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Salomé: A Tragedy in One Act

Oscar Wilde

heavens shall fall upon the earth like ripe 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 ripe 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 drunken man. HEROD It may be he is drunk with the wine of God. 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 Salomé._] Tigellinus, when you were at Rome of late, did the Emperor speak with you: on the subject of...? TIGELLINUS On what subject, sire? 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 the veil of the Sanctuary has disappeared, do they not? HERODIAS It was thyself didst steal it. Thou speakest at random. I will not stay here. Let us go within. HEROD Dance for me, Salomé. HERODIAS I will not have her dance. SALOMÉ I have no desire to dance, Tetrarch. HEROD Salomé, daughter of Herodias, dance for me. HERODIAS Let her alone. HEROD I command thee to dance, Salomé. SALOMÉ I will not dance, Tetrarch. HERODIAS [_Laughing_]. You see how she obeys you. HEROD What is it to me whether she dance or not? It is naught to me. To-night I am happy, I am exceeding happy. Never have I been so happy. FIRST SOLDIER The Tetrarch has a sombre look. Has he not a sombre look? SECOND SOLDIER Yes, he has a sombre look. HEROD Wherefore should I not be happy? Cæsar, who is lord of the world, who is lord of all things, loves me well. He has just sent me most precious gifts. Also he has promised me to summon to Rome the King of Cappadocia, who is my enemy. It may be that at Rome he will crucify him, for he is able to do all things that he wishes. Verily, Cæsar is lord. Thus you see I have a right to be happy. Indeed, I am happy. I have never been so happy. There is nothing in the world that can mar my happiness. THE VOICE OF JOKANAAN He shall be seated on this throne. He shall be clothed in scarlet and purple. In his hand he shall bear a golden cup full of his blasphemies. And the angel of the Lord shall smite him. He shall be eaten of worms. HERODIAS You hear what he says about you. He says that you will be eaten of worms. HEROD It is not of me that he speaks. He speaks never against me. It is of the King of Cappadocia that he speaks; the King of Cappadocia, who is mine enemy. It is he who shall be eaten of worms. It is not I. Never has he spoken word against me, this prophet, save that I sinned in taking to wife the wife of my brother. It may be he is right. For, of a truth, you are sterile. HERODIAS I am sterile, I? You say that, you that are ever looking at my daughter, you that would have her dance for your pleasure? It is absurd to say that. I have borne a child. You have gotten no child, no, not even from one of your slaves. It is you who are sterile, not I. HEROD Peace, woman! I say that you are sterile. You have borne me no child, and the prophet says that our marriage is not a true marriage. He says that it is an incestuous marriage, a marriage that will bring evils.... I fear he is right; I am sure that he is right. But it is not the moment to speak of such things. I would be happy at this moment. Of a truth, I am happy. There is nothing I lack. HERODIAS I am glad you are of so fair a humour to-night. It is not your custom. But it is late. Let us go within. Do not forget that we hunt at sunrise. All honours must be shown to Cæsar's ambassadors, must they not? SECOND SOLDIER What a sombre look the Tetrarch wears. FIRST SOLDIER Yes, he wears a sombre look. HEROD Salomé, Salomé, dance for me. I pray thee dance for me. I am sad to-night. Yes; I am passing sad to-night. When I came hither I slipped in blood, which is an evil omen; and I heard, I am sure I heard in the air a beating of wings, a beating of giant wings. I cannot tell what they mean ... I am sad to-night. Therefore dance for me. Dance for me, Salomé, I beseech you. If you dance for me you may ask of me what you will, and I will give it you, even unto the half of my kingdom.
Illustration note[Illustration: THE TOILETTE OF SALOMÉ--I]
SALOMÉ [_Rising._] Will you indeed give me whatsoever I shall ask, Tetrarch? HERODIAS Do not dance, my daughter. HEROD Everything, even the half of my kingdom. SALOMÉ You swear it, Tetrarch? HEROD I swear it, Salomé. HERODIAS Do not dance, my daughter. SALOMÉ By what will you swear, Tetrarch? HEROD By my life, by my crown, by my gods. Whatsoever you desire I will give it you, even to the half of my kingdom, if you will but dance for me. O, Salomé, Salomé, dance for me! SALOMÉ You have sworn, Tetrarch. HEROD I have sworn, Salomé. SALOMÉ All this I ask, even the half of your kingdom. HERODIAS My daughter, do not dance. HEROD Even to the half of my kingdom. Thou wilt be passing fair as a queen, Salomé, if it please thee to ask for the half of my kingdom. Will she not be fair as a queen? Ah! it is cold here! There is an icy wind, and I hear ... wherefore do I hear in the air this beating of wings? Ah! one might fancy a bird, a huge black bird that hovers over the terrace. Why can I not see it, this bird? The beat of its wings is terrible. The breath of the wind of its wings is terrible. It is a chill wind. Nay, but it is not cold, it is hot. I am choking. Pour water on my hands. Give me snow to eat. Loosen my mantle. Quick! quick! loosen my mantle. Nay, but leave it. It is my garland that hurts me, my garland of roses. The flowers are like fire. They have burned my forehead. [_He tears the wreath from his head and throws it on the table._] Ah! I can breathe now. How red those petals are! They are like stains of blood on the cloth. That does not matter. You must not find symbols in everything you see. It makes life impossible. It were better to say that stains of blood are as lovely as rose petals. It were better far to say that.... But we will not speak of this. Now I am happy, I am passing happy. Have I not the right to be happy? Your daughter is going to dance for me. Will you not dance for me, Salomé? You have promised to dance for me.
Illustration note[Illustration: THE TOILETTE OF SALOMÉ--II]
HERODIAS I will not have her dance. SALOMÉ I will dance for you, Tetrarch. HEROD You hear what your daughter says. She is going to dance for me. You do well to dance for me, Salomé. And when you have danced for me, forget not to ask of me whatsoever you wish. Whatsoever you wish I will give it you, even to the half of my kingdom. I have sworn it, have I not? SALOMÉ You have sworn it, Tetrarch. HEROD And I have never broken my word. I am not of those who break their oaths. I know not how to lie. I am the slave of my word, and my word is the word of a king. The King of Cappadocia always lies, but he is no true king. He is a coward. Also he owes me money that he will not repay. He has even insulted my ambassadors. He has spoken words that were wounding. But Cæsar will crucify him when he comes to Rome. I am sure that Cæsar will crucify him. And if not, yet will he die, being eaten of worms. The prophet has prophesied it. Well! wherefore dost thou tarry, Salomé? SALOMÉ I am awaiting until my slaves bring perfumes to me and the seven veils, and take off my sandals. [_Slaves bring perfumes and the seven veils, and take off the sandals of Salomé._] HEROD Ah, you are going to dance with naked feet. 'Tis well!--'Tis well. Your little feet will be like white doves. They will be like little white flowers that dance upon the trees.... No, no, she is going to dance on blood. There is blood spilt on the ground. She must not dance on blood. It were an evil omen. HERODIAS What is it to you if she dance on blood? Thou hast waded deep enough therein.... HEROD What is it to me? Ah! look at the moon! She has become red. She has become red as blood. Ah! the prophet prophesied truly. He prophesied that the moon would become red as blood. Did he not prophesy it? All of you heard him. And now the moon has become red as blood. Do ye not see it? HERODIAS Oh, yes, I see it well, and the stars are falling like ripe figs, are they not? and the sun is becoming black like sackcloth of hair, and the kings of the earth are afraid. That at least one can see. The prophet, for once in his life, was right, the kings of the earth are afraid.... Let us go within. You are sick. They will say at Rome that you are mad. Let us go within, I tell you. THE VOICE OF JOKANAAN Who is this who cometh from Edom, who is this who cometh from Bozra, whose raiment is dyed with purple, who shineth in the beauty of his garments, who walketh mighty in his greatness? Wherefore is thy raiment stained with scarlet? HERODIAS Let us go within. The voice of that man maddens me. I will not have my daughter dance while he is continually crying out. I will not have her dance while you look at her in this fashion. In a word, I will not have her dance. HEROD Do not rise, my wife, my queen, it will avail thee nothing. I will not go within till she hath danced. Dance, Salomé, dance for me. HERODIAS Do not dance, my daughter. SALOMÉ I am ready, Tetrarch. [_Salomé dances the dance of the seven veils._] HEROD Ah! wonderful! wonderful! You see that she has danced for me, your daughter. Come near, Salomé, come near, that I may give you your reward. Ah! I pay the dancers well. I will pay thee royally. I will give thee whatsoever thy soul desireth. What wouldst thou have? Speak. SALOMÉ [_Kneeling_]. I would that they presently bring me in a silver charger.... HEROD [Laughing.] In a silver charger? Surely yes, in a silver charger. She is charming, is she not? What is it you would have in a silver charger, O sweet and fair Salomé, you who are fairer than all the daughters of Judæa? What would you have them bring thee in a silver charger? Tell me. Whatsoever it may be, they shall give it you. My treasures belong to thee. What is it, Salomé? SALOMÉ [_Rising_]. The head of Jokanaan. HERODIAS Ah! that is well said, my daughter. HEROD No, no! HERODIAS That is well said, my daughter. HEROD No, no, Salomé. You do not ask me that. Do not listen to your mother's voice. She is ever giving you evil counsel. Do not heed her. SALOMÉ I do not heed my mother. It is for mine own pleasure that I ask the head of Jokanaan in a silver charger. You hath sworn, Herod. Forget not that you have sworn an oath. HEROD I know it. I have sworn by my gods. I know it well. But I pray you, Salomé, ask of me something else. Ask of me the half of my kingdom, and I will give it you. But ask not of me what you have asked. SALOMÉ I ask of you the head of Jokanaan. HEROD No, no, I do not wish it. SALOMÉ You have sworn, Herod. HERODIAS Yes, you have sworn. Everybody heard you. You swore it before everybody. HEROD Be silent! It is not to you I speak. HERODIAS