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"And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist. And the king was grieved; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat with him, he commanded it to be given; and he sent and beheaded John in the prison." Matthew 14:8-10 ASV <p>Illustration of John the Baptist, having just been unshackled, kneeling in prayer while a soldier waits to behead him with an axe. . A shaft of light beams down on John. Salome can be seen just outside the archway with a platter in her hands.

John the Baptist Prays in Prison Just Before His Beheading

"And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.…

An illustration of two men, Egmont and Horn, being executed by beheading.

Execution of Egmont and Horn

An illustration of two men, Egmont and Horn, being executed by beheading.

"The guillotine is an apparatus for beheading persons at one stroke, adopted by the National Assembly of France during the first Revolution, on the proposals of a Dr. Guillotin, after whom it was named."&mdash;(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Guillotine

"The guillotine is an apparatus for beheading persons at one stroke, adopted by the National Assembly…

Device for beheading during the French Revolution.

Guillotine

Device for beheading during the French Revolution.

The guillotine was a device used for carrying out executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which a heavy blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the victim's head from his or her body. The device is noted for long being the main method of execution in France and, more particularly, for its use during the French Revolution. The guillotine also "became a part of popular culture, celebrated as the people's avenger by supporters of the Revolution and vilified as the preeminent symbol of the Terror by opponents.

Guillotine

The guillotine was a device used for carrying out executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall…

Judith, having just beheaded Holofernes, places his head in a bag with the help of her servant. She is holding a curved sword, or scimitar and is wrapped in robes that cover her head. Her servant is also clothed in voluminous robes. A shield and scabbard hang from the bedpost. Holofernes' body lies partially on the bed (left). Heavy curtains hang from the bed frame. A doorway in the background opens on to the city.

Judith Places the Head of Holofernes in a Bag

Judith, having just beheaded Holofernes, places his head in a bag with the help of her servant. She…