The second act opens with a dialogue between Titus and Antiochus, who, being asked by the former why he wants to part or rather flee so soon from him, answers that he loves the charming Berenice and that it is she whom he will flee. Titus is astonished at finding him also to be in love with Berenice, but yet persuades him to remain, since none but he is fit to impart to her the torments of his mind and the secret of his heart; for he too must part from her for ever and, therefore, implores his friend by all that is dear to him to inform Berenice of this resolution and to bid her his last farewell. Whilst Antiochus, who had made up his mind to see Berenice no more, reflects on the commission given to him by Titus, Berenice enters and is much astonished at seeing him still there. Antiochus, therefore, tells her that only for her sake he had been detained by Titus:

„But there are things behind I dare not speak: For at the news your tender Heart would break.“

Such are his words, for he fears to grieve her too much, if he tells her his commission- But Berenice implores and conjures him by his love, confessed before, to tell what they were speaking of; for, else, she would hate him for ever. Antiochus then paints the passionate love of Titus, the hard laws of Rome, which are inviolable and cannot be changed, and concludes by saying that Titus will never see her again and that she must leave Rome on the following day. Berenice, however, has no confidence in his words, for she exclaims:

„Will Titus leave his Berenice forlorn? He who so many Oaths so oft hath sworn? I'll not believe't;“ she thinks it a snare laid to disunite her and Titus, calls his way of acting a sign of his base and degenerate character and, though Antiochus assures her to be entirely guiltless, she will not see him any more.

The third and last act begins with a monologue of Berenice, who, in a ruffled dress and with dishevelled locks, complains of her misfortune; for she had not been received by Titus, in spite of her trying it twice. She now expects her confident Phaenicia whom, for the same pur- pose, she has sent once more tho the palace. When Phaenicia has returned, saying that Titus will see her, Antiochus enters who, on seeing the afflicted queen, forgets all his hatred and revengefulness; Berenice, however, to hide her torments from him, goes away. The very moment after she has left, Titus appears, and, not meeting her, sends for her.

„Has Titus then forsaken me? is it true? Must we too part? does he command it too?“ Entering she exclaims these words and Titus, moved to tears, answers: „Dearest Berenice, we must part.“

Now there is following a dialogue between Titus and Berenice, in which the latter accuses Titus of having sworn so many false oaths, and of having been regardless of her tears and moans, as he, though being emperor, had not changed the hard law of Rome. But Titus refutes her accusations, saying that it is beyond his power to change what, on his accession to the throne, he has sworn to maintain, and swears

„By Heav'n and the Gods that govern there,“ that nothing in the world could be but half so dear to him as she, for otherwise, says he: