[80] This criticism, certainly written in 1704, was repeated by Mattheson in his musical journal, _Critica Musica_, in 1725, and even twenty years later on, in his _Wollkommene Kapellmeister_, in 1740. [81] The two young men had charge of the education of the English Ambassador's son, Mattheson in the position of chief tutor, Handel as music master. Mattheson took advantage of the situation to inflict on Handel a humiliating rebuke. Handel revenged himself by ridiculing Mattheson, whose _Cleopatra_ was being given at the Opera. Mattheson conducted the orchestra from the clavier, and took the _rôle_ of Antony as well. When he played the part he left the clavier to Handel, but after Antony had died, an hour before the end of the play, Mattheson returned in theatrical costume to the clavier, so as not to miss the final ovations. Handel, who had submitted to this little comedy for the first two representations, refused on the third to give his chair to Mattheson. In the end they came to fisticuffs. The story is told in a rather confusing manner by Mattheson in his _Ehrenpforte_, and by Mainwaring, who sided with Handel. [82] _Der in Krohnen erlangte Glücks-Wechsel, oder Almira Konigen von Castilien_ (The Adventures of the Fortune of the Kings, or Almira, Queen of Castile). The libretti was drawn from a comedy by Lope de Vega by a certain Feustking, whose scandalous life Chrysander has recorded, and also the battle of the ribald pamphlets with Barthold Feind on the subject of this piece. Keiser ought to have written the music of _Almira_, but, being too occupied with his business and his amusements, he handed the book over to Handel. Once for all I will say here that the exigences of this book will not allow of any analysis of Handel's operas. I hope to give detailed analyses of them in another book on Handel and his times (_Musiciens d'autrefois_, Second Series). [83] _Die durch Blut und Mord erlangte Liebe, oder Nero_ (Love obtained by blood and crime, or Nero), poem by Feustking. Mattheson played the part of Nero. The musical score is lost. [84] In 1703 Handel returned his mother the allowance which she made him, and added thereto certain presents for Christmas. In 1704, 1705 and 1706 he saved two hundred ducats for his travels in Italy. [85] The new Nero was played under the title of _Die Romische Unruhe, oder die edelmüthige Octavia_ (The troubles of Rome, or the magnanimous Octavia). The score has been republished in the supplements to the Complete Handel Edition by Max Seiffert with Breitkopf. _Almira_ took the title: _Der Durchlanchtige Secretarius, oder Almira, Königen in Castilien_ (His Excellency the Secretary, or Almira, Queen of Castile). Besides these two works, Keiser wrote in two years, seven operas, the finest he had done, an evident proof of his genius, which, however, lacked the character and dignity worthy of it. [86] Under the title _Componimenti Musicali_, 1706, Hamburg.