Salomé (2013) - full transcript

Translated by:
(Etcohod)

Salome was written by osacr wilde
in 1893

And it was unlike
any of his other works.

He wrote the play deliberately
in a lush and ornate style.

It takes place in the ancient city of
Judea, in King Herod's palace

and all references in the play
relate to that specific biblical era.

The company of actors are
interpreting the play in modem dress,

but all references in the play
relate to that period,

just before the death of Christ.

sAlome : Princess of Judea

King Herod " The Tetrarch"
Stepfather to Salome



Queen Herodias : Mother of Salome

Jokanaan " John the Baptist" Cousine of Jesus

Salome story did not appear in the Bible in detail
Irrigated in the film, did not refer to the Bible

Salome

The Palace Banquet

How beautiful
is the Princess Salome tonight!

Look at the moon!

How strange the moon seems.

She is like a woman rising from a tomb.

She is like a dead woman.

You would fancy
she was looking for dead things.

She has a strange look.

She's like a
little princess who wears a yellow veil,

and whose feet are of silver.



She is like a princess
who has little white doves for feet.

(page) She is like
a woman who is dead.

She moves very slowly.

(distant shouting)

Who are those wild beasts howling?

The Jews.

They are always like that.

They are disputing about their religion.

Why do they dispute
about their religion?

(guard 2) I cannot tell.

They are always doing it.

I think it is ridiculous
to dispute about such things.

How beautiful
is the Princess Salome tonight!

You are always looking at her.

You look at her too much.

It is dangerous to look at people
in such fashion.

Something terrible may happen.

(Narabeth)
She is very beautiful tonight.

(guard 1)
The Tetrarch has a sombre look.

(guard 2) Yes, he has a sombre look.

(guard 1) He is looking at something.

(guard 2) He is looking at someone.

At whom is he looking?

I cannot tell.

(guard 1) Herodias has filled
the cup of the Tetrarch.

(guard 3) Is that the Queen Herodias?

(guard 1) Yes, that is Herodias,

the Tetrarch's wife.

(man) After me shall come another
mightier than I.

I am not worthy so much as to
unloose the latches of His shoes.

When He oometh,
the solitary places shall be glad.

They shall blossom like the lily.

The eyes of the blind shall see the day,

and the ears of the deaf
shall be opened.

The new-born child shall put his hand...

Make him be silent.

He is always saying ridiculous things.

No, no.

He is a holy man.

He is very gentle, too.

Every day,
when I give him to eat, he thanks me.

Who is he?

(guard 1) A prophet.

(guard 3) What is his name?

(guard 1) Jokanaan.

(guard 1) He came from the desert,

where he fed on locusts and wild honey.

A great multitude used to follow him.

He even had disciples.

(guard 3) What is he talking of?

(guard 1) We can never tell.

Sometimes he says terrible things,

but it is impossible to understand
what he says.

May one see him?

No.

The Tetrarch has forbidden it.

The Princess has hidden her face
behind her fan!

Her little white hands are fluttering
like doves

that fly to their dove-cots.

They are like white butterflies.
They are just like white butterflies.

What is that to you?

Why do you look at her?

You must not look at her.

Something terrible may happen.

(guard 1) What a strange prison.

(guard 2) It is an old cistern.

(guard 1) An old cistern.

It must be very unhealthy.

Oh, no! For instance, the Tetrarch's
brother, his elder brother,

the first husband of Herodias the Queen,
was imprisoned there for 12 years.

It did not kill him.

At the end of
the 12 years he had to be strangled.

Strangled?

Who dared to do that?

That man yonder,

Naaman, the executioner.

(guard 3) He was not afraid?

Oh, no!

The Tetrarch sent him the ring.

What ling?

The death-ring.

So he was not afraid.

Yet it is a terrible thing
to strangle a king.

Why?

Kings have but one neck,
like other folk.

I think it terrible.

(Narabeth) The Princess rises!

She is leaving the table!

She looks very troubled.

How pale she is!

Never have I seen her so pale.

(page) Do not look at her.

I pray you not to look at her.

She is like a dove that has strayed.

She is like a narcissus
trembling in the wind.

She is like a silver flower.

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 that way.

I know not what it means.

In truth, yes, I know it.

You have just left the feast, Princess?

How sweet the air is here!
I can breathe here!

Inside there are Jews from Jerusalem

who are tearing each other to 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 russet cloaks,

and Romans brutal and coarse,
with their uncouth jargon.

Ah! Howl loathe the Romans!

They are rough and common, and they
give themselves the airs of noble lords.

Will you be seated, Princess?

Why do you speak to her?

Why do you look at her?
Something terrible may happen.

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.

(Jokanaan) The Lord hath come.

The son of man,

the son of man hath come.

(laughs)

He hath come!

He hath come!

(laughs)

The son of man hath come.

Who was that who cried out?

The prophet, Princess.

Ah, the prophet!

He of whom the Tetrarch is afraid?

We know nothing of that, Princess.

It was the prophet Jokanaan
who cried out.

Is it your pleasure that I bid them
bring your litter, Princess?

The night is fair in the garden.

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

We never understand what he says,
Princess.

Yes,

he says terrible things about her.

Princess,

the Tetrarch
prays you return to the feast.

I will not go back.

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

Is he an old man, this prophet?

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

This prophet...

...is he an old man?

No, Princess, he is quite a young man.

You cannot be sure.

There are those who say he is Elias.

Who is Elias?

A very ancient prophet
of this country, Princess.

What answer may I give the Tetrarch
from the Princess?

(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.

What a strange voice!

I would speak with him.

(guard 1)
I fear it is impossible, Princess.

The Tetrarch does not wish anyone
to speak with him.

He has even forbidden
the high priest to speak with him.

I desire to speak with him.

It is impossible, Princess.

I will speak with him.

Would it not be better
to return to the banquet?

Bring forth this prophet!

We dare not, Princess.

How black it is, down there!

It must be
terrible to be in so black a pit!

It is like a tomb.

Did you not hear me?

I said bring forth this prophet.
I wish to see him.

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.

(Salom?) Ah!

(page) Oh! What is going to happen?

I am sure that some misfortune
will happen.

You will do this thing for me,
Narabeth, will you not?

You will do this thing for me.
I have always been kind to you.

You will do it for me.

I would but look at this strange
prophet.

Men have talked so much of him.

Often have I heard the Tetrarch
talk of him.

I think the Tetrarch is afraid of him.

Are you,

even you,
also afraid of him, Narabeth?

I fear him not, Princess.

There is no man I fear.

But the Tetrarch has formally forbidden

that any man
should raise the cover of this well.

You will do this thing for me,
Narabeth.

You know that you
will do this thing for me.

And tomorrow when I pass in my litter

beneath the gateway of the idol-buyers,

I will look at you through
the muslin veils,

I will look at you, Narabeth,

it may be...

...I will smile at you.

Look at me, Narabeth.

Look at me.

You know you will do what I ask of you.

You know it well.

I know you will do this thing.

Let the prophet come forth.

The Princess Salom? desires to see him.

(page) Oh! How strange the moon looks.

You would think it was
the hand of a dead woman

who is seeking to cover herself
with a shroud.

(Narabeth) She has a strange look!

She is like a little princess,
whose eyes are eyes of amber.

Through the clouds of muslin
she is smiling like a little princess.

(Jokanaan) Where is he
whose cup of abominations is now full?

Where is he, who in a robe of silver
shall one day die

in the face of all the people?

Bid him come forth,

that he may hear the voice of him

who hath cried in the waste places
and in the houses of kings.

Of whom is he speaking?

(Narabeth)
You never can tell, Princess.

Where is she... (spits)

...who gave herself
unto the Captains of Assyria,

who have baldrics on their loins

and tiaras of divers colours
on their heads?

It is of my mother that he speaks.

Oh, no, Princess.

Yes, it is of my mother that he speaks.

Where is she who hath given herself
to the young men of Egypt,

who are clothed in fine linen
and purple, whose shields are of gold,

whose helmets are of silver,
whose bodies are mighty?

Bid her rise up from the bed
of her abominations,

from the bed of her incestuousness,

that she may hear the words of him
who prepareth the way of the Lord,

that she may repent her
of her iniquities.

Though she will never repent,

but will stick fast in her abominations;

bid her come,

for the fan of the Lord
is in His hand.

But he is terrible, he is terrible.

Do not stay here, Princess,
I beseech you.

It is his eyes above all
that are terrible.

They are like black holes burned
by torches in a Tyrian tapestry.

They are like black caverns
where dragons dwell.

Like black caverns in Egypt
in which dragons make their lairs.

They are like black lakes
troubled by fantastic... moons.

Do you think he will speak again?

Do not stay here, Princess,
I pray you, do not stay here.

How wasted he is!

He is like a thin ivory statue.

He is like an image of silver.

I am sure
he is as chaste as the moon is.

He is like a moonbeam,
like a shaft of silver.

His flesh must be cool like ivory.

I would look closer at him.

No, no, Princess.

I must look at him closer.

(Narabeth) Princess! Princess!

(Jokanaan) Who is this woman
who is looking at me?

I will not have her look at me.

I know not who she is.

I do not wish to know who she is.

Bid her begone. It is not to her
that I would speak.

I am Salom?,

daughter of Herodias,

Princess of Judaea.

Back! Daughter of Babylon!

- Untranslated subtitle -

Come not near the chosen of the Lord.

Thy mother hath filled the earth
with the wine of her iniquities,

- Untranslated subtitle -

and the cry of her sins
hath come up to the ears of God.

Speak again, Jokanaan.
Thy voice is wine to me.

Princess! Princess! Princess!

Speak again, Jokanaan,

tell me what I must do.

(Jokanaan) Daughter of Sodom,
come not near me.

But cover thy face with a veil,

and get thee to the desert
and seek out the Son of Man.

Who is he, the Son of Man?

Is he
as beautiful as thou art, Jokanaan?

(gust of wind)

Get thee behind me!

I hear in the palace the beating of
the wings of the angel of death.

Princess, I beseech thee to go within.

Angel of the Lord God,
what dost thou here with thy sword?

The day of him who shall die
in a robe of silver has not yet come.

Jokanaan!

Jokanaan,

I am amorous of thy body!

Thy body is white like the lilies of a
field that the mower hath never mowed.

Thy body is white like the snows
in the mountains of Judea,

that come down into the valleys.

The roses in the garden of the Queen
of Arabia are not so white as thy body.

There is nothing in the world
so white as thy body.

Let me touch thy body.

Back.

Daughter of Babylon.

By woman came evil into the world.
Speak not to me.

I will not listen to thee.

I listen but to the voice,

the voice of the Lord God.

Thy body is hideous.

It is like the body of a leper.

It is like a plastered wall
where vipers have crawled.

It is like a plastered wall where the
scorpions have made their nest.

It is like a whitened sepulchre
full of loathsome things.

It is horrible, thy body is horrible.

It is thy mouth that I desire, Jokanaan.

Thy mouth is like a band of scarlet
on a tower of ivory.

It is like a pomegranate
cut with a knife of ivory.

The pomegranate flowers that blossom
in the garden of Tyre,

and are redder than roses,
are not so red.

The red blasts of trumpets
that herald the approach of kings,

and make afraid the enemy,
are not so red.

are not so red than your mouth

Thy mouth is redder
than the feet of those

who tread the wine in the wine press.

Thy mouth is redder
than the feet of doves

who haunt the temples
and are fed by the priests.

It is redder than the feet of him
who oometh from a forest

where he hath slain a lion
and seen gilded tigers.

Thy mouth is like a branch of coral
that fishers have found

in the twilight of the sea,

the coral that they keep for the kings!

It is the vermilion that
the Moabites find in the mines of Moab,

the vermilion
that the kings take from them.

It is the bow
of the King of the Persians...

(exhales)
"that is painted with vermilion

and is tipped

with... coral.

There is nothing in the world

so red...

as thy mouth.

Let me kiss thy mouth.

Never!

Daughter of Babylon.

Daughter of Sodom.

Never!

I will kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan.

I will kiss thy mouth.

Princess, Princess,
thou who art like a garden of myrrh,

thou who are the dove of all doves,
look not at this man, look not at him!

Do not speak such words to him.
I cannot suffer them!

Princess, Princess,
do not speak these things.

I will kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan.

No, no!

(laughs)

(sword slashes)

(page) The young Syrian
has slain himself!

The young captain has slain himself!

He has slain himself who was my friend!

Princess,

the young captain
has just killed himself.

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 on 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 oometh to thee,
and to all who call on Him, He oometh,

bow thyself at His feet and ask of Him
the remission of thy sins.

Let me kiss thy mouth!

I will kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan.

I will kiss thy mouth.

Thou art accursed, Salom?,

thou art accursed.

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.

(guard 2) You are right; we must hide
the body. The Tetrarch must not see it.

The Tetrarch will not come to this
place. He never comes on the terrace.

He is too much afraid of the prophet.

(Herod) Salom?.

Where is Salom??

Where is the Princess?

Why did she not return to the banquet
as I commanded her?

Ah!

There she is!

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

The moon has a strange look tonight.
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.

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?

No, the moon is like the moon,
that is all.

Let us go within.
You have nothing to do here.

I will stay here!

Manasseh,

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 Caesar.

It is not because of them
that you remain.

Oh yes; the air is delicious.

Come, Herodias, our guests await us.

ah

ah

(shouts) I have slipped.

I have slipped in blood!

That is an ill omen.

That is a very evil omen.

Wherefore is there blood here?

And this body, what does this body here?

Think you that 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.

It is our captain, sire.

He is the young Syrian whom you made
captain only three days ago.

I gave no order that he should be slain.

(guard 2) He killed himself, sire.

He killed himself?

For what reason?

I made him my captain.

We do not know, sire.
But he killed himself.

That seems strange to me.

I thought it was only the Roman
philosophers who killed themselves.

Is that not true, Tigellinus, that
the philosophers kill themselves?

They are the Stoics.

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 I saw
that he looked languorously at Salom?.

Truly, I thought
he looked too much at her.

There are others
who look at her too much.

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?
Away with it. I will not look on it.

Ah! It is cold here.

There is a wind blowing.
ls there not wind blowing?

No, there is no wind.

I say there is a wind that blows.

And I hear in the air

something like the beating of wings,

like the beating of vast wings.

Do you not hear it?

I hear nothing.

I hear it no longer.

But I heard it.

It was the blowing of the wind,
no doubt

. It has passed away.

I hear it again.

Do you not hear it?

Just like the beating of wings.

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

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.

I have told you not to look at her.

Pour me forth wine.

Salom?, drink a little wine with me.

I have here a wine that is exquisite.

Caesar himself sent it me.

Dip into it thy little red lips,
that I may drain the cup.

I am not thirsty, Tetrarch.

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

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

Bring me ripe fruits.

Salom?, come, 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.

I am not hungry, Tetrarch.

You see how you have brought up
this daughter of yours?

My daughter and I come of a royal race.

As for thee, thy father was
a camel driver!

He was also a robber!

Thou liest!

Thou knowest well it is true.

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

(chuckling)

I am not tired, Tetrarch.

You see what she thinks of you.

Bring me...

what?

What is it I desire? I forgot.

Ah! Yes, I remember.

(Jokanaan) Lo!

The time is come!

That which I foretold

has come to pass...

...saith the Lord God.

The day of which I spoke.

(laughs) The Lord has come.

The Son of Man has come.

Command him to be silent.
I will not listen to his voice.

This man is forever vomiting insults
against me.

He has said nothing against you.

Besides, he is a very great prophet.

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 you are afraid of him.

I am not afraid of him.

I am afraid of no man.

(Herodias)
I tell you, you are afraid of him.

If you are not afraid of him,
why do you not deliver him to the Jews,

who for these six months past
who have been clamouring for him?

Truly, my lord, it were better
to deliver him into our hands.

Yes, my lord.

Enough on this subject.
I've already given you my answer.

I will not deliver him into your hands.

He is a holy man.
He is a man who has seen God.

That cannot be. There is no man who
hath seen God since the prophet Elias.

(Jew 2) God is at no time hidden.

He showeth himself at all times
and in everything.

God is in what is evil,
even as he is in what is good.

(Jew 3)
That is a very dangerous doctrine.

(Jew 4) No one can tell
how God worketh.

His ways are very mysterious.

It may be that things
which we call evil are good,

and the things which
we call good are evil.

We must needs submit to everything,
for God is very strong.

(Jew 2) Very strong.

(Jew 4) He breaketh in pieces
the strong together with the weak,

for he regardeth not any man.

(Jew 1) Truly God is terrible,
he breaketh the strong and the weak

as a man brays corn in a mortar.

But this man hath never seen God.

No man hath seen God
since the prophet Elias.

(Jokanaan) So the day is come,

the day of the Lord.

(laughs)

And I hear... I hear upon the mountains

the feet of Him who shall be...

...the saviour of the world.

What does that mean?

Saviour of the world.
What does that mean?

It is a title that Caesar takes.

But Caesar is not coming into Judaea.

Only yesterday
I received letters from Rome.

They contained nothing
concerning this matter.

And you, 'figellinus,
who were at Rome during the winter,

you heard nothing
concerning this matter, did you?

Sire, I heard nothing concerning
the matter. I was explaining the title.

It is one of Caesar's titles.

(Herod) But Caesar cannot come.

He is too gouty.

(laughter)

They say that his feet
are like the feet of an elephant.

(laughter)

Also, there are reasons of State.

He who leaves Rome loses Rome.

He will not come.

Albeit, Caesar is lord,
he will come if he wishes.

Nevertheless,
I do not think that he will come.

It was not concerning Caesar that
the prophet spake these words, sire.

Not of Caesar?

No, sire.

Concerning whom then did he speak?

Concerning Messias who has come.

This man worketh true miracles.

Thus, at a marriage which took place
in a little town of Galilee,

a town of some importance,
he changed water into wine.

And he was seen on a mountain
talking with angels.

(Sadducee) Angels do not exist!

(Pharisee) Angels exist,

but I do not
believe this man has talked with them.

(Nazarene) He was seen by a great
multitude of people talking with angels.

(Sadducee) Not with angels.

How these men weary me!
They are ridiculous!

There is also the miracle
of the daughter of Jairus.

(Nazarene) Yes, that is sure.
No man can gainsay it.

These men are mad.
They have looked too long on the moon.

Command them to be silent.

What is the miracle
of the daughter of Jairus?

The daughter of Jairus was dead.

He raised her from the dead.

He raises the dead?

Yes, sire, he raiseth the dead.

I do not wish him to do that.

I forbid him to do that.

I allow no man to raise the dead.

This man must be found and told

I forbid him to raise the dead.

Where is this man at present?

It is said that he is now in Samaria.

It is easy to see that this
is not Messias, if he is in Samaria.

It is not to the Samaritans...

No matter!

Let them find him, and tell him from me,

I will not allow him 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 good deed
to heal a leper.

But I allow no man to raise the dead.

It would be terrible
if the dead came back.

(Jokanaan) Wanton!

You harlot!

Daughter of Babylon with her
golden eyes under her gilded eyelids!

Let there come against her
a multitude of men.

Let the people take stones

and stone her!
Command him to be silent.

(Jokanaan) Let the war captains pierce
her with their swords.

(Herodias) Nay, but it is infamous.

(Jokanaan) It is thus that I will wipe
out all wickedness from the earth,

and that all women shall learn

not to imitate her abominations.

You hear what he says against me?

You allow him to revile your wife?

He did not speak your name.

What does that matter? You know well
that it is I whom he seeks to revile.

And I am your wife, am I not?

Of a truth, dear and noble Herodias,
you are my wife,

and before that
you were the wife of my brother.

It was you who tore me from his arms.

Of a truth, I was stronger.
(laughs)

But let us not speak of that matter.
I do not desire to speak 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 that matter.

Come, Herodias,

we are not mindful of our guests.

Fill thou my cup, my well-beloved.

Fill with wine the great goblets of
silver, and the great goblets of glass.

I will drink to Caesar. There are
Romans here, we must drink to Caesar.

(all) Caesar! Caesar!

Caesar!

Do you see your daughter,
how pale she is?

What is it to you
whether she be pale or not?

Never have I seen her so pale.

You must not look at her.

(Jokanaan) In that day

the sun shall
become black like the sackcloth of hair,

and the moon shall become like blood,

and the stars of the heavens shall fall
upon the earth like ripe figs

that fall from the fig tree

And the kings of the earth
shall be afraid.

(laughs) I should like to see
that day of which he speaks,

when the moon shall become like blood,

and 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.

I will not.

I cannot understand what it is
that he saith,

but it may be an omen.

Oh! I do not believe in omens.
He speaks like a drunken man.

It may be that 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?

'Figellinus,
when you were at Rome of late,

did the Emperor speak with you
on the subject?

On what subject, sire?

On what subject?

Ah! I asked you a question, did I not?

I have forgotten
what I would have asked you.

You are looking again at my daughter.

You must not look at her.
I have already said so.

You say nothing else.

I say it again.

And the 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?

It was thyself didst steal it.

Thou speakest at random.
I will not stay here. Let us go within.

Dance for me, Salom?.

(Herodias) I will not have her dance.

I have no desire to dance, Tetrarch.

Salom?, daughter of Herodias,
dance for me.

Let her alone.

Salom?, I command thee to dance.
(stamps foot)

I will not dance, Tetrarch.

(laughs) You see how she obeys you.

What is it to me whether
she dance or not? It is naught to me.

Tonight I am happy, I am passing happy.

Never have I been so happy.

The Tetrarch has a sombre look.

Has he not a sombre look?

Yes, he has a sombre look.

(Jokanaan)
He shall be seated on his 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.

You hear what he says about you.

He says you will be eaten of worms.

It is not of me that he speaks

. It is of
the King of Cappadocia that he speaks;

the King of Cappadocia, who is my 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 that he is right.

For, of a truth, you are sterile.

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.

Peace, woman! I say you are sterile.

You have borne me no child,

and the prophet says that
our marriage is not a true marriage.

He says it is an incestuous marriage,

a marriage that will bring evils.

I fear he is right,
I am sure that he is right.

But this is not the moment
to speak of such things.

I would be happy at this moment.

Indeed, I am happy.

Never have I been so happy.

There is nothing I lack.

I am glad you are of so fair a humour
tonight. 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 paid to
Caesar's ambassadors, must they not?

Salom?, Salom?, dance for me.

I pray you, dance for me.

I am sad tonight.

I am passing sad tonight.

When I came hither I slipped in blood,
which is an evil omen,

also I heard, I am sure I heard
in the air a beating of wings,

the beating of giant wings.

I cannot tell what they mean.

Therefore dance for me

. I pray you, Salom?,

I beseech you, dance for me.

Salom?, if you dance for me,

you may ask of me what you will,

and I will give it to you,

even unto the half of my kingdom.

Will you indeed give me
whatsoever I shall ask, Tetrarch?

Do not dance, my daughter.

Everything, even the half of my kingdom.

You swear it, Tetrarch?

I swear it, Salom?.

By what will you swear, Tetrarch?

By my life, by my crown, by my gods.

Whatsoever you desire I will give it to
you, even unto the half of my kingdom,

if you will but dance for me.

O, Salom?,

Salom?, dance for me!

You have sworn, Tetrarch.

I have sworn, Salom?.

My daughter, do not dance.

Thou wilt be passing fair as queen...

...Salom?, if it please thee to ask
for the half of my kingdom.

Will she not be fair as queen?

(cries out)

It is cold here!

There is an icy wind.

And I hear in the air, wherefore do I
hear in the air this beating of wings?

(shouts) 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.

(shouts)

I am choking.

Pour water on my hands.
Give me snow to eat.

- Untranslated subtitle -

Loosen my mantle. Quick! Quick!
Loosen my mantle.

Nay, leave it!

It is my garland that hurts me,

my garland of roses.

The flowers are like fire.
They burn my forehead.

(sighs)

I can breathe now.

How red those rose 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.

(sighs)

But we will not speak of this.
Now I am happy.

I am... passing happy!

Have I not a right to be happy?

Your daughter is going to dance for me.

Will you not dance for me, Salom??

You have promised to dance for me.

(Herodias) I will not have her dance.

I will dance for you, Tetrarch.

You hear what your daughter says?

She is going to dance for me.

You do well to dance for me, Salom?.

And once you have danced for me,

forget
not to ask of me whatsoever you will.

Whatsoever you will I will give it you,

even unto the half of my kingdom.

I have sworn it, have I not?

You have sworn it, Tetrarch.

And I have never broken my word.

I am not of those who break their oaths.

I know not how to lie.

I am a slave to 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
he will not repay.

He has insulted my ambassadors.
He has spoken words that were wounding.

But Caesar will crucify him
when he comes to Rome.

I am sure Caesar will crucify him.

Yet will he die, if not,
being eaten of worms.

The prophet prophesied it. Well,

Salome, wherefore dost thou tarry?

I am waiting until my slaves bring
perfumes to me

and the seven veils,

and take off my sandals.

Ah, you are going to dance
with naked feet.

"L'ls well! Oh, 'tis well.
Your little feet.

Your little feet
will be like white doves.

They will be like little white flowers
that dance upon the trees.

No, no, she's going to dance on blood.

There is blood spilt on the ground.

She must not dance on blood.
It were an evil omen.

What is it to you
whether she dance on blood or not?

Thou has waded deep enough therein.

What is it to me?

Ah! Look at the moon!

She has become red.

She has become red as blood.

The prophet prophesied truly.

He prophesied that the moon would
become red as blood.

Do ye not see it?

Oh, yes, I see it well,

and the stars are falling
like ripe figs, are they not?

And the sun has become black
like a 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.

(Jokanaan) Who is this who oometh from

Edom, who is this who oometh from Bozra,

whose raiment is dyed with purple,

who shineth
in the beauty of his garments,

who walketh mighty?

It is the Lord!

Let us go within!
The voice of that man maddens me!

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 such a fashion.

In a word, I will not have her dance.

Do not rise, my wife, my queen,

it will avail thee nothing.

I will not go within
till she hath danced.

Dance, Salom?,

dance for me.

My daughter,

do not dance.

I am ready, Tetrarch.

(plays slow tune)

(music quickens)

(sighs)

Wonderful!

Wonderful!

You see, she has danced for me,
your daughter.

Come near, Salom?,

come near,
that I may give you your reward.

I pay the dancers well.
I shall pay thee royally.

I shall give thee
whatsoever thy soul desireth.

What wouldst thou have?

Speak.

I would that they presently bring me
in a silver charger...

In a silver charger?

Surely yes, in a silver charger.

She is charming, is she not?

But what would you have them bring you

in a silver charger? Tell me the thing.

Whatsoever it may be, I will give it
you.

My treasures belong to thee.

What is it, Salom??

The head of Jokanaan.

(thunder / Herodias gasps)

That is well said, my daughter.

No, no, Salom?. 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.

I do not heed my mother.

It is for my own pleasure that I ask

for the head of Jokanaan
on a silver charger.

You have sworn, Tetrarch.
Forget not that you have sworn an oath.

I know. I have sworn by my gods.
I know it well.

Ask of me the half of my kingdom,
and I will give it you.

But ask not of me
what you have asked.

I ask of you the head of Jokanaan.

No, no, I do not wish it.

You have sworn, Herod.

Yes, you have sworn.
Everybody heard you. You swore it...

Be silent! It is not to you I speak.

Oh, my daughter does well
to ask the head of Jokanaan.

He has covered me with insults.
He has said monstrous things against me.

One can see she loves her mother well.

Do not yield, my daughter.
He has sworn, he has sworn.

Be silent, speak not to me!

Come, Salom?, be reasonable.
I have never been hard to you.

I have ever loved you. It may be
that I have loved you too much.

Therefore ask not this thing of me.

This is a terrible thing. This is
an awful thing to ask of me.

Surely, I think that you are jesting.

The head of a man
that is cut from his body...

(groans)

...is ill to look upon, is it not?

It is not meet that the eyes of a virgin
should look upon such a thing.

What pleasure can you have in it?
None. No, no.

Harken to me. I have an emerald,

a great round emerald,
which Caesar's minion sent me.

When you look through this emerald,

you can see things
which happen at great distance.

Caesar himself carries such an emerald
when he goes to the circus.

Only my emerald is larger.
I know well it is larger.

It is the largest emerald
in the whole world.

You would like that, would you not?

Ask it of me, I will give it you.

I demand the head of Jokanaan.

You are not listening.
Salom?, you are not listening.

Suffer me to speak.
The head of Jokanaan.

No, no, you would not have that.

You say that to trouble me, because
I have looked at you all this evening.

It is true, I have looked at you.
Your beauty troubled me.

Your beauty has grievously troubled me,
and I have looked at you too much.

But I will look at you no more.

Neither at things, nor at people
should one look.

Only in mirrors should one look,
for mirrors do but show us masks.

Ah! Bring wine! I thirst.

Salom?, come let us be friends.

What would I say? What was it?
I've forgotten. Ah, yes!

Nay but come nearer, Salom?,
I fear you will not hear me.

You know my white peacocks,
my beautiful white peacocks,

that walk in the garden between
the myrtles and the tall cypress trees.

Their beaks are gilded with gold,
and the grains that they eat

are gilded with gold also and their
feet are stained with purple.

When they cry out the rain comes,

and the moon shows herself in the
heavens when they spread their tails.

Two by two they walk in the garden

between the black myrtles
and the cypress trees,

and each has a slave to tend it.

I will give them all to you.
I have but a hundred.

Only you must loose me from my oath.

You must not ask of me
that which you have asked of me.

I demand the head of Jokanaan.

Well said, my daughter! As for you,
you are ridiculous with your peacocks.

Be silent!

You cry out always, you cry out
like a beast of prey.

You must not!

Your voice...

...wearies me.

Be silent, I say.

Salom?, think of what you are doing.

This man comes perchance from God.

He is a holy man.
The finger of God has touched him.

God has put into his mouth
terrible words.

In the palace, as in the desert,
God is always with him.

At least it is possible.
One does not know.

It is possible that
God is for him and with him.

Furthermore, if he died,
a misfortune might happen to me.

In any case, he said
that the day he dies,

a misfortune will happen to someone.
That could only be me.

Remember, I slipped in blood
when I entered.

Also, I heard in the air
the beating of wings,

the beating of giant wings.

These are very evil omens,
and there were others.

I am sure there were others,
though I did not see them.

Salom?, you do not wish
a misfortune to happen to me?

You do not wish that.

Then listen to me.

Give me the head of Jokanaan!

Ah! You are not listening. Be calm.

Be calm.

I am calm.

I am quite calm.

Listen.

I have jewels hidden in this place,

jewels that are marvelous.

I have a collar of pearls,
set in four rows

that are like unto moons
chained with rays of silver.

They are like 50 moons
caught in a golden net.

On the ivory of her breast,
a queen has worn it.

Thou shalt be as fair as a queen
when thou weariest it, Salom?.

I have topazes,
yellow as are the eyes of tigers.

I have opals that burn always,
with an ice like flame,

opals that make sad men's minds,
and are fearful of the shadows.

I have sapphires big like eggs

and 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.

I have sardonyx and hyacinth stone,
stone of chalcedony,

and I will give them all to you,
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 is not lawful for a woman to look,

nor may young men behold it
till 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 make women sterile.

These are great treasures, Salom?,
these are treasures above all price.

These are treasures without price.

But this is not all.

In an ebony coffer,

I have two cups of amber,

that are like apples of gold.

If an enemy pour poison into these cups,
they become like an apple of silver.

In a coffer encrusted with amber,

I have sandals encrusted with glass.

I have mantles brought here
from the land of the Seres,

bracelets decked about
with carbuncles and with jade

that comes from the city of Euphrates.

What desirest thou more than this,
Salom??

Tell me the thing that thou desirest,
and I will give it thee.

All that thou askest I will give thee,
save one thing.

All that thou askest I will give thee,
save one thing.

I will give thee all that is mine...

...save one life.

I will give thee
the mantle of the high priest.

I will give thee
the veil of the sanctuary.

Give me the head of Jokanaan.

(thunder)

Let her be given what she asks.

For of a truth
she is her mother's child.

(laughs)

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.

Someone has drunk it.

Surely some evil will befall someone.

(cistern cover creeks open)

Wherefore did I give my oath?

Kings ought never to pledge their word.

For if they keep it not,
it is terrible...

...and if they keep it,
it is terrible also.

My daughter has done well.

I am sure that a misfortune will happen.

(Salom?)
Why does he not cry out, this man?

If any man sought to kill me,
I would cry out,

I would struggle, I would not suffer.

Strike, Naaman, strike, I tell you...

He has let his sword fall.

He is afraid, this slave!
He did not kill him!

He is a coward this slave.
Let soldiers be sent.

Come hither, thou welt the friend
of him who is dead, is it not so?

Well, I tell thee,
there are not dead men enough.

Get ye to the soldiers

and bid them go down
and bring me the thing that I ask,

the thing the Tetrarch has promised me,
the thing that is mine.

Hither, ye soldiers.

Get ye into this cistern
and bring me the head of this man.

Tetrarch,

Tetrarch!

Command your soldiers
that they bring me the head of Jokanaan.

(sword slashes)

Thou wouldst not suffer me
to kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan.

Well, I will kiss it now.

I will bite it with my teeth
as one bites a ripe fruit.

Yes, I will kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan.

I said it. Did I not say it?
(laughs) I said it.

I will kiss it now.

But wherefore
dost thou not look at me, Jokanaan?

Thine eyes that were so terrible, so
full of rage and scorn, are shut now.

Wherefore are they shut?

Open thine eyelids!
Lift up thine eyes, Jokanaan.

Art thou afraid of me,
that thou wilt not look at me?

And thy tongue, that was like a red
snake darting poison, it moves no more,

it says nothing now, Jokanaan,

that scarlet viper
that spat its venom against me.

It is strange, is it not? How is it
that the red viper stirs no longer?

Thou wouldst have none of me, Jokanaan.
Thou didst reject me.

Thou didst speak evil words against me.

Thou didst treat me as a harlot,
as a wanton.

Me...

...Salom?,

daughter of Herodias,
Princess of Judaea!

Well, Jokanaan, I still live,
but thou, 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 leave behind,
the birds of the air shall devour.

Oh, Jokanaan!

Jokanaan, thou welt the only man
that I have loved.

All other men were hateful to me.
But thou, thou wert beautiful!

Thy body was a column of ivory
set on a silver socket.

It was a garden
filled with doves and silver lilies.

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.

Wherefore didst thou not look at me,
Jokanaan?

Behind thine hands and thy curses
thou didst hide thy face.

Thou didst put upon thine eyes the
coverings of him who would see his God.

Well, thou hast seen thy God, Jokanaan,

but me... me, thou didst never see.

If thou hadst seen me
thou wouldst have loved me.

I saw thee, Jokanaan,
and I loved thee.

Oh, how I loved thee!

I love thee yet, Jokanaan.

(sobs) I love thee only.

I am athirst for thy beauty,
I am hungry for thy body,

neither wine nor fruits
can appease my desire.

What shall I do now, Jokanaan?

Neither the great waters nor the floods
can quench my passion.

I was a princess, thou didst scorn me.

I was a virgin, thou didst take
my virginity from me.

I was chaste, and thou didst
fill my veins with fire.

Wherefore didst thou not look at me,
Jokanaan?

If thou hadst looked at me
thou hadst loved me.

Well I know
that thou wouldst have loved me,

and the mystery of love
is greater than the mystery of death.

Love only should one consider.

(Herod) She is monstrous,
thy daughter,

she is altogether monstrous.

In truth, what she has done
was a great crime.

I am sure that it was a crime

against an unknown God.

I approve of what my daughter has done.
And I will stay here now.

Ah! There speaks the incestuous wife!

(Herod) Come.

I will not stay here.

Come, I tell thee.

Surely some evil will befall.

Manasseh, lssachar, Ozias,
put out the torches.

I will not look at things,

I will not suffer things to look at me.

Put out the torches!

Hide the moon. Hide the stars.

Come, Herodias,

let us hide ourselves in our palace.

I begin to be afraid.

I have kissed thy mouth, Jokanaan.

I have kissed thy mouth.

There was a bitter taste on thy lips.

Was it the taste of blood?

But perchance it is the taste of love.

For they say that love
hath a bitter taste.

But what of that?

What of that?

I have kissed thy mouth, Jokanaan.

Kill that woman!

(thunder)

(sword slashes)

Translated by:
Etcohod

19-4-2015
22-4-2015

Translated by:
Etcohod

Hodeidah -YEMEN