚約，然而他沒有勇氣親自向她提出分離，便派安提歐克斯轉達這個決定。 

貝芮妮絲聞訊趕往提圖斯的住所，深信他對自己的愛依舊，渴望親自確認這之間是否有誤會或差錯。然而，她卻在那裡遇見幾位前去道賀的元老，讚揚提圖斯毅然捨棄愛情，以國家利益優先。 

貝芮妮絲見提圖斯淚流滿面，悲痛欲絕的她起了輕生之念，而提圖斯也深受撼動。 
最終，貝芮妮絲明白提圖斯對她用情至深，而選擇離開羅馬，放棄此生摯愛。 

 

SYNOPSIS  
Bérénice – Jean Racine  

Rome, AD 79, - Titus returned victorious from the First Jewish War, following the death of his father Vespasian, is set to succeed him as Roman emperor. 

During the war campaign he met Berenice, a Jewish princess of Cilicia and fell in love with her. Reciprocated he decides to return to Rome with her, promising to marry her.  
His friend and ally Antiochus, king of Commagene is also secretly in love with the princess. 
When the wedding between Titus and Berenice approaches, Antiochus reveals his love for her and that he wishes to flee Rome so that he does not have to attend the wedding celebrations. 

Titus, meanwhile, learns of the opposition of the Senate and the Roman people to his wedding. 

In imperial Rome, in fact, the union of the emperor with a foreign queen was frowned upon; moreover, the republican Senate hated all forms of monarchy. 
Titus is forced to renounce his marriage to Berenice, but not having the courage to face the discussion of their separation he sends Antiochus to announce his decision to the queen. 

Berenice rushes to Titus’s apartments to reassure herself that this is not a misunderstanding or mistake - so certain of Titus’s love for her - and there she meets some senators who have come to congratulate Titus on having preferred the reason of state by separating from her. 

Berenice finds Titus in tears. Desperate, she wants to kill herself. Titus is deeply affected. 
Berenice, understanding the depth of Titus’ feelings for her, prefers to leave Rome and give up the love of her life.  

©︎ Jean Michel Blasco