A to Z Classics - Complete Works Of Oscar Wilde (Best Navigation) (A to Z Classics)

first soldier

Princess, the young captain has just killed himself.

salomé

Let me kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan.

jokanaan

Art thou not afraid, daughter of Herodias? Did I not tell thee that I had heard in the palace the beatings of the wings of the angel of death, and hath he not come, the angel of death?

·25· salomé

Let me kiss thy mouth.

jokanaan

Daughter of adultery, there is but one who can save thee, it is He of whom I spake. Go seek Him. He is in a boat on the sea of Galilee, and He talketh with His disciples. Kneel down on the shore of the sea, and call unto Him by His name. When He cometh to thee (and to all who call on Him He cometh), bow thyself at His feet and ask of Him the remission of thy sins.

salomé

Let me kiss thy mouth.

jokanaan

Cursed be thou! daughter of an incestuous mother, be thou accursed!

salomé

I will kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan.

jokanaan

I do not wish to look at thee. I will not look at thee, thou art accursed, Salomé, thou art accursed. [ He goes down into the cistern .]

salomé

I will kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan; I will kiss thy mouth.

·26· first soldier

We must bear away the body to another place. The Tetrarch does not care to see dead bodies, save the bodies of those whom he himself has slain.

the page of herodias

He was my brother, and nearer to me than a brother. I gave him a little box full of perfumes, and a ring of agate that he wore always on his hand. In the evening we used to walk by the river, among the almond trees, and he would tell me of the things of his country. He spake ever very low. The sound of his voice was like the sound of the flute, of a flute player. Also he much loved to gaze at himself in the river. I used to reproach him for that.

second soldier

You are right; we must hide the body. The Tetrarch must not see it.

first soldier

The Tetrarch will not come to this place. He never comes on the terrace. He is too much afraid of the prophet.

[ Enter Herod, Herodias, and all the Court .]

herod

Where is Salomé? Where is the Princess? Why did she not return to the banquet as I commanded her? Ah! there she is!

·27· herodias

You must not look at her! You are always looking at her!

herod

The moon has a strange look to-night. Has she not a strange look? She is like a mad woman, a mad woman who is seeking everywhere for lovers. She is naked too. She is quite naked. The clouds are seeking to clothe her nakedness, but she will not let them. She shows herself naked in the sky. She reels through the clouds like a drunken woman…. I am sure she is looking for lovers. Does she not reel like a drunken woman? She is like a mad woman, is she not?

herodias

No; the moon is like the moon, that is all. Let us go within…. You have nothing to do here.

herod

I will stay here! Manesseh, lay carpets there. Light torches, bring forth the ivory tables, and the tables of jasper. The air here is delicious. I will drink more wine with my guests. We must show all honours to the ambassadors of Cæsar.

herodias

It is not because of them that you remain.

·28· herod

Yes; the air is delicious. Come, Herodias, our guests await us. Ah! I have slipped! I have slipped in blood! It is an ill omen. It is a very evil omen. Wherefore is there blood here? … and this body, what does this body here? Think you I am like the King of Egypt, who gives no feast to his guests but that he shows them a corpse? Whose is it? I will not look on it.

first soldier

It is our captain, sire. He is the young Syrian whom you made captain only three days ago.

herod

I gave no order that he should be slain.

second soldier

He killed himself, sire.

herod

For what reason? I had made him captain.

second soldier

We do not know, sire. But he killed himself [ E:himself.]

herod

That seems strange to me. I thought it was only the Roman philosophers who killed themselves. ·29· Is it not true, Tigellinus, that the philosophers at Rome kill themselves?

tigellinus

There are some who kill themselves, sire. They are the Stoics. The Stoics are coarse people. They are ridiculous people. I myself regard them as being perfectly ridiculous.

herod

I also. It is ridiculous to kill oneself.

tigellinus

Everybody at Rome laughs at them. The Emperor has written a satire against them. It is recited everywhere.

herod

Ah! he has written a satire against them? Cæsar is wonderful. He can do everything…. It is strange that the young Syrian has killed himself. I am sorry he has killed himself. I am very sorry; for he was fair to look upon. He was even very fair. He had very languorous eyes. I remember that I saw that he looked languorously at Salomé. Truly, I thought he looked too much at her.

herodias

There are others who look at her too much.

·30· herod

His father was a king. I drove him from his kingdom. And you made a slave of his mother, who was a queen, Herodias. So he was here as my guest, as it were, and for that reason I made him my captain. I am sorry he is dead. Ho! why have you left the body here? I will not look at it—away with it! [ They take a/ray the body .] It is cold here. There is a wind blowing. Is there not a wind blowing?

herodias

No; there is no wind.

herod

I tell you there is a wind that blows…. And I hear in the air something that is like the beating of wings, like the beating of vast wings. Do you not hear it?

herodias

I hear nothing.

herod

I hear it no longer. But I heard it. It was the blowing of the wind, no doubt. It has passed away. But no, I hear it again. Do you not hear it? It is just like the beating of wings.

herodias

I tell you there is nothing. You are ill. Let us go within.

·31· herod

I am not ill. It is your daughter who is sick. She has the mien of a sick person. Never have I seen her so pale.

herodias

I have told you not to look at her.

herod

Pour me forth wine [ wine is brought ]. Salomé, come drink a little wine with me. I have here a wine that is exquisite. Cæsar himself sent it me. Dip into it thy little red lips, that I may drain the cup.

salomé

I am not thirsty, Tetrarch.

herod

You hear how she answers me, this daughter of yours?

herodias

She does right. Why are you always gazing at her?

herod

Bring me ripe fruits [ fruits are brought ], Salomé, come and eat fruit with me. I love to see in a fruit the mark of thy little teeth. Bite but a little of this fruit and then I will eat what is left.

·32· salomé

I am not hungry, Tetrarch.

herod

[ To Herodias .] You see how you have brought up this daughter of yours.

herodias

My daughter and I come of a royal race. As for thee, thy father was a camel driver! He was also a robber!

herod

Thou liest!

herodias

Thou knowest well that it is true.

herod

Salomé, come and sit next to me. I will give thee the throne of thy mother.

salomé

I am not tired, Tetrarch.

herodias

You see what she thinks of you.

herod

Bring me what is it that I desire? I forget. Ah! ah! I remember.

·33· the voice of jokanaan

Lo! the time is come! That which I foretold has come to pass, saith the Lord God. Lo! the day of which I spoke.

herodias

Bid him be silent. I will not listen to his voice. This man is for ever vomiting insults against me.

herod

He has said nothing against you. Besides, he is a very great prophet.

herodias

I do not believe in prophets. Can a man tell what will come to pass? No man knows it. Moreover, he is for ever insulting me. But I think you are afraid of him…. I know well that you are afraid of him.