- The poet Cinna, who is traveling the streets, gets caught up by the mob.
- After asking him a few questions, they confuse him with Cinna the conspirator. He tries to explain that they've got the wrong guy, but the mob has no mercy. They decide to tear him to pieces anyway for his bad poetry. As they drag him offstage, they list the names of the conspirators whose houses they're off to pillage and burn.