A satirical drama staging the excesses and follies of an extravagant Roman emperor whose rule devolves into grotesque spectacle. The action moves through three palace settings where a cast of wives, courtiers, physicians, clergy, and servants attempt to manage his whims, medical complaints, and ostentatious rituals. Through comic situations and sharp, often scabrous exchanges, the play exposes religious and political absurdities and the corrosive effects of caprice on an imperial household.