herodias-第6章

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irresistible　though　terrible　fascination；　she　made　her　way　through　the

throng；　and；　reaching　Mannaeus；　she　leant　one　hand　on　his　shoulder　and

bent　over　to　listen。



The　hollow　voice　rose　again　from　the　depths　of　the　earth。



〃Woe　to　thee；　Sadducees　and　Pharisees！　Thy　voices　are　like　the

tinkling　of　cymbals！　O　race　of　vipers；　bursting　with　pride！〃



The　voice　of　Iaokanann　was　recognised。　His　name　was　whispered　about。

Spectators　from　a　distance　pressed　closer　to　the　open　pit。



〃Woe　to　thee；　O　people！　Woe　to　the　traitors　of　Judah；　and　to　the

drunkards　of　Ephraim；　who　dwelt　in　the　fertile　valleys　and　stagger

with　the　fumes　of　wine！



〃May　they　disappear　like　running　water；　like　the　slug　that　sinks　into

the　sand　as　it　moves；　like　an　abortion　that　never　sees　the　light！



〃And　thou　too；　Moab！　hide　thyself　in　the　midst　of　the　cypress；　like

the　sparrow；　in　caverns；　like　the　wild　hare！　The　gates　of　the　fortress

shall　be　crushed　more　easily　than　nut…shells；　the　walls　shall　crumble；

cities　shall　burn；　and　the　scourge　of　God　shall　not　cease！　He　shall

cause　your　bodies　to　be　bathed　in　your　own　blood；　like　wool　in　the

dyer's　vat。　He　shall　rend　you；　as　with　a　harrow；　He　shall　scatter　the

remains　of　your　bodies　from　the　tops　of　the　mountains！〃



Of　which　conqueror　was　he　speaking？　Was　it　Vitellius？　Only　the　Romans

could　bring　about　such　an　extermination。　The　people　began　to　cry　out：

〃Enough！　enough！　let　him　speak　no　more！〃



But　the　prisoner　continued　in　louder　tones：



〃Beside　the　corpses　of　their　mothers；　thy　little　ones　shall　drag

themselves　over　the　ashes　of　the　burned　cities。　At　night　men　will

creep　from　their　hiding…places　to　seek　a　bit　of　food　among　the　ruins；

even　at　the　risk　of　being　cut　down　with　the　sword。　Jackals　shall　pick

thy　bones　in　the　public　places；　where　at　eventide　the　fathers　were

wont　to　gather。　At　the　bidding　of　Gentiles；　thy　maidens　shall　be

forced　to　cease　their　lamentations　and　to　make　music　upon　the　zither；

and　the　bravest　of　thy　sons　shall　learn　to　bend　their　backs；　chafed

with　heavy　burdens。〃



The　listeners　remembered　the　days　of　exile；　and　all　the　misfortunes

and　catastrophes　of　the　past。　These　words　were　like　the　anathemas　of

the　ancient　prophets。　The　captive　thundered　them　forth　like　bolts　from

heaven。



Presently　his　voice　became　almost　as　sweet　and　harmonious　as　if　he

were　uttering　a　chant。　He　spoke　of　the　world's　redemption　from　sin　and

sorrow；　of　the　glories　of　heaven；　of　gold　in　place　of　clay；　of　the

desert　blossoming　like　the　rose。　〃That　which　is　now　worth　sixty　pieces

of　silver　will　not　cost　a　single　obol。　Fountains　of　milk　shall　spring

from　the　rocks；　men　shall　sleep；　well　satisfied；　among　the　wine…

presses。　The　people　shall　prostrate　themselves　before　Thee；　and　Thy

reign　shall　be　eternal；　O　Son　of　David！〃



The　tetrarch　suddenly　recoiled　from　the　opening　of　the　pit；　the

mention　of　the　existence　of　a　son　of　David　seemed　to　him　like　a　menace

to　himself。



Iaokanann　then　poured　forth　invectives　against　him　for　presuming　to

aspire　to　royalty。



〃There　is　no　other　king　than　the　Eternal　God！〃　he　cried；　and　he　cursed

Antipas　for　his　luxurious　gardens；　his　statues；　his　furniture　of

carved　ivory　and　precious　woods；　comparing　him　to　the　impious　Ahab。



Antipas　broke　the　slender　cord　attached　to　the　royal　seal　that　he　wore

around　his　neck；　and　throwing　the　seal　into　the　pit；　he　commanded　his

prisoner　to　be　silent。



But　Iaokanann　replied：　〃I　shall　cry　aloud　like　a　savage　bear；　like　the

wild　ass；　like　a　woman　in　travail！　The　punishment　of　heaven　has

already　visited　itself　upon　thy　incest！　May　God　inflict　thee　with　the

sterility　of　mules！〃



At　these　words；　a　sound　of　suppressed　laughter　arose　here　and　there

among　the　listeners。



Vitellius　had　remained　close　to　the　opening　of　the　dungeon　while

Iaokanann　was　speaking。　His　interpreter；　in　impassive　tones；

translated　into　the　Roman　tongue　all　the　threats　and　invectives　that

rolled　up　from　the　depths　of　the　gloomy　prison。　The　tetrarch　and

Herodias　felt　compelled　to　remain　near　at　hand。　Antipas　listened；

breathing　heavily；　while　the　woman；　with　parted　lips；　gazed　into　the

darkness　of　the　pit；　her　face　drawn　with　an　expression　of　fear　and

hatred。



The　terrible　man　now　turned　towards　her。　He　grasped　the　bars　of　his

prison；　pressed　against　them　his　bearded　face；　in　which　his　eyes

glowed　like　burning　coals；　and　cried：



〃Ah！　Is　it　thou；　Jezebel？　Thou　hast　captured　thy　lord's　heart　with　the

tinkling　of　thy　feet。　Thou　didst　neigh　to　him　like　a　mare。　Thou　didst

prepare　thy　bed　on　the　mountain　top；　in　order　to　accomplish　thy

sacrifices！



〃The　Lord　shall　take　from　thee　thy　sparkling　jewels；　thy　purple　robes

and　fine　linen；　the　bracelets　from　thine　arms；　the　anklets　from　thy

feet；　the　golden　ornaments　that　dangle　upon　thy　brow；　thy　mirrors　of

polished　silver；　thy　fans　of　ostrich　plumes；　thy　shoes　with　their

heels　of　mother…of…pearl；　that　serve　to　increase　thy　stature；　thy

glittering　diamonds；　the　scent　of　thy　hair；　the　tint　of　thy　nails；

all　the　artifices　of　thy　coquetry　shall　disappear；　and　missiles　shall

be　found　wherewith　to　stone　the　adulteress！〃



Herodias　looked　around　for　some　one　to　defend　her。　The　Pharisees

lowered　their　eyes　hypocritically。　The　Sadducees　turned　away　their

heads；　fearing　to　offend　the　proconsul　should　they　appear　to

sympathise　with　her。　Antipas　was　almost　in　a　swoon。



Louder　still　rose　the　voice　from　the　dungeon；　the　neighbouring　hills

gave　back　an　echo　with　startling　effect；　and　Machaerus　seemed　actually

surrounded　and　showered　with　curses。



〃Prostrate　thyself　in　the　dust；　daughter　of　Babylon；　and　scourge

thyself！　Remove　thy　girdle　and　thy　shoes；　gather　up　thy　garments　and

walk　through　the　flowing　stream；　thy　shame　shall　follow　thee；　thy

disgrace　shall　be　known　to　all　men；　thy　bosom　shall　be　rent　with　sobs。

God　execrates　the　stench　of　thy　crimes！　Accursed　one！　die　like　a　dog！〃



At　that　instant　the　trap…door　was　suddenly　shut　down　and　secured　by

Mannaeus；　who　would　have　liked　to　strangle　Iaokanann　then　and　there。



Herodias　glided　away　and　disappeared　within　the　palace。　The　Pharisees

were　scandalised　at　what　they　had　heard。　Antipas；　standing　among　them；

attempted　to　justify　his　past　conduct　and　to　excuse　his　present

situation。



〃Without　doubt；〃　said　Eleazar；　〃it　was　necessary　for　him　to　marry　his

brother's　wife；　but　Herodias　was　not　a　widow；　and　besides；　she　had　a

child；　which　she　abandoned；　and　that　was　an　abomination。〃



〃You　are　wrong；〃　objected　Jonathas　the　Sadducee；　〃the　law　condemns

such　marriages　but　does　not　actually　forbid　them。〃



〃What　matters　it？　All　the　world　shows　me　injustice；〃　said　Antipas；

bitterly；　〃and　why？　Did　not　Absalom　lie　with　his　father's　wives；　Judah

with　his　daughter…in…law；　Ammon　with　his　sister；　and　Lot　with　his

daughters？〃



Aulus；　who　had　been　reposing　within　the　palace；　now　reappeared　in　the

court。　After　he　had　heard　how　matters　stood；　he　approved　of　the

attitude　of　the　tetrarch。　〃A　man　should　never　allow　himself　to　be

annoyed；〃　said　he；　〃by　such　foolish　criticism。〃　And　he　laughed　at　the

censure　of　the　priests　and　the　fury　of　Iaokanann；　saying　that　his

words　were　of　little　importance。



Herodias；　who　also　had　reappeared；　and　now　stood　at　the　top　of　a

flight　of　steps；　called　loudly：



〃You　are　wrong；　my　lord！　He　ordered　the　people　to　refuse　to　pay　the

tax！〃



〃Is　that　true？〃　he　demanded。　The　general　response　was　affirmative；

Antipas　adding　his　word　to　the　declaration　of　the　others。



Vitellius　had　a　misgiving　that　the　prisoner　might　be　able　to　escape；

and　as　the　conduct　of　Antipas　appeared　to　him　rather　suspicious；　he

established　his　own　sentinels　at　the　gates；　at　intervals　along　the

walls；　and　in　the　courtyard　itself。



At　last　he　retired　to　the　apartments　assigned　to　him；　accompanied　by

the　priests。　Without　touching　directly　upon　the　question　of　the

coveted　offices　of