Chapter 14 Thirteen

Herod: Ah!You are not listening at all.clam down.I—I'm calm.I am very calm.Listen.I have jewels hidden in this place—jewels not even your mother has seen; rare treasures.I have a string of four columns of pearls.They are like long silver chains connected by a string of moons.They are like fifty moons gathered in a golden net.It is only worthy of wearing it on the queen's fair neck.If you wear it, then you will be a beautiful queen.I have two crystal stones, one black and one red, like fine wine.I have yellow garnets the color of a tiger's eye, purple like a dove's eye, and green like a cat's eye.I have milky burnt jade, like cold firelight, like the heart of a sad man, afraid to be alone in the dark without seeing the light of day.I have cut agate shaped like a woman's eyeball.I have moonstones, they change with the phases of the moon, and when they see the sun, they are pale and colorless.I have sapphires as big as eggs and as blue as flowers.The ocean roams in it, and the moon never fades from the tides within.I have peridot, emerald and ruby.I have amethyst and chalcedony, I will give you all, I will give you all, and I will add other things.The king of India sent me four fans made of parrot feathers, and the king of Numidia gave me a coat of camel's hair.I also have a transparent crystal, which is a strange thing that women are not allowed to see, and young men who have not had sex are not allowed to look at it.In my clamshell stash chest, I have three wonderful turquoise stones.Wearing it on his forehead, he can imagine things that don't exist, holding it in his hand, he can make women sterile.These are priceless treasures.They are beyond the limits of all the money in the world.And that's not all.In the ebony cabinet I have two amber goblets, they are like a pair of golden apples.If an enemy pours venom into these cups, you drink it like silver juice.In the amber cabinet I have a pair of glass slippers.I have a cloak from Seres, a jade bracelet from the city of Euphrates... What more do you want, Salome?Tell me what else you want, I will give it to you.I'll give you anything you ask for, except that one thing.I am willing to give you everything I have except life.I will give you the cloak of the High Priest.I will give you the veil of the sanctuary.

Jew: Oh!oh! Salome: Give me John's head. Herod [sinking deep in the chair]: Grant her request!She was indeed the mother's daughter! [The first soldier steps forward.Herodias took the ring of death from the king's hand and handed it to the soldiers, who handed it directly to the executioner.The executioner looked terrified. 〕Who took off my ring?The ring on my right finger?Who drank my wine?There should be wine in my glass.There should be a full glass of wine.Someone drank my wine!oh!Difficulty is approaching. [The executioner goes down into the dungeon. 〕what!Why do I have to keep my vows?Kings should never take oaths.If they do not keep their vows, the consequences are dire, and if they keep, the consequences are still dire.

Herodias: My daughter is doing well. Herod: I'm sure something bad is about to happen. Salome [she leans on the water prison and listens carefully]: There is no sound.I can't hear anything coming from below.He, this man, why didn't he yell?Ah, if someone wants to kill me, I will shout loudly, I will struggle as hard as I can, and I will not give up... Go ahead, go for it, Naman, go for it, I tell you... No, I still can't hear the sound.Quiet, so quiet.what!Something fell on the floor.I heard something fall to the ground.That should be the executioner's knife.He, the slave, is timid.He let his knife drop to the ground.He dared not kill him.He is a coward, the slave!Tell the soldiers to go down. [She looks at Herodias' squire and addresses him. ] Come here, are you a friend of this dead man?Well, let me tell you, not enough people died tonight.Tell the soldiers, bid them go down, and take what I demand, what His Majesty promises, what is mine. [The servant backs away.She turned to the soldier. ] Come here, you soldiers.You go into the dungeon and bring that man's head up. [The soldier backs away. ] Your Majesty, Your Majesty, order your soldiers to bring me John's head.

[A huge black arm, the Executioner's Arm, emerges from under the water dungeon, carrying the silver plate containing John's head.Salome grabbed it immediately.Herod covered his face with his cloak.Herodias shook his lupine triumphantly.The Nazarene fell to his knees and began to pray. 〕 what!You're finally going to accept my kiss on your mouth, John.it is good!I want to kiss you now.I will kiss you with my teeth, as if I were biting into fruit.Yes, I'm going to kiss your mouth now, John.I said it; did I say it?I said.Ah, I'm going to kiss you now...but why don't you look at me, John?Your frightening eyes, eyes full of anger and contempt, are now closed.Why are you closing your eyes?open your eyes!Lift up your eyelids, John!why don't you look at meAre you afraid of me, John, that's why you dare not look at me? . . . and your tongue, like a red snake spraying venom, does not move now, does not speak anymore, John, that scarlet viper that spat out its venom at me.Weird, isn't it?What happened to the red viper? ...You don't have me in your heart, John.You reject me.You speak ill of me.You see me as a whore, as a whore, I, Salome, daughter of Herodias, princess of the kingdom of Judea!Well, John, I'm alive, but you, you're dead, and your head is mine.I can do whatever I want with it.I can throw it to the hungry dogs and the birds of the air.After the dog bites, the bird comes to peck. ... Ah, John, John, you are the only one I love.The other men felt nothing but disgust in my heart.But you, you are so beautiful!Your body is like a statue of pure white marble on a silver seat.It feels like being in a garden full of doves and lilies.It was a tower of ivory with silver and white workmanship.There is nothing in the world that can compare to your white and clean body.There is nothing in the world like your jet-black hair.In this world, nothing compares to your red lips.Your voice is like a strange fragrance from a furnace, and when I look at you, I hear a special music.what!Why don't you look at me, John?After your hands and curses, you hide your face.You close your eyes and see your God.So you have seen your God, John, but you have not seen me.If you see me, you will love me.I, I see you, John, I love you.Oh, how I love you!I love you, John, I love you only... I want your beauty; I long for your body; neither wine nor fruit can satisfy my need.What should I do now, John?Neither flood nor sea can quench my passion.I am a princess and you despise me.I am a virgin and you take my purity away.I am chaste and you set fire to my blood... Ah!what!Why don't you look at me, John?If you look at me, you will love me.Very well, I know you will love me, the mystery of love is far beyond the mystery of death.People should only think about love.

HEROD Ah! thou art not listening to me. Be calm. As for me, am I not calm? I am altogether calm. Listen. I have jewels hidden in this place -- jewels that thy mother even has never seen; 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. 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 -61- like wine that one has colored 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 mens 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 comes never to trouble the blue of their waves. I have chrysolites and beryls, and chrysoprases and rubies; 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 i s 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 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 coffer 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

-62- sandals incrusted with glass. I have mantles that have been brought from the land of the Serer, and bracelets decked about with carbohydrates and with jade that come from the city of Euphrates . . . . What desire thou more than this, Salome? the thing that thou desire, and I will give it thee. All that thou askest I will give thee, save one thing only. I will give thee 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! HERODIAS Give me the head of Iokanaan! HEROD [Sinking back in his seat.]

Let her be given what she asks! Of a truth she is her mothers 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 bears it to the Executioner . The Executioner looks scared.] Who has taken my ring? There was a ring 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! [The Executioner goes down into the cistern.] Ah! wherefore did I give my -63- 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. 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. 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 thing the Tetrarch has promised me, the thing that is mine. [The Page recoils. She turns to the soldiers.] Hither, ye soldiers. Get ye down into this cistern and bring me the head of this man. Tetrarch, Tetrarch, -64- command your soldiers that they bring me the head of Iokanaan. [A huge black arm, the arm of the Executioner, comes forth from the cistern, bearing on a silver shield the head of lokanaan. Salome seizes it. Herod hides his face with his cloak. Herodias smiles and fans herself. The Nazarenes fall on their knees and begin to pray.]

Ah! thou wouldst not suffer me to kiss thy mouth, Iokanaan. Well! I will kiss it now. I will bite it with my teeth as one bites a ripe fruit. did I not say it? I said it. Ah! I will kiss it now . . . . But wherefore dost thou not look at me, Iokanaan? 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, Iokanaan! Wherefore dost thou not look at me? Art thou afraid of me, Iokanaan, 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, Iokanaan, 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, Iokanaan. Thou rejectedst 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, daughter of Hero dias, Princess of Jud?a! 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

-65- leave, the birds of the air shall devour . . . . Ah, Iokanaan, Iokanaan, thou wert the man that I loved alone among men! All other men were hateful to me. But thou wert beautiful! 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 so white as thy body. There was nothing 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! 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, Iokanaan, 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 the e! I love thee yet, Iokanaan. I love only thee . . . . I am atfirst for thy beauty; I am hungry for thy body; 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 fire . . . . Ah! ah! wherefore 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 -66- The mystery of Love is greater than the mystery of Death.