Frank Georgalis – Writer

Salome: The Secret Love Story of the Third Maria (The introduction; Part II)

The Appearance of John the Baptist

“Forget about writing a story about the monastery which is made out of a whole bunch of stones put together eight hundred years ago. I shall start with Prophet Elias and I shall bring you up to Jesus and his crucifixion, in detail.” it is the story of Prophet Elias and he believed that Christianity started with Prophet Elias,  (Matthew 11:14 and Matthew 17:03-17:13), Prophet Elias had returned in the form of John the Baptist. He was sent down to be the forerunner and pave the road for the Messiah of the world, but he went after Idolatry and more particularly against those who believed God’s image as Baal. He had ordered the execution of 950 prophets of idolatry faiths. That of course intimidated King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, particularly Jezebel who ordered his death. God ordered Prophet Elias to ascent tom heaven, but made clear to him that he couldn’t enter the Kingdom of Haven unless he would die on earth and promised him that he would send him back on earth to pave the road for the Messiah. Years later, about 850, God fulfilled his promise and sent Prophet Elias back with the name of Iaokonnan, later known as John the Baptist. He, like Prophet Elias created many enemies and one of his besieged adversaries was Herodias, Herod Antipas’ wife and Salome’s mother. Salome’s birth given name was Mariamne, but her mother called her Salome for personal reasons. When Salome began to show signs of womanhood, her stepfather Herod Antipas began to sleep with the 14 year old beauty with Herodias’ knowledge. John the Baptist, being popular in the vicinity of the palace and around Jerusalem and Jericho, with his teachings and his seminars, condemned Herodias for leaving her husband Herod II, to marry his brother Herod Antipas. Herodias had John the Baptist arrested and placed in a dungeon in the basement of the Herod the Great Palace , where she, her husband Antipas and her daughter Salome lived.

Jesus Is approaching the Palace

One mid morning Herod Antipas was called to go to the balcony and see a group of people yelling to see John the Baptist. Suddenly a man in his late twenties or early thirties, in a white robe resembling an Essene and seeming to be the leader, broke away from the crowd and was heading towards the main building, when he was challenged by a big man, a Samaritan, who was Herod’s executioner.

 

“Kill him! Kill him!” screamed Herodias to the executioner, who already had taken out his cutlass and was about to impart a blow on the Essene’s head. “Don’t touch him! Don’t touch him!” shouted Antipas angrily. “Don’t even touch a hair of his head!” “Do you know who that Essene is?” asked the wife with an equal wrath. “He is Jesus of Nazareth. He has come here to free John the Baptist.” As Herod Antipas looked at her, waved his hand to intimate that he wished to be alone he walked away with his wild glance divided between the two men and the shouting crowd at the gate. After a while, Antipas satisfied observing the crowd and convinced it was a crowd of peaceful people, walked into the palace. Turning a corner, he was met by Jesus. None of the two was alarmed or astonished. Herod Antipas , being a tetrarch with the hopes of someday becoming the King of Israel, like his father Herod the Great, made it his business to have well known people monitored, such as John the Baptist and Jesus. He knew that Jesus had recently arrived from India where he had spent sixteen years of his life. At first their talk was about John the Baptist until Herod dropped a question on Jesus.

Herod Antipas: Salome’s stepfather and lover

“Are you the Son of God, Rabbi?” “We are all children of God,” replied Jesus. “Are you, then the son of Mary and Joseph?”

“I am the son of Mary and not Joseph,”

“Now I know, now I know,” uttered the tetrarch, “I know you are not certain that you are the Son of God as the people claim, you are certain you are not the son of Joseph, then you must think that you are another man’s child. You resented the fact your mother married Joseph. I know you have never called Mary “Mother” you always address her as “Lady” or “Woman”, Rabbi”                            “Leave my mother out of this.”                                                                                                                                            “Jesus, you have been able to keep people on your side with your wisdom and your kindness, I do it with the sword. He who defends himself with the sword has no wisdom in his head and no kindness In his heart, after all I am the son of Herod the Great who lived with the sword and killed many, even some of my half brothers. That is my inheritance. I think you have powers from up above, then you must be the Son of God. That is your inheritance.” Suddenly the conversation was interrupted by the entrance of the executioner, Mannaeus telling his master that the horses went wild. According to historical writings, Herod Antipas had over one hundred white horses that he loved and thought that they were able to do anything except horseshoe each other. Having spoken to Jesus, Herod Antipas was convinced that Jesus and John the Baptist could unite the Jews to overthrow the Roman conquers out of Israel. Realizing that John the Baptist had to be set free and knowing that Herodias would not allow that to happen, he approached Salome and hinted to her to befriend John the Baptist any way she could and to convince him that if he would stop speaking against her mother, he would gain his freedom. Salome, accompanied by the executioner, several days later visited John the Baptist. Entering the dungeon which was separated from the rest of room by iron bars, she stopped and stood in the middle of the floor. John the Baptist looked pale but his hair and beard was trimmed, and he wore his common camel’s skin. He kept on pacing the partially hey covered floor with his head turned downward as if he were measuring his steps. “Iaokonnan,” she called softly, and waited for him to stop and look at her. And when he did that, she pilled her dress off her shoulders and let it slide on the floor around her ankles and she stood there silent and necked.                                                                                                                                               “Iokonnan, come to me, invest sometime and I shall spare your life and grant you your freedom

.” 

Salome visited John the Baptist tried to seduce him John the Baptist replied:

“ Child of Herodias, go find a man named Jesus, He is the Son of God, and He will help you.“ John the Baptist shook his head sullenly and said in a low voice. “Child, child of Herodias, you are asking me to release myself from the hand of man so I can fall in the embrace of the demon. You are young, go find a man called Jesus, he is the Son of God, and He will make you see the light of decent life, away from your mother, Herodias.” Completing his short speech, he continued looking at her for a little longer with a pitiful glance. It was amazing to observe the look of the young innocence, painted in Salome’s lovely face. She stooped down raised her dress and slid it over her body slowly as easily as she had let it fall. She stood there for a spell seeming pleased for not having to perform that of which she went there in search. She finally succeeded to catch his eye, he beckoned her slightly, and Salome, without uttering another syllable, but exhibiting a vague bow, she turned and walked away slowly as if she had something else to tell him, but she didn’t. She only increased her speed when she passed Mannaeus, who was outside by the entrance of the dungeon, waiting for her. It was a grand day, a day of celebration attended by many European and Jewish dignitaries and wealthy merchants. It was the day when Luscious Vitellius, the most powerful Roman who was the proconsul of Syria , visited unexpected the Herod Antipas palace to celebrate the tetrarch’s birthday. There was a great number of Pharisees and Sadducees, who hated the Romans and despised the tetrarch, but had gone there to ask Vitellius for favors. Over two hundred invited and uninvited guests filled the huge banquet hall. They all sat around the long dining tables and the feast began, starting with eager hands dipping into plates filled with olives, pistachio and many other appetizers. The tables were filled with food, their heads got loaded with wine and beer and the room overflowed with talks. They spoke about political nonsense, philosophical trash, religious fibs, until they were blue in the face, The name of John the Baptist and Jesus came up by the Pharisees, namely Eleazar the chief of the Pharisees. They were both branded impostors and the Pharisees and the Sadducees demanded from Herod Antipas to do something about them, not ruling out the death sentence for both of them. “They claim the Messiah is here. The Messiah as I understand is to follow Prophet Elias and he is not here,” shouted Eleazar and a verbal turmoil followed. All this turmoil came to a stop when a middle age man sped to the defense of Jesus and John the Baptist. The man named Jacob approached Eleazar and said loudly and clearly. “Prophet Elias is here!” he declared. Herod Antipas fell as if a heavy object fell on his chest. The women at the galleries turned pale with freight and some in amazement. The Pharisses and the Sedducces stood and began to walk out and Eleazar was the last to follow but before he exited he turned and apologized to the rest of the guests and suggested if that man, a stranger to all, has seen Prophet Elias, to let him bring him here before them. “Are you stranger trying to tell us that Prophet Elias is resurrected?” asked Eleazar. “Not resurrected, because he didn’t die. He has resurged.”

It is time to note at this point according to (Matthew 11:14 and Matthew 17:03-17:13), Prophet Elias had returned in the form of John the Baptist.

Jacob walked to Herod Antipas, whispered something to him, who immediately beckoned his executioner, Mannaeus to approach. The executioner departed with a nod of the head and he shortly reappeared at the entrance with John the Baptist unrestrained standing by his side. What does this person whose name I understand is Iokonnan, or John the Baptist, impostor like his friend Jesus have anything to do with Prophet Elias?” asked Eleazar. “I am Iokonnan,” shouted John the Baptist. “I was sent here to tell you that the Son of God is here and he is Jesus. I am also predicting your destruction. You will be destroyed soon.” John the Baptist went on with words and phrases resembling the anathemas of Prophet Elias. “Take him away!” yelled Vittelius, coming to his feet. John the Baptist without any further ceremony, quickly turned and left the banquet, accompanied by the executioner, who walked a few steps behind with his arms swinging by his side. Shortly thereafter, Eleazar took the floor and addressed Herod Antipas with a low an threatening voice. “Herod Antipas I do not have the inclination of speaking to you anymore. You have chosen to do nothing with the impostor Iaokonnan. As I advocate the dearest interests of my colleagues and coworkers I have the right to condemn this man, who stood before us cursed us and preached to us of flames of hell and God’s vengeance.” “Eleazar,” shouted Jacob going towards him in anger and in wrath. “I shall make this statement and I shall take an oath on it, if any harm comes to John the Baptist, I shall look for you. You can hide like sparrow in the bushes, live like a rabbit in the ravines, you can run as if a dozen demons are on your tail; but I shall fetch you because I will be one step ahead of them, and when I catch you and I shall place my knife at your throat, I shall look into the pupils of your eyes and when I’ll see that every ray of hope has escape that is when I shall remove your head from your body.” Delivering the message, Jacob turned to Herod Antipas to be excused and leave; Antipas granted permission for Jacob to leave and assured him loudly that as long as he was the tetrarch no harm would come to John the Baptist. Even though Jacob had gone, the loud disputes and disagreement continued until a set of bongo drums greeted all ears like cries from the deep jungle, then gingras, a small flute of Phoenician origin came to life accompanied by the music of dulcimer swelling loudly keeping rhythm with bongos then the soft singing cords of the harp joined in and followed softly.

Salome’s Last Dance and Herod Antipas

Suddenly, all the faces turned and looked with ecstasy at a beautiful body of women dancing and moving with the music as she approached the center of the dancing floor. A transparent gauze of white and blue veil fell over her under gown, which covered some parts of her white skin. It was Salome, Herodias’ daughter and. The eyes of the young, and the old, and the ugly and the beautiful, of the men and women were glued and marveled the young Salome dancing across the banquet floor with the rhythm of the music. When the music stopped and the dancing nymph had finished, she erected herself to straight and standing stance, remained motionless listening to the thrilling applause and loud acclamations of the throng. She ran and stood next to her mother and looked at the ladies. It is worthy of remark, Herod Antipas, who was an easily excitable and bubbling man, making promises in jest, to exhibit his gratitude, he yelled out.                                                                       “Come here, my young love. Come here and I shall hand over to you what ever you wish. Come to me, my little one. I shall hand over to you the city of Capernaum , the plains of Tiberias or half of my empire.”                                                                                                                                                                             Salome, hearing all these offerings and knowing they were gestures of tease, to which she was accustomed to, laughed loudly and turned to her mother, and to amuse her, she whispered into her ear.                                                                                                                                                                                    “Mother, I shall ask him to deliver to me the moon on a silver platter, as he always promises when he is pleased.” Suddenly Herodias’ face turned bitter, the smile that was upon it disappeared, as if something new and evil entered her head and she said in a very low voice.                                                   “Ask him to deliver to you the head of John the Baptist”                                                                                 Salome, hearing this and believing her ears as she suddenly remembered how much her mother hated John the Baptist, stepped back for a moment with her mouth open in astonishment. Although, trapped in her mother’s web of hate and revenge, she gained enough courage to protest.      “Mother, for the head of John the Baptist I shall not ask. I don’t wish his death, in fact I wished his release.”                                                                                                                                                                         “Release him and you will lose your mother,” returned Herodias, with a firm and a bitter voice. “And this not a Herod Antipas empty promise. This promise will not be broken,” continued her mother, with a define tongue, staring at her daughter, with an eye of threat. “Don’t worry,” said Herodias with a tame manner. “He will not deliver. Herod Antipas is coward.” “Yes, mother, said Salome, with a faltering tone in her voice. She walked in the middle of the floor, stood before Herod and said in a pretending jolly tone. “I ask my lord to deliver to me on a silver platter.” There Salome suddenly stopped, looked at mother, who returned the glance loaded with agony. Salome slowly withdrew her eye and looked at Herod Antipas, and continued timidly. “The head of John the Baptist.” This unexpected request effectually staggered Herod Antipas to say the least and he leaned back leaving his eyes nailed straight ahead. All the mouths that drooled when she was dancing turned sad and shrunk with sorrow and bewilderment. There were shouts of protest and screams of victory, which belong to Pharisees and Sadducees, louder than the screams of the protesters. Herod Antipas turned his eyes on Salome and looked at her with the most intend glance and finally beckoned her to meet him in the middle of the dancing floor. As they met, he stood tall in front of her and looked hard into her eyes, and she didn’t return his gaze but looked downwards.

“Your manners and your actions and your heart has become like your mother’s, that breaks mine,” said Antipas, in a whispering but firm tone of voice. “To keep my promise, I shall deliver the head of John the Baptist to you, but when this event is over you are to evict and vacate my palace and go back to your father, who deserves you as I deserve your mother.” Herod, after the recital of those words, paused for a long moment with the air of one had fallen into a sudden madness and disbelief. “Go, Mannaeus!” ordered Herod Antipas, on the way back to his seat with hasty steps. “Go and bring them the head of Iaokonnan!” Mannaeus, being Herod’s executioner and a Roman Gladiator, left without any further delay, and headed for his mission accompanied by two guards at his request. Salome, suddenly and quickly walked away passing her mother and threw a disgusting glance at her. She stationed herself at the far corner waiting as the entire throng had done. Her face dipped in red with her lower lip trembling looked away from the crowd. Once Mannaeus and his panic assistants reached the door to the room, to which John the Baptist was taken after his visit to Herod’s celebration. The guards were ordered by the executioner to open the door and close it behind as they left. Mannaeus came face to face with John the Baptist and went down on his knees. He raised his eyes sufficiently and saw the prophet looking down at him with a serene face. “Are you also a Son of Got as Jesus is?” asked Mannaeus “No, Mannaeus,” replied John the Baptist, now with pleasing smile on his face. “Jesus is the true Son of God.” “Are you then Prophet Elias?” “I do not know, but there many similarities between us.” “I must confess to you that I was ordered to end your life, but I would rather end mine.” “You must go on with your mission. Taking my life only means that you are releasing me from the bondage of men and sending me next to God.” Much was said by Mannaeus before he beheaded John the Baptist and he baptized him as he promised that he would never kill again. Hearing foot steps approaching, the multitude became as quite as death seeing the executioner standing by the entrance to the banquet holding the head of John the Baptist on a tray. Herod Antipas cried indiscreetly, Eleazar stood up with a wide smile on his face to look at the bloodied head; Herodias breathed deeply with relief and Salome fainted.

Herodias the mother of Salome is offering the head of John the baptist to her

Herodias rushed to Salome like a mother should and said “Salome don’t play games dear, be proud of what you requested.” Salome heard nothing. Many rushed to her aid, including Herod Antipas and Vitellius accompanied by his private physician, who gave her smelling salt and she slowly came to her senses. “Salome, have you any other wish, my dear?” “Yes, mother, I have one wish and it is to spend the night in your husband’s embrace, and I know it will be granted by him.” “Salome, my child, be proud of what you have done, it is proper to honor your ancestors and defend your birthplace,” said Herodias, as if she never heard her daughters last wish. “My name is not Salome, my name is Mariamne and I was born in Magdal Galilee.” Early in the morning the following day Salome departed with her maid Salia, in a royal carriage pulled by four white horses and driven by the changed in character Mannaeus. On the way out of town a Roman soldier stopped the carriage and inquired their destination and their identity. “My name is Maria Magdalene, I am on my way to Capernaum to see Jesus,” replied Salome with the air of royalty. The second Part of the book introduction will cover the last four hundred pages of the book. It will include Maria Magdalene’s first meeting with Jesus: Jesus’ visit in hell; Jesus’ description of his life in India: Salome as Maria Magdalene visited her father in Rome, begging for his blessing to marry Jesus: Eleazar’s execution by Jacob and his armed followers: Jesus’ arrest, his trial at the Pontius Pilate mansion,