1609.] 
NATHAN. 
And would to God 
it never had been, Saladin. The few 
worthy and noble souls should only act, 
live after truth, and leave their deeds behind 
" ~ them. 
All disputation if and what be truth 
wastes the fair hours bestow’d so sparingly 
upon the wanderer, who for his journey 
has not one hour toomuch. The lazy man 
may fling himself along beneath the shade, 
and with his fellow weigh and ascertain 
how far he has to go—is this the road ? 
are wecome wrong f—but let us with f resh 
strides 
haste to the goal; 
know 
how far it was, and, if we have not chosen 
the shortest road, our industry at least 
will-have made up for many a round-about. 
SALADIN. 
My pilgrimage is almost at an end; 
we then, I ween, shall 
but, friend, its goal I see not. JI am con- 
founded, 
Live after truth, thou sayst, and yet not 
know 
what truth may be, nor even care to know it; 
but trudge along hap-hazard, north ocr south. 
NATHAN. 
Not mitch there needs of truth to be a man. 
“ There is a god; be pious and fear him: 
trust ne uns crown thy virtue, ¢ scourge thy 
vice.” 
That is eee 
SALADIN. 
And shall we not inquire 
what is this god? and how we should be pi- 
ous? 
how act to win his favor? liow he scourges, 
and how rewards? and, when he punishes, 
whither the sinnner goes? 
NATHAN. | 
Ts there-not . 
water enough to cleanse with in Damascus? 
SALADIN. 
Nostream can cleanse the conscience of its sin; . 
no flame can purify the sullied heart 
before the sight of God. How can I-know 
whether, if God is just, to guiit a foe, 
I too shall be forgiven. O my Nathan, 
"tis that, “tis dhat which wounds me, which 
impels me 
to make the dread inquiry, not, as erst, 
the idle love of disputation. Death 
itself is nothing but a step across 
a narrow threshold; but a troubled moment, 
andallisover. The intoxicated 
will dare the stride, and holdly spring avaunt, 
fareas he may without. But there’s no art 
can drug the conscience into bold celirium, 
sele to the. night of death its wakeful eye, 
and teach it at futurity to sport. 
a with a sober conscience, Nathan. 
NATHAN. ’ 
eye Sultan, 
T would not flatter: but can God above 
ke foung less just, less gracious, than thyself? 
Critical Survey of Lessing’s Works. meen 
SALADINe 
That is—not:punish with severity, 
but punish, if he is master of the world. 
_ What would become of kingdoms, if mankind 
might with impunity male sport of law,_ 
rob, murder? 
. NATHAN. 
Where the law smites but the guilty, 
what has the good to fear? 
SALADINe 
The good—-ay hem 
What should the good man fear Peebut crimi- 
nals. 
NATHAN. 
Abandon to the sentence of their judge 5 
and gaze rejoicing at the glorious harvest, 
that ripens for the doings of the just 
in better worlds. » The more the soutbelow 
is veil’d in darkness, the more full of rap~ 
ture 
must be the pafiage to the sunny day 
of shining truth, We here have yet to 
wander _ 
thro’ many a labyrinth on this murky earth: 
from thee the fetters drop, Soon thy free soul 
may hail yon clearer heaven, and eagle- 
wing'd 
soar to her God, the eternal only source 
of light and bliss. O might I follow, sultan—-= 
God be thy guide! 
SALADIN. 
No; no; that cannot be 3 
that were unsuitable ; my Jot is other. 
Each talks but as he feels; thou canst not 
tell 
how it is here with me. maeeet pious, good, 
are lovely words; and happy who can speak ~ 
them 
and feel no dagger digging at his breast! 
Ah, Nathan, hast thou never stain’d thy 
lifeama 
not with one crime? 
NATHAN. 
Oh! wh is free from faults, 
my dearest sultan=-in the sight of God. 
pure, yet aman! 
SALADIN. 
Speak’st thou of faults, just man, 
away! Come not to sully thy white virtue 
beside acriminal! Off! dost thou know met 
dost. thou know Saladin ? 
NATHAN. 
Who tens him nly 
the generous, the impartial, and the just, 
the tolerant friend of man? Who knows hiva 
not, 7 
the pious Saladin ? 
SALABIN. 
The robber too, 
the blood-hound, Nathan, too. Know’st then 
not him 
- who has spill’d more of unoffending blood 
than pibudaad murderers, whom the sword of 
vengeance 
refus’d to spare—who, to rapacious wishes, 
to wild ambition, sacritic’d his duty—. 
his conscienceweall? Know’st thou not him? 
NATHANs 
