Act I. Sacred grove of the Druids. The high priest _Oroveso_ comes

with the Druids to the sacred grove to beg of the gods to rouse the people to war and aid them to accomplish the destruction of the Romans. Scarcely have they gone than the Roman Pro-consul _Pollione_ appears and confides to his Centurion, _Flavius_, that he no longer loves _Norma_, although she has broken her vows of chastity for him and has borne him two sons. He has seen _Adalgisa_ and loves her.

At the sound of the sacred instrument of bronze that calls the Druids to the temple, the Romans disappear. The priests and priestesses approach the altar. _Norma_, the high-priestess, daughter of _Oroveso_, ascends the steps of the altar. No one suspects her intimacy with the Roman enemy. But she loves the faithless man and therefore seeks to avert the danger that threatens him, should Gaul rise against the Romans, by prophesying that Rome will fall through its own weakness, and declaring that it is not yet the will of the gods that Gaul shall go to war. She also prays to the "chaste goddess" for the return of the Roman leader, who has left her. Another priestess is kneeling in deep prayer. This is _Adalgisa_, who also loves _Pollione_.

The scene changes and shows _Norma's_ dwelling. The priestess is steeped in deep sadness, for she knows that _Pollione_ plans to desert her and their offspring, although she is not yet aware of her rival's identity. _Adalgisa_ comes to her to unburden her heart to her superior. She confesses that to her faith she has become untrue through love--and love for a Roman. _Norma_, thinking of her own unfaithfulness to her vows, is about to free _Adalgisa_ from hers, when _Pollione_ appears. Now she learns who the beloved Roman of _Adalgisa_ is. But the latter turns from _Pollione_. She loves _Norma_ too well to go away with the betrayer of the high-priestess.