HEROD: But Cæsar 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. Howbeit, Cæsar is lord, he will come if such be his pleasure. Nevertheless, I think he will not come.

  FIRST NAZARENE: It was not concerning Cæsar that the prophet spake these words, sire.

  HEROD: How? — it was not concerning Cæsar?

  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.

  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.

  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 ridiculous! [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]

  SECOND NAZARENE: There is also the miracle of the daughter of Jairus.

  FIRST NAZARENE: Yea, that is true. No man can gainsay it.

  HERODIAS: Those men are mad. They have looked too long on the moon. Command 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.

  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 forbid 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.

  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 the dead.” To change water into wine, to heal the lepers and the 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 IOKANAAN: 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!

  THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN: 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 IOKANAAN: It is thus that I will wipe out all the 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.

  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 was... But let us not talk of that matter. I do not desire to talk of it. It is the cause of the terrible words the prophet has spoken. Peradventure on account of it a misfortune will 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 Cæsar. There are Romans here, we must drink to Cæsar.

  ALL: Cæsar! Cæsar!

  HEROD: Do you not see your daughter, how pale she is?

  HERODIAS: What is it to you if she be pale or not?

  HEROD: I have never seen her so pale.

  HERODIAS: You must not look at her.

  THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN: In that day the sun shall become black like 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 unripe figs. This prophet talks like a drunken man... but I cannot suffer the sound of his voice. I hate his voice. Command him to be silent.

  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 gathered? In what winepress may one find it?

  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 daughter. You must not look at her. I have already said so.

  HEROD: You say nothing else.

  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 disappeared, 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.

  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 dances or not? It is nought to me. Tonight I am happy. I am exceeding happy. Never have I been so happy.

  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? Cæsar, who is lord of the world, Cæsar, 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, Cæsar is lord. Therefore I do well to be happy. I am very happy, never have I been so happy. There is nothing in the world that can mar my happiness.

  THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN: 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 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 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, 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 tonight. 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 Cæsar’s ambassadors, must they not?

  SECOND SOLDIER: The Tetrarch has a sombre look.

  FIRST SOLDIER: Yes, he has a sombre look.

  HEROD: Salome, Salome, dance for me. I pray thee dance for me. I am sad tonight. Yes, I am passing sad tonight. When I came hither I slipped in blood, which is an ill 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 tonight. 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 my kingdom.

  SALOME: [Rising] Will you indeed give me whatsoever I shall ask of you, Tetrarch?

  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?

  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 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 beating 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 terrible. 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. 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 passing 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.

  HEROD: You hear what your daughter says. She is going to dance for me. Thou doest 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 ever had 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 wounding. But Cæsar will crucify him when he comes to Rome. I know that Cæsar 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 the sandals of Salome]

  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 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.

  THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN: 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 garments, who walketh mighty in his greatness? 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 within until 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 royally. I will give thee whatsoever thy soul desireth. What wouldst thou have? Speak.

  SALOME: [Kneeling] I would that they presently 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 that thou wouldst have in a silver charger, O sweet and fair Salome, thou that art fairer than all the daughters of Judæa? What wouldst thou have them bring thee in a silver charger? Tell me. Whatsoever it may be, thou shalt receive it. My treasures belong to thee. What is it that thou wouldst have, Salome?

  SALOME: [Rising] The head of Iokanaan.

  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 mine own pleasure that I ask the head of Iokanaan in a silver charger. You have sworn an oath, Herod. Forget not that you have sworn an oath.

  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 Iokanaan.

  HEROD: No, no, I will not give it thee.

  SALOME: You have sworn an oath, Herod.

  HERODIAS: Yes, you have sworn an oath. Everybody heard you. You swore it before everybody.

  HEROD: Peace, woman! It is not to you I speak.

  HERODIAS: My daughter has done well to ask the head of Iokanaan. 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! I speak not to thee!... Salome, I pray thee be not stubborn. I have ever been kind toward thee. I have ever loved thee... It may be that I have loved thee too much. Therefore ask not this thing of me. This is a terrible thing, an awful thing to ask of me. Surely, I think thou art jesting. The head of a man that is cut from his body is ill to look upon, is it not? It is not meet that the eyes of a virgin should look upon such a thing. What pleasure couldst thou have in it? There is no pleasure that thou couldst have in it. No, no, it is not that thou desirest. Harken to me. I have an emerald, a great emerald and round, that the minion of Cæsar has sent unto me. When thou lookest through this emerald thou canst see that which passeth afar off. Cæsar himself carries such an emerald when he goes to the circus. But my emerald is the larger. It is the largest emerald in the whole world. Thou wilt take that, wilt thou not? Ask it of me and I will give it to thee.