She was tall, shapely, full blooded.

They called her Salome, child of the sun, because she had the dark of night in her large eyes, the tints of morning in her cheeks, and the gold of noonday in her hair.
When Manius came to seek her hand the king said, with a smile: "My noble youth, she is for the like of Achilles--a man of heroic heart and size.

Have you no fear of her ?" Quickly Manius replied: "Know you not, O king! my fathers fought with Achilles ?" "But they had the protection of the gods," said Herod, with a smile.
"However, you may find her favor sufficient.

I have heard her speak fair of you." Now a quarrel had arisen between Elpis and a sister of Herod.

So, therefore, to calm a tempest, the adroit king had sent his eighth wife to live by the sea.
It was a day near the nones of October, when the tribune went to Caesarea with Manius.