 Valerius sends him to contact his fugitive friends, and together with a group of disgruntled travelling artists the rebels prepare to free the two and overthrow Domitian when Valerius and Lucilla are to be executed in the palace garden the following night.With Elpidion's aid, the rebel's main group enters the palace through the dungeons and takes the Emperor and his retinue by surprise.Artamne and Soteros are killed in the struggle, and with the appearance of the Praetorian Guardsmen, the battle is quickly ended.