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Saladin

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Ay! and with weapons I'm not used to wield.
Must I then play the hypocrite- and frame
Precautions lay a snare? Where learnt I that?
And for what end? To seek for money-money!
For money from a Jew? And to such arts
Must Saladin descend, that he may win

The most contemptible of paltry things?

But paltry things, despised too much, are sure
To find some method of revenge.

Saladin

Sittah

Saladin

Sittah

Saladin

Sittah

'Tis true! What if this Jew should prove an upright man, Such as the Dervise painted him?

Your difficulty ceases; for a snare

Implies an avaricious, cheating Jew,

Why, then,

And not an upright man. Then he is ours
Without a snare. "Twill give us joy to hear

How such a man will speak — with what stern strength
He'll tear the net, or with what cunning skill
Untangle all its meshes, one by one.

True, Sittah! 'twill afford me rare delight.

What, then, need trouble you? For if he be,
Like all his nation, a mere cozening Jew,
You need not blush, if you appear to him
No better than he deems all other men.
But if to him you wear a different look,
You'll be a fool - his dupe!

So I must, then,
Do ill, lest bad men should think ill of me.

Yes, brother, if you call it doing ill
To put a thing to its intended use.

Saladin

Well, there is nothing woman's wit invents
It cannot palliate-

Sittah
Saladin

How, palliate?

Sittah, I fear such fine-wrought filigree
Will break in my rude hand. It is for those
Who frame such plots to bring them into play.
The execution needs the inventor's skill.

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Saladin

Oh, brother, have more courage in yourself!
Have but the will, I'll answer for the rest.
How strange that men like you are ever prone
To think it is their swords alone that raise them.
When with the fox the noble lion hunts,

'Tis of the fellowship he feels ashamed,
But of the cunning, never.

Well, 'tis strange

That women so delight to bring mankind
Down to their level. But, dear Sittah, go;
I think I know my lesson.

Sittah

Must I go?

Saladin

You did not mean to stay?

Sittah

Saladin

What! to listen?

No, not with you,
But in this neighb'ring chamber.

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Beware of lingering! I'll be on the watch.
[While SITTAH retires through one door, NATHAN en-
ters at another, and SALADIN seats himself.

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Saladin But, at least the people call you so.

Nathan

Saladin

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That may be true. The people!

Do not think
I treat the people's voice contemptuously.
I have been wishing long to know the man
Whom it has called the Wise.

Nathan

Saladin

Nathan

Saladin

Nathan

Saladin

Nathan

Saladin

Nathan

Saladin

Nathan

Saladin

Nathan
Saladin

What if it named
Him so in scorn? If wise means prudent only-
And prudent, one who knows his interest well?

Who knows his real interest, you mean.

Then, Sultan, selfish men were the most prudent,
And wise, and prudent, then, would mean the same.

You're proving what your speeches contradict.
You know the real interests of man:

The people know them not have never sought
To know them. That alone can make man wise.

Which every man conceives himself to be.

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I will serve you, prince,

And prove that I am worthy of your favor.

How will you serve me?

You shall have the best
Of all I have, and at the cheapest rate.

What mean you? Not your wares ?-My sister, then,
Shall make the bargain with you. (That's for the

listener!)

I am not versed in mercantile affairs,

And with a merchant's craft I've naught to do.

Doubtless you would inquire if I have marked
Upon my route the movements of the foe?
Whether he's stirring? If I may presume-

Neither was that my object. On that point
I know enough. But hear me.

It is another, a far different thing

I obey.

On which I seek for wisdom; and since you
Are called the Wise, tell me which faith or law
You deem the best.

Nathan

Saladin

Sultan, I am a Jew.

And I a Mussulman. The Christian stands
Between us. Here are three religions, then,
And of these three one only can be true.
A man like you remains not where his birth
By accident has cast him; or if so,

Conviction, choice, or ground of preference,
Supports him. Let me, Nathan, hear from you,
In confidence, the reasons of your choice,
Which I have lacked the leisure to examine.
It may be, Nathan, that I am the first
Sultan who has indulged this strange caprice,
Which need not, therefore, make a Sultan blush.
Am I the first? Nay, speak; or if you seek
shape your scattered thoughts,
I yield it freely. (Has she overheard?
She will inform me if I've acted right.)
Reflect then, Nathan, I shall soon return.

A brief delay to

Nathan [alone]—

[Exit.

Strange! how is this? What can the Sultan want?
I came prepared for cash he asks for truth!
Truth! as if truth were cash! A coin disused-
Valued by weight! If so, 'twere well, indeed!
But coin quite new, not coin but for the die,
To be flung down and on the counter told
It is not that. Like gold tied up in bags,
Will truth lie hoarded in the wise man's head,
To be produced at need? Now, in this case,
Which of us plays the Jew?

He asks for truth.

Is truth what he requires? his aim, his end?
Or does he use it as a subtle snare?

That were too petty for his noble mind.

Yet what is e'er too petty for the great?

Did he not rush at once into the house,

Whilst, as a friend, he would have paused or knocked?

I must beware. Yet to repel him now,

And act the stubborn Jew, is not the thing;

And wholly to fling off the Jew, still less.

For if no Jew, he might with justice ask,

Why not a Mussulman? - That thought may serve.
Others than children may be quieted

With tales well told. But see, he comes

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- he comes.

Saladin [aside]

SALADIN, NATHAN.

(The coast is clear) — I am not come too soon?
Have you reflected on this matter, Nathan?
Speak! no one hears.

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Nathan

Saladin

Would all the world might hear!

And are you of your cause so confident.
"Tis wise, indeed, of you to hide no truth,
For truth to hazard all, even life and goods.

Ay, when necessity and profit bid.

I hope that henceforth I shall rightly bear
One of my names, "Reformer of the world
And of the law!"

Nathan

Saladin

Nathan

Saladin

Nathan

A noble title, truly;
But, Sultan, ere I quite explain myself,
Permit me to relate a tale.

Why not?
I ever was a friend of tales well told.

Well told! Ah, Sultan! that's another thing.

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What! still so proudly modest? But begin.

In days of yore, there dwelt in Eastern lands
A man, who from a valued hand received
A ring of priceless worth. An opal stone
Shot from within an ever-changing hue,
And held this virtue in its form concealed,
To render him of God and man beloved,
Who wore it in this fixed unchanging faith.
No wonder that its Eastern owner ne'er
Withdrew it from his finger, and resolved
That to his house the ring should be secured.
Therefore he thus bequeathed it: first to him
Who was the most beloved of his sons,
Ordaining then that he should leave the ring
To the most dear among his children; then,
That without heeding birth, the fav'rite son,
In virtue of the ring alone, should still

Be lord of all the house. You hear me, Sultan?

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