Salomé Section 3 Summary

  • The Page screams. Just as he warned, something terrible has happened. Still, he's pretty shocked by the death of his friend. He wishes he could have done something to stop it, he wishes he could have hid him away, but it's too late now.
  • The first soldier tells Salomé that the Syrian has killed himself, but still she cries: "Suffer me to kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan" (157).
  • Jokanaan warns her. Aren't you scared? he asks her. Remember how I mentioned the angel of death? Well, there he is.
  • Again, she says: "Suffer me to kiss thy mouth" (159). (Salomé's got a one-track mind.)
  • Jokanaan tells Salomé that "there is but one who can save thee, it is He of whom I spake" (161). He tells her to go to find him at the Sea of Galilee, bow down at his feet and ask for forgiveness.
  • Again, she says: "Suffer me to kiss thy mouth" (161).
  • Jokanaan curses her.
  • Salomé warns him: "I will kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan" (163).
  • Jokanaan curses her again, then returns to the cistern.
  • Salomé calls out to him: "I will kiss thy mouth, Jokanaan; I will kiss thy mouth" (165).
  • The first soldier gets down to business, now. We have to get rid of this body, he says; the Tetrarch doesn't like seeing the bodies of people unless he's the one who's ordered them to be killed.
  • The Page continues lamenting the death of the Syrian, whom he now calls his "brother."
  • The second soldier agrees that they have to get rid of the body.
  • Still, the first soldier is pretty confident that Herod isn't going to come up the terrace; after all, he's afraid of Jokanaan.