Glossary of Terms
abominations: morally reprehensible actions or objects
amethyst: transparent purple variety of quartz
amorous of: attracted to
Assyria: Roman province roughly located in modern-day Iraq
baldricks: wide belts worn over the shoulder to support a sword worn on the hip
basilisk: legendary serpent with deadly breath and glance
beryl: transparent glassy gemstone often occuring in pink, white, green, blue, or yellow
blasphemy: profane or irreligious action or speech
Borza: area in ancient Macedonia
Cappadocia: vast inland territory, ruled by Rome, in what is now central Turkey
carbuncle: deep red garnet
centaur: mythical monster having the head, arms, and torso of a human and the legs of a horse
chalcedony: greyish quartz often used for gemstones
Chaldeans: citizens of Chaldea, a part of ancient Babylonia now located in modern-day Iraq.
charger: platter
chrysolite: brown or yellow-green gemstone
cistern: well
clamoring: rioting
cypress tree: tree with distinctive scalelike leaves, common in the Mediterranean
Cyprus: island in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea
dove-cots: man-made compartmental structure used for housing birds
Edom: the land inhabited by the Edomites, people descended from the biblical figure Esau. Edom was located in a valley between what is now Israel and Jordan.
Elias: Latinized word for the name "Elijah," here referring to the most important prophet in Jewish tradition
evil counsel: bad advice
Galilee: area comprising one-third of what is now Israel
garland: wreath
Gentiles: Jewish term for non-Jews
gouty: sick with gout, a disease that causes inflammation in the joints, particularly the hands and feet
hyacinth: colorful flower native to the Mediterranean region
idol-sellers: merchants selling idols, objects of worship for the followers of various pagan religions
jasper: opaque quartz that is red, yellow, or brown
languorous: listless; dreamy
latchet: leather strap used to fasten a shoe or sandal
leathern: made of leather
lepers: people infected with leprosy, a mildly contagious disease leading to deformity and paralysis of the extremities
locusts: large, swarming, grasshopper-like insects
loins: region on the human body of the hips, groin, and lower abdomen
mitre: turban or headdress of a high priest
Moab: territory located on a mountainous strip of land between what is now Jordan and the Dead Sea. The Moabites were in conflict with the Israelite Jews.
moonstone: pearl-colored gemstone
mortar: bowl in which substances are ground with a tool called a pestle
muslin: rough cotton cloth
myrtle: flowered tree common in the Mediterranean
Nubia: independent kingdom in the south of present-day Egypt
Numidia: area of northern Africa on the border of modern-day Tunisia and Algeria. Numidia was under Roman rule.
nymphs: minor deities in Greek and Roman mythology, often represented as beautiful wild women
onyx: gemstone that features bands of different colors
page: attendant
peradventure: perhaps
Pharisees: members of a political party and social movement that flourished among Jews in Salome's time
raiment: clothing
sackcloth: rough cloth often made out of camel's or goat's hair
Sadducees: political party that flourished among Jews in Salome's time and was the most vocal rival of the Pharisees
Samaria: mountainous land along the Jordan river, now part of Israel and often referred to as the West Bank. Samaria was a part of Judea.
Samothrace: island in Greece on the North Aegean Sea
Sanctuary: holy area of a temple that surrounds the altar
sardonyx: onyx with alternating brown and white bands
satire: literary work or device in which something is attacked through irony, derision, or wit
sepulchre: chamber that serves as a grave
Seres: Greek and Roman name for northwestern China. It was an important source of silk.
shroud: cloth used to wrap the dead
smote: inflicted a heavy blow
Smyrna: Greek city-state (now a Turkish province) in Ionia on the Aegean Sea
so fair a humour: such a good mood
sombre: melancholy; serious
Son of Man: Jesus Christ (in his own words)
Stoics: followers of a school of philosophy originating in Greece but also popular in Rome, emphasizing detachment of emotions and self-control.
Syrian: citizen of Syria, a country bordering Israel and Lebanon
tarry: to wait or delay
terrace: a porch bordered by columns
Tetrarch: a governor of one of four divisions of a country or province
The Temple: likely Herod's Temple in Jerusalem, Herod the Great's reconstruction of the holy Second Temple that was desecrated by Roman forces
topaz: light-yellow variety of quartz
Tyre: city in modern-day Lebanon
vast: large; broad
vipers: venomous snakes
what dost thou: what are you doing
ClassicNote on Salome
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