Nathan the Wise

Sittah and Saladin discuss the impending arrival of Nathan. Sittah convinces Saladin that he needs to lay a trap to trick Nathan into lending him money. She implies that Saladin should make himself seem pitiful in order to exploit Nathan.

Nathan arrives, and Saladin announces that he has wanted to meet him for a long time. He notes that many people call Nathan wise, but Nathan remains modest. Nathan says that as Saladin’s treasurer, he will deal carefully with the Sultan’s money. He also tells Saladin that there is news the Crusaders are preparing for more battles.

Saladin suddenly switches topics. Saladin explains that he is a Muslim, Nathan is a Jew, and Christians surround them as well. He asks Nathan which religious faith seems best. He leaves Nathan alone for a while so that he can think of an answer to his question.

Nathan thinks to himself about how strange the sultan’s request is. Nathan does not understand why the sultan is asking a question about religion when he needs money. He wonders if Saladin has asked the question in order to trap him, and does not know how to respond. At the last moment, he decides to tell a fairy tale.

Nathan tells Saladin a story about an enchanted ring: Long ago, a man acquired an opal ring that could give its wearers a “secret power to gain favor / In the sight of God and humankind” (81). He allowed his favorite son to inherit the ring, intending it to pass from generation to generation in the same way. Generations later, one father had three sons whom he loved equally. He could not decide to whom to give the ring, and so he secretly promised the ring to each son. He also asked a jeweler to create two new rings identical to the enchanted one. The father himself was unable to distinguish between the three rings. When the father died, each son received a ring. Despite their arguments and claims, none could tell who had the enchanted ring or who had a copy.

Nathan tells Saladin that it is similarly impossible to prove a true faith among Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Nathan says that each faith is based on history and trust, passed from generation to generation. To say one is true over the others, he argues, would be to accuse others of lies. He continues the tale, saying that the three sons went to a judge after their father’s death to settle the matter of the ring. The judge dismisses the matter, saying that the sons themselves have are capable of revealing the true ring: Whichever son can “gain favour in the sight of God and mankind” would theoretically have the true ring (83). On the other hand, the judge says, if the sons fight about the ring, then none of them must have the true ring. Alternatively, the three sons can each pass their ring to the next generation, promising that each one is true, and thus the goodness of the ring will spread even more widely.

Saladin is deeply moved by Nathan’s story. Nathan further surprises Saladin by asking him, unprompted, if he can loan money to Saladin to help with the costs of battle. Saladin wonders if Al-Hafi revealed his need to Nathan, but nevertheless accepts the offer. Nathan explains that he also owes a debt to the Templar. Saladin says he wants Sittah to meet the Templar because he resembles the sultan’s brother, whom Sittah never got to meet.

The Templar is alone, thinking about the effect that meeting Recha had on him. He marvels that he had once wanted anything but to see her, and now cannot get her off of his mind. He feels in love with her, though surprised that a Christian Templar could love a Jewish woman. He feels like he needs Nathan’s blessing, then sees him coming from Saladin’s.

Nathan tells the Templar that Saladin wants to see him. He also asks the Templar what he thought of Recha. The Templar explains that he wants to be with Recha forever and hopes Nathan will call him son. Nathan avoids doing so, which makes the Templar suspicious, even as he pleads, “Not son? I beg you, Nathan […]” (88). Nathan mentions the von Stauffen family again, saying that he knew a man named Conrad von Stauffen. The Templar explains that Conrad was his father, and that Curd is short for Conrad, which is also his own name. Nathan is shocked to learn that Conrad was the Templar’s father, because Conrad was not married. Nathan says they should take more time to decide what to do about Recha and the Templar.

The Templar and Daja talk, and Daja tells him that they both have secrets they need to share with each other. Daja asks what the Templar thought of Recha, expecting her to have had a powerful effect on the knight. She reveals that Recha is not actually a Jew, but rather a Christian and Nathan’s adopted daughter. The Templar is shocked to learn that Nathan has brought Recha up as a Jew. Daja explains that she hopes if the Templar takes Recha back to Europe, she will be allowed to go along as well to return to her own homeland.