marry his bride Bertha,Verrina's daughter. Her seduction and rape by Gianettino Doria provide the immediate motive for the conspiracy. The behavior of Fiesco, the young Count of Lavagna, leaves the conspirators unsure about whether he is one of them or not. He woos the disreputable sister of the schemer Gianettino and behaves in general as an unprincipled playboy without any political ambition. Even Leonore, Fiesco's wife, does not know where she is with her husband. Verrina alone distrusts the Count's actions. He suspects that behind his mask of a hedonist lurks a conspirator, and accordingly fears him. He decides to get rid of him as soon as the conspiracy is over and Genua free. Gianettino Doria also sees a danger in Fiesco and wants the Moor Muley Hassan to eliminate him. But the moor reveals the attempted murder and Fiesco gains in him someone who will help him initiate his counterscheme. He then informs the other noblemen about his own secret plans for a coup, without giving them all the details. He is recognized at once as head of the conspiracy. Only Verrina remains suspicious. He fears that Fiesco does not want a republic but rather the rank of a duke for himself. In a secret scene in the forest, he shares his thoughts with his future son-in-law Bourgognino; he is quite sure: "When Genoa is free, Fiesco dies". So Schiller spins in his tragedy a threefold conspiracy: Gianettino is preparing a putsch to dethrone Andreas Doria and destroy all the remaining republicans. The conspirators and Fiesco pursue the downfall of the Dorias, and in order to preserve the republic Verinna plans to murder Fiesco if the conspiracy is successful. Verrina's concern is not totally unfounded, because Fiesco himself is not sure about either his own or Genoa's future. "What a turmoil in my breast! What a malicious flight of thoughts…. Fiesco the republican? Duke Fiesco?...." After a thoughtful pause he firmly states, "To win a crown is great, but to throw it away is heavenly. " Then decisively, "Perish, tyrant. Be free, Genoa, and I…" softly, "your happiest citizen!" One scene later Fiesco is more uncertain than ever. "I the greatest man in all Genoa? And small minds shouldn’t gather around great minds?" The revolt Fiesco has made up his mind, and the conspiracy takes its course. Under the pretext of equipping a number of galleys for an expedition