PERSONS OF THE PLAY
Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Judæa
Iokanaan, The Prophet
The Young Syrian, Captain of the Guard
Tigellinus, a young roman
A Cappadocian
A Nubian
First Soldier
Second Soldier
The Page of Herodias
Jews, Nazarenes, etc
A Slave
Namaan, the executioner
Herodias, wife of the Tetrarch
Salome, daughter of Herodias
The Slaves of Salome
SCENE
[A great terrace in the Palace of Herod, set above the banqueting-hall Some soldiers are leaning over the balcony. To the right there is a gigantic staircase, to the left, at the back, an old cistern surrounded by a wall of green bronze. Moonlight.]
The Young Syrian How beautiful is the Princess Salomé to-night!
The Page of Herodias Look at the moon! How strange the moon seems! She is like a woman rising from a tomb. She is like a dead woman. You would fancy she was looking for dead things.
The Young Syrian She has a strange look. She is like a little princess who wears a yellow veil, and whose feet are of silver. She is like a princess who has little white doves for feet. You would fancy she was dancing.
The Page of Herodias She is like a woman who is dead. She moves very slowly. [Noise in the banqueting-hall.]
First Soldier What an uproar! Who are those wild beasts howling?
Second Soldier The Jews. They are always like that. They are disputing about their religion.
First Soldier Why do they dispute about their religion?
Second Soldier I cannot tell. They are always doing it. The Pharisees, for instance, say that there are angels, and the Sadducees declare that angels do not exist.
First Soldier I think it is ridiculous to dispute about such things.
The Young Syrian How beautiful is the Princess Salomé” to-night!
The Page of Herodias You are always looking at her. You look at her too much. It is dangerous to look at people in such fashion. Something terrible may happen.
The Young Syrian She is very beautiful to-night.
First Soldier The Tetrarch has a sombre look.
Second Soldier Yes; he has a sombre look.
First Soldier He is looking at something.
Second Soldier He is looking at some one.
First Soldier At whom is he looking?
Second Soldier I cannot tell.
The Young Syrian How pale the Princess is! Never have I seen her so pale. She is like the shadow of a white rose in a mirror of silver.
The Page of Herodias You must not look at her. You look too much at her.
First Soldier Herodias has filled the cup of the Tetrarch.
The Cappadocian Is that the Queen Herodias, she who wears a black mitre sewn with pearls, and whose hair is powdered with blue dust?
First Soldier Yes; that is Herodias, the Tetrarch’s wife.
Second Soldier The Tetrarch is very fond of wine. He has wine of three sorts. One which is brought from the Island of Samothrace, and is purple like the cloak of Csesar.
The Cappadocian I have never seen Caesar.
Second Soldier Another that comes from a town called Cyprus, and is yellow like gold.
The Cappadocian I love gold.
Second Soldier And the third is a wine of Sicily. That wine is red like blood.
The Nubian The gods of my country are very fond of blood. Twice in the year we sacrifice to them young men and maidens; fifty young men and a hundred maidens. But it seems we never give them quite enough, for they are very harsh to us.
The Cappadocian In my country there are no gods left. The Romans have driven them out. There are some who say that they have hidden themselves in the mountains, but I do not believe it. Three nights I have been on the mountains seeking them everywhere. I did not find them. And at last I called them by their names, and they did not come. I think they are dead.
First Soldier The Jews worship a God that you cannot see.
The Cappadocian I cannot understand that.
First Soldier In fact, they believe only in things that you cannot see.
The Cappadocian That seems to me altogether ridiculous.
The Voice of Jokanaan After me shall come another mightier than I. I am not worthy so much as to unloose the latchet of his shoes. When he cometh, the solitary places shall be glad. They shall blossom like the lily. The eyes of the blind shall see the day, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened. The new-born child shall put his hand upon the dragons’ lair and shall lead the lions by their manes.
Second Soldier Make him be silent, He is always saying ridiculous things.
First Soldier No, no. He is a holy man. He is very gentle, too. Every day when I give him to eat he thanks me.
The Cappadocian Who is he?
First Soldier A prophet.
The Cappadocian What is his name?
First Soldier Jokanaan.
The Cappadocian Whence comes he?
First Soldier From the desert, where he fed on locusts and wild honey. He was clothed in camel’s hair, and round his loins he had a leathern belt. He was very terrible to look upon. A great multitude used to follow him. He even had disciples.
The Cappadocian What is he talking of?
First Soldier We can never tell. Sometimes he says terrible things, but it is impossible to understand what he says.
The Cappadocian May one see him?
First Soldier No. The Tetrarch has forbidden it.
The Young Syrian The Princess has hidden her face behind her fan! Her little white hands are fluttering like doves that fly to their dove-cots. They are like white butterflies. They are just like white butterflies.
The Page of Herodias What is that to you? Why do you look at her? You must not look at her. . . . Something terrible may happen.
The Cappadocian [pointing to the cistern] What a strange prison!
Second Soldier It is an old cistern.
The Cappadocian An old cistern! It must be very unhealthy.
Second Soldier Oh no! For instance, the Tetrarch’s brother, his elder brother, the first husband of Herodias the Queen, was imprisoned there for twelve years. It did not kill him. At the end of the twelve years he had to be strangled.
The Cappadocian Strangled? Who dared to do that?
Second Soldier [Pointing to the executioner, a huge negro] That man yonder, Naaman,
The Cappadocian He was not afraid?
Second Soldier Oh no! The Tetrarch sent him