FIRST CITIZEN:
Great news, glorious news, the Assyrians are beaten!
SECOND CITIZEN:
Naaman is returning, crowned with victory. Glory to our noble captain!
THIRD CITIZEN:
No, he is killed. I had it from one of the camp-followers who saw him fall at the head of the battle. They are bringing his body to bury it with honour. O sorrowful victory!
RAKHAZ;
Peace, my good fellows, you are ignorant, you have not been rightly informed, I will misinform you. The accounts of Naaman's death are overdrawn. He was killed, but his life has been preserved. One of his wounds was mortal, but the other three were curable, and by these the physicians have saved him.
SHUMAKIM: [Balancing himself before RAKHAZ in pretended admiration.]
O wonderful! Most admirable logic! One mortal, and three curable, therefore he must recover as it were, by three to one. Rakhaz, do you know that you are a marvelous man?