Latest / Logic Library / 80 - Thus Spake Zarathustra - Friedrich Nietzsche
Transcript
- Part four, Chapter eighty The Sign in the morning. However, after this night, Zarathustra jumped up from his couch, and, having girded his loins, he came out of his cave, glowing and strong, like a morning sun coming out of gloomy mountains. Thou great star, spake he as he had spoken once before, Thou deep eye of happiness. What would be all thy happiness if thou hast not those for whom thou shinest, And if they remained in their chambers till whilst thou art already awake and comest, and bestowest and distributest, how would thy proud modesty upbraid for it? Well, they still sleep, these higher men, whilst I am awake. They are not my proper companions. Not for them do I wait here in my mouth untons at my work. I want to be at my day. But they understand not what are the signs of my morning? My step is not for them the awakening call. They still sleep in my cave. Their dream still drinketh at my drunken songs. The audent ear for me, the obedient ear is lacking in their limbs. This had Zarathustra spoken to his heart when the sun rose. Then he looked inquiringly aloft, for he had heard above him the sharp call of his eagle. Well, he called upwards. Thus it is pleasing and proper to me, myne animals are awake, For I am awake. My eagle is awake, And like me, honoreth the sun with eagle talents. Does it grasp at the new light? Ye are my proper animals. I love you, But still, oh I lack my proper men, Thus spake Zarathustra. Then, however, it happened that all on a sudden he became aware that he was flocked around, and fluttered around, as if by innumerable's birds. The whitzing of so many wings, however, and the crowding around his head was so great that he shut his eyes, and verily they came down upon him, as it were a cloud, like a cloud of arrows, which poureth upon a new enemy. But behold, here it was a cloud of love and showered upon a new friend. What happened unto me, thought Zarathustra in his astonished heart, and slowly seated himself on the big stone, which lay close to the exit from his cave. But while he grasped around with his hands around him, above him and below him, and repelled the tender birds. Behold there then happened to him something still stranger, for he grasped thereby unawares, into a mass of thick, warm, shaggy hair. At the same time, however, there soundeth before him a roar, a long, soft lion roar. The sign cometh, said Zarathustra, and a change came over his heart, and in truth, when it turned clear, before him there lay a yellow, powerful animal at his feet, resting his head upon its knee, unwilling to leave him out of love, and doing like a dog which again findeth its old master. The doves, however, were no less eager with a love than the lion, and whenever a dove whisked over its nose, the lion shook its head and wandered and laughed. When all this went on, Zarathustra spoke only a word, my children are nigh, my children. Then he became quite mute. His heart, however, was loosed, and from his eyes they dropped down tears and fell upon his hands. And he took no further notice of anything, but sat there motionless, without repelling the animals further then flew the doves to and fro, and perched on his shoulder and caressed his white hair, And he did not tire of their tenderness and joyousness. The strong lion, however, licked always the tears that fell on Zarathustra's hands, and roared and growled shyly. Thus did the animals do. All this went on for a long time or a short time, for properly speaking, there is no time on this earth for such things. Meanwhile, however, the higher men awakened in Zarathustra's cave, and marshaling themselves for a procession to go to meet Zarathustra and give him their morning greeting, for they had found when they awakened, that he no longer tarried with them. When, however, they reached the door of the cave, and the noise of their steps preceded them, the lion started violently and turned away all at once from Zarathustra, and, roaring wildly, sprang towards the cave. The higher men, however, when they heard the lion roaring, cried all aloud as with one voice, fled back and vanished in an instant Zarathustra himself, however, stunned and strange, arose from his seat, looked around him, stood there, astonished, acquiring of his heart, bethought himself and remained alone. What did I hear? He said, at last, slowly what happened unto me just now? But soon there came to him his recollection, and he took in at a glance all that had taken place between yesterday and to day. Here is in the stone, he said, and stroked his beard on it, sat I, yester morn, And here came the soothsayer unto me, And here heard I first the cry which I heard just now, the great cry of distress, Oh ye higher men, your distress? Was it that the old soothsayer foretold to me, yester morn, unto your distress? Did he want to seduce and tempt me, Oh, Zarathustra, he said to me, I come to seduce thee to the last sin, to my last sin, cried Zarathustra, and laughed angrily at his own words. What hath been reserved for me as my last sin? And once more Zarathustra became absorbed in himself, and sat down again on the big stone, and meditated. Suddenly he sprang up, fell suffering, fellow suffering with the higher men. He cried out, and his countenance changed into brass. Well, that hath its time, my suffering and my fellow suffering. What matter about them? Do I? Then strive after happiness? I strive after my work? Well, the lion hath come. My children are nigh. Zarathustra, hath grown ripe mine hour, hath come. This is my morning, my day beginneth arise, Now arise thout great noontide. Thus spake Zarathustra, and left his cave, glowing and strong, like a morning sun coming out of gloomy mountains. And of thus spake Zarathustra. By Friedrich Nietzsche