The wandering poet Isidoro arrives with his guitar at the castle, tired, hungry and thirsty, having travelled all the way from Naples. Seeing the castle, he hopes that his luck will change (Cavatina: "Intanto Armenia 'nfra l'ombrose piante" - "Meanwhile, Armenia, through the shady trees"), but, when he sees the inscriptions, his instinct is to flee. But he accidentally runs into Ginardo, who tells him that it is too late. Corradino, armed and surrounded by guards, makes his appearance and demands to know who Isidoro is and why he is there (Quartet: "Alma rea! Perché t'involi?" - "Wicked man! Why are you running away?"). Isidoro tries to curry favour with Corradino by offering to serenade his ladies, but this enrages the tyrant further. He is about to kill the poet when Aliprando intervenes. Corradino relents, but Isidoro is marched off to the dungeons by Ginardo.