Tag Archives: Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Fear Science

Did your parents also take you to see Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey when you were 8 as mine took me? I am only beginning to understand this pretentious and misguided film now – 40 years later. The men in monkey-suits are particularly disturbing. I recall it was a very long, slow movie – and parts of it were DULL. Now, as I read Nietzsche’s …Zarathustra, I find the words that inspired some of the most striking scenes of this outdated but fascinating movie:

“…for fear is the original and basic feeling of man; from fear everything is explicable, original sin and original virtue. From fear my own virture too has grown, and it is called: science. For the fear of wild animals, that was bred in man longest of all — including the animal he harbors inside himself and fears: Zarathustra calls it ‘the inner beast.’ Such long old fear, finally refined, spiritualized, spiritual-today, it seems to me, this is called science.”

Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Walter Kaufmann translation from evankozierachi.com

Rainbow Bridges: Free Life

rainbow-bridge4

Escape from the bad smell!
Escape from the steam of these human sacrifices!

The earth is free even now for great souls. There are still many empty seats for the lonesome and the twosome, fanned by the fragrance of silent seas.

A free life is still free for great souls. Verily, whoever possesses little is possessed that much less: praised be a little poverty!

Only where the state ends, there begins the human being who is not superfluous: there begins the song of necessity, the unique and inimitable tune.

Where the state ends — look there, my brothers! Do you not see it, the rainbow and the bridges of the overman?

Thus spoke Zarathustra.

rainbow-bridgeBW

Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Part I
Walter Kaufmann translation from evankozierachi.com

State of the Abomination

tytlers-cycle   Diana of Ephesus1
On the New Idol

All-too-many are born: for the superfluous the state was invented.

Behold, how it lures them, the all-too-many — and how it devours them, chews them, and ruminates!

On earth there is nothing greater than I: the ordering finger of God am I — thus roars the monster. And it is not only the long-eared and shortsighted who sink to their knees. Alas, to you too, you great souls, it whispers its dark lies. Alas, it detects the rich hearts which like to squander themselves. Indeed, it detects you too, you vanquishers of the old god. You have grown weary with fighting, and now your weariness still serves the new idol. With heroes and honorable men it would surround itself, the new idol! It likes to bask in the sunshine of good consciences – the cold monster!

It will give you everything if you will adore it, this new idol: thus it buys the splendor of your virtues and the look of your proud eyes. It would use you as bait for the all-too-many.

Indeed, a hellish artifice was invented there, a horse of death, clattering in the finery of divine honors. Indeed, a dying for many was invented there, which praises itself as life: verily, a great service to all preachers of death!

State I call it where all drink poison, the good and the wicked; state, where all lose themselves, the good and the wicked; state, where the slow suicide of all is called “life.”

Behold the superfluous! They steal the works of the inventors and the treasures of the sages for themselves; education” they call their theft – and everything turns to sickness and misfortune for them.

Behold the superfluous! They are always sick; they vomit their gall and call it a newspaper. They devour each other and cannot even digest themselves.

Behold the superfluous! They gather riches and become poorer with them.
They want power and first the lever of power, much money-the impotent paupers!

Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None
Walter Kaufmann translation from evankozierachi.com

The Dancing Song

black-veiledwaterfalls

Into your eyes I looked recently, 0 life !
And into the unfathomable I then seemed to be sinking.
But you pulled me out with a golden fishing rod;
and you laughed mockingly when I called you unfathomable.

“Thus runs the speech of all fish,” you said; “what they do not fathom is unfathomable. But I am merely changeable and wild and a woman in every way, and not virtuous – even if you men call me profound, faithful, eternal, and mysterious. But you men always present us with your own virtues, 0 you virtuous men.”

Thus she laughed, the incredible one;
but I never believe her and her laughter when she speaks ill of herself.

And when I talked in confidence with my wild wisdom she said to me in anger, “You will, you want, you love — that is the only reason why you praise life.” Then I almost answered wickedly and told the angry woman the truth;
and there is no more wicked answer than telling one’s wisdom the truth.

For thus matters stand among the three of us: Deeply I love only life – and verily, most of all when I hate life. But that I am well disposed toward wisdom, and often too well, that is because she reminds me so much of life. She has her eyes, her laugh, and even her little golden fishing rod: is it my fault that the two look so similar?

And when life once asked me, ”Who is this wisdom?'” I answered fervently, “Oh yes, wisdom! One thirsts after her and is never satisfied; one looks through veils, one grabs through nets. Is she beautiful? How should I know? But even the oldest carps are baited with her. She is changeable and stubborn; often I have seen her bite her lip and comb her hair against the grain. Perhaps she is evil and false and a female in every way; but just when she speaks ill of herself she is most seductive.”

When I said this to life she laughed sarcastically and closed her eyes.” Of whom are you speaking?” she asked; “no doubt, of me. And even if you are right – should that be said to my face? But now speak of your wisdom too.”

Ah, and then you opened your eyes again, 0 beloved life.
And again I seemed to myself to be sinking into the unfathomable.

Thus Spoke Zarathustra , Part II
Walter Kaufmann translation from evankozierachi.com