The poem begins with the story of Jesus's crucifixion (lines 1-24), as a foreground to the rest of the poem. Then, a fictionalized version of Caesar Nero, who is afflicted with cancer, is introduced (lines 29-36). He summons a fictional merchant, named Nathan, to help cure this disease. Nathan warns Nero that there are no physical cures for his disease, and begins to tell the story of Jesus, about his life, about the Trinity, about the death of Jesus, and about the Veil of Veronica. Following this, the Senators decree that the Jews are responsible for the death of Jesus (lines 269-272), and the Roman army is dispatched to avenge the death of Christ (line 300). When the Romans arrive at Jerusalem, the two armies clash violently, but the Romans prevail, leaving the Jews to retreat into the city and begin the siege (lines 389-636). The Emperor Nero commits suicide in Rome, eventually leaving Vespasian in control (lines 897-964). Vespasian returns to Rome to rule, and a council gives his son Titus control of the Roman armies. It is Titus that leads the Romans for the rest of the siege, capturing the city of Jerusalem, destroying the temple, and slaughtering or selling the rest of the Jews.
