A young count rents a villa near Rome to be near a woman he's courting. While there, he strikes up a friendship with a young woman living with a violent husband.

Clotilde, wife of lawyer Giulio has just returned from an extramarital affair that ended badly: the only bond she still has with her husband is the hope of finding their daughter. The house is bursting with gossip and rumors. One day comes news about their daughter.

A neglected Baroness falls in love with her oldest son's military officer friend, their adulterous romance leading the two to flee to Algeria.

Cainá is a young peasant who lives in a small village in Sardinia together with her goats and parents. She is a wild and free spirit and unconventional for any small and closed communities dominated by old rules. Cainà yearns to escape from such a closed atmosphere and the isolated island, so, as an old tune says: "Somewhere beyond the sea, somewhere, waiting for me…"; When a boat arrives to the island, she will do her best to flee away from her little oppressing village and experience new adventures in the continent with the help of the boat captain.

Madly in love with her master Marcellus -- a love that is unrequited -- ancient Roman slave Syrra scorns the genuine affection of Affrus, a fellow slave.

A toreor is happily married to a young and pretty lady, whose charms have aroused the passion of another toreor, who forces his attentions upon her. She is compelled, by threats, to write a note to her husband, saying she does not love him. The husband enters, and reads the note. In spite of protestations of innocence, he refuses to believe her and tells her to leave his home for ever. Shortly after, a great bull-fight takes place, in which the guilty toreor is wounded. Repenting of the misery he has caused, he sends for the husband and confesses all, and the latter, repentant of his jealous conduct, seeks out his wife, and happiness is restored.