Antonio Vivaldi's three-act dramma per musica L'Atenaide had its premiere in Florence in 1729. There is no record extant of any other productions of this opera, so it is likely that is was not well received. The libretto was written by Apostolo Zeno, one the greatest opera seria librettists of the eighteenth century. The highlight to this opera, and one of the highlights of all of Vivaldi's dramatic music, is Eudossa's soliloquy in the third act. She has just been rejected by her lover, the Emperor Teodosio II, having already been rejected by Varvane. The soliloquy is made up of flexible arioso writing and accompanied recitative. Her sadness is expressed through the use of a variety of affective intervals, such as the rising minor seventh, rising minor sixth, and diminished fifth. Appoggiaturas color such words as "lagrime" (tears) and "lamenti" (grief). Dissonances which arise out of the counterpoint of the accompaniments are allowed to clash freely, and violent mood changes are mimicked in rushing string figures and leaping octaves. During a particularly passionate passage, the tempo and texture change a total of eight times as Eudossa's thoughts fly from one emotion to another. Finally she settles into a resolute presto as she decides to flee. The tension of the scene culminates and is resolved in a full-blown solo da capo aria. The texture is simple, and the energy is derived from rhythmic syncopation and nervous accompaniment figures in the violas. It is a superb conclusion to a lengthy scene with some psychological depth.

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