Latest / Logic Library / 49 - Thus Spake Zarathustra - Friedrich Nietzsche
Transcript
- Part forty nine, the Bedwarfing Virtue One. When Zarathustra was again on the continent, he did not go straightway to his mountains and his cave, but made many wonderings and questionings, and ascertained this and that, so that he said of himself jestingly, lo a river that floweth back unto its source in many windings. For he wanted to learn what had taken place among men during the interval, whether they had become greater or smaller. And once, when he saw a row of new houses, he marveled and said, what did these houses mean? Verily, no great soul put them up as it simile? Did perhaps a silly child take them out of its toy box? Would that another child put them again into the box? And these rooms and chambers can men go out? And in there? They seem to be made for silk dolls, or for dainty eaters, who perhaps let others eat with them. And Zarathustra stood still and meditated. At last, he said, sorrowfully, there hath everything become smaller? Everywhere? Do I see lower doorways? He who is of my type can still go therethrough, but he must stoop. Oh, when shall I arrive again at my home, where shall no longer have to stoop? Shall no longer have to stoop before the small ones? And Zarathustra sighed and gazed into the distance. The same day, however, he gave his discourse on the bedwarfing virtue. Two. I passed through this people and keep mine eyes open. They do not forgive me for not envying their virtues. They bite at me because I say unto them that for small people, small virtues are necessary, and because it is hard for me to understand that small people are necessary. Here I am still a cock in a strange farm yard at which even the hens peck. But on that account I am not unfriendly to the hens. I am courteous towards them, as towards all small annoyances. To be prickly towards what is small seemeth to me wisdom for hedgehogs. They all speak of me when they sit around their fire in the evening. They speak of me, but no one thinks of me. This is the new stillness which I have experienced. Their noise around me spread is a mantle over my thoughts. They shout to one another, what is this gloomy cloud about? To do to us. Let us see that it does not bring a plague upon us. And recently did a woman seize upon her child that was coming unto me? Take the children away? Cried she. Such eyes scorch children's souls. They cough when I speak. They think coughing an objection to strong winds. They divine nothing of the boisterousness of my happiness. We have not yet time for Zarathustra, so they object. But what matter about a time that hath no time for Zarathustra? And if they should altogether praise me, how could I get to sleep on their praise? A girdle of spines? Is their praise unto me? It scratches me even when I take it off. And this also did I learn among them the praiser doeth as if he gave back in truth. However he wanteth more to be given him. Ask my foot. If their lording and luring strains please it verily to such measure and tick tack, it liketh neither to dance nor to stand still ill to small virtues. Would they fain lure and lrd me to the tic tack of small happiness? Would they faint persuade my foot, I pass through this people, and keep mine eyes open. They have become smaller, and ever become smaller. The reason thereof is their doctrine of happiness and virtue. For they are moderate also in virtue, because they want comfort with comfort. However, moderate virtue only is compatible. To be sure. They also learn in their way to stride on and stride forward, that I call their hobbling. Thereby they become a hindrance to all who are in haste, And many of them go forward and look backwards thereby with stiffened necks. Those who are like to run up against foot and eye shall not lie nor give the lie to each other. But there is much lying among small people. Some of them will, but most of them are willed. Some of them are genuine, but most of them are bad Actors. There are actors without knowing it amongst them, and actors without intending it. The genuine ones are always rare, especially the genuine actors of man. There is little here. Therefore, do their women masculinize themselves. For only he who is man enough will save the woman in woman. And this hypocrisy found I worst amongst them, that even those who command feign the virtues of those who serve. I serve thou servest, We serve so chantest here even the hypocrisy of the rulers. And alas if the first lord be only the first servant, ah, even upon their hypocrisy, did mine eyes curiosity alight? And well did I divine all their fly happiness and their buzzing around so any window panes, so much kindness, so much weakness? Do I see so much justice and pity, so much weakness? Round fair and considerate are they to one another, as grains of sand are round, fair and considerate to grains of sand. Modestly to embrace small happiness that do they call submission, And at the same time they peer modestly after a new small happiness In their hearts. They want simply one thing, most of all, that no one hurt them. Thus do they anticipate every one's wishes and do well unto every one, That, however, is cowardice, though it be called virtue. And when they chance to speak harshly those small people, then do I hear therein only their hoarseness, every draft of air maketh them hoarse shrewd. Indeed are they their virtues have shrewd fingers, but they lack fists. Their fingers do not know how to creep behind fists. Virtue for them is what maketh modest and tame Therewith have they made the wolf a dog and man himself man's best domestic animal. We set our share in the midst, so says their smirking unto me, and as far from dying gladiators as from satisfied swine. That, however, is mediocrity, though it be called moderation. Three. I passed through this people and let fall many words. But they know neither how to take nor how to retain them. They wonder why I came not to revile venery and vice, and verily I came not to warn against pickpockets. Either. They wonder why I am not ready to bet and wet their wisdom, as if they had not yet enough of wiseacres, whose voices great on mine ear like slate pencils. And when I call out, curse all the cowardly devils in you that would fain whimper and fold the hands and a door, then do they shout Zarathustra is godless. And especially do their teachers of submission shout this, But precisely in their ears do I love to cry? Yea, I am Zarathustra, the godless, Those teachers of submission, whether there is aught puny, or sickly or scabby there do they creep like lice. And only my disgust preventeth me from cracking them. Well, this is my sermon for their ears. I am Zarathustra, the godless, who says, who is more godless than I? That I may enjoy his teaching? I am Zarathustra, the godless. Where do I find mine equal? And all those are mine equals? Who give unto themselves their will and divest themselves of all submission? I am Zarathustra, the Godless. I cook every chance in my pot, and only when it has been quite cooked do I welcome it as my food. And verily many a chance came imperiously unto me. But still more imperiously did my will speak unto it? Then did it lie imploringly upon its knees, imploring that it might find home and heart with me, and saying flatteringly, see O Zarathustra, how friend only cometh unto friend? But why talk I when no one hath mine? Ears? And so will I shout it out unto all the winds. He ever becomes smaller, ye small people, he crumble away, ye, comfortable ones. He will yet perish by you many small virtues, by you many small emissions, and by you many small submissions. Too tender, too yielding, So is your soil. But for a tree to become great, it seeketh to twine hard roots around hard rocks. Also what you omit weaveth at the web of all the human future. Even your naught is a cobweb and a spider that liveth on the blood of the future. And when ye take, then it is like stealing. He small virtuous ones. But even among knaves Honors says that one shall only steal when one cannot rob it giveth itself. That is also a doctrine of submission. But I say unto you, he comfortable ones, that it taketh to itself, and will ever take more and more from you. Ah that ye would renounce all half willing, and would decide for idleness as ye decide for action. Ah that ye understood my word. Do ever what ye will, but first be such as can will love ever your neighbor as yourselves. But first be such as love themselves, such as love with great love, such as love with great contempt. Thus speaketh Sarah Sistra, the godless. But why talk I where no one hath mine ears? It is still an hour too early for me? Here mine own forerunner. I am among this people, mine own cockrow in dark lanes. But there our cometh, and there cometh also mine. Hourly do they become smaller, poorer, unfruitfuller, poor herbs, poor earth. And soon shall they stand before me like dry grass and prairie, and verily weary of themselves, and panting for fire more than for water, Oh, blessed hour of the lightning, O mystery before noontide? Running fires? Will our one day make of them? And heralds with flaming tongues? Harald, shall they one day with flaming tongues? It cometh, It is nigh the great Noontide. Thus spake Zarathustra. End of Part forty nine.