Thus Spake Zarathustra — Friedrich Nietzsche

Thus Spake Zarathustra

Friedrich Nietzsche · License: Public domain · Source

• Lead, like me, the flown-away virtue back to the earth--yea, back to body and life: that it may give to the earth its meaning, a human meaning! ¶982
• A hundred times hitherto hath spirit as well as virtue flown away and blundered. Alas! in our body dwelleth still all this delusion and blundering: body and will hath it there become. ¶983
• A hundred times hitherto hath spirit as well as virtue attempted and erred. Yea, an attempt hath man been. Alas, much ignorance and error hath become embodied in us! ¶984
• Not only the rationality of millenniums--also their madness, breaketh out in us. Dangerous is it to be an heir. ¶985
• Still fight we step by step with the giant Chance, and over all mankind hath hitherto ruled nonsense, the lack-of-sense. ¶986
• Let your spirit and your virtue be devoted to the sense of the earth, my brethren: let the value of everything be determined anew by you! Therefore shall ye be fighters! Therefore shall ye be creators! ¶987
• Intelligently doth the body purify itself; attempting with intelligence it exalteth itself; to the discerners all impulses sanctify themselves; to the exalted the soul becometh joyful. ¶988
• Physician, heal thyself: then wilt thou also heal thy patient. Let it be his best cure to see with his eyes him who maketh himself whole. ¶989
• A thousand paths are there which have never yet been trodden; a thousand salubrities and hidden islands of life. Unexhausted and undiscovered is still man and man's world. ¶990
• Awake and hearken, ye lonesome ones! From the future come winds with stealthy pinions, and to fine ears good tidings are proclaimed. ¶991
• Ye lonesome ones of to-day, ye seceding ones, ye shall one day be a people: out of you who have chosen yourselves, shall a chosen people arise:--and out of it the Superman. ¶992
• Verily, a place of healing shall the earth become! And already is a new odour diffused around it, a salvation-bringing odour--and a new hope! ¶993
• When Zarathustra had spoken these words, he paused, like one who had not said his last word; and long did he balance the staff doubtfully in his hand. At last he spake thus--and his voice had changed: ¶995
• I now go alone, my disciples! Ye also now go away, and alone! So will I have it. ¶996
• Verily, I advise you: depart from me, and guard yourselves against Zarathustra! And better still: be ashamed of him! Perhaps he hath deceived you. ¶997
• The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies, but also to hate his friends. ¶998
• One requiteth a teacher badly if one remain merely a scholar. And why will ye not pluck at my wreath? ¶999
• Ye venerate me; but what if your veneration should some day collapse? Take heed lest a statue crush you! ¶1000
• Ye say, ye believe in Zarathustra? But of what account is Zarathustra! Ye are my believers: but of what account are all believers! ¶1001
• Ye had not yet sought yourselves: then did ye find me. So do all believers; therefore all belief is of so little account. ¶1002
• Now do I bid you lose me and find yourselves; and only when ye have all denied me, will I return unto you. ¶1003
• Verily, with other eyes, my brethren, shall I then seek my lost ones; with another love shall I then love you. ¶1004
• And once again shall ye have become friends unto me, and children of one hope: then will I be with you for the third time, to celebrate the great noontide with you. ¶1005
• And it is the great noontide, when man is in the middle of his course between animal and Superman, and celebrateth his advance to the evening as his highest hope: for it is the advance to a new morning. ¶1006
• At such time will the down-goer bless himself, that he should be an over-goer; and the sun of his knowledge will be at noontide. ¶1007
• "DEAD ARE ALL THE GODS: NOW DO WE DESIRE THE SUPERMAN TO LIVE."--Let this be our final will at the great noontide!-- ¶1008
• "--and only when ye have all denied me, will I return unto you. ¶1011
• Verily, with other eyes, my brethren, shall I then seek my lost ones; with another love shall I then love you."--ZARATHUSTRA, I., "The Bestowing Virtue." ¶1012
• Thus passed with the lonesome one months and years; his wisdom meanwhile increased, and caused him pain by its abundance. ¶1015
• One morning, however, he awoke ere the rosy dawn, and having meditated long on his couch, at last spake thus to his heart: ¶1016
• Why did I startle in my dream, so that I awoke? Did not a child come to me, carrying a mirror? ¶1017
• "O Zarathustra"--said the child unto me--"look at thyself in the mirror!" ¶1018
• But when I looked into the mirror, I shrieked, and my heart throbbed: for not myself did I see therein, but a devil's grimace and derision. ¶1019
• Verily, all too well do I understand the dream's portent and monition: my DOCTRINE is in danger; tares want to be called wheat! ¶1020
• Mine enemies have grown powerful and have disfigured the likeness of my doctrine, so that my dearest ones have to blush for the gifts that I gave them. ¶1021
• Lost are my friends; the hour hath come for me to seek my lost ones!-- ¶1022
• With these words Zarathustra started up, not however like a person in anguish seeking relief, but rather like a seer and a singer whom the spirit inspireth. With amazement did his eagle and serpent gaze upon him: for a coming bliss overspread his countenance like the rosy dawn. ¶1023
• What hath happened unto me, mine animals?--said Zarathustra. Am I not transformed? Hath not bliss come unto me like a whirlwind? ¶1024
• Foolish is my happiness, and foolish things will it speak: it is still too young--so have patience with it! ¶1025
• Wounded am I by my happiness: all sufferers shall be physicians unto me! ¶1026

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