Chapter 5 Four

Young Syrian Officer: I am not afraid at all, princess; I have never been afraid of anyone.However, His Majesty had officially ordered that no one should open the lid of this well. Salome: You will do this for me, Nerabus, and to-morrow, when my palanquin passes the gate, I will drop you a little flower, a little green flower. Young Syrian Officer: Princess, I can't, I can't disobey orders. Salome [smiling]: You will do this for me, Nerabus.You know you'll do it for me.Tomorrow, when my palanquin passes the bridge, I will look at you through my veil, I will look at you, Neraborth, and I will smile at you.Look at me, Neraborth, look at me.what!You know you'll do what I want.You know very well. ...I know you'd love to help me.

Young Syrian officer [gesturing to third soldier]: Let the Prophet come out...Princess Salome wants to see him. Salome: Ah! Herodias' Attendant: Oh!What a strange moonlight.You'd think it was like a dead woman reaching for her shroud. Young Syrian Army Officer: Her Face Is Weird!She is like a little princess with amber eyes.Although hazy, but her smile is like a little princess. [The Prophet emerges from the dungeon.Salome looked at him and took a few steps back slowly. 〕 John: Where is the man whose cup is full of abominable wine?Where is he, the man in the silver robe, who will finally die in front of everyone?Tell him to come here, so that he can escape the filth of the palace and listen to his own inner voice.

Salome: Who is he talking about? Young Syrian Officer: You will never understand him, princess. John: Where's the woman longing for the man's picture on the wall?She renounced herself, gazed at the portraits of the Caldeans on the pillars, indulged in the lust of her eyes, and sent messengers to Caldea. Salome: He's talking about my mother. Young Syrian Officer: Oh, ignore him, princess. Salome: Yes; he is speaking of my mother. John: Where is the man who committed himself to the Assyrian leader?They wear swords on their waists and colorful crowns on their heads.Where is the man who committed himself to the young man of Egypt?They wear exquisite purple linen clothes, golden shields, and silver helmets, and they are strong and strong.Tell her to get up immediately from the hotbed of sin and incest, so that she can hear the voice of those who pave the way for the Lord, so that she can reform from injustice.Though she will not repent, but sink deeper into the mire; call her, for the Lord's fan is in His hand.

Salome: Terrible, he is too terrible! Young Syrian Officer: Don't stay here, princess, I beg you. Salome: His eyes are terrible.They are like torches burning in a black hole.They are like the abyss of a dragon's lair.They are like the dark caves where the dragons dwell in Egypt.They're like black lakes in a strange moonlight... Do you think he'll say it again? Young Syrian Officer: Don't stay here, princess, I beg you not to stay here. Salome: What a pity!He is like a white ivory statue.There was a silver light shining on him.I'm sure he's as chaste as moonlight, like a silver arrow.His flesh must be as cold as ivory.I would like to go over and take a closer look.

Young Syrian Officer: No, no, princess. Salome: I must go and see. Young Syrian Officer: Princess!Princess! John: Who is the woman walking towards me?I don't want him to look at me.Why are you looking at me with those golden eyes under her golden eyelids?I do not know her.I don't want to know who she is.Tell her to go away.I don't talk to her. Salome: My name is Salome, daughter of Herodias, princess of the Kingdom of Judea. John: Back off!Daughter of Babylon!Do not come near those whom the Lord has chosen.Your mother has stained the earth with injustice, and her sins have reached the ears of God.

Salome: Say more, John.Your voice is as sweet as wine. Young Syrian Officer: Princess!Princess!Princess! Salome: Tell me more!Say it again, John, tell me what to do. 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. SALOME Thou wilt do this thing for me, Narraboth, 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, I 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, Narraboth, it may be I will smile at thee. Look at me, Narraboth, look at me. Ah! thou knowest that thou wilt do what I ask of thee. Thou known it . . . . I know that thou wilt do this thing. THE YOUNG SYRIAN [Signing to the third soldier.] Let the prophet -17- come forth . . . . The Princess Salome desires to see him. SALOME Ah! THE PAGE OF HERODIAS

Oh! 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 she is smiling like a little princess. [The prophet comes out of the cistern. Salome looks at him and steps slowly back .] IOKANAAN Where is he whose cup of abominations 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. -18- IOKANAAN Where is she who saw the images of men painted on the walls, even the images of the Chald?ans painted with colours, and gave herself up unto the luster of her eyes, and sent ambassadors into the land of Chald?a? 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. IOKANAAN Where is she who gave herself unto the Captains of Assyria, who have baldricks on their loins, and crowns of many colors on their heads? Where is she who hath given herself to the 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 incestuousness, 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 abominations, go bid her come, for the fan of the Lord is in His hand.

-19- SALOME Ah, but he is terrible, he is terrible! THE YOUNG SYRIAN Do not stay here, Princess, I beseech you. SALOME It is his eyes above all that are terrible. They are like black holes burned by torches in a tapestry of Tire. They are like the black caverns where the dragons live, the black caverns of Egypt in which the dragons make their lairs. 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 a shaft of silver. cold, cold as ivory . . . . I would look closer at him.

THE YOUNG SYRIAN No, no, Princess! SALOME I must look at him closer. -20- THE YOUNG SYRIAN Princess! Princess! IOKANAAN 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 began, It is not to her that I would speak. SALOME I am Salome, daughter of Herodias, Princess of Judas. IOKANAAN Back! 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, Iokanaan. Thy voice is as music to mine ear. THE YOUNG SYRIAN Princess! Princess! Princess! SALOME Speak again! Speak again, Iokanaan, and tell me what I must do.