shewn himself a very
great master of stage propriety. He has softened the character of
Herod, well knowing that so cruel a tyrant as the story makes him,
could not be born upon the English stage. He has altered the character
of Sohemus, from an honest confident, to a crafty enterprising
statesman, who to raise his master to the throne of Judea, murthered
the natural heir. He has introduced in his drama, a character under
the name of Salome, the king's sister, who bore an implacable hatred
to Mariamne; and who in league with Sohemus pursues her revenge, at no
less a price than that of her brother's and the queen's life.

After the wars, which had subsided between Caesar and Anthony, had
subsided, and the world fell to the share of the former; Herod is
represented as having just returned from Rome, where, as an hostage
to the emperor, he has stipulated to send his younger son there, and
Flaminius, a noble Roman accompanies him into Jewry, to carry off the
young prince. The day in which this dramatic action begins, is upon a
grand festival, appointed in honour of Herod's safe return from Rome,
and being still permitted to enjoy his kingdom. The hard condition of
sending the prince to Rome, greatly affects the heart of the queen,
whom the poet has drawn a most tender mother. This throws a cloud over
the ceremony, and furnishes an opportunity for Sohemus and Salome, to
set their infernal engines at work; who, in conjunction with Sameas
the king's cup bearer, contrive to poison the king and queen at the
feast. But the poisoned cup is first tasted by Hazeroth, a young lord
related to the queen, and the sudden effect which it has upon him
discovers the villainy.

The queen's absence from the feast proves a fatal circumstance, and
as managed by Sohemus, fixes the appearance of guilt upon her. While
Herod was absent at Rome, Sohemus made addresses to Arsinoe, a Roman
lady, confidant to Mariamne; to whom in the ardour of his passion he
revealed the secret entrusted to him by Herod, of putting Mariamne
to death, in case he by any calamitous accident should lose his life.
Arsinoe from a motive of affection communicated this to Mariamne; as
an instance of the violent passion which Herod had for her. This she
did immediately before her departure for Rome, with Flaminius the
Roman envoy, who proved to be the lord of her wishes, whom she
imagined to have been killed in fighting against Mark Anthony.
Mariamne thrown into this imminent