Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria ( 1640 ) and L'incoronazione di Poppea ( 1642 ) form a brilliant end to his career . During this time , he composed his two last masterpieces : Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria ( The Return of Ulysses , 1640 ) , and the historic opera , L'incoronazione di Poppea , ( The Coronation of Poppea , 1642 ) , based on an episode in the life of the Roman emperor Nero . The libretto for Il ritorno d'Ulisse was by Giacomo Badoarro and for L'incoronazione di Poppea by Giovanni Busenello .