Herod has married his sister-in-law Herodias. During the course of a banquet he is unable to take his eyes off the beautiful stepchild Salomé. He asks her to dance for him, promising in exchange whatever she desires. Salomé hesitates at first, but then she agrees, asking in return the head of the John the Baptist. The tetrarch satisfies her request, but ends up worse than his victim.