Salomé: A Tragedy in One Act. Wilde Oscar

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 the twelve years he had to be strangled.

      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 SOLDIER

      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.

      FIRST SOLDIER

      Why? Kings have but one neck, like other folk.

      THE CAPPADOCIAN

      I think it terrible.

      THE YOUNG SYRIAN

      The Princess rises! 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 in the wind… She is like a silver flower.

      [Enter Salomé.]

      SALOMÉ

      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. In truth, yes, I know it.

      THE YOUNG SYRIAN

      You have just left the feast, Princess?

      SALOMÉ

      How sweet the air is here! I can breathe here! Within there are Jews from Jerusalem who are tearing each other in pieces over their foolish ceremonies, and barbarians who drink and drink, and spill their wine on the pavement, and Greeks from Smyrna with painted eyes and painted cheeks, and frizzed hair curled in twisted coils, and silent, subtle Egyptians, with long nails of jade and russett cloaks, and Romans brutal and coarse, with their uncouth jargon. Ah! how I loathe the Romans! They are rough and common, 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? Why do you look at her? Oh! something terrible will happen.

      SALOMÉ

      How good to see the moon! She is like a little piece of money, you would think she was a little silver flower. The moon is cold and chaste. I am sure she is a virgin, she has a virgin's beauty. Yes, she is a virgin. She has never defiled herself. She has never abandoned herself to men, like the other goddesses.

      THE VOICE OF JOKANAAN

      The Lord hath come. The son of man hath come. The centaurs have hidden themselves in the rivers, and the sirens have left the rivers, and are lying beneath the leaves of the forest.

      SALOMÉ

      Who was that who cried out?

      SECOND SOLDIER

      The prophet, Princess.

      SALOMÉ

      Ah, the prophet! He of whom the Tetrarch is afraid?

      SECOND SOLDIER

      We know nothing of that, Princess. It was the prophet Jokanaan 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.

      SALOMÉ

      He says terrible things about my mother, does he not?

      SECOND SOLDIER

      We never understand what he says, Princess.

      SALOMÉ

      Yes; he says terrible things about her.

      [Enter a Slave.]

      THE SLAVE

      Princess, the Tetrarch prays you to return to the feast.

      SALOMÉ

      I will not go back.

      THE YOUNG SYRIAN

      Pardon me, Princess, but if you do not return some misfortune may happen.

      SALOMÉ

      Is he an old man, this prophet?

      THE YOUNG SYRIAN

      Princess, it were better to return. Suffer me to lead you in.

      SALOMÉ

      This prophet … is he an old man?

      FIRST SOLDIER

      No, Princess, he is quite a young man.

      SECOND SOLDIER

      You cannot be sure. There are those who say he is Elias.

      SALOMÉ

      Who is Elias?

      SECOND SOLDIER

      A very ancient prophet of this country, Princess.

      THE SLAVE

      What answer may I give the Tetrarch from the Princess?

      THE VOICE OF JOKANAAN

      Rejoice not thou, land of Palestine, because the rod of him who smote thee is broken. For from the seed of the serpent shall come forth a basilisk, and that which is born of it shall devour the birds.

      SALOMÉ

      What a strange voice! I would speak with him.

      FIRST SOLDIER

      I fear it is impossible, Princess. The Tetrarch does not wish any one to speak with him. He has even forbidden the high priest to speak with him.

      SALOMÉ

      I desire to speak with him.

      FIRST SOLDIER

      It is impossible, Princess.

      SALOMÉ

      I will speak with him.

      THE YOUNG SYRIAN

      Would it not be better to return to the banquet?

      SALOMÉ

      Bring forth this prophet.

[Exit the slave.]

      FIRST SOLDIER

      We dare not, Princess.

      SALOMÉ

      [Approaching the cistern and looking down into it.]

      How black it is, down there! It must be terrible to be in so black a pit! It is like a tomb… [To the soldiers.] Did you not hear me? Bring out the prophet. I wish to see him.

      SECOND SOLDIER

      Princess, I beg you do not require this of us.

      SALOMÉ

      You keep me waiting!

      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.

      SALOMÉ

      [Looking at the young Syrian.]

      Ah!

      THE PAGE OF HERODIAS

      Oh! what is going to happen? I