年輕敘利亞軍官︰請您坐下，公主。
希羅底的侍從︰你為什麼和她說話？你為什麼看著她？噢！不吉祥的事情將要發生了。
莎樂美︰見到月光多麼令人舒暢！她就像是一小片金錢，你會以為她是朵小小的銀花。月亮冷冽貞潔。我確信她是位處女，她有處女的美麗。是的，她是位處女。她從未受到玷污。她從未像其它的女神那樣委身與男人。
施洗者約翰的聲音︰主來臨了。神的兒子來臨了。半人馬（centaur）已隱身在河流中，海妖（siren）已離開水底躲藏在森林的樹叢中。
莎樂美︰是誰在喊叫？
第二士兵︰是先知，公主。
莎樂美︰啊，先知！他就是陛下所懼怕的人嗎？
第二士兵︰我們無從知悉，公主。剛剛那是先知約翰的聲音。
年輕敘利亞軍官︰您是否願意，讓我吩咐將轎子喚來，公主？夜晚的庭院相當美麗。
莎樂美︰他對我的母親說過嚴厲的話，是嗎？
第二士兵︰我們不懂他所說的話，公主。
莎樂美︰是的；他對母親說了嚴厲的話。
〔一個奴隸上〕
奴隸︰公主殿下，陛下請您回到宴席去。
莎樂美︰我不回去。
年輕敘利亞軍官︰請恕我插口，公主，但若您不回去的話，會有不幸的事情發生。
莎樂美︰他是個老人嗎，那位先知？
年輕敘利亞軍官︰公主，請您最好回去。請容許我引您進入宴會廳。
莎樂美︰那位先知……是個老人嗎？
第一士兵︰不，公主，他是個年輕人。
第二士兵︰你無法確定。有人說他是伊萊賈（Elias）。
莎樂美︰誰是伊萊賈？
第二士兵︰是這個國家裡，一位相當古老的先知，公主。
奴隸︰我應該用什麼話去回答陛下？
施洗者約翰的聲音︰你無法承受喜悅呀，巴勒斯坦的土地，因為施打你的棒子已經折斷。因為蛇（serpent）的種子將孵化為毒蜥蠍（basilisk），它一出生將會吞沒所有的飛鳥。
莎樂美︰多麼奇怪的聲音！我願和他說話。
第一士兵︰恕難從命，公主。陛下不願任何人與他交談。甚至連最高祭司都不能和他說話。
莎樂美︰我想和他說話。
第一士兵︰那不可能，公主。
莎樂美︰我要和他說話。
年輕敘利亞軍官︰是否回到宴席上比較好呢？
莎樂美︰將那先知帶過來。
〔奴隸下〕
第一士兵︰我們不敢，公主。
莎樂美〔靠近水牢並向下望去〕︰這底下多麼黑暗呀！待在這樣的黑暗深坑里一定很可怕！就像是一座墳墓……〔向士兵。 〕你們聽到我說的話嗎？將先知帶出來。我要見他。
第二士兵︰公主，我求您不要對我們下這道命令。
莎樂美︰你們敢讓我等待！
第一士兵︰公主，我們的生命屬於您，但我們無法遵從您的命令。因此，您不應向我們要求。
莎樂美〔向年輕的敘利亞軍官〕︰啊！
希羅底的侍從︰噢！到底是怎麼回事！我確信將有不幸的事情要發生了。
莎樂美〔靠近年輕敘利亞軍官〕︰你會願意幫我嗎，奈拉伯斯（Narraboth）？你會願意幫我的。我只不過是想要見見這位奇特的先知。大家都提到這個人。我認為陛下十分怕他。而你，甚至是你，也怕著他嗎，奈拉伯斯？
THE YOUNG SYRIAN
Will you be seated, Princess.
THE PAGE OF HERODIAS
Why do you speak to her? Oh! something terrible will happen. Why do you look at her?
SALOME
How good to see the moon! She is like a little piece of money, a little silver flower. She is cold and chaste. I am sure she is a virgin. She has the beauty of a virgin. Yes, she is a virgin. She has never defiled herself. She has never abandoned herself to men, like the other goddesses.
THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN
Behold! the Lord hath come. The Son of Man is at hand. The centaurs have hidden themselves in the rivers, and the nymphs have left the rivers, and are lying beneath the leaves in the forests.
SALOME
Who was that who cried out?
SECOND SOLDIER
The prophet, Princess.
SALOME
Ah, the prophet! He of whom the Tetrarch is afraid?
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SECOND SOLDIER
We know nothing of that, Princess. It was the prophet Iokanaan 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.
SALOME
He says terrible things about my mother, does he not?
SECOND SOLDIER
We never understand what he says, Princess.
SALOME
Yes; he says terrible things about her.
[Enter a Slave.]
THE SLAVE
Princess, the Tetrarch prays you to return to the feast.
SALOME
I will not return.
THE YOUNG SYRIAN
Pardon me, Princess, but if you return not some misfortune may happen.
SALOME
Is he an old man, this prophet?
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THE YOUNG SYRIAN
Princess, it were better to return. Suffer me to lead you in.
SALOME
This prophet . . . is he an old man?
FIRST SOLDIER
No, Princess, he is quite young.
SECOND SOLDIER
One cannot be sure. There are those who say that he is Elias.
SALOME
Who is Elias?
SECOND SOLDIER
A prophet of this country in bygone days, Princess.
THE SLAVE
What answer may I give the Tetrarch from the Princess?
THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN
Rejoice not, O land of Palestine, because the rod of him who smote thee is broken. For from the seed of the serpent shall come a basilisk, and that which is born of it shall devour the birds.
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SALOME
What a strange voice! I would speak with him.
FIRST SOLDIER
I fear it may not be, Princess. The Tetrarch does not suffer any one to speak with him. He has even forbidden the high priest to speak with him.
SALOME
I desire to speak with him.
FIRST SOLDIER
It is impossible, Princess.
SALOME
I will speak with him.
THE YOUNG SYRIAN
Would it not be better to return to the banquet?
SALOME
Bring forth this prophet.
[Exit the Slave.]
FIRST SOLDIER
We dare not, Princess.
SALOME
[Approaching the cistern and looking down into
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it.]
How black it is, down there! It must be terrible to be in so black a hole! It is like a tomb . . . . [To the soldiers.]
Did you not hear me? Bring out the prophet. I would look on him.
SECOND SOLDIER
Princess, I beg you, do not require this of us.
SALOME
You are making me wait upon your pleasure.
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.
SALOME
[Looking at the young Syrian.]
Ah!
THE PAGE OF HERODIAS
Oh! what is going to happen? I am sure that something terrible will happen.
SALOME
[Going up to the young Syrian.]
Thou wilt do this thing for me, wilt. thou not, Narraboth? Thou wilt do this thing for me. I have ever been kind towards thee. Thou wilt do it for me. I would but look at him, this strange prophet. Men have talked so much of him. Often I have heard the Tetrarch talk of him. I think he is afraid of him, the Tetrarch. Art thou, even thou, also afraid of him, Narraboth?