Salome Glossary

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