Today my rhetoric is won. Before the discovery of this story, I can only bearmi to share it with those who will want to read it.
Excerpt from "The parable of the Rings" - Act III, Scene V and VII in "Nathan the Wise", 1779 GE Lessing
Scene V
Nathan and Saladin
SALADIN
Come, jew! - Still. - Closer. Fear not.
NATHAN
you theme your enemy.
SALADIN
Your name is Nathan?
NATHAN
Yes
...
SALADIN
What I am asking for your teaching is very different, very different. - You who are so wise, tell me, once and for all - what is faith, what is the law for you any more convincing?
NATHAN
Sultan, I am jew.
SALADIN
And I'm Muslim. And among us there is a Christian. - But one of these three religions can be true. - A man like you do not stand still where he put the case of birth or, if there is, it does so with good reason, for the reasons, why he chose the best. Then 'to me your reasons! Let me know the grounds on which I have not had time to reflect. Reveal - means, in confidence - a choice born of those reasons, so I can make it my own. - What? You hesitate? I weighed up the look? It may be that I'm the first sultan who has such a whim, but I do not seem worthy of a sultan. - Do you? - Speak then! Tell me!
...
Scene VII
Nathan and Saladin
SALADIN
... Speak, then! Nobody listens to us.
NATHAN
who listen to us well the whole world.
SALADIN
Up to this point, Nathan is sure of himself? Ah, this name is to be wise! Never hide the truth. To stake everything for it. The freedom and life, property and blood.
...
NATHAN
... But before we fully confide, permit me sultan, to tell a little story?
SALADIN
Why not? ...
...
NATHAN
Many years ago a man in the East, owned a priceless ring, an expensive gift. The stone, an opal with a hundred beautiful colored reflections, has a secret power: it makes grateful to God and men bring anyone with confidence. Be surprised if it did not drop anything from his finger, and if so ordered him to stay forever in your house? He left the ring to his most beloved son, and he wrote that in turn the son to leave him to his most beloved son, and that every time become the most beloved children, regardless of birth, but only by virtue of ' ring, the leader and the ladies of the house. -You follow me, Sultan?
SALADIN
I follow you. Go ahead.
NATHAN
And the ring as well, from son to son, came to an end to a father of three children. All three equally obeyed, and he could not do without them, loved them all equally. Only from time to time one or the other seemed the most worthy of the ring - when she was with him alone, and no one else shared the affection of his heart. So, with loving weakness, he promised the ring to all three. It went on so long as he could. - But, near death, this father is embarrassed. Offend so two children, trusting in his word, sad. - What should I do? - He secretly called a jeweler, and orders two rings around his equal, and he exhorted them to save money or effort because they are perfectly equal. The artist succeeds. When you bring him, not even the father is able to distinguish the ring true. Felice called the children one by one, gives all three his blessing to all three gives the ring - and dies. - You hear me, Sultan?
SALADIN
listen. But soon as you finish your story. - Are you there?
NATHAN
I've already finished. What follows is understood by itself. - The death of his father, each child comes forward with his ring, every child wants to be the lord of the house. We quarrel, we investigated, are accused of. In vain. Impossible to prove what the ring true - almost like for us to prove what it is - the true faith.
SALADIN
How? This is your answer to the question ...?
NATHAN
Valga only to apologize, if I dare not try to distinguish the rings that the father had done precisely that it was impossible to distinguish them.
SALADIN
rings! - Do not make fun of me! - The religions that we have appointed can be distinguished even in clothes, in food, beverages!
NATHAN
And yet in the fundamentals. - Not all are based on the story, written or handed down? And the story only by faith and allegiance must be accepted, is not it? - And what faith and loyalty I would doubt that less of each other? That of Our ancestors, the blood of our blood, the childhood of those who gave us proof of their love, and never deceive us, if the ruse was healthy for us? - Can I believe my fathers unless you your? Or vice versa? - Perhaps I can pretend that you, not to contradict my fathers, your accusing of lying? Or vice versa? And the same goes for Christians, is not it?
SALADIN
(For the living God You're right. I have to mute).
NATHAN
But back to our rings. As I said, the children accused in court. And each swore to the court to have received the ring from the hand of the Father (which was true), and much time before the promise of the privileges granted the ring (which was true, too). - His father, everyone said it certainly could not have deceived the first to suspect this, he said, as good of a father, could not accuse his brothers of deception, of which he himself had always been ready to think the whole good, and they said sure you find out the traitors and ready to take revenge.
SALADIN
And the judge? - I am anxious to hear what will you say to the judge. Speak!
NATHAN
The judge said, Take now your father here, or you will drive out of my sight. Think he's here to solve puzzles? Or do you want to stay until the ring real talk? - Ma .. wait! You say that the ring has real magic power to make loved, grateful to God and to men. This is to decide! The rings can not fake. Come on, tell me which of you is the most loved by the other two? - Next! You speak? The effect is only reflective of the rings, not transitive? Each of you just loves himself? Then all three are con artists scammed! Your rings are forged all three. Probably the real ring was lost, and your father made it to three for concealing the loss and to replace it.
...
NATHAN
If you do not want, "continued the judge, take my advice and not a sentence, go! - But my advice is this: accept things as they are. Everyone took the ring from his father, everyone is sure that it is authentic. - Your father, perhaps, was no longer willing to tolerate in his house again the tyranny of a single ring. And of course you loved all three equally. He would not, in fact, humiliating two of you for a favor. - Come on! Strive to imitate his love incorruptible and without bias. Each side competed to show the light of day because of the stone in her ring. And aid her power with gentleness, with indomitable patience and charity, and with deep devotion to God When the virtues of the rings appear grandchildren, nieces and grandchildren, I invite them to return to court, including thousand years. Sit on my seat as a wiser man than me, and talk. Go! - He said that a modest court.