{When Herod's birthday came} (genesiois genomenois tou
H(8872)(9369)dou). Locative of time (cf.  Mr 6:21 ) without the genitive
absolute. The earlier Greeks used the word genesia for funeral
commemorations (birthdays of the dead), genethlia being the
word for birthday celebrations of living persons. But that
distinction has disappeared in the papyri. The word genesia in
the papyri (_Fayum Towns_, 114-20, 115-8, 119-30) is always a
birthday feast as here in Matthew and Mark. Philo used both words
of birthday feasts. Persius, a Roman satirist (_Sat_. V.
180-183), describes a banquet on Herod's Day. {Danced in the
midst} ((9372)ch(8873)ato en t(9369) mes(9369)). This was Salome, daughter of
Herodias by her first marriage. The root of the verb means some
kind of rapid motion. "Leaped in the middle," Wycliff puts it. It
was a shameful exhibition of lewd dancing prearranged by Herodias
to compass her purpose for John's death. Salome had stooped to
the level of an almeh, or common dancer.