卡帕多西亞人︰我覺得那太荒唐了。
施洗者約翰的聲音︰在我之後，將會有位比我更榮光的人來臨。我甚至為他解鞋帶都不配。當他來臨，孤獨的地方將充滿喜悅。他們會像百合一樣綻放。盲人的眼睛將看見白晝，聾人的耳朵將會開啟。新生嬰兒的手將放在龍的毛髮上，他將會拉著獅子的鬃毛引領。
第二士兵︰叫他住口。他總是胡言亂語。
第一士兵︰不，不。他是個聖人。他非常溫和。每天當我送食物給他時，他總是向我道謝。
卡帕多西亞人︰他是誰？
第一士兵︰一位先知。
卡帕多西亞人︰他的名字？
第一士兵︰約翰。
卡帕多西亞人︰他從何處來？
第一士兵︰沙漠，他以蝗蟲和野蜜唯生。他以駝毛為衣，腰纏皮帶。外表看來十分可怕。有大批民眾追隨著他。甚至還有幾位信徒。
卡帕多西亞人︰他提出什麼理論？
第一士兵︰我們不清楚。有時他說得相當嚇人，但卻無法真正了解他所指為何。
卡帕多西亞人︰別人可以見他嗎？
第一士兵︰不。陛下禁止人們見他。
年輕的敘利亞軍官︰公主將臉藏在扇子後方！她美白的雙手，猶如在天空飛翔的白鴿。它們像白蝴蝶。它們就像是白蝴蝶。
希羅底的侍從︰你到底怎麼了？你為何直盯著她？你不能再看著她……可怕的事情可能發生。
卡帕多西亞人〔指向水池〕︰多奇特的監獄！
第二士兵︰那是座舊水池。
卡帕多西亞人︰一座舊水池！那必然對健康不佳。
第二士兵︰噢，不！譬如陛下的兄長，希羅底王后的第一任丈夫，就曾在那兒監禁十二年。他並未喪命。在十二年結束後，他才被絞死。
卡帕多利安人︰絞死？誰膽敢做這種事？
第二士兵〔指向行刑人，一個健壯的黑人〕︰在那邊的人，那曼。
卡帕多西亞人︰他不害怕嗎？
第二士兵︰噢，不！陛下賜予他指環。
卡帕多西亞人︰什麼指環？
第二士兵︰死亡的指環。所以他不恐懼。
卡帕多西亞人︰不過絞死一位國王，還是太可怕了。
第二士兵︰為什麼？國王也不過一個脖子，就向其它人一樣。
卡帕多西亞人︰我認為那太可怕了。
年輕的敘利亞軍官︰公主站起來了！她要離開餐桌！她的表情非常困擾。啊，她朝這個方向走來了。是的，她正向我們走來。臉色多麼蒼白！我從未見過她臉色這樣蒼白。
希羅底的侍從︰不要看她。我求你不要看著她。
年輕敘利亞軍官︰她像只迷途的鴿子……她像風中搖曳的水仙……她像銀白美麗的花朵。
〔莎樂美上〕
莎樂美︰我再也待不下去。我再也不能忍受。為何陛下總是用那對鼠輩的眼睛看著我？我母親的丈夫如此奇怪地看著我。我不知道那是什麼意思。事實上，沒錯，我知道那是什麼意思。
年輕敘利亞軍官︰您剛剛離開宴席了嗎，公主？
莎樂美︰這兒的空氣多麼甜美！在這裡我能夠自由地呼吸！在那裡，從耶路撒冷來的猶太人，不斷地為他們愚蠢的宗教儀式爭吵，恨不得將對方撕成碎片，並且如野蠻人般胡亂地狂飲，將酒濺灑走道上，還有那些從史密爾那（Smyrna）來的希臘人，他們的眼睛與臉頰上了花綠雜亂的顏彩，髮絲扭曲捲繞，以及那些狡猾寡言的埃及人，手上戴著玉制長爪與赤褐外套，還有那殘忍粗俗的羅馬人，滿口野鄙不耐的黑話。啊！我多麼厭惡羅馬人！他們無禮又平凡，但仍自比為高尚風雅的貴族。
THE CAPPADOCIAN
That seems to me altogether ridiculous.
THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN
After me shall come another mightier than I. I am not worthy so much as to unloose the latchet of his shoes. When he cometh the solitary places shall be glad. They shall blossom like the rose. The eyes of the blind shall see the day, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened. The sucking child shall put his hand upon the dragons lair, he shall lead the lions by their manes.
SECOND SOLDIER
Make him be silent. He is always saying ridiculous things.
FIRST SOLDIER
No, no. He is a holy man. He is very gentle, too. Every day when I give him to eat he thanks me.
THE CAPPADOCIAN
Who is he?
FIRST SOLDIER
A prophet.
THE CAPPADOCIAN
What is his name?
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FIRST SOLDIER
Iokanaan.
THE CAPPADOCIAN
Whence comes he?
FIRST SOLDIER
From the desert, where he fed on locusts and wild honey. He was clothed in camels hair, and round his loins he had a leathern belt. He was very terrible to look upon. A great multitude used to follow him. He even had disciples.
THE CAPPADOCIAN
What is he talking of?
FIRST SOLDIER
We can never tell. Sometimes he says things that affright one, but it is impossible to understand what he says.
THE CAPPADOCIAN
May one see him?
FIRST SOLDIER
No. The Tetrarch has forbidden it.
THE YOUNG SYRIAN
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
-8-
white butterflies. They are just like white butterflies.
THE PAGE OF HERODIAS
What is that to you? Why do you look at her? You must not look at her . . . . Something terrible may happen.
THE CAPPADOCIAN
[Pointing to the cistern.]
What a strange prison!
SECOND SOLDIER
It is an old cistern.
THE CAPPADOCIAN
An old cistern! That must be a poisonous place in which to dwell!
SECOND SOLDIER
Oh no! For instance, the Tetrarchs 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.
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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 is getting up! 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.
-10-
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 Salome.]
SALOME
I will not stay. I cannot stay. Why does the Tetrarch look at me all the while with his moles 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. Of a truth I know it too well.
THE YOUNG SYRIAN
You have left the feast, Princess?
SALOME
How sweet is the air 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 columns, and Egyptians silent and subtle, with long nails of jade and russet 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.
