Chapter 10 Nine

Second Nazarene: He appears everywhere, Master, but it is difficult to find him. First Nazarene: Some say he is now in Samaria. Jews: It is easy to see that He is not the Messiah, and if He were, the Messiah should not have gone to Samaria.All Samaritans are cursed.Because they never give to the church. Second Nazarene: A few days later, He left Samaria.I think at this very moment, He should be near Jerusalem. First Nazarene: No; he's not there.I just came from Jerusalem.For two months, He hadn't caused a stir there. Herod: Never mind!Just send someone to him and tell him my words, I will not allow him to resurrect people!Turning water into wine, healing the lepers and the blind...if He was capable of that, it didn't matter.I say no violation of this order.Actually I think curing lepers is a good thing.But I will not allow any dead to be resurrected.It would be a terrible world if the dead came back.

John's voice: Ah!Whore!Slut!what!Daughter of Babylon, with golden eyes and ornate eyelids!Say God, let her mingle with her bunch of men.Let people pick up stones and throw them at her... HERODIAS: Command him to be silent. John's voice: Let the centurions pierce her with their swords, let them crush her with their shields. Herodias: No, that is shameless. JOHN'S VOICE: Then I will sweep away all evil from the face of the earth, and all women will thus learn not to imitate her iniquity. HERODIAS: Did you hear what he said of me?You allow him to abuse your wife? Herod: He didn't name you.

Herodias: What difference does that make?You know very well that it was me he insulted.And I am your wife, am I not? Herod: Yes, dear and noble Herodias, you are my wife, as you were my brother's wife before. Herodias: It was you who tore me from his arms and became your wife. Herod: Yes, I am strong...but let's not talk about it.I don't want to talk about it.This is the terrible thing that the Prophet said.Perhaps mention it again, and another misfortune will happen.Let's not talk about it.Noble Herodias, we have neglected our guests.Fill my glass, my favorite wine.Fill my silver goblets, those elegant glasses.My compliments to Caesar.With the Romans present, we salute Caesar.

Together: Respect Caesar!To Caesar! Herod: Do you see your daughter, how pale she is? Herodias: What is it to you that she is pale? Herod: I never saw her so pale. Herodias: You should no longer look at her. John's voice: When that day comes, the sun will be like black sackcloth, the moon will be blood-red, and the stars will fall to the earth like ripe figs, and the kings of the earth will be terrified. Herodias: Ah!what!I'd like to see the scene he's talking about, the moon turning red and the stars falling like figs.The Prophet babbled like a drunk...but I couldn't stand his voice.I hate his voice.Tell him to shut up.

Herod: I am sorry to obey.Although I don't understand what he said, I think it may be an omen. Herodias: I don't believe in omens.He talks like a drunk. Herod: Maybe he got drunk with the wine of God. Herodias: What are you talking about, the wine of God?From which vineyard?Where can I find that winery? Herod: [From now on, with his eyes fixed on Salome] Tigellinus, the last time you were in Rome, did the Emperor say to you... ? Tigellinus: What was mentioned, my lord? Herod: What was mentioned?what!I asked you, didn't I?I forgot I asked you something. Herodias: You look at my daughter again.You can no longer look at her.I told you.

Herod: You have nothing else to say? HERODIAS: I repeat. Herod: They've been talking about restoring the temple. Are there any other problems?Is it true that the veil of their sanctuary has disappeared? 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 accused. 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 neighborhood 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 -42- 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. . . .

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 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. -43- 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 that 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 C?sar. There are Romans here, we must drink to C?sar.

ALL C?sar! C?sar! HEROD Do you not see your daughter, how pale she is? HERODIAS What is it to you if she be pale or not? -44- HEROD Never have I 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 drunk man. HEROD It may be he is drunk with the wine of God. -45- HERODIAS What wine is that, the wine of God? From what vineyards is it gathered? In what wine-press 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?