, ▁Napoleon ▁was ▁among ▁the ▁audience . ▁ ▁R oles ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁Sc ene : ▁a ▁view ▁of ▁Rome , ▁including ▁the ▁P ons ▁S ublic ius ▁and ▁the ▁camp ▁of ▁Lars ▁P ors en na ▁ ▁A ▁ch orus ▁of ▁Rom ans ▁m our ns ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Lu cius ▁Jun ius ▁Br ut us , ▁who ▁had ▁led ▁them ▁to ▁exp el ▁King ▁Tar quin ▁and ▁found ▁the ▁republic . ▁The ▁city ▁is ▁now ▁bes ie ged ▁by ▁the ▁E tr us can ▁king ▁Lars ▁P ors en na , ▁who ▁wants ▁to ▁re install ▁the ▁Roman ▁royal ▁family , ▁and ▁the ▁people ▁are ▁star ving . ▁Hor ati us ▁takes ▁a ▁d agger ▁and ▁swe ars ▁on ▁the ▁tomb ▁to ▁purs ue ▁the ▁ru in ▁of ▁the ▁k ings ▁and ▁maintain ▁the ▁liberty ▁of ▁Rome . ▁Mu cius ▁S ca e vol a ▁enters ▁dressed ▁as ▁an ▁E tr us can ▁and ▁decl ares ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁in fil tr ate ▁the ▁enemy ▁camp ▁and ▁assass inate ▁P ors en na , ▁even ▁at ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁life . ▁Hor ati us ▁beg s ▁to ▁be ▁allowed ▁to ▁undert ake ▁the ▁mission ▁instead , ▁since ▁he ▁is ▁old , ▁but ▁Public ola ▁tells ▁him ▁he ▁is ▁too ▁famous ▁for ▁the ▁dis gu ise ▁to ▁work . ▁Mu cius ▁sets ▁off . ▁ ▁Public ola ▁re wards ▁Hor ati us ' ▁loyal ty ▁by ▁entr ust ing ▁him ▁with ▁the ▁defence ▁of ▁the ▁P ons ▁S ublic ius