Act IV. Scene 1. In a hall of the Royal Palace _Amneris_ awaits the

passage, under guard, of _Rhadames_ to the dungeon where the priests are to sit in judgment upon him. There is a duet between _Rhadames_ and this woman, who now bitterly repents the doom her jealousy is about to bring upon the man she loves. She implores him to exculpate himself. But _Rhadames_ refuses. Not being able to possess _Aïda_ he will die.

He is conducted to the dungeon, from where, as from the bowels of the earth, she hears the sombre voices of the priests.

Ramfis. (Nel sotterraneo.) Radames--Radames: tu rivelasti Della patria i segreti allo straniero....

Sacer. Discolpati!

Ramfis. Egli tace.

Tutti. Traditor!

Ramphis. (In the subterranean hall.) Rhadames, Rhadames, thou didst reveal The country's secrets to the foreigner....

Priests. Defend thyself!

Ramphis. He is silent.

All. Traitor!

The dramatically condemnatory "Traditor!" is a death knell for her lover in the ears of _Amneris_. And after each accusation, silence by _Rhadames_, and cry by the priests of "Traitor!" _Amneris_ realizes only too well that his approaching doom is to be entombed alive! Her revulsions of feeling from hatred to love and despair find vent in highly dramatic musical phrases. In fact _Amneris_ dominates this scene, which is one of the most powerful passages for mezzo-soprano in all opera.