 Ariadne muses over her disloyalty to her father, but declares her love for Theseus.She departs to find shelter for the night, after which a fishermen's chorus compares her eyes with the stars of heaven.Theseus, alone with his counsellor, discusses his abandonment of Ariadne, and is advised that this decision is justified, as she will not be acceptable to the people of Athens as their ruler's consort.