Somtyme, to shewe his lightnesse and maistrye,
He pleyeth Herodes upon a scaffold hye.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Miller’s Tale. Absolon shows his agility and skill by playing Herod in a local biblical play. But it’s not from any pious motivations. He is in competition with Nicholas to win the romantic favors of Alison and hopes this will get her attention. But it fails miserably!