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SALOME 
 
 OscdT 
 WUde> 
 
 'H.M. CxU dwell Co. 
 New Yorti-^Boston. 
 
/Ph XI 190/ 
 
 
 Copyright, igoj 
 By H. M. Caldwell Co. 
 
Salome 
 
TO MY FRIEND 
 
 LORD ALFRED BRUCE DOUGLAS 
 
 THE TRANSLATOR OF 
 
 MY PLAY 
 
THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY 
 
 HEROD ANTIPAS, TETRARCH OF 
 
 JUDJEA 
 lOKANAAN, 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 
 
 NAAMAN, THE EXECUTIONER 
 HERODIAS, WIFE OF THE TETRARCH 
 SALOME, DAUGHTER OF HERODIAS 
 THE SLAVES OF SALOME 
 
Introduction 
 
 QSCAR FINGAL O'FLAHERTIE 
 WILLS WILDE was born in 
 Dublin, October i6, 1854. His father, Sir 
 William Wilde, a noted oculist and otol- 
 ogist, was one of the most distinguished 
 surgeons that Great Britain has known, 
 and is also well remembered as the 
 author of several important works on 
 Irish History and Archaeology. On the 
 other hand, he was a man of strong, un- 
 bridled passions, in the gratification of 
 which no sense of social or professional 
 responsibility could restrain him. His 
 mother, Jane Francesca Elgee, was well 
 
^ Introduction 
 
 known both as a pamphleteer and a 
 poet, writing to the Nation, Dublin, 
 under the names of " Speranza " and 
 " John Fenshaw ElHs " at the time of 
 the political upheaval in 1848. Oscar 
 was their second child and son, and 
 because a boy his advent was a disap- 
 pointment to his mother, who had de- 
 sired a girl, and for a long time he was 
 treated, talked to, and dressed like one. 
 He received his education at Ennis- 
 killen and at Trinity College, Dublin, 
 where in 1874 he won the Berkeley 
 Gold Medal. In October of that year 
 he entered Magdalen College, Oxford, 
 in his first term coming under the in- 
 fluence of Ruskin, who lectured on the 
 " Esthetic and Mathematical Schools 
 of Art in Florence." In 1877 an event 
 
 vi 
 
Introduction ^ 
 
 took place which had a deep influence 
 on his life, — his journey to Greece 
 with the party that accompanied John 
 Pentland MahafFy, whereby, without 
 doubt, his true enthusiasm for Beauty 
 and the Hellenic spirit was aroused. 
 In 1878 he gained First Class in the 
 Honour Finals at Oxford, and in the 
 same year won the Newdigate Prize for 
 English Verse with his poem " Ra- 
 venna." For a period of practically 
 five years from the time of his gradua- 
 tion from Oxford in 1878, Oscar Wilde 
 with his mumming made an extrava- 
 ganza of the Pre-Raphaelite movement 
 and a burlesque of the theories of the 
 Esthetes. His eccentric dress of knee 
 breeches, silk stockings, and velvet 
 
 coats, and his affectation of sunflowers 
 vii 
 
^ Introduction 
 
 and lilies brought him a certain no- 
 toriety. He was caricatured in Punch, 
 good-humouredly rallied in all of the 
 public prints, and satirized in Gilbert 
 and Sullivan's comic opera " Patience." 
 In 1 88 1 he found a publisher for his 
 poems, consisting mainly of reprints 
 contributed to various periodicals in 
 England and Ireland. In the latter 
 part of December, 1881, he sailed for 
 New York, where early in January, 
 1882, he delivered the first of a series of 
 lectures, which afterwards he repeated in 
 the principal cities of the United States 
 and Canada. Although the tour did 
 not prove a great financial success, 
 especially towards its close, the year's 
 travelling in America was productive of 
 
 great good in the development of his 
 viii 
 
Introduction ^ 
 
 character. Brought into close contact 
 with the most energetic of men, his 
 latent energy aroused itself, and the 
 unworthy posings were abandoned, and 
 by the time of his return to England his 
 masquerade of speech, manner, and 
 dress had disappeared. Shortly after 
 his arrival in England he went to Paris, 
 taking with him several copies of his 
 poems, which he sent to many well- 
 known people. His advances were fa- 
 vourably received and many doors were 
 opened to him, but he was really never 
 understood. He was labelled " Poseur " 
 and was not taken at all seriously. 
 Through the lack of money he was 
 obhged to return to England in the 
 summer of 1883, and entered on a lec- 
 ture tour, visiting various provincial 
 ix 
 
"^ Introduction 
 
 towns, but he met with little success. 
 On May 29, 1884, he married Constance 
 Lloyd, and her dower enabled them to 
 take the lease of a good house in Tite 
 Street, Chelsea. Oscar Wilde then 
 turned to journalism, writing much 
 anonymously, though at the same 
 period he wrote the exquisite fairy-tales 
 published in 1888 under the title of 
 " The Happy Prince and Other Tales." 
 From October, 1887, to September, 
 1889, he was editor of the Woman s 
 World, where his personal contributions 
 were mainly published under the title 
 of " Some Literary Notes." During 
 the eight years from 1884 to 1 891 the 
 total of his published work was small, 
 consisting principally of " The Soul of 
 Man under Socialism," " The Picture 
 
Introduction ^ 
 
 of Dorian Gray " and " Intentions," 
 a volume of essays which had already 
 appeared in monthly magazines. On 
 the 20th of February, 1892, his play, 
 " Lady Windermere's Fan," was pro- 
 duced and proved an immediate success. 
 From then on there were three years of 
 prosperity and triumph for Oscar Wilde. 
 He was counted one of the first play- 
 wrights of the English stage and his 
 income sprang from nothing to several 
 thousand pounds a year. In April, 
 1893, " A Woman of No Importance " 
 was performed; on the 3d of January, 
 1895, came " An Ideal Husband," and 
 on the 14th of February " The Import- 
 ance of Being Earnest," all meeting 
 with extraordinary success. The strong 
 
 point in each of these comedies lay in 
 xi 
 
^ Introduction 
 
 the dialogue, which sparkled and scin- 
 tillated with wit; it was simply Oscar 
 Wilde himself talking. At this time 
 he frequently visited Paris, and the 
 following description of him by Henri 
 Regnier dates from about the period 
 of the writing of " Salome/* " This 
 foreigner was tall and of great cor- 
 pulence. A high complexion seemed 
 to give still greater width to his clean- 
 shaven and proconsular face. It was 
 the unbearded face that one sees on 
 coins. The eyes smiled. The hands 
 seemed to be beautiful: they were 
 rather fleshy and plump, and one of 
 them was ornamented with a ring in 
 which a beetle of green stone was set. 
 The man's tall figure allowed of his 
 
 wearing ample and masterly frock- 
 xii 
 
Introduction ^ 
 
 coats, which opened out on somewhat 
 * loud ' waistcoats of smooth velvet or 
 flowered satins. Oriental cigarettes 
 with gold tips were ever consuming 
 themselves into smoke in his mouth. 
 A rare blossom in his buttonhole gave 
 a finishing touch to his rich attire in 
 which every detail seemed to have been 
 carefully studied^ From cab to cab, 
 from cafe to cafe, from salon to salon, 
 he moved with the lazy gait of a stout 
 man who is rather weary. He carried 
 on his correspondence by means of tel- 
 egrams, and his conversation by means 
 of apologues.*' In April, 1895, came 
 his downfall, it having since been 
 proved that he was really the scape- 
 goat of a circle of his friends, and 
 on May 25th he was sentenced to 
 
^ Introduction 
 
 two years at hard labour. On his 
 release from gaol he went to France, 
 where he dragged out the rest of his 
 existence, with the exception of a short 
 time spent in Italy, dying in Paris in 
 comparative poverty on the 30th of 
 November, 1900. 
 
 " Salome " was written in Paris about 
 
 the first of the year 1892 and but a short 
 
 time before the production of " Lady 
 
 Windermere's Fan " in London. It 
 
 was composed in French and with the 
 
 exception of slight revision by Marcel 
 
 Schwob was entirely Oscar Wilde's 
 
 work, and the best French critics are 
 
 unanimous in expressing their wonder 
 
 that any foreigner could have acquired 
 
 such a mastery of the French language, 
 adv 
 
Introduction ^ 
 
 The play was not written for Sarah 
 Bernhardt, as so often stated, but she 
 asked the author to read it to her in 
 London around June, 1892, and was so 
 impressed with its possibiHties that she 
 at once expressed a desire to play the 
 title role. Rehearsals were imme- 
 diately begun, costumes, scenery, and 
 everything had been prepared, but 
 toward the last of June license to pro- 
 duce the play in London was refused 
 by the Lord Chamberlain on the ground 
 that it was unadvisable to produce 
 religious episodes. Madame Bern- 
 hardt, however, decided to produce it 
 in Paris at her own theatre of the Port 
 St. Martin as soon as an opportunity 
 offered. At the time of his arrest in 
 1895, Oscar Wilde's plays in England 
 
 XV 
 
^ Introduction 
 
 were withdrawn from the boards as soon 
 
 as possible and his income stopped. 
 
 His only hope for any money was from 
 
 " Salome," which he had expected Sarah 
 
 Bernhardt would produce that year, 
 
 and while awaiting trial he wrote to a 
 
 friend in Paris to ask her if she would 
 
 not purchase the play outright. This 
 
 she refused to do, and although she 
 
 shed tears for his pitiful position and 
 
 sent him messages of sympathy, she 
 
 refused to assist him financially in any 
 
 way, although she had led Wilde's 
 
 friend to believe she would. The play 
 
 was first produced by Luigne Poe in 
 
 Paris in 1896; and from the time of its 
 
 first production in Berlin in September, 
 
 1903, has created a furor in Germany. 
 
 It has also been produced in Italy, but 
 xvi 
 
Introduction ^ 
 
 in English there seem to have been but 
 two productions of the play up to the 
 present time. The first was of a semi- 
 private nature at the Bijou Theatre in 
 London, May loth and 13th, 1905, and 
 the second was a series of public per- 
 formances at the Berkeley Lyceum, 
 New York, from November 13th to 
 i6th, 1905. " Salome " in the original 
 French was pubhshed in 1893, and in 
 the following year appeared in English, 
 translated by Lord Alfred Douglas. 
 Since then there have been three Ger- 
 man versions and two Russian, as well 
 as translations in Polish, Swedish, and 
 Spanish, showing the truth of the Ger- 
 man statement that to-day Oscar Wilde 
 is a " World's Poet " and " Salome " a 
 
 ** World's Play." " It is among some 
 xvii 
 
^ Introduction 
 
 of his friends an abiding regret that 
 he was not spared a few years longer 
 so that in the depth of his despair 
 he might have seen the wonderful 
 triumph that Germany has prepared 
 for him, might have watched the 
 crowds flocking to the theatre to see 
 
 * Salome ' played, might have listened to 
 the frantic enthusiasm which this play 
 never fails to invoke, might a little later 
 on have realized that it had been given 
 to him by this play to stimulate to the 
 highest expression of his wonderful art 
 the composer Richard Strauss, whom 
 the cognoscenti hail as the greatest 
 maestro who ever lived." ' 
 
 * Life of Oscar Wilde, by R. H. Sherard, 1906, 
 
 xviu 
 
Salome 
 
 Scene — A great terrace in the Palace 
 of Herody set above the banqueting- hall. 
 Some soldiers are leaning over the bal- 
 cony. To the right there is a gigantic 
 staircase, to the left, at the back, an old 
 cistern surrounded by a wall of green 
 bronze. The moon is shining very 
 brightly. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 How beautiful is the Princess Salome 
 to-night ! 
 
 THE PAGE OF HERODIAS 
 
 Look at the moon. How strange the 
 moon seems ! She is like a woman ris- 
 
^ Salome 
 
 ing from a tomb. She is like a dead 
 woman. One might fancy she was look- 
 ing 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. One might 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? 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 The Jews. They are always like 
 that. They are disputing about their 
 religion. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 Why do they dispute about their re- 
 ligion ? 
 
 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 Salome 
 to-night I 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 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. Some- 
 thing terrible may happen. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 She is very beautiful to-night. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 The Tetrarch has a sombre aspect. 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 Yes; he has a sombre aspect. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 He is looking at something. 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 He is looking at some one. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 At whom is he looking ? 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 I cannot tell. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 How pale the Princess is! Never 
 have I seen her so pale. She is Hke 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 sewed with pearls, 
 and whose hair is powdered with blue 
 dust ? 
 
 5 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 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 Samo- 
 thrace, and is purple Hke the cloak 
 of Caesar. 
 
 THE CAPPADOCIAN 
 
 I have never seen Cassar. 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 Another that comes from a town 
 called Cyprus, and is as yellow as 
 gold. 
 
 THE CAPPADOCIAN 
 
 I love gold. 
 
 6 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 And the third is a wine of Sicily. 
 That wine is as red as 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 I am afraid that 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 
 7 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 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 one 
 cannot see. 
 
 THE CAPPADOCIAN 
 
 I cannot understand that. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 In fact, they only believe in things 
 that one cannot see. 
 
 THE CAPPADOCIAN 
 
 That seems to me altogether ridicu- 
 lous. 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 After all shall come another mightier 
 8 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 We can never tell. Sometimes he says 
 things that affright one, but it is impos- 
 sible to understand what he says. 
 
 THE CAPPADOCIAN 
 
 May one see him ? 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 No. ThexTetrarch 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 butter- 
 flies. They are just like white but- 
 terflies. 
 
 THE PAGE OF HERODIAS 
 
 What is that to you ? Why do you 
 
 look at her? You must not look at 
 II 
 
^ Salome 
 
 her. . . . Something terrible may hap- 
 pen. 
 
 THE CAPPADOCIAN 
 
 [Pointing to the cistern.^ What a 
 strange prison! 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 It is an old cistern. 
 
 THE CAPPADOCIAN 
 
 An old cistern ! That must be a poi- 
 sonous place in which to dwell ! 
 
 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 twelve 
 years he had to be strangled. 
 
 12 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 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 sol:6ier 
 
 Oh, no ! The Tetrarch sent him the 
 ring. 
 
 THE CAPPADOCIAN 
 
 What ring ? 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 The death ring. So he was not afraid. 
 
 THE CAPPADOCIAN 
 
 Yet it is a terrible thing to strangle 
 
 a king. 
 
 13 
 
^ Salome 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 Why? Kings have but one neck, 
 Hke other folk. 
 
 THE CAPPADOCIAN 
 
 I think it terrible. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 The Princess is getting up! She is 
 leaving the table! She looks very 
 troubled. Ah, she is coming this way. 
 Yes, she is coming towards us. How 
 pale she is! Never have I seen her so 
 pale. 
 
 THE PAGE OF HERODIAS 
 
 Do not look at her. I pray you not to 
 look at her. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 She is like a dove that has strayed. 
 
 . . . She is like a narcissus trembling 
 14 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 in the wind. . . . She is like a silver 
 flower. 
 
 [Enter Salome.] 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I will not stay. I cannot stay. Why 
 does the Tetrarch look at me all the 
 while with his mole's eyes under his 
 shaking eyelids ? It is strange that the 
 husband of my mother looks at me like 
 that. I know not what it means. Of a 
 truth I know it too well. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 You have left the feast, Princess ? 
 
 SALOME 
 
 How sweet is the air here! I can 
 
 breathe here! Within there are Jews 
 
 from Jerusalem who are tearing each 
 
 other in pieces over their foolish cere- 
 
 15 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 monies, and barbarians who drink and 
 drink and spill their wine on the pave- 
 ment, and Greeks from Smyrna with 
 painted eyes and painted cheeks, and 
 frizzed hair curled in columns, and 
 Egyptians silent and subtle, with long 
 nails of jade and russet cloaks, and 
 Romans brutal and coarse, with their 
 uncouth jargon. Ah ! how I loathe the 
 Romans ! They are rough and com- 
 mon, and they give themselves the airs 
 of noble lords. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Will you be seated. Princess ? 
 
 THE PAGE OF HERODIAS 
 
 Why do you speak to her? Oh! 
 
 something terrible will happen. Why 
 
 do you look at her ? 
 i6 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SALOME 
 
 How good to see the moon! She is 
 like a Httle piece of money, a little 
 silver flower. She is cold and chaste. 
 I am sure she is a virgin. She has the 
 beauty of a virgin. Yes, she is a virgin. 
 She has never defiled herself. She has 
 never abandoned herself to men, Hke 
 the other goddesses. 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 Behold! the Lord hath come. The 
 Son of Man is at hand. The centaurs 
 have hidden themselves in the rivers, 
 and the nymphs have left the rivers, 
 and are lying beneath the leaves in the 
 forests. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Who was that who cried out ? 
 17 
 
^ Salome 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 The prophet, Princess. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Ah, the prophet ! He of whom the 
 Tetrarch is afraid ? 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 We know nothing of that. Princess. 
 It was the prophet lokanaan who cried 
 out. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Is it your pleasure that I bid them 
 bring your litter, Princess ? The night 
 is fair in the garden. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 He says terrible things about my 
 
 mother, does he not ? 
 i8 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 We never understand what he says, 
 Princess. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Yes ; he says terrible things about her. 
 [Enter a Slave.] 
 
 THE SLAVE 
 
 Princess, the Tetrarch prays you to 
 return to the feast. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I will not return. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Pardon me. Princess, but if you re- 
 turn not some misfortune may hap- 
 pen. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Is he an old man, this prophet ? 
 19 
 
^ Salome 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Princess, it were better to return. 
 Suffer me to lead you in. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 This prophet . .. is he an old man ? 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 No, Princess, he is quite young. 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 One cannot be sure. There are those 
 who say that he is Elias. . 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Who is Elias ? 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 A prophet of this country in bygone 
 days, Princess. 
 
 THE SLAVE 
 
 What answer may I give the Tetrarch 
 
 from the Princess ? 
 20 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 Rejoice not, O land of Palestine, be- 
 cause the rod of him who smote thee is 
 broken. For from the seed of the ser- 
 pent shall come a basilisk, and that 
 which is born of it shall devour the birds. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 What a strange voice ! I would speak 
 with him. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 I fear it may not be, Princess. The 
 Tetrarch does not suffer any one to 
 speak with him. He has even forbidden 
 the high priest to speak with him. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I desire to speak with him. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 It is impossible. Princess. 
 
 21 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I will speak with him. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Would it not be better to return to 
 the banquet ? 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Bring forth this prophet. 
 
 [Exit the Slave,] 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 We dare not, Princess. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 \A pproaching the cistern and looking 
 down into ?V.] How black it is, down 
 there! It must be terrible to be in so 
 black a hole! It is like a tomb. . . . 
 \To the soldiers.^ Did you not hear me ? 
 Bring out the prophet. I would look on 
 him. 
 
 22 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 Princess, I beg you, do not require 
 this of us. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 You are making me wait upon your 
 pleasure. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 Princess, our lives belong to you, but 
 we cannot do what you have asked of 
 us. And indeed, it is not of us that you 
 should ask this thing. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 [Looking at the young Syrian.] Ah ! 
 
 THE PAGE OF HERODIAS 
 
 Oh ! what is going to happen ? I 
 am sure that something terrible will 
 happen. 
 
 23 
 
■S&jjj 
 
 Salome 
 
 SALOME 
 
 [Going up to the young Syr tan J\ 
 Thou wilt do this thinp- for me, wilt 
 thou not, Narraboth ? Thou wilt do 
 this thing for me. I have ever been 
 kind towards thee. Thou wilt do it for 
 me. I would but look at him, this 
 strange prophet. Men have talked so 
 much of him. Often I have heard the 
 Tetrarch talk of him. I think he is 
 afraid of him, the Tetrarch. Art thou, 
 even thou, also afraid of him, Narra- 
 both ? 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 I fear him not, Princess; there is no 
 
 man I fear. But the Tetrarch has 
 
 formally forbidden that any man should 
 
 raise the cover of this well. 
 24 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Thou wilt do this thing for me, Nar- 
 raboth, and to-morrow when I pass in 
 my litter beneath the gateway of the 
 idol-sellers I will let fall for thee a little 
 flower, a little green flower. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Princess, I cannot, 1 cannot. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 [Smiling.] Thou wilt do this thing 
 for me, Narraboth. Thou knowest 
 that thou wilt do this thing for me. 
 And on the morrow when I shall pass 
 in my litter by the bridge of the idol- 
 buyers, I will look at thee through the 
 muslin veils, I will look at thee, Narra- 
 both, it may be I will smile at thee. 
 
 Look at me, Narraboth, look at me. 
 25 
 
-^ Salome 
 
 Ah! thou knowest that thou wilt do 
 what I ask of thee. Thou knowest 
 it ... I know that thou wilt do this 
 thing. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 [Signing to the third Soldier,^ Let 
 the prophet come forth. . . . The 
 Princess Salome desires to see him. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Ah! 
 
 THE PAGE OF HERODIAS 
 
 Oh I How strange the moon looks ! 
 Like the hand of a dead woman who is 
 seeking to cover herself with a shroud. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 She has a strange aspect ! She is like 
 
 a little princess, whose eyes are eyes of 
 
 amber. Through the clouds of muslin 
 26 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 she is smiling like a little princess. 
 [The prophet comes out of the cistern. 
 Salome looks at him and steps slowly 
 back.] 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Where is he whose cup of abomina- 
 tions is now full ? Where is he, who in 
 a robe of silver shall one day die in the 
 face of all the people ? Bid him come 
 forth, that he may hear the voice of him 
 who hath cried in the waste places and 
 in the houses of kings. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Of whom is he speaking ? 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 No one can tell, Princess. 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Where is she who saw the images of 
 27 
 
^ Salome 
 
 men painted on the walls, even the 
 images of the Chaldaeans painted with 
 colours, and gave herself up unto the 
 lust of her eyes, and sent ambassadors 
 into the land of Chaldaea ? 
 
 SALOME 
 
 It is of my mother that he is speaking. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Oh no, Princess. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Yes : it is of my mother that he is 
 speaking. 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Where is she who gave herself unto 
 
 the Captains of Assyria, who have 
 
 baldricks on their loins, and crowns of 
 
 many colours on their heads ? Where 
 
 is she who hath given herself to the 
 28 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 young men of the Egyptians, who are 
 clothed in fine linen and hyacinth, 
 whose shields are of gold, whose helmets 
 are of silver, whose bodies are mighty ? 
 Go, bid her rise up from the bed of her 
 abominations, from the bed of her in- 
 cestuousness, that she may hear the 
 words of him who prepareth the way of 
 the Lord, that she may repent her of 
 her iniquities. Though she will not 
 repent, but will stick fast in her abom- 
 inations, go bid her come, for the fan 
 of the Lord is in His hand. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Ah, but he is terrible, he is terrible ! 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Do not stay here, Princess, I beseech 
 
 you. 
 
 29 
 
^ Salome 
 
 SALOME 
 
 It is his eyes above all that are ter- 
 rible. They are like black holes burned 
 by torches in a tapestry of Tyre. They 
 are like the black caverns where the 
 dragons live, the black caverns of 
 Egypt in which the dragons make their 
 lairs. They are like black lakes 
 troubled by fantastic moons. . . . Do 
 you think he will speak again ? 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Do not stay here, Princess. I pray 
 you do not stay here. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 How wasted he is ! He is like a thin 
 
 ivory statue. He is like an image of 
 
 silver. I am sure he is chaste, as the 
 
 moon is. He is like a moonbeam, like 
 
 30 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 a shaft of silver. His flesh must be very 
 cold, cold as ivory. ... I w^ould look 
 closer at him. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 No, no. Princess. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I must look closer at him. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Princess ! Princess ! 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Who is this woman who is looking at 
 me ? I will not have her look at me. 
 Wherefore doth she look at me, with her 
 golden eyes, under her gilded eyelids ? 
 I know not who she is. I do not desire 
 to know who she is. Bid her begone. 
 It is not to her that I would speak. 
 3^ 
 
-^ Salome 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I am Salome, daughter of Herodias, 
 Pnncess of Judaea. 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Back 1 daughter of Babylon ! Come 
 not near the chosen of the Lord. Thy 
 mother hath filled the earth with the 
 wine of her iniquities, and the cry of her 
 sinning hath come up even to the ears 
 of God. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Speak again, lokanaan. Thy voice 
 is as music to mine ear. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Princess ! Princess ! Princess ! 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Speak again! Speak again, loka- 
 naan, and tell me what I must do. 
 32 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Daughter of Sodom, come not near 
 me ! But cover thy face with a veil, and 
 scatter ashes upon thine head, and get 
 thee to the desert, and seek out the Son 
 of Man. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Who is he, the Son of Man ? Is he 
 as beautiful as thou art, lokanaan ? 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Get thee behind me! I hear in the 
 palace the beating of the wings of the 
 angel of death. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Princess, I beseech thee to go within. 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Angel of the Lord God, what dost 
 thou here with thy sword ? Whom 
 33 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 seekest thou in this palace ? The day of 
 him who shall die in a robe of silver 
 has not yet come. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 lokanaan ! 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Who speaketh ? 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I am amorous of thy body, lokanaan ! 
 
 Thy body is white, like the lilies of a 
 
 field that the mower hath never mowed. 
 
 Thy body is white like the snows that 
 
 lie on the mountains of Judaea, and 
 
 come down into, the valleys. The roses 
 
 in the garden of the Queen of Arabia 
 
 are not so white as thy body. Neither 
 
 the roses of the garden of the Queen 
 34 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 of Arabia, the garden of spices of the 
 Queen of Arabia, nor the feet of the 
 dawn when they Hght on the leaves, nor 
 the breast of the moon when she lies on 
 the breast of the sea. . . . There is 
 nothing in the world so white as thy 
 body. Suffer me to touch thy body. 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Back ! daughter of Babylon ! By 
 woman came evil into the world. Speak 
 not to me. I will not listen to thee. 
 I listen but to the voice of the Lord 
 God. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Thy body is hideous. It is like the 
 
 body of a leper. It is like a plastered 
 
 wall where vipers have crawled; like a 
 
 plastered wall where the scorpions have 
 
 35 
 
^ Salome 
 
 made their nest. It is like a whited 
 
 sepulchre, full of loathsome things. 
 
 It is horrible, thy body is horrible. It 
 
 is of thy hair that I am enamoured, 
 
 lokanaan. Thy hair is like clusters of 
 
 grapes, like the clusters of black grapes 
 
 that hang from the vine-trees of Edom 
 
 in the land of the Edomites. Thy hair 
 
 is like the cedars of Lebanon-, like the 
 
 great cedars of Lebanon that give their 
 
 shade to the lions and to the robbers 
 
 who would hide them by day. The 
 
 long black nights, when the moon hides 
 
 her face, when the stars are afraid, are 
 
 not so black as thy hair. The silence 
 
 that dwells in the forest is not so black. 
 
 There is nothing in the world that is so 
 
 black as thy hair. . . . Suffer me to 
 
 touch thy hair. 
 
 36 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Back, daughter of Sodom ! Touch 
 me not. Profane not the temple of the 
 Lord God. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Thy hair is horrible. It is covered 
 with mire and dust. It is like a crown of 
 thorns placed on thy head. It is like a 
 knot of serpents coiled round thy neck. 
 I love not thy hair. ... It is thy 
 mouth that I desire, lokanaan. Thy 
 mouth is like a band of scarlet on a 
 tower of ivory. It is like a pomegranate 
 cut in twain with a knife of ivory. The 
 pomegranate flowers that blossom in 
 the gardens of Tyre, and are redder 
 than roses, are not so red. The red 
 blasts of trumpets that herald the ap- 
 
^ Salome 
 
 proach of kings, and make afraid the 
 
 enemy, are not so red. Thy mouth is 
 
 redder than the feet of those who tread 
 
 the wine in the wine-press. It is redder 
 
 than the feet of the doves who inhabit 
 
 the temples and are fed by the priests. 
 
 It is redder than the feet of him who 
 
 Cometh from a forest where he .hath 
 
 slain a lion, and seen gilded tigers. 
 
 Thy mouth is like a branch of coral 
 
 that fishers have found in the twilight of 
 
 the sea, the coral that they keep for the 
 
 kings I ... It is like the vermilion 
 
 that the Moabites find in the mines of 
 
 Moab, the vermilion that the kings take 
 
 from them. It is like the bow of the 
 
 King of the Persians, that is painted 
 
 with vermilion and is tipped with coral. 
 
 There is nothing in the world so red 
 38 
 
Salome 
 
 ^ 
 
 as thy mouth. . . . Suffer me to kiss 
 thy mouth. 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Never 1 daughter of Babylon ! Daugh- 
 ter of Sodom ! never ! 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I will kiss thy mouth, lokanaan. I 
 will kiss thy mouth. 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Princess, Princess, thou who art like 
 a garden of myrrh, thou who art the 
 dove of all doves, look not at this man, 
 look not at him ! Do not speak such 
 words to him. I cannot endure it. . . . 
 Princess, do not speak these things. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I will kiss thy mouth, lokanaan. 
 39 
 
 \ 
 
^ Salome 
 
 THE YOUNG SYRIAN 
 
 Ah! [He kills himself and falls be- 
 tween Salome and lokanaan.] 
 
 THE PAGE OF HERODIAS 
 
 The young Syrian has slain himself! 
 
 The young captain has slain himself! 
 
 He has slain himself who was my friend ! 
 
 I gave him a little box of perfumes and 
 
 ear-rings wrought in silver, and now he 
 
 has killed himself. Ah, did he not say 
 
 that some misfortune would happen ? 
 
 I, too, said it, and it has come to pass. 
 
 Well I knew that the moon was seeking 
 
 a dead thing, but I knew not that it was 
 
 he whom she sought. Ah ! why did I 
 
 not hide him from the moon ? If I had 
 
 hidden him in a cavern she would not 
 
 have seen him. 
 
 40 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 Princess, the young captain has just 
 slain himself. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Suffer me to kiss thy mouth, lokanaan. 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Art thou not afraid, daughter of 
 Herodias ? Did I not tell thee that I had 
 heard in the palace the beatings of the 
 wings of the angel of death, and hath he 
 not come, the angel of death ? 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Suffer me to kiss thy mouth. 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Daughter of adultery, there is but one 
 
 who can save thee. It is He of whom 
 
 I spake. Go seek Him. He is in a boat 
 41 
 
^ Salome 
 
 on the sea of Galilee, and He talketh 
 with His disciples. Kneel down on the 
 shore of the sea, and call unto Him by 
 His name. When He cometh to thee, 
 and to all who call unto Him He cometh, 
 bow thyself at His feet and ask of 
 Him the remission of thy sins. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Suffer me to kiss thy mouth. 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 Cursed be thou ! daughter of an in- 
 cestuous mother, be thou accursed! 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I will kiss thy mouth, lokanaan. 
 
 lOKANAAN 
 
 I will not look at thee. Thou art 
 
 accursed, Salome, thou art accursed. 
 
 [He goes Jozun into the cistern.^ 
 42 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I will kiss thy mouth, lokanaan; I 
 will kiss thy mouth. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 We must bear away the body to an- 
 other place. The Tetrarch does not 
 care to see dead bodies, save the bodies 
 of those whom he himself has slain. 
 
 THE PAGE OF HERODIAS 
 
 He was my brother, and nearer to me 
 than a brother. I gave him a little box 
 full of perfumes, and a ring of agate that 
 he always wore on his hand. In the 
 evening we were wont to walk by the 
 river, and among the almond-trees, and 
 he used to tell me the things of his coun- 
 try. He spake ever very low. The 
 
 sound of his voice was like the sound of 
 43 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 the flute, of one who playeth upon the 
 flute. Also he had much joy to gaze at 
 himself in the river. I used to reproach 
 him for that. 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 You are right; we must hide the 
 body. The Tetrarch must not see it. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 The Tetrarch will not come to this 
 place. He never comes on the terrace. 
 He is too much afraid of the prophet. 
 
 [Enter Herody HerodiaSy and all the 
 Court.] 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Where is Salome ? Where is the 
 
 Princess ? Why did she not return to 
 
 the banquet as I commanded her? 
 
 Ah ! there she is ! 
 
 44 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 You must not look at her! You are 
 always looking at her ! 
 
 HEROD 
 
 The moon has a strange look to- 
 night. Has she not a strange look ? 
 She is like a mad woman, a mad 
 woman who is seeking everywhere for 
 lovers. She is naked too. She is 
 quite naked. The clouds are seeking 
 to clothe her nakedness, but she will 
 not let them. She shows herself 
 naked in the sky. She reels through 
 the clouds like a drunken woman. . . . 
 I am sure she is looking for lovers. 
 Does she not reel like a drunken 
 woman ? She is hke a mad woman, 
 is she not? 
 
 45 
 
-^ Salome 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 No; the moon is like the moon, that 
 is all. Let us go within. . . . We 
 have nothing to do here. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I will stay here ! Manasseh, lay car- 
 pets there. Light torches. Bring forth 
 the ivory tables, and the tables of jasper. 
 The air here is sweet. I will drink more 
 wine with my guests. We must show 
 all honours to the ambassadors of 
 Caesar. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 It is not because of them that you 
 remain. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Yes; the air is very sweet. Come, 
 
 Herodias, our guests await us. Ah ! I 
 46 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 e^vv 
 
 have slipped ! I have slipped in blood ! 
 It is an ill omen. It is a very ill omen. 
 Wherefore is there blood here ? . . . and 
 this body, what does this body here .? 
 Think you I am Hke the King of Egypt, 
 who gives no feast to his guests but that 
 he shows them a corpse ? Whose is it ? 
 I will not look on it. 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 It is our captain, sire. It is the young 
 Syrian whom you made captain of the 
 guard but three days gone. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I issued no order that he should be 
 slain. 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 He slew himself, sire. 
 47 
 
-^ Salome 
 
 HEROD 
 
 For what reason ? I had made him 
 captain of my guard ! 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 We do not know, sire. But with his 
 own hand he slew himself. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 That seems strange to me. I had 
 thought it was but the Roman philoso- 
 phers who slew themselves. Is it not 
 true, Tigellinus, that the philosophers 
 at Rome slay themselves ? 
 
 tigeLlinus 
 
 There be some who slay themselves, 
 sire. They are the Stoics. The Stoics 
 are people of no cultivation. They 
 are ridiculous people. I myself regard 
 
 them as being perfectly ridiculous. 
 
 48 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I also. It is ridiculous to kill one*s- 
 self. 
 
 TIGELLINUS 
 
 Everybody at Rome laughs at them. 
 The Emperor has written a satire 
 against them. It is recited every- 
 where. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Ah ! he has written a satire against 
 them ? Csesar is wonderful. He can do 
 everything. ... It is strange that the 
 young Syrian has slain himself. I am 
 sorry he has slain himself. I am very 
 sorry. For he was fair to look upon. 
 He was even very fair. He had very 
 languorous eyes. I remember that I 
 
 saw that he looked languorously at 
 
 49 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 Salome. Truly, I thought he looked 
 too much at her. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 There are others who look too much 
 at her. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 His father was a king. I drave him 
 from his kingdom. And of his mother, 
 who was a queen, you made a slave, 
 Herodias. So he was here as my guest, 
 as it were, and for that reason I made 
 him my captain. I am sorry he is dead. 
 Ho ! why have you left the body here ? 
 It must be taken to some other place. 
 I will not look at it, — away with it ! 
 [They take away the body.] It is cold 
 here. There is a wind blowing. Is 
 there not a wind blowing? 
 50 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 No; there is no wind. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I tell you there is a wind that blows. 
 . . . And I hear in the air something 
 that is like the beating of wings, like 
 the beating of vast wings. Do you not 
 hear it ? 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I hear nothing. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I hear it no longer. But I heard it. 
 
 It was the blowing of the wind. It has 
 
 passed away. But, no, I hear it again. 
 
 Do you not hear it ? It is just like a 
 
 beating of wings. 
 
 SI 
 
-^ Salome 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I tell you there is nothing. You are 
 ill. Let us eo within. 
 
 ill. Let us go within 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I am not ill. It is your daughter who 
 is sick to death. Never have I seen her 
 so pale. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I have told you not to look at her. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Pour me forth wine. [fFine is 
 
 brought.] Salome, come drink a little 
 
 wine with me. I have here a wine that 
 
 is exquisite. Caesar himself sent it me. 
 
 Dip into it thy Uttle red lips, that I may 
 
 drain the cup. 
 
 52 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I am not thirsty, Tetrarch. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 You hear how she answers me, this 
 daughter of yours ? 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 She does right. Why are you always 
 gazing at her ? 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Bring me ripe fruits. [Fruits are 
 brought.] Salome, come and eat fruits 
 with me. I love to see in a fruit the 
 mark of thy Httle teeth. Bite but a little 
 of this fruit, that I may eat what is 
 left. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I am not hungry, Tetrarch. 
 
 53 
 
^ Salome 
 
 HEROD 
 
 [To Herod ias.] You see how you 
 have brought up this daughter of 
 yours. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 My daughter and I come of a royal 
 race. As for thee, thy father was a 
 camel-driver! He was a thief and a 
 robber to boot! 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Thou liest! 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Thou knowest well that it is true. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Salome, come and sit next to me. I 
 
 will give thee the throne of thy mother. 
 
 54 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I am not tired, Tetrarch. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 You see in what regard she holds you. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Bring me — What is it that I desire ? 
 I forget. Ah ! ah ! I remember. 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 Behold the time is come! That 
 which I foretold has come to pass. The 
 day that I spake of is at hand. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Bid him be silent. I will not listen to 
 his voice. This man is for ever hurling 
 insults against me. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 He has said nothing against you. 
 Besides, he is a very great prophet. 
 
 55 
 
^ Salome 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I do not believe in prophets. Can a 
 man tell what will come to pass ? No 
 man knows it. Also he is for ever in- 
 sulting me. But I think you are afraid 
 of him. ... I know well that you are 
 . afraid of him. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I am not afraid of him. I am afraid 
 of no man. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I tell you you are afraid of him. If 
 you are not afraid of him why do you 
 not deliver him to the Jews who for 
 these six months past have been clam- 
 ouring for him .? 
 
 56 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 A JEW 
 
 Truly, my lord, it were better to 
 deliver him into our hands. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Enough on this subject. I have al- 
 ready given you my answer. I will not 
 deliver him into your hands. He is a 
 holy man. He is a man who has seen 
 God. 
 
 A JEW 
 
 That cannot be. There is no man 
 who hath seen God since the prophet 
 Elias. He is the last man who saw God 
 face to face. In these days God doth 
 not show Himself. God hideth Himself. 
 Therefore great evils have come upon 
 the land. 
 
 57 / 
 
-^ Salome 
 
 ANOTHER JEW 
 
 Verily, no man knoweth if Elias the 
 prophet did indeed see God. Perad- 
 venture it was but the shadow of God 
 that he saw. 
 
 A THIRD JEW 
 
 God is at no time hidden. He show- 
 eth Himself at all times and in all places. 
 God is in what is evil even as He is in 
 what is good. 
 
 A FOURTH JEW 
 
 Thou shouldst not say that. It is a 
 very dangerous doctrine. It is a doctrine 
 that Cometh from Alexandria, where 
 men teach the philosophy of the Greeks. 
 And the Greeks are Gentiles. They 
 are not even circumcised. 
 58 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 A FIFTH JEW 
 
 No man can tell how God worketh. 
 His ways are very dark. It may be that 
 the things which we call evil are good, 
 and that the things which we call good 
 are evil. There is no knowledge of 
 anything. We can but bow our heads 
 to His will, for God is very strong. He 
 breaketh in pieces the strong together 
 with the weak, for He regardeth not 
 any man. 
 
 FIRST JEW 
 
 Thou speakest truly. Verily, God 
 
 is terrible. He breaketh in pieces the 
 
 strong and the weak as men break corn 
 
 in a mortar. But as for this man, he 
 
 hath never seen God. No man hath 
 
 seen God since the prophet Elias. 
 
 59 ' 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Make them be silent. They weary 
 me. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 But I have heard it said that lokanaan 
 is in very truth your prophet Elias. 
 
 THE JEW 
 
 That cannot be. It is more than three 
 hundred years since the days of the 
 prophet EHas. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 There be some who say that this man 
 is EHas the prophet. 
 
 A NAZARENE 
 
 I am sure that he is Elias the prophet. 
 
 THE JEW 
 
 Nay, but he is not Elias the prophet. 
 60 
 
Salome 
 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 Behold the day is at hand, the day of 
 the Lord, and I hear upon the moun- 
 tains the feet of Him who shall be the 
 Saviour of the world. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 What does that mean ? The Saviour 
 of the world ? 
 
 TIGELLINUS 
 
 It is a title that Caesar adopts. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 But Caesar is not coming into Judaea. 
 Only yesterday I received letters from 
 Rome. They contained nothing con- 
 cerning this matter. And you, Tigelli- 
 
 nus, who were at Rome during the v in- 
 6i 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 ter, you heard nothing concerning this 
 matter, did you ? 
 
 TIGELLINUS 
 
 Sire, I heard nothing concerning the 
 matter. I was but explaining the title. 
 It is one of Caesar's titles. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 But Caesar cannot come. He is too 
 gouty. They say that his feet are like 
 the feet of an elephant. Also there are 
 reasons of state. He who leaves Rome 
 loses Rome. He will not come. How- 
 beit, Caesar is lord, he will come if such 
 be his pleasure. Nevertheless, I think 
 he will not come. 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 It was not concerning Caesar that the 
 
 prophet spake these words, sire. 
 62 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 HEROD 
 
 How ? — it was not concerning 
 Caesar ? 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 No, my lord. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Concerning whom then did he speak ? 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 Concerning Messias, who hath come. 
 
 A JEW 
 
 Messias hath not come. 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 He hath come, and everywhere he 
 worketh miracles! 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Ho ! ho ! miracles ! I do not believe 
 in miracles. I have seen too many. 
 [To the Page.] My fan. / 
 
^ Salome 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 This Man worketh true miracles. 
 Thus, at a marriage which took place 
 in a little town of Galilee, a town of 
 some importance. He changed water 
 into wine. Certain persons who were 
 present related it to me. Also He healed 
 two lepers that were seated before the 
 Gate of Capernaum simply by touching 
 them. 
 
 SECOND NAZARENE 
 
 Nay; it was two blind men that He 
 healed at Capernaum. 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 Nay; they were lepers. But He 
 
 hath healed blind people also, and He 
 
 was seen on a mountain talking with 
 
 angels. 
 
 64 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 A SADDUCEE 
 
 Angels do not exist. 
 
 A PHARISEE 
 
 Angels exist, but I do not believe that 
 this Man has talked with them. 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 He was seen by a great multitude of 
 people talking with angels. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 How these men weary me ! They are 
 ridiculous ! They are altogether ridicu- 
 lous 1 [To the Page.^ Well ! my fan ? 
 \The Page gives her the fan.] You 
 have a dreamer's look. You must not 
 dream. It is only sick people who 
 dream. [She strikes the Page with her 
 fan.] / 
 
 65 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 SECOND NAZARENE 
 
 There is also the miracle of the 
 daughter of Jairus. 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 Yea, that is sure. No man can gain- 
 say it. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Those men are mad. They have 
 looked too long on the moon. Com- 
 mand them to be silent. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 What is this miracle of the daughter 
 of Jairus ? 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 The daughter of Jairus was dead. 
 
 This Man raised her from the dead. 
 66 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 HEROD 
 
 How! He raises people from the 
 dead ? 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 Yea, sire; He raiseth the dead. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I do not wish Him to do that. I for- 
 bid Him to do that. I suffer no man to 
 raise the dead. This Man must be 
 found and told that I forbid Him to 
 raise the dead. Where is this Man at 
 present ? 
 
 SECOND NAZARENE 
 
 He is in every place, my lord, but it 
 is hard to find Him. 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 It is said that He is now in Samaria. 
 67 
 
-^ Salome 
 
 A JEW 
 
 It is easy to see that this is not 
 Messias, if He is in Samaria. It is not 
 to the Samaritans that Messias shall 
 come. The Samaritans are accursed. 
 They bring no offerings to the Temple. 
 
 SECOND NAZARENE 
 
 He left Samaria a few days since. 
 I think that at the present moment He 
 is in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem. 
 
 FIRST NAZARENE 
 
 No; He is not there. I have just 
 come from Jerusalem. For two months 
 they have had no tidings of Him. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 No matter ! But let them find Him, 
 
 and tell Him, thus saith Herod the 
 
 King, ' I will not suffer Thee to raise 
 68 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 the dead.' To change water into wine, 
 to heal the lepers and blind . . . 
 He may do these things if He will. I 
 say nothing against these things. In 
 truth, I hold it a kindly deed to heal a 
 leper. But no man shall raise the dead. 
 ... It would be terrible if the dead 
 came back. 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 Ah ! The wanton one ! The harlot ! 
 Ah ! the daughter of Babylon with her 
 golden eyes and her gilded eyelids ! 
 Thus saith the Lord God, Let there 
 come up against her a multitude of 
 men. Let the people take stones and 
 stone her. . . . 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Command him to be silent! 
 69 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 Let the captains of the hosts pierce 
 her with their swords, let them crush 
 her beneath their shields. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Nay, but it is infamous. 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 It is thus that I will wipe out all 
 wickedness from the earth, and that all 
 women shall learn not to imitate her 
 abominations. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 You hear what he says against me ? 
 You suffer him to revile her who is your 
 wife! 
 
 HEROD 
 
 He did not speak your name. 
 70 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 What does that matter? You know 
 well that it is I whom he seeks to revile. 
 And I am your wife, am I not ? 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Of a truth, dear and noble Herodias, 
 you are my wife, and before that you 
 were the wife of my brother. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 It was thou didst snatch me from his 
 arms. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Of a truth I was stronger than he 
 
 wa3. . . . But let us not talk of that 
 
 matter. I do not desire to talk of it. 
 
 It is the cause of the terrible words 
 
 that the prophet has spoken. Perad- 
 
 venture on account of it misfortune will 
 71 
 
-^ Salome 
 
 come. Let us not speak of this matter. 
 Noble Herodias, we are not mindful 
 of our guests. Fill thou my cup, my 
 well-beloved. Ho! fill with wine the 
 great goblets of silver, and the great 
 goblets of glass. I will drink to Caesar. 
 There are Romans here, we must drink 
 to Caesan 
 
 ALL 
 
 Caesar ! Caesar ! 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Do you not see your daughter, how 
 pale she is ? 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 What is it to you if she be pale or 
 not? 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Never have I seen her so pale. 
 72 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 You must not look at her. 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 In that day the sun shall become 
 black Hke sackcloth of hair, and the 
 moon shall become like blood, and the 
 stars of the heaven shall fall upon the 
 earth like unripe figs that fall from the 
 fig-tree, and the kings of the earth shall 
 be afraid. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Ah ! ah ! I should like to see that day 
 of which he speaks, when the moon 
 shall become like blood, and when the 
 stars shall fall upon the earth like un- 
 ripe figs. This prophet talks like a 
 drunken man, . . . but I cannot suf- 
 fer the sound of his voice. I hate 
 73 
 
^ Salome 
 
 his voice. Command him to be si- 
 lent. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I will not. I cannot understand what 
 it is that he saith, but it may be an 
 omen. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I do not believe in omens. He speaks 
 like a drunken man 
 
 HEROD 
 
 It may be he is drunk with the wine 
 of God. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 What wine is that, the wine of 
 God ? From what vineyards is it gath- 
 ered ? In what wine-press may one find 
 
 it? 
 
 74 
 
Salome 
 
 £?-«4L 
 
 HEROD 
 
 [From this point he looks all the while 
 at Salome.^ Tigellinus, when you were 
 at Rome of late, did the Emperor speak 
 with you on the subject of . . . ? 
 
 TIGELLINUS 
 
 On what subject, my lord ? 
 
 HEROD 
 
 On what subject ? Ah ! I asked you 
 a question, did I not ? I have forgotten 
 what I would have asked you. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 You are looking again at my daugh- 
 ter. You must not look at her. I have 
 already said so. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 You say nothing else. 
 75 
 
"^ Salome 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I say it again. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 And that restoration of the Temple 
 about which they have talked so much, 
 will anything be done ? They say that 
 the veil of the Sanctuary has disap- 
 peared, do they not ? 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 It was thyself didst steal it. Thou 
 speakest at random and without wit. 
 I will not stay here. Let us go within. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Dance for me, Salome. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I will not have her dance. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I have no desire to dance, Tetrarch. 
 76 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Salome, daughter of Herodias, dance 
 for me. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Peace. Let her alone. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I command thee to dance, Salome. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I will not dance, Tetrarch. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 [Laughing.] You see how she obeys 
 you. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 What is it to me whether she dance or 
 not ? It is nought to me. To-night I 
 am happy. I am exceeding happy. 
 Never have I been so happy. 
 77 
 
^ Salome 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 The Tetrarch has a sombre look. 
 Has he not a sombre look ? 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 Yes, he has a sombre look. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Wherefore should I not be happy? 
 
 Caesar, who is lord of the world, 
 
 Caesar, who is lord of all things, loves 
 
 me well. He has just sent me most 
 
 precious gifts. Also he has promised 
 
 me to summon to Rome the King of 
 
 Cappadocia, who is mine enemy. It 
 
 may be that at Rome he will crucify 
 
 him, for he is able to do all things that 
 
 he has a mind to do. Verily, Caesar is 
 
 lord. Therefore I do well to be happy. 
 
 I am very happy, never have I been so 
 78 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 happy. There is nothing in the world 
 that can mar my happiness. 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 He shall be seated on his throne. He 
 shall be clothed in scarlet and purple. 
 In his hand he shall bear a golden cup 
 full of his blasphemies. And the angel 
 of the Lord shall smite him. He shall 
 be eaten of worms. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 You hear what he says about you. 
 He says that you shall be eaten of 
 worms. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 It is not of me that he speaks. He 
 
 speaks never against me. It is of the 
 
 King of Cappadocia that he speaks; 
 
 the King of Cappadocia who is mine 
 79 
 
-^ Salome 
 
 enemy. It is he who shall be eaten of 
 worms. It is not I. Never has he 
 spoken word against me, this prophet, 
 save that I sinned in taking to wife 
 the wife of my brother. It may be 
 he is right. For, of a truth, you are 
 sterile. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I am sterile, I ? You say that, you 
 that are ever looking at my daughter, 
 you that would have her dance for your 
 pleasure ? You speak as a fool. I 
 have borne a child. You have gotten 
 no child, no, not on one of your slaves. 
 It is you who are sterile, not I. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Peace, woman ! I say that you are 
 
 sterile. You have borne me no child, 
 80 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 and the prophet says that our marriage 
 is not a true marriage. He says that it 
 is a marriage of incest, a marriage that 
 will bring evils. ... I fear he is right ; 
 I am sure that he is right. But it is not 
 the hour to speak of these things. I 
 would be happy at this moment. Of a 
 truth, I am happy. There is nothing I 
 lack. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I am glad you are of so fair a humour 
 to-night. It is not your custom. But 
 it is late. Let us go within. Do not 
 forget that we hunt at sunrise. All 
 honours must be shown to Caesar's 
 ambassadors, must they not ? 
 
 SECOND SOLDIER 
 
 The Tetrarch has a sombre look. 
 8i 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 FIRST SOLDIER 
 
 Yes, he has a sombre look. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Salome, Salome, dance for me. I 
 pray thee dance for me. I am sad to- 
 night. Yes, I am passing sad to-night. 
 When I came hither I slipped in blood, 
 which is an evil omen; also I heard in 
 the air a beating of wings, a beating of 
 giant wings. I cannot tell what that 
 may mean. ... I am sad to-night. 
 Therefore dance for me. Dance for 
 me, Salome, I beseech thee. If thou 
 dancest for me thou mayest ask of me 
 what thou wilt, and I will give it 
 thee. Yes, dance for me, Salome, 
 and whatsoever thou shalt ask of me 
 I will give it thee, even unto the half 
 of my kingdom. 
 
 82 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 rfv 
 
 SALOME 
 
 [Rising.] Will you indeed give me 
 whatsoever I shall ask of you, Te- 
 trarch ? 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Do not dance, my daughter. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, 
 even unto the half of my kingdom. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 You swear it, Tetrarch ? 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I swear it, Salome. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Do not dance, my daughter. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 By what will you swear this thing, 
 
 Tetrarch ? 
 
 83 
 
^ Salome 
 
 HEROD 
 
 By my life, by my crown, by my gods. 
 Whatsoever thou shalt desire I will 
 give it thee, even to the half of my 
 kingdom, if thou wilt but dance for 
 me. O Salome, Salome, dance for 
 me! 
 
 SALOME 
 
 You have sworn an oath, Tetrarch. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I have sworn an oath. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 My daughter, do not dance. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Even to the half of my kingdom. 
 
 Thou wilt be passing fair as a queen, 
 
 Salome, if it please thee to ask for the 
 
 half of my kingdom. Will she not be 
 84 
 
Salome^ 
 
 fair as a queen ? Ah ! it is cold here ! 
 There is an icy wind, and I hear . . . 
 wherefore do I hear in the air this beat- 
 ing of wings ? Ah ! one might fancy a 
 huge black bird that hovers over the 
 terrace. Why can I not see it, this bird ? 
 The beat of its wings is terrible. The 
 breath of the wind of its wings is ter- 
 rible. It is a chill wind. Nay, but it is 
 not cold, it is hot. I am choking. 
 Pour water on my hands. Give me 
 snow to eat. Loosen my mantle. 
 Quick! quick! loosen my mantle. 
 Nay, but leave it. It is my garland 
 that hurts me, my garland of roses. 
 The flowers are like fire. They 
 have burned my forehead. [He tears 
 the wreath from his head, and throws 
 
 it on the table.] Ah ! I can breathe now. 
 85 
 

 Salome 
 
 How red those petals are ! They are 
 like stains of blood on the cloth. That 
 does not matter. It is not wise to find 
 symbols in everything that one sees. 
 It makes life too full of terrors. It were 
 better to say that stains of blood are as 
 lovely as rose-petals. It were better far 
 to say that . . . But we will not speak 
 of this. Now I am happy. I am pass- 
 ing happy. Have I not the right to be 
 happy ? Your daughter is going to 
 dance for me. Wilt thou not dance for 
 me, Salome ? Thou hast promised to 
 dance for me. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I will not have her dance. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I will dance for you, Tetrarch. 
 86 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 HEROD 
 
 You hear what your daughter says. 
 She is going to dance for me. Thou 
 dost well to dance for me, Salome. 
 And when thou hast danced for me, 
 forget not to ask of me whatsoever thou 
 hast a mind to ask. Whatsoever thou 
 shalt desire I will give it thee, even to 
 the half of my kingdom. I have sworn 
 it, have I not ? 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Thou hast sworn it, Tetrarch. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 And I have never failed of my word. 
 
 I am not of those who break their oaths. 
 
 I know not how to lie. I am the slave 
 
 of my word, and my word is the word 
 
 of a king. The King of Cappadocia 
 87 
 
AAU> 
 
 Salome 
 
 had ever a lying tongue, but he is no 
 true king. He is a coward. Also he 
 owes me money that he will not repay. 
 He has even insulted my ambassadors. 
 He has spoken words that were wound- 
 ing. But Caesar will crucify him when 
 he comes to Rome. I know that Caesar 
 will crucify him. And if he crucify 
 him not, yet will he die, being eaten 
 of worms. The prophet has prophesied 
 it. Well! Wherefore dost thou tarry, 
 Salome ? 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I am waiting until my slaves bring 
 perfumes to me and the seven veils, 
 and take from off my feet my sandals. 
 
 [Slaves bring perfumes and the seven 
 
 veils, and take off the sandals of 
 
 Salome.] 
 
 88 
 
Salome H^- 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Ah, thou art to dance with naked 
 feet ! 'Tis well ! 'Tis well ! Thy little 
 feet will be like white doves. They 
 will be like little white flowers that 
 dance upon the trees. . . . No, no, 
 she is going to dance on blood ! There 
 is blood spilt on the ground. She must 
 not dance on blood. It were an evil 
 omen. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 What is it to thee if she dance on 
 blood ? Thou hast waded deep enough 
 in it. . . . 
 
 HEROD 
 
 What is it to me ? Ah ! look at the 
 
 moon! She has become red. She has 
 
 become red as blood. Ah ! the prophet 
 89 
 
^ Salome 
 
 prophesied truly. He prophesied that 
 the moon would become as blood. 
 Did he not prophesy it ? All of ye heard 
 him prophesying it. And now the 
 moon has become as blood. Do ye 
 not see it? 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Oh yes, I see it well, and the stars 
 
 are falling like unripe figs, are they not ? 
 
 and the sun is becoming black like 
 
 sackcloth of hair, and the kings of the 
 
 earth are afraid. That at least one can 
 
 see. The prophet is justified of his 
 
 words in that at least, for truly the kings 
 
 of the earth are afraid. . . . Let us 
 
 go within. You are sick. They will 
 
 say at Rome that you are mad. Let 
 
 us go within, I tell you. 
 90 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 THE VOICE OF lOKANAAN 
 
 Who is this who cometh from Edom, 
 who is this who cometh from Bozra, 
 whose raiment is dyed with purple, 
 who shineth in the beauty of his gar- 
 ments, who walketh mighty in his great- 
 ness ? Wherefore is thy raiment stained 
 with scarlet ? 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Let us go within. The voice of that 
 man maddens me. I will not have my 
 daughter dance while he is continually 
 crying out. I will not have her dance 
 while you look at her in this fashion. 
 In a word, I will not have her dance. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Do not rise, my wife, my queen, it 
 will avail thee nothing. I will not go 
 91 
 
^ Salome 
 
 within till she hath danced. Dance, 
 Salome, dance for me. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Do not dance, my daughter. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I am ready, Tetrarch. 
 
 [Salome dances the dance of the 
 seven veils. ^ 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Ah ! wonderful ! wonderful ! You 
 see that she has danced for me, your 
 daughter. Come near, Salome, come 
 near, that I may give thee thy fee. Ah ! 
 I pay a royal price to those who dance 
 for my pleasure. I will pay thee roy- 
 ally. I will give thee whatsoever thy 
 soul desireth. What wouldst thou 
 
 have ? Speak. 
 
 92 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 SALOME 
 
 [Kneeling.] I would that they pres- 
 ently bring me in a silver charger . . , 
 
 HEROD 
 
 [Laughing.] In a silver charger ? 
 Surely yes, in a silver charger. She is 
 charming, is she not ? What is it thou 
 wouldst have in a silver charger, O 
 sweet and fair Salome, thou that art 
 fairer than all the daughters of Judaea ? 
 What wouldst thou have them bring 
 thee in a silver charger? Tell me. 
 Whatsoever it may be, thou shalt re- 
 ceive it. My treasures belong to thee. 
 What is it that thou wouldst have, 
 Salome ? 
 
 SALOME 
 
 [Rising.] The head of lokanaan. 
 93 
 
^ Salome 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Ah ! that is well said, my daughter. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 No, no! 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 That is well said, my daughter. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 No, no, Salome. It is not that thou 
 desirest. Do not listen to thy mother*s 
 voice. She is ever giving thee evil 
 counsel. Do not heed her. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 It is not my mother's voice that I 
 
 heed. It is for my own pleasure that I 
 
 ask the head of lokanaan in a silver 
 
 charger. You have sworn an oath, 
 
 Herod. Forget not that you have sworn 
 
 an oath. 
 
 94 
 
Salome ^ % 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I know it. I have sworn an oath by 
 my gods. I know it well. But I pray 
 thee, Salome, ask of me something else. 
 Ask of me the half of my kingdom, and 
 I will give it thee. But ask not of me 
 what thy lips have asked. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 I ask of you the head of lokanaan. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 No, no, I will not give it thee. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 You have sworn an oath, Herod. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 Yes, you have sworn an oath. Every- 
 body heard you. You swore it before 
 
 everybody. 
 
 95 
 
^ Salome 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Peace, woman! It is not to you I 
 speak. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 My daughter has done well to ask the 
 head of lokanaan. He has covered me 
 with insults. He has said unspeakable 
 things against me. One can see that 
 she loves her mother well. Do not 
 yield, my daughter. He has sworn an 
 oath, he has sworn an oath. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Peace! Speak not to me! . . . 
 Salome, I pray thee be not stub- 
 born. I have ever been kind to- 
 ward thee. I have ever loved thee. 
 ... It may be that I have loved thee 
 
 too much. Therefore ask not this thing 
 96 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 them not. Thou wouldst not that some 
 evil should befall me, Salome ? Listen 
 to me again. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Give me the head of lokanaan. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 Ah! thou art not listening to me. 
 Be calm. As for me, as for me, am I 
 not calm ? I am altogether calm. Lis- 
 ten. I have jewels hidden in this place 
 — jewels that thy mother even has 
 never seen; jewels that are marvellous 
 to look at. I have a collar of pearls, 
 set in four rows. They are like unto 
 moons chained with rays of silver. 
 They are even as half a hundred moons 
 caught in a golden net. On the ivory 
 
 breast of a queen they have rested. 
 103 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 Thou shalt be as fair as a queen when 
 
 thou wearest them. I have amethysts 
 
 of two kinds; one that is black like 
 
 wine, and one that is red like wine 
 
 that one has coloured with water. 
 
 I have topazes yellow as are the eyes 
 
 of tigers, and topazes that are pink 
 
 as the eyes of a wood-pigeon, and green 
 
 topazes that are as the eyes of cats. 
 
 I have opals that burn always, with a 
 
 flame that is cold as ice, opals that 
 
 make sad men's minds, and are afraid 
 
 of the shadows. I have onyxes like 
 
 the eyeballs of a dead woman. I have 
 
 moonstones that change when the moon 
 
 changes, and are wan when they see 
 
 the sun. I have sapphires big like 
 
 eggs, and as blue as blue flowers. The 
 
 sea wanders within them, and the moon 
 104 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 comes never to trouble the blue of 
 
 their waves. I have chrysolites and 
 
 beryls, and chrysoprases and rubies; 
 
 I have sardonyx and hyacinth stones, 
 
 and stones of chalcedony, and I will 
 
 give them all unto thee, all, and other 
 
 things will I add to them. The King 
 
 of the Indies has but even now sent 
 
 me four fans fashioned from the feathers 
 
 of parrots, and the King of Numidia 
 
 a garment of ostrich feathers. I have 
 
 a crystal, into which it is not lawful 
 
 for a woman to look, nor may young 
 
 men behold it until they have been 
 
 beaten with rods. In a coffer of nacre 
 
 I have three wondrous turquoises. He 
 
 who wears them on his forehead can 
 
 imagine things which are not, and he 
 
 who carries them in his hand can turn 
 los 
 
^ Salome 
 
 the fruitful woman into a woman that 
 is barren. These are great treasures. 
 They are treasures above all price. 
 But this is not all. In an ebony 
 coflFer I have two cups of amber that 
 are like apples of pure gold. If an 
 enemy pour poison into these cups they 
 become like apples of silver. In a 
 coffer incrusted with amber I have san- 
 dals incrusted with glass. I have 
 mantles that have been brought from 
 the land of the Seres, and bracelets 
 decked about with carbuncles and with 
 jade that come from the city of Eu- 
 phrates. . . . What desirest thou more 
 than this, Salome ? Tell me the thing 
 that thou desirest, and I will give it 
 thee. All that thou askest I will give 
 
 thee, save one thing only. I will give thee 
 1 06 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 all that is mine, save only the life of 
 one man. I will give thee the mantle 
 of the high priest. I will give thee the 
 veil of the sanctuary. 
 
 THE JEWS 
 
 Oh! Oh! 
 
 SALOME 
 
 Give me the head of lokanaan ! 
 
 HEROD 
 
 [Sinking back in his seat.] Let her 
 
 be given what she asks I Of a truth 
 
 she is her mother's child! [The first 
 
 Soldier approaches. Herodias draws 
 
 from the hand of the Tetrarch the ring 
 
 of death, and gives it to the Soldier, who 
 
 straightway hears it to the Executioner. 
 
 The Executioner looks scared."] Who 
 
 has taken, my ring ? There was a ring 
 107 
 
•^ Salome 
 
 on my right hand. Who has drunk 
 my wine ? There was wine in my cup. 
 It was full of wine. Some one has 
 drunk it ! Oh ! surely some evil will 
 befall some one. [The Executioner 
 goes down into the cistern.] Ah ! where- 
 fore did I give my oath ? Hereafter let 
 no king swear an oath. If he keep it 
 not, it is terrible, and if he keep it, it 
 is terrible also. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 My daughter has done well. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 I am sure that some misfortune will 
 happen. 
 
 SALOME 
 
 [She leans over the cistern and listens.] 
 
 There is no sound. I hear nothing. 
 
 io8 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 Why does he not cry out, this man ? 
 Ah! if any man sought to kill me, I 
 would cry out, I would struggle, I would 
 not suffer. . . . Strike, strike, Naaman, 
 strike, I tell you. . . . No, I hear 
 nothing. There is a silence, a terrible 
 silence. Ah ! something has fallen 
 upon the ground. I heard something 
 fall. It was the sword of the execu- 
 tioner. He is afraid, this slave. He 
 has dropped his sword. He dares not 
 kill him. He is a coward, this slave! 
 Let soldiers be sent. [She sees the Page 
 of Herodias and addresses him.] Come 
 hither. Thou wert the friend of him 
 who is dead, wert thou not ? Well, I 
 tell thee, there are not dead men enough. 
 Go to the soldiers and bid them go 
 
 down and bring me the thing I ask, the 
 109 
 
■^ Salome 
 
 thing the Tetrarch has promised me, the 
 thing that is mine. [The Page recoils. 
 She turns to the soldiers.] Hither, ye 
 soldierso Get ye down into this cistern 
 and bring me the head of this man. 
 Tetrarch, Tetrarch, command your 
 soldiers that they bring me the head of 
 lokanaan. 
 
 [A huge black arm, the arm of the 
 Executionery comes forth from the cts- 
 terriy hearing on a silver shield the head 
 of lokanaan. Salome seizes it. Herod 
 hides his face with his cloak. He- 
 rodias smiles and fans herself. The 
 Nazarenes fall on their knees and begin 
 to pray.] 
 
 Ah ! thou wouldst not suffer me to kiss 
 thy mouth, lokanaan. Well! I will 
 
 kiss it now. I will bite it with my teeth 
 
 no 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 as one bites a ripe fruit. Yes, I will 
 
 kiss thy mouth, lokanaan. I said it, did 
 
 I not say it ? I said it. Ah ! I will kiss 
 
 it now. . . . But wherefore dost thou 
 
 not look at me, lokanaan ? Thine eyes 
 
 that were so terrible, so full of rage and 
 
 scorn, are shut now. Wherefore are 
 
 they shut ? Open thine eyes ! Lift up 
 
 thine eyelids, lokanaan! Wherefore 
 
 dost thou not look at me ? Art thou 
 
 afraid of me, lokanaan, that thou wilt 
 
 not look at me ? . . . And thy tongue, 
 
 that was like a red snake darting poison, 
 
 it moves no more, it speaks no words, 
 
 lokanaan, that scarlet viper that spat 
 
 its venom upon me. It is strange, is it 
 
 not ? How is it that the red viper stirs 
 
 no longer? . . . Thou wouldst have 
 
 none of me, lokanaan. Thou rejectedst 
 III 
 
jA-> 
 
 Salome 
 
 me. Thou didst speak evil words 
 against me. Thou didst bear thyself 
 toward me as to a harlot, as to a woman 
 that is a wanton, to me, Salome, daugh- 
 ter of Herodias, Princess of Judaea ! 
 Well, I still live, but thou art dead, and 
 thy head belongs to me. I can do with 
 it what I will. I can throw it to the dogs 
 and to the birds of the air. That which 
 the dogs leave, the birds of the air shall 
 devour. . . . Ah, lokanaan, lokanaan, 
 thou wert the man that I loved alone 
 among men! All other men were 
 hateful to me. But thou wert beauti- 
 ful ! Thy body was a column of ivory 
 set upon feet of silver. It was a garden 
 full of doves and lilies of silver. It was 
 a tower of silver decked with shields of 
 ivory. There was nothing in the world 
 
 112 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 so white as thy body. There was noth- 
 ing in the world so black as thy hair. 
 In the whole world there was nothing 
 so red as thy mouth. Thy voice was a 
 censer that scattered strange perfumes, 
 and when I looked on thee I heard a 
 strange music. Ah ! wherefore didst 
 thou not look at me, lokanaan ? With 
 the cloak of thine hands and with the 
 cloak of thy blasphemies thou didst hide 
 thy face. Thou didst put upon thine 
 eyes the covering of him who would see 
 his God. Well, thou hast seen thy God, 
 lokanaan, but me, me, thou didst never 
 see. If thou hadst seen me thou hadst 
 loved me. I saw thee, and I loved thee. 
 Oh, how I loved thee ! I love thee yet, 
 lokanaan. I love only thee. ... I 
 am athirst for thy beauty; I am hungry 
 
 IT3 
 
■^ Salome 
 
 for thy body; and neither wine nor 
 apples can appease my desire. What 
 shall I do now, lokanaan ? Neither 
 the floods nor the great waters can 
 quench my passion. I was a princess, 
 and thou didst scorn me. I was a virgin, 
 and thou didst take my virginity from 
 me. I was chaste, and thou didst fill 
 my veins with fireo Ah! ah! where- 
 fore didst thou not look at me ? If 
 thou hadst looked at me thou hadst 
 loved me. Well I know that thou 
 wouldst have loved me, and the mystery 
 of Love is greater than the mystery of 
 Death. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 She is monstrous, thy daughter; I 
 
 tell thee she is monstrous. In truth, 
 
 what she has done is a great crime. 
 114 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 I am sure that it is a crime against some 
 unknown God. 
 
 HERODIAS 
 
 I am well pleased with my daughter. 
 She has done well. And I would stay 
 here now. 
 
 HEROD 
 
 [Rising.] Ah! There speaks my 
 brother's wife ! Come ! I will not stay 
 in this place. Come, I tell thee. Surely 
 some terrible thing will befall. Manas- 
 seh, Issachar, Ozias, put out the 
 torches. I will not look at things, I will 
 not suffer things to look at me. Put 
 out the torches ! Hide the moon ! Hide 
 the stars ! Let us hide ourselves in our 
 palace, Herodias. I begin to be afraid. 
 
 [The slaves put out the torches. The 
 "5 
 
^ Salome 
 
 stars disappear. A great cloud crosses 
 the moon and conceals it completely. 
 The stage becomes quite dark. The 
 Tetrarch begins to climb the staircase.]^ 
 THE VOICE OF SALOME 
 
 Ah! I have kissed thy mouth, loka- 
 naan, I have kissed thy mouth. There 
 was a bitter taste on thy lips. Was it the 
 taste of blood ? . . . Nay ; but per- 
 chance it was the taste of love. . . . 
 They say that love hath a bitter taste. 
 . . . But what matter ? what matter ? 
 I have kissed thy mouth, lokanaan, I 
 have kissed thy mouth. 
 
 \A ray of moonlight falls on Salome 
 and illumines her.} 
 HEROD 
 
 [Turning round and seeing Salome.] 
 
 Kill that woman ! 
 
 ii6 
 
Salome ^ 
 
 [The soldiers rush forward and crush 
 beneath their shields Salome, daughter of 
 Herodias, Princess of Judcea.] 
 
 Curtain 
 
 "7 
 
R^emarctue E^dition of 
 Literary Masterpieces 
 tiniform witH this 
 voltime v^ >< v< N< 
 
 1 Sonnets from the Portuguese 
 
 By Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 
 
 2 Virginibus Puerisque 
 
 By Robert Louis Stevenson. 
 
 3 Friendship and Love 
 
 By Ralph Waldo Emerson. 
 
 4 Heroism and Character 
 
 By Ralph Waldo Emerson. 
 
 5 Poor Richard's Almanac 
 
 By Benjamin Franklin. 
 
 6 The School for Scandal 
 
 By Sheridan. 
 
 7 Destruction of Pompeii 
 
 By Pliny and Bulwer. 
 
 8 Sir Roger de Coverley Papers 
 
 By Addison. 
 
 9 Thoughts of Marcus Aurelius 
 
 Selections. 
 10 Lord Chesterfield's Letters 
 Selections. 
 
^ Remarque Series 
 
 11 Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam 
 
 1 2 Milton 
 
 By Lord Macaulay. 
 
 13 Enoch Arden 
 
 By Alfred, Lord Tennyson. 
 
 14 Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of 
 
 Sleepy Hollow 
 By Washington Irving. 
 
 15 Rochefoucauld's Maxims 
 
 16 Rab and His Friends 
 
 By Dr. John Brown. 
 
 17 She Stoops to Conquer 
 • By Oliver Goldsmith. 
 
 18 Old Christmas 
 
 By Washington Irving. 
 
 19 Vision of Sir Launfal 
 
 By James Russell Lowell. 
 
 20 Leaves of Grass 
 
 Selections. By Walt Whitman. 
 
 21 Elegy and Other Poems 
 
 By Thomas Gray. 
 
 22 Sweetness and Light 
 
 By Matthew Arnold. 
 
 23 Golden Thoughts 
 
 By Archbishop Fenelon. 
 
 24 Wit and Wisdom 
 
 By Sidney Smith. 
 
 25 A Christmas Carol 
 
 By Charles Dickens, 
 
 26 Will 0' the Mill and Biographical Sketch 
 
 By R. L. Stevenson. 
 
 XI 07 "* 
 
Remarque Series ^ 
 
 27 Men and Women 
 
 By Robert Browning. 
 
 28 Napoleon Addresses and Anecdotes 
 
 29 Passion in the Desert, and an Episode 
 
 in the Reign of Terror. Selected 
 Prose Works of Honore de Balzac 
 
 30 Poems of Sentiment 
 
 By Byron. 
 
 31 Some Fruits of Solitude. Reflections 
 
 and Maxims 
 By William Penn. 
 
 32 Letters to a Young Man about Town 
 
 By William Makepeace Thackeray. 
 23 Golden Wings. A Prose Romance and 
 a Poem 
 By William Morris. 
 
 34 Selected Poems 
 
 By John Boyle O'Reilly. 
 
 35 The Discourses of Epictetus 
 
 Selections. 
 
 36 Evangeline 
 
 By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 
 
 37 The Holy Grail 
 
 By Alfred, Lord Tennyson. 
 
 38 Atala 
 
 By Fran9ois Rene Auguste Chateaubri- 
 and. 
 
 39 Armande 
 
 By Edmond and Jules de Goncourt. 
 
 40 Corsair and Lara 
 
 By Lord Byion. 
 
-^ Remarque Serif 
 
 41 The Gold Bug 
 
 By Edgar Allan Poe. 
 
 42 Juliet and Romeo 
 
 From the Italian of Luigi da Porto. 
 
 43 L'Arlesienne 
 
 By Alphonse Daudet. 
 
 44 Manon Lescaut. Vol. i. 
 
 By Abbe Prevost. 
 
 45 Manon Lescaut. Vol. 11. 
 
 46 Paul and Virginia 
 
 By Bernardin de St. Pierre. 
 
 47 Peter Schlemihl 
 
 By Adelbert von Chamisso. 
 
 48 Werther 
 
 By J. W. von Goethe. 
 
 49 Undine ^, _ 
 
 By Friedrich, Baron de La Motte-1' 
 
 que. 
 CO Tales of a Wayside Inn 
 
 By Henry Wadsworth Longfellosv. 
 
 51 King of the Golden River, The 
 
 By John Ruskin. 
 
 52 Love Letters of a Violinist 
 
 By Eric Mackay. 
 
 53 Sketches of Young Couples 
 
 By Charles Dickens. 
 
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