A small faction of the militia of the Kingdom of Ircania are conspiring to dethrone their King, Ircanus III. Beneath her costly robes Queen Maritza hides a woman's heart full of love for Oscar, the king's aide-de-camp.

This story first takes you to Misslimeri, a little Sicilian village, and into the home of Don Ruggero, a wealthy landowner. Don Ruggero is an iron-hearted man and strongly prejudiced against the lower classes. His son, Corrado, a young fellow, loves Rosalia, a shepherdess, but Don Ruggero has always refused to allow their marriage and to recognize little Vincenzino, their child, as his grandchild. Finally to destroy all Corrado's hopes, he discharges poor Rosalia from his farm, where she had been employed for many years. Even the sight of her departure with Vincenzino in her arms does not soften him. Rosalia is the very ideal of the Sicilian beauty, and Capt. Altieri, an officer in the service of the Dominators, the Bourbons, admires her immensely, but all his approaches are strongly repulsed by her. Don Ruggero and his son have for a long time conspired to free their motherland from the hands of the Bourbons, and when they receive news of the arrival of Garibaldi.

A young man sentenced to death manages to postpone his execution because of the impending wedding of his poor sister, who is to be married off. His best friend vouches for his return. After taking care of his sister, the young man hurries back, but is delayed by numerous unexpected obstacles. Nevertheless, he continues the journey, determined to join his now-presumably dead friend.

A mother confronts Death as to why he has to take her young boy. And he shows her the future to explain why he need to be eliminated.

A violinist touches the heart of a sick lady.

Bartolomeo Pagano as Maciste in Maciste in the Lions' Den. A Italian silent from 1926.

A young girl is abducted by her tutor, and they set off in a ship which has a sheik on board, who tries to molest her, but she is saved by a sailor. He and Maciste fight off the entire crew but the girl is captured again by the sheik and carried off to his harem, where Maciste and the sailor rescue her and take her back to Italy.

A woman and a mistress fight.

Scientist Galileo Galilei was engaged in his studies, but a servant of his attempts to seduce his daughter, and denounces Galilei to the Holy Office.