How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
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. (57-63)
It is strange to think that it only takes a ring take away the fear of killing a man—even a king.
Quote #2
SALOMÉ Suffer me to 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 beating of the wings of the angel of death, and hath he not come, the angel of death?
SALOMÉ Suffer me to kiss thy mouth. (156-158)
In her passion, Salomé loses not only all restraint—she loses even the fear of death.
Quote #3
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.] (168-170)
Though Herod may hold great power, though he may have locked away the prophet, he still fears him and his fear speaks to the terrifying power of Jokanaan's words.
Quote #4
THE VOICE OF JOKANAAN Behold the time is come! That which I foretold has come to pass. The day that I spake of is at hand.
HERODIAS Bid him be silent. I will not listen to his voice. This man is for ever hurling 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. Also he is for ever insulting me. But I think you are afraid of him… I know well that you are afraid of him.
HEROD I am not afraid of him. I am afraid of no man. (211-215)
Every time Herod denies being afraid of Jokanaan, his fear only becomes more apparent.
Quote #5
FIFTH JEW No man can tell how God worketh. His ways are very dark. It may be that the things which we call evil are good, and that the things which we call good are evil. There is no knowledge of anything. We can but bow our heads to His will, for God is very strong. He breaketh in pieces the strong together with the weak, for He regardeth not any man.
FIRST JEW Thou speakest truly. Verily, God is terrible. He breaketh in pieces the strong and the weak as men break corn in a mortar. But as for this man, he hath never seen God. No man hath seen God since the prophet Elias.
HERODIAS Make them be silent. They weary me. (223-225)
The Jews, it seems, have truly had the fear of God instilled in them.
Quote #6
THE VOICE OF 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.
HERODIAS You hear what he says about you. He says that you shall 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. (308-310)
Here, again, Herod's denial and deflection only confirms his fear of death and powerlessness.
Quote #7
HEROD 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 thee if she dance on blood? Thou hast waded deep enough in it…
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 as blood. Did he not prophesy it? All of ye heard him prophesying it. And now the moon has become as blood. Do ye not see it? (335-7)
Herod's habit of seeing bad omens everywhere is another sign of his insecurity.
Quote #8
HERODIAS Oh, yes, I see it well, and the stars are falling like unripe 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 is justified of his words in that at least, for truly 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. (338)
Though Herodias may say it in jest, "the kings of the earth" really are afraid, whether or not she is. Whether or not Herod's fear is based on fact, it speaks to the power of Jokanaan's prophecies.
Quote #9
HEROD He is a holy man. The finger of God has touched him. God has put terrible words into his mouth. In the palace, as in the desert, God is ever with him… It may be that He is, at least. One cannot tell, but it is possible that God is with him and for him. If he die also, peradventure some evil may befall me. Verily, he has said that evil will befall some one on the day whereon he dies. On whom should it fall if it fall not on me? Remember, I slipped in blood when I came hither. Also did I not hear a beating of wings in the air, a beating of vast wings? These are ill omens. And there were other things. I am sure that there were other things, though I saw them not. Thou wouldst not that some evil should befall me, Salomé? Listen to me again. (367)
Here we see again that Herod's fear is not motivated by certainty, but by insecurity. Jokanaan "may be" a prophet—and that's all it takes to have Herod shaking in his boots.
Quote #10
HEROD [Sinking back in his seat.] Let her be given what she asks! Of a truth she is her mother's child. [The first soldier approaches. Herodias draws from the hand of the Tetrarch the ring of death, and gives it to the Soldier, who straightway bears it to the Executioner. The Executioner looks scared.] 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. Some one has drunk it! Oh! surely some evil will befall some one. [The Executioner goes down into the cistern.] Ah! wherefore did I give my oath? Hereafter let no king swear an oath. If he keep it not, it is terrible, and if he keep it, it is terrible also. (371)
In the end, not only Herod, but his super-scary executioner Naaman is frightened to death by the prophet Jokanaan. If that's not proof of his power, we don't know what is.