At the end of August, 1703, Handel entered the Hamburg orchestra as a second violinist. He loved to amuse himself amongst his kind, and he often made himself appear more ignorant than he was. "He behaved," said Mattheson, "as if he did not even know how to count five, for he was a 'dry stick.'"[77] That year at Hamburg, Reiser's _Claudius_ was given at the Opera, and many of the phrases registered themselves in Handel's marvellous memory.[78] When the season was finished, Mattheson made a journey to Holland, and Handel profited by the absence of his young adviser to assert his own individuality. He had made the acquaintance of the poet Postel, who, old, ill, and troubled by religious scruples, had given up the writing of opera _libretti_, and no longer wished to compose anything but sacred works. Postel furnished Handel with the text for a _Passion according to Saint John_, which Handel set to music, and performed during Holy Week in 1704.[79] Mattheson, piqued at the _volte face_ which had happened in his relationship with Handel, criticised the music severely, but not unjustly.[80] Despite the intense feeling of certain pages, and the fine dramatic nature of the choruses, the work was uneven, and occasionally lacked good taste. From this moment the friendship between Handel and Mattheson was finished. Handel became conscious of his own genius, and could no longer stand the protectorship of Mattheson. Other occurrences aggravated the misunderstanding, which ended in a quarrel, which narrowly escaped a fatal issue.[81] Following the altercation at the Opera on December 5, 1704, they fought a duel in the market-place at Hamburg, and Handel only escaped being killed by a stroke of luck: for Mattheson's sword snapped on a large metal button on Handel's coat, after which they embraced, and the two companions, reconciled by Keiser, took part together in the rehearsals of _Almira_, the first opera of Handel.[82] The first representation took place on January 8, 1705, and the work was a brilliant success. A second opera of Handel, _Nero_[83] was played on February 25 following, but it had not quite the success of _Almira_. Handel himself occupied the placards of the opera during the whole of the winter season. It was a fine _début_. Too fine indeed, and Keiser became jealous of him. The Hamburg Opera, however, was gradually waning. Keiser gaily led it to its ruin. He led the life of a gay libertine, and all the artists around him rivalled him in his follies. Alone Handel held aloof from the follies, working hard, and spending only what was barely necessary.[84] After the success of these two operas he resigned his post as second violin and clavecinist to the orchestra, but continued to give lessons, and his reputation as a composer kept pace with that of his teaching. Keiser was uneasy. Handel's increasing reputation aroused his _amour-propre_. Nothing was more stupid, however, than his jealousy. He was Director of the Opera, and it was in his