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Title:EcceHomo

CompleteWorks,VolumeSeventeen

Author:FriedrichWilhelmNietzsche

Editor:OscarLevy

Translator:AnthonyM.Ludovici

PaulV.Cohn

ReleaseDate:May30,2016[EBook#52190]

Language:English

***STARTOFTHISPROJECTGUTENBERGEBOOKECCEHOMO***

ProducedbyMarcD'Hoogheathttp://www.freeliterature.org

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ECCEHOMO(NIETZSCHESAUTOBIOGRAPHY)

BY

FRIEDRICHNIETZSCHE

TRANSLATEDBY

ANTHONYM.LUDOVICI

POETRYRENDEREDBY

PAULV.COHN—FRANCISBICKLEY

HERMANSCHEFFAUER—DR.G.T.WRENCH

HYMNTOLIFE(composedbyF.NIETZSCHE)

TheCompleteWorksofFriedrichNietzsche

TheFirstCompleteandAuthorisedEnglishTranslation

EditedbyDrOscarLevy

VolumeSeventeen

T.N.FOULIS

13&15FREDERICKSTREET

EDINBURGH:ANDLONDON

1911

CONTENTS

TRANSLATOR'SINTRODUCTIONPREFACEWHYIAMSOWISEWHYIAMSOCLEVER

WHYIWRITESUCHEXCELLENTBOOKSTHEBIRTHOfTRAGEDYTHOUGHTSOUTOFSEASON"HUMAN,ALL-TOO-HUMANTHEDAWNOFDAYJOYFULWISDOM:LAGAYASCIENZATHUSSPAKEZARATHUSTRABEYONDGOODANDEVILTHEGENEALOGYOFMORALSTHETWILIGHTOFTHEIDOLSTHECASEOFWAGNERWHYIAMAFATALITYEDITORIALNOTETOPOETRYPOETRY—SONGS,EPIGRAMS,ETC.DIONYSUS-DITHYRAMBSFRAGMENTSOFDIONYSUS-DITHYRAMBSHYMNTOLIFE,COMPOSEDBYF.NIETZSCHE

TRANSLATOR'SINTRODUCTION

EcceHomo is the lastprosework thatNietzschewrote. It is true that thepamphletNietzschecontraWagnerwaspreparedamonthlater thantheAutobiography;butwecannotconsider thispamphletasanything more than a compilation, seeing that it consists entirely of aphorisms drawn from suchpreviousworksasJoyfulWisdom,BeyondGoodandEvil,TheGenealogyofMorals,etc.Comingattheend of a year in which he had produced the Case of Wagner, The Twilight of the Idols, and TheAntichrist,EcceHomo isnotonlyacoping-stoneworthyof thewonderfulcreationsof thatyear,butalsoafittingconclusiontohiswholelife,intheformofagrandsummingupofhischaracterasaman,his purpose as a reformer, andhis achievement as a thinker.As if half consciousof his approachingspiritualend,Nietzscheherebidshisfriendsfarewell,justinthemannerinwhich,intheTwilightoftheIdols(Aph.36,Partix.),hedeclaresthateveryoneshouldbeabletotakeleaveofhiscircleofrelativesandintimateswhenhistimeseemstohavecome—thatistosay,whileheisstillhimselfwhilehestillknowswhatheisabout,andisabletomeasurehisownlifeandlifeingeneral,andspeakofbothinamannerwhich is not vouchsafed to the groaning invalid, to theman lying on his back, decrepit andexhausted,ortothemoribundvictimofsomewastingdisease.Nietzsche'sspiritualdeath,likehiswholelife,was insingularharmonywithhisdoctrine:hediedsuddenlyandproudly,—sword inhand.War,whichhe—andhealoneamongallthephilosophersofChristendom—hadpraisedsowhole-heartedly,atlaststruckhimdowninthefullvigourofhismanhood,andlefthimavictimonthebattlefield—theterriblebattlefieldofthought,onwhichthereisnoquarter,andforwhichnoGenevaConventionhasyetbeenestablishedoreventhoughtof.

TothosewhoknowNietzsche'slife-work,noapologywillbeneededfortheformandcontentofthiswonderfulwork.Theywillknow,atleast,thatamaneitheris,orisnot,awareofhissignificanceandofthesignificanceofwhathehasaccomplished,andthatifheisawareofit,thenself-realisation,evenofthekindwhichwefindinthesepages,isneithermorbidnorsuspicious,butnecessaryandinevitable.Suchchapterheadings as "Why I amsoWise," "Why I amaFatality," "Why Iwrite suchExcellentBooks,"—howevermuch theymay have disturbed the equanimity, and "objectivity" in particular, ofcertainNietzschebiographers,canberegardedaspathologicalonlyinademocraticageinwhichpeoplehavelostallsenseofgraduationandrankandinwhichthevirtuesofmodestyandhumilityhavetobe

preachedfarandwideasacorrectiveagainstthevulgarpretensionsofthousandsofwretchednobodies.For little people can be endured only as modest citizens; or humble Christians. If, however, theydemandalikemodestyonthepartofthetrulygreat;iftheyraisetheirvoicesagainstNietzsche'slackoftheveryvirtuetheysoabundantlypossessorpretendtopossess,itistimetoremindthemofGoethe'sfamousremark:"NurLumpesindbescheiden"(Onlynobodiesareevermodest).

IttookNietzschebarelythreeweekstowritethisstoryofhislife.Begunonthe15thofOctober1888,hisfour-and-fourtiethbirthday,itwasfinishedonthe4thofNovemberofthesameyear,and,butforafew triflingmodificationsandadditions, is just asNietzsche left it. Itwasnotpublished inGermanyuntil theyear1908, eightyearsafterNietzsche'sdeath. Ina letterdated the27thofDecember1888,addressedtothemusicalcomposerFuchs,theauthordeclarestheobjectoftheworktobetodisposeofalldiscussion,doubt,andinquiryconcerninghisownpersonality,inordertoleavethepublicmindfreetoconsidermerely"thethingsforthesakeofwhichheexisted"("dieDinge,derentwegenichdabin").And, true tohis intention,Nietzsche'shonesty in thesepages iscertainlyoneof themost remarkablefeaturesabout them.Fromthe firstchapter, inwhichhe franklyacknowledges thedecadentelementswithinhim,tothelastpage,whereonhecharacteriseshismission,hislife-task,andhisachievement,bymeans of the one symbol, Dionysus versus Christ,—everything comes straight from the shoulder,without hesitation, without fear of consequences, and, above all, without concealment. Only in oneplacedoesheappeartoconcealsomething,andthenheactuallyleadsonetounderstandthatheisdoingso.ItisinregardtoWagner,thegreatestfriendofhislife."Whodoubts,"hesays,"thatI,oldartillery-manthatIam,wouldbeableifIlikedtopointmyheavygunsatWagner?"—Butheadds:"EverythingdecisiveinthisquestionIkepttomyself—IhavelovedWagner"(p.122).

Topoint,asmanyhavedone,totheproximityofallNietzsche'sautumnworkoftheyear1888tohisbreakdownatthebeginningof1889,andtoarguethatinallitsmainfeaturesitforetellsthecatastrophethatisimminent,seemsalittletooplausible,alittletooobviousandsimpletorequirerefutation.ThatNietzsche reallywas in a statewhich inmedicine isknownaseuphoria—that is to say, that stateofhighest well-being and capacity which often precedes a complete breakdown, cannot, I suppose, bequestioned;forhisstyle,hispenetratingvision,andhisvigour,reachtheirzenithintheworkswritteninthisautumnof1888;butthecontentionthatthematter,thesubstance,oftheseworksrevealsanysignswhatsoeverofwaningmentalhealth,or,asacertainFrenchbiographerhasit,ofaninabilityto"holdhimselfandhisjudgmentsincheck,"isbestcontradictedbytheinternalevidenceitself.Totakejustafew examples at random, examine the cold and calculating tone of self-analysis inChapter I. of thepresentwork;considerthereserveandtherestraintwithwhichtheideainAphorism7ofthatchapterisworkedout,—nottospeakoftherestraintandself-masteryintheideaitself,namely:—

"Tobeone'senemy'sequal—thisisthefirstconditionofanhonourableduel.Whereonedespisesonecannotwagewar.Whereonecommands,whereoneseessomethingbeneathone,oneoughtnottowagewar.Mywartacticscanbereducedtofourprinciples:First,Iattackonlythingsthataretriumphant—ifnecessaryIwaituntiltheybecometriumphant.Secondly,IattackonlythosethingsagainstwhichIfindno allies, againstwhich I stand alone—againstwhich I compromise nobody butmyself.... Thirdly, Inevermakepersonalattacks—Iuseapersonalitymerelyasamagnifying-glass,bymeansofwhichIrenderageneral,butelusiveandscarcelynoticeableevil,moreapparent....Fourthly,Iattackonlythosethings fromwhichallpersonaldifferencesareexcluded, inwhichanysuch thingasabackgroundofdisagreeableexperiencesislacking."

Andnownotice thegentlenesswithwhich, inChapter II.,Wagner—the supposedmortal enemy, thesupposedenviedrivaltoNietzsche—istreated.ArethesethewordsandthethoughtsofamanwhoHaslost,orwhoislosingcontrol?

Andevenifweconfineourselvessimplytothesubstanceofthisworkandputthequestion—IsitanewNietzscheortheoldNietzschethatwefindinthesepages?Isittheoldcountenancewithwhichwearefamiliar,orarethefeaturesdistorted,awry,disfigured?Whatwilltheanswerbe?ObviouslythereisnoneworevendeformedNietzschehere,becauseheisstillfaithfultothepositionwhichheassumedinThusspakeZarathustra, fiveyearspreviously,and isperfectlyconsciousof this fidelity (seep.141);neithercanhebeevenonthevergeofanymarkedchange,becausethewholeofthethirdchapter,inwhich he reviews his life-work, is simply a reiteration and a confirmation of his old points of view,which are here made all the more telling by additional arguments suggested, no doubt, by maturerthought.Infact,ifanythingatallisnewinthiswork,itisitscoolcertainty,itsseveredeliberateness,anditsextraordinarilyincisivevision,asshown,forinstance,inthesummingupofthegenuineimportof the third and fourth essays in theThoughts out of Season (pp. 75-76, 80, 81, 82), a summing upwhich a most critical analysis of the essays in question can but verify. Romanticism, idealism,Christianity,arestillscornedanddespised;anotheroutlook,anobler,braver,andmoreearthlyoutlook,is still upheld and revered; the great yea to life, including all that it contains that is terrible andquestionable, is still pronounced in the teeth of pessimists, nihilists, anarchists,Christians, and otherdecadents;andGermany,"Europe'sflatland,"isstillsubjectedtothemostrelentlesscriticism.Ifthereareanysignsofchange,besidesthoseofmeregrowth,inthiswork,theycertainlysucceedineludingthemostcarefulsearch,undertakenwithafullknowledgeofNietzsche'sformeropinions,anditwouldbeinterestingtoknowpreciselywheretheyarefoundbythosewriterswhomthetitlesofthechapters,alone,seemsoradicallytohaveperturbed.

Butthemoststrikingthingofall,themiracle,sotospeak,ofthisautobiography,istheabsencefromitofthatloathing,thatsuggestionofsurfeit,withwhichalifesuchastheoneNietzschehadled,wouldhavefilledanyothermanevenofpowerapproximatetohisown.Thisanchorite,who,inthelastyearsofhislifeasahealthyhumanbeing,sufferedtheexperienceofseeingevenhisoldestfriends,includingRhode,showthemostcompleteindifferencetohislot,thiswrestlerwithFate,forwhomrecognition,inthepersonsofBrandes,Taine,andStrindberg,hadcomealltoolate,andwhomevensupport,sympathy,andhelp,arrivingas itdidat last, throughDeussenandfromMadamedeSalisMarschlins,couldnolongercheerorcomfort,—thiswasthemanwhowasablenotwithstandingtoinscribethedeviceamorfatiuponhisshieldontheveryeveofhisfinalcollapseasavictimoftheunspeakablesufferinghehadendured.

And this final collapsemight easilyhavebeen foreseen.Nietzsche's sensorium, ashis autobiographyproves, was probably themost delicate instrument ever possessed by a human being; and with thisfragile structure—the prerequisite, by the bye, of all genius,—his terrible will compelled him toconfrontthemostprofoundandmostreconditeproblems.Wehappentoknowfromanotherartistandprofound thinker,BenjaminDisraeli,whohimselfhadexperiencedadangerousbreakdown,what theconsequences precisely are of indulging in excessive activity in the sphere of the spirit, moreparticularlywhenthatspiritishighlyorganised.DisraelisaysinContariniFleming(Partiv.chap.v.):—

"Ihavesometimeshalfbelieved,althoughthesuspicionismortifying,thatthereisonlyonestepbetweenhisstatewhodeeplyindulgesinimaginativemeditation,andinsanity;forIwellrememberthat at this period of my life, when I indulged in meditation to a degree that would now beimpossible,andIhopeunnecessary,mysensessometimesappearedtobewandering."

Andartistsaretheproperjudgesofartists,—notOxfordDons,likeDr.Schiller,who,inhisimprudentattemptatdealingwithsomethingforwhichhispragmatichandsarenotsufficientlydelicate,eagerlyav-ailshimselfofpopularhelpinhisarticleonNietzscheintheeleventheditionof theEncyclopedia

Britannica, and implies the hackneyed and wholly exploded belief that Nietzsche's philosophy ismadnessinthemaking.AsGermanphilosophies,however,aresaidtogotoOxfordonlywhentheydie,we may, perhaps, conclude from this want of appreciation in that quarter, how very much aliveNietzsche'sdoctrinestillis.

Not that Nietzsche went mad so soon, but that he went mad so late is the wonder of wonders.Consideringtheextraordinaryamountofworkhedid,thegreattaskofthetransvaluationofallvalues,whichheactuallyaccomplished,andthefactthatheenduredsuchlongyearsofsolitude,whichtohim,thesensitiveartist towhomfriendswereeverything,musthavebeena terriblehardship,wecanonlywonderathisgreathealth,andcanwellbelievehissister'saccountof thephenomenal longevityandbodilyvigourofhisancestors.

Noone,however,whoisinitiated,noonewhoreadsthisworkwithunderstanding,willbeinneedofthisintroductorynoteofmine;for,toallwhoknow,thesepagesmustspeakforthemselves.Wearenolongerinthenineteenthcentury.Wehavelearnedmanythingssincethen,andifcautionisonlyoneofthese things, at least it will prevent us from judging a book such as this one, with all its apparentpontificalprideandsurgingself-reliance,withunduehaste,orwiththatarrogantassurancewithwhichtheignoranceof"thehumble"and"themodest"hasalwaysconfrontedeverythingtrulygreat.

ANTHONYM.LUDOVICI.

PREFACE

1

Asitismyintentionwithinaveryshorttimetoconfrontmyfellow-menwiththeverygreatestdemandthathaseveryetbeenmadeupon them, it seems tomeabove allnecessary todeclareherewhoandwhat I am.As amatter of fact, this ought to be prettywell known already, for I have not "heldmytongue" about myself. But the disparity which obtains between the greatness of my task and thesmallnessofmycontemporaries,isrevealedbythefactthatpeoplehaveneitherheardmenoryetseenme.Iliveonmyownself-madecredit,anditisprobablyonlyaprejudicetosupposethatIamaliveatall.IdobutrequiretospeaktoanyoneofthescholarswhocometotheOber-Engadineinthesummerin order to convincemyself that I amnot alive....Under these circumstances, it is a duty—and oneagainstwhichmycustomaryreserve,and toastillgreaterdegree theprideofmy instincts, rebel—tosay:Listen!forIamsuchandsuchaperson.ForHeaven'ssakedonotconfoundmewithanyoneelse!

2

Iam,forinstance,innowiseabogeyman,ormoralmonster.Onthecontrary,Iamtheveryoppositeinnaturetothekindofmanthathasbeenhonouredhithertoasvirtuous.Betweenourselves,itseemstome that this is precisely a matter on which I may feel proud. I am a disciple of the philosopherDionysus,andIwouldprefertobeevenasatyrthanasaint.Butjustreadthisbook!MaybeIhaveheresucceededinexpressingthiscontrast inacheerfulandat thesametimesympatheticmanner—maybethisistheonlypurposeofthepresentwork.

TheverylastthingIshouldpromisetoaccomplishwouldbeto"improve"mankind.Idonotsetupany

newidols;mayoldidolsonlylearnwhatitcoststohavelegsofclay.Tooverthrowidols(idolsisthename I give to all ideals) ismuchmore likemy business. In proportion as an idealworld has beenfalsely assumed, reality has been robbed of its value, its meaning, and its truthfulness.... The "trueworld"andthe"apparentworld"—inplainEnglish,thefictitiousworldandreality....Hithertothelieoftheidealhasbeenthecurseofreality;bymeansofittheverysourceofmankind'sinstinctshasbecomemendaciousandfalse;somuchsothat thosevalueshavecometobeworshippedwhichare theexactoppositeoftheoneswhichwouldensureman'sprosperity,hisfuture,andhisgreatrighttoafuture.

3

Hewhoknowshowtobreatheintheairofmywritingsisconsciousthatitistheairoftheheights,thatitisbracing.Amanmustbebuiltforit,otherwisethechancesarethatitwillchillhim.Theiceisnear,thelonelinessisterrible—buthowserenelyeverythingliesinthesunshine!howfreelyonecanbreathe!howmuch, one feels, lies beneath one! Philosophy, as I have understood it hitherto, is a voluntaryretirement into regions of ice and mountain-peaks—the seeking—out of everything strange andquestionable in existence, everything upon which, hitherto, morality has set its ban. Through longexperience, derived from suchwanderings in forbidden country, I acquired an opinion very differentfrom that which may seem generally desirable, of the causes which hitherto have led to men'smoralisingandidealising.Thesecrethistoryofphilosophers,thepsychologyoftheirgreatnames,wasrevealed to me. How much truth can a certain mind endure; how much truth can it dare?—thesequestionsbecameformeevermoreandmoretheactualtestofvalues.Error(thebeliefintheideal)isnotblindness;erroriscowardice....Everyconquest,everystepforwardinknowledge,istheoutcomeofcourage,ofhardnesstowardsone'sself,ofcleanlinesstowardsone'sself.Idonotrefuteideals;allIdoistodrawonmyglovesintheirpresence....Nitimurinvetitum;withthisdevicemyphilosophywilloneday be victorious; for thatwhich has hitherto beenmost stringently forbidden is,without exception,Truth.

4

Inmylifework,myZarathustraholdsaplaceapart.Withit,Igavemyfellow-menthegreatestgiftthathaseverbeenbestowedupon them.Thisbook, thevoiceofwhichspeaksoutacross theages, isnotonlytheloftiestbookonearth, literallythebookofmountainair,—thewholephenomenon,mankind,liesatanincalculabledistancebeneathit,—butitisalsothedeepestbook,bornoftheinmostabundanceof truth; an inexhaustiblewell, intowhichnopitcher canbe loweredwithout comingupagain ladenwithgoldandwithgoodness.Hereitisnota"prophet"whospeaks,oneofthosegruesomehybridsofsicknessandWilltoPower,whommencallfoundersofreligions.Ifamanwouldnotdoasadwrongtohiswisdom,hemust,aboveallgiveproperheedtothetones—thehalcyonictones—thatfallfromthelipsofZarathustra:—

"Themostsilentwordsareharbingersofthestorm;thoughtsthatcomeondove'sfeetleadtheworld.

"Thefigsfallfromthetrees;theyaregoodandsweet,and,whentheyfall,theirredskinsarerent.

"AnorthwindamIuntoripefigs.

"Thus,likefigs,dothesepreceptsdropdowntoyou,myfriends;nowdrinktheirjuiceandtheirsweetpulp.

"Itisautumnallaround,andclearsky,andafternoon."

Nofanaticspeakstoyouhere;thisisnota"sermon";nofaithisdemandedinthesepages.Fromoutaninfinitetreasureoflightandwellofjoy,dropbydrop,mywordsfallout—aslowandgentlegaitisthecadence of these discourses. Such things can reach only themost elect; it is a rare privilege to be alistenerhere;notevery?onewholikescanhaveearstohearZarathustra.IIsnotZarathustra,becauseofthesethings,aseducer?...Butwhat,indeed,doeshehimselfsay,whenforthefirsttimehegoesbacktohis solitude? Just the reverse of that which any "Sage," "Saint," "Saviour of the world," and otherdecadentwouldsay....Notonlyhiswords,buthehimselfisotherthanthey.

"AlonedoInowgo,mydisciples!Getyealsohence,andalone!ThuswouldIhaveit.

"Verily,Ibeseechyou:takeyourleaveofmeandarmyourselvesagainstZarathustra!Andbetterstill,beashamedofhim!Maybehehathdeceivedyou.

"Theknightofknowledgemustbeablenotonlytolovehisenemies,butalsotohatehisfriends.

"Theman who remaineth a pupil requiteth his teacher but ill. And why would ye not pluck at mywreath?

"Yehonourme;butwhatifyourreverenceshouldonedaybreakdown?Takeheed,lestastatuecrushyou.

"YesayyebelieveinZarathustra?Butof;whataccountisZarathustra?Yearemybelievers:butofwhataccountareallbelievers?

"Yehadnotyetsoughtyourselveswhenyefoundme.Thusdoallbelievers;thereforeisallbelievingworthsolittle.

"NowIbidyoulosemeandfindyourselves;andonlywhenyehavealldeniedmewill Icomebackuntoyou."

FRIEDRICHNIETZSCHE.

[Pg6][Pg7]

Onthisperfectday,wheneverythingisripening,andnotonlythegrapesaregettingbrown,arayofsunshinehasfallenonmylife:Ilookedbehindme,Ilookedbeforeme,andneverhaveIseensomanygoodthingsallatonce.NotinvainhaveIburiedmyfour-and-fortiethyearto-day;Ihadtherighttoburyit—thatinitwhichstillhadlife,hasbeensavedandisimmortal.ThefirstbookoftheTransvaluationofallValues,TheSongsofZarathustra,TheTwilightoftheIdols,myattempt, tophilosophisewiththehammer—allthesethingsarethegiftofthisyear,andevenofitslastquarter.HowcouldIhelpbeingthankfultothewholeofmylife?

ThatiswhyIamnowgoingtotellmyselfthestoryofmylife.

[Pg8][Pg9]

ECCEHOMO

HOWONEBECOMESWHATONEIS

WHYIAMSOWISE

1

Thehappinessofmyexistence, itsuniquecharacterperhaps,consists in its fatefulness: to speak inariddle,asmyownfatherIamalreadydead,asmyownmotherIstill liveandgrowold.Thisdoubleorigin,takenasitwerefromthehighestandlowestrungsoftheladderoflife,atonceadecadentandabeginning, this, if anything, explains that neutrality, that freedom from partisanship in regard to thegeneralproblemofexistence,whichperhapsdistinguishesme.Tothefirstindicationsofascendingorof descending life my nostrils are more sensitive than those of any man that has yet lived. In thisdomainIamamastertomybackbone—Iknowbothsides,forIambothsides.Myfatherdiedinhissix-and-thirtiethyear:hewasdelicate,lovable,andmorbid,likeonewhoispreordainedtopaysimplyaflyingvisit—agracious reminderof life rather than life itself. In the sameyear thathis lifedeclinedminealsodeclined:inmysix-and-thirtiethyearIreachedthelowestpointinmyvitality,—Istilllived,butmyeyescoulddistinguishnothingthatlaythreepacesawayfromme.Atthattime—itwastheyear1879—IresignedmyprofessorshipatBâle,livedthroughthesummerlikeashadowinSt.Moritz,andspentthefollowingwinter,themostsunlessofmylife,likeashadowinNaumburg.Thiswasmylowestebb.DuringthisperiodIwroteTheWandererandHisShadow.WithoutadoubtIwasconversantwithshadows then. Thewinter that followed,my firstwinter inGenoa, brought forth that sweetness andspiritualitywhichisalmostinseparablefromextremepovertyofbloodandmuscle,intheshapeofTheDawnofDay, The perfect lucidity and cheerfulness, the intellectual exuberance even, that thisworkreflects,coincides,inmycase,notonlywiththemostprofoundphysiologicalweakness,butalsowithanexcessofsuffering.Inthemidstoftheagonyofaheadachewhichlastedthreedays,accompaniedbyviolentnausea, Iwaspossessedofmost singulardialectical clearness, and in absolutely coldblood Ithen thoughtout things, forwhich, inmymorehealthymoments, I amnot enoughof a climber,notsufficientlysubtle,notsufficientlycold.MyreadersperhapsknowtowhatextentIconsiderdialecticasymptomofdecadence,as,forinstance,inthemostfamousofallcases—thecaseofSocrates.Allthemorbid disturbances of the intellect, even that semi-stuporwhich accompanies fever, have, unto thisday, remained completely unknown tome; and formy first information concerning their nature andfrequency, I was obliged to have recourse to the learned works which have been compiled on thesubject.Mycirculationisslow.Noonehaseverbeenabletodetectfeverinme.Adoctorwhotreatedmeforsometimeasanervepatientfinallydeclared:"No!thereisnothingwrongwithyournerves,itissimplyIwhoamnervous."Ithasbeenabsolutelyimpossibletoascertainanylocaldegenerationinme,noranyorganicstomach trouble,howevermuchImayhavesufferedfromprofoundweaknessof thegastricsystemastheresultofgeneralexhaustion.Evenmyeyetrouble,whichsometimesapproachedso parlously near to blindness, was only an effect and not a cause; for, whenever my general vitalconditionimproved,mypowerofvisionalsoincreased.Havingadmittedallthis,doIneedtosaythatIam experienced in questions of decadence? I know them inside and out. Even that filigree art ofprehensionandcomprehensioningeneral,thatfeelingfordelicateshadesofdifference,thatpsychologyof"seeingthroughbrickwalls,"andwhateverelseImaybeabletodo,wasfirstlearntthen,andisthespecificgiftofthatperiodduringwhicheverythinginmewassubtilised,—observationitself,togetherwithall theorgansofobservation.Tolookuponhealthierconceptsandvaluesfromthestandpointof

the sick, and conversely to look down upon the secret work of the instincts of decadence from thestandpoint of himwho is laden and self-reliant with the richness of life—this has beenmy longestexercise,myprincipalexperience.Ifinanythingatall,itwasinthisthatIbecameamaster.To-daymyhandknowsthe trick, Inowhave theknackofreversingperspectives: thefirst reasonperhapswhyaTransvaluationofallValueshasbeenpossibletomealone.

2

For, apart from the fact that I amadecadent, I amalso the reverseof suchacreature.Amongotherthingsmyproof of this is, that I always instinctively select the proper remedywhenmy spiritual orbodilyhealthis low;whereasthedecadent,assuch, invariablychoosesthoseremedieswhicharebadfor him.As awhole Iwas sound, but in certain details Iwas a decadent. That energywithwhich Isentencedmyselftoabsolutesolitude,andtoaseverancefromallthoseconditionsinlifetowhichIhadgrown accustomed;my discipline ofmyself, andmy refusal to allowmyself to be pampered, to betended hand and foot, and to be doctored—all this betrays the absolute certainty of my instinctsrespectingwhat at that timewasmost needful tome. I placedmyself inmy own hands, I restoredmyselftohealth:thefirstconditionofsuccessinsuchanundertaking,aseveryphysiologistwilladmit,isthatatbottomamanshouldbesound.Anintrinsicallymorbidnaturecannotbecomehealthy.Ontheotherhand,toanintrinsicallysoundnature,illnessmayevenconstituteapowerfulstimulustolife,toasurplusoflife.ItisinthislightthatInowregardthelongperiodofillnessthatIendured:itseemedasifIhaddiscoveredlifeafresh,myownselfincluded.Itastedallgoodthingsandeventriflesinawayinwhich it was not easy for others to taste them—out of myWill to Health and to Life I made myphilosophy....Forthisshouldbethoroughlyunderstood;itwasduringthoseyearsinwhichmyvitalityreacheditslowestpointthatIceasedfrombeingapessimist: theinstinctofself-recoveryforbademyholding to a philosophy of poverty and desperation. Now, by what signs are Nature's lucky strokesrecognisedamongmen?Theyarerecognisedbythefactthatanysuchluckystrokegladdensoursenses;thatheiscarvedfromoneintegralblock,whichishard,sweet,andfragrantaswell.Heenjoysthatonlywhichisgoodforhim;hispleasure,hisdesire,ceaseswhenthelimitsofthatwhichisgoodforhimareoverstepped. He divines remedies for injuries; he knows how to turn serious accidents to his ownadvantage;thatwhichdoesnotkillhimmakeshimstronger.Heinstinctivelygathershismaterialfromallhesees,hears,andexperiences.Heisaselectiveprinciple;herejectsmuch.Heisalwaysinhisowncompany,whether his intercourse bewith books,withmen, orwith natural scenery; he honours thethings he chooses, the things he acknowledges, the things he trusts.He reacts slowly to all kinds ofstimuli, with that tardiness which long caution and deliberate pride have bred in him—he tests theapproachingstimulus;hewouldnotdreamofmeetingithalf-way.Hebelievesneitherin"ill-luck"nor"guilt"; he can digest himself and others; he knows how to forget—he is strong enough to makeeverythingturntohisownadvantage.

Lo then! I am the very reverse of a decadent, for hewhom I have just described is none other thanmyself.

3

Thisdoublethreadofexperiences,thismeansofaccesstotwoworldsthatseemsofarasunder,findsineverydetailitscounterpartinmyownnature—Iammyowncomplement:Ihavea"second"sight,aswellasafirst.AndperhapsIalsohaveathirdsight.BytheverynatureofmyoriginIwasallowedanoutlookbeyondallmerelylocal,merelynationalandlimitedhorizons;itrequirednoeffortonmypart

tobea"goodEuropean."Ontheotherhand,IamperhapsmoreGermanthanmodernGermans—mereImperialGermans—canhopetobe,—I,thelastanti-politicalGerman.Bethisasitmay,myancestorswerePolishnoblemen:itisowingtothemthatIhavesomuchraceinstinctinmyblood—whoknows?perhapseven the liberumveto[1]WhenI thinkof thenumberof times inmy travels that IhavebeenaccostedasaPole,evenbyPolesthemselves,andhowseldomIhavebeentakenforaGerman,itseemsto me as if I belonged to those only who have a sprinkling of German in them. But my mother,FranziskaOehler,isatanyratesomethingveryGerman;asisalsomypaternalgrandmother,ErdmutheKrause.ThelatterspentthewholeofheryouthingoodoldWeimar,notwithoutcomingintocontactwithGoethe'scircle.Herbrother,Krause, theProfessorofTheologyinKönigsberg,wascalledtothepostofGeneralSuperintendentatWeimarafterHerder'sdeath. It isnotunlikely thathermother,mygreatgrandmother, ismentioned inyoungGoethe'sdiaryunder thenameof"Muthgen."Shemarriedtwice, and her second husbandwas SuperintendentNietzsche of Eilenburg. In 1813, the year of thegreatwar,whenNapoleonwith his general staff enteredEilenburg on the 10th ofOctober, she gavebirthtoason.AsadaughterofSaxonyshewasagreatadmirerofNapoleon,andmaybeIamsostill.Myfather,bornin1813,diedin1849.PrevioustotakingoverthepastorshipoftheparishofRöcken,not far fromLützen,he lived for someyears at theCastleofAltenburg,wherehehadchargeof theeducationofthefourprincesses.HispupilsaretheQueenofHanover,theGrand-DuchessConstantine,theGrand-Duchess ofOldenburg, and the Princess Theresa of Saxe-Altenburg.Hewas full of loyalrespect for the Prussian King, FrederickWilliam the Fourth, from whom he obtained his living atRöcken;theeventsof1848saddenedhimextremely.AsIwasbornonthe15thofOctober,thebirthdayofthekingabovementioned,InaturallyreceivedtheHohenzollernnamesofFrederickWilliam.Therewas at all events one advantage in the choice of this day:my birthday throughout thewhole ofmychildhoodwasadayofpublicrejoicing.Iregarditasagreatprivilegetohavehadsuchafather:itevenseemstomethatthisembracesallthatIcanclaiminthematterofprivileges—life,thegreatyeatolife,excepted.WhatIowetohimaboveallisthis,thatIdonotneedanyspecialintention,butmerelyalittlepatience,inorderinvoluntarilytoenteraworldofhigherandmoredelicatethings.ThereIamathome,therealonedoesmy inmostpassionbecome free.The fact that Ihad topay for thisprivilegealmostwith my life, certainly does not make it a bad bargain. In order to understand even a little ofmyZarathustra,perhapsamanmustbesituatedandconstitutedverymuchasIammyself—withonefootbeyondtherealmoftheliving.

4

Ihaveneverunderstoodtheartofarousingill-feelingagainstmyself,—thisisalsosomethingforwhichI have to thank my incomparable father,—even when it seemed to me highly desirable to do so.However un-Christian itmay seem, I do not even bear any ill-feeling towardsmyself. Turnmy lifeaboutasyoumay,youwillfindbutseldom—perhapsindeedonlyonce—anytraceofsomeone'shavingshown me ill-will. You might perhaps discover, however, too many traces of goodwill.... Myexperiencesevenwiththoseonwhomeveryothermanhasburnthisfingers,speakwithoutexceptionintheir favour; I tame everybear, I canmake even clownsbehavedecently.During the sevenyears inwhich I taughtGreek to the sixth formof theCollege atBâle, I never had occasion to administer apunishment;thelaziestyouthswerediligentinmyclass.Theunexpectedhasalwaysfoundmeequaltoit; Imustbeunprepared inorder tokeepmyself-command.Whatever the instrumentwas, even if itwereasoutoftuneastheinstrument"man"canpossiblybe,—itwasonlywhenIwasillthatIcouldnotsucceedinmakingitexpresssomethingthatwasworthhearing.AndhowoftenhaveInotbeentoldbythe "instruments" themselves, that they had never before heard their voices express such beautifulthings....ThiswassaidtomemostdelightfullyperhapsbythatyoungfellowHeinrichvonStein,who

diedatsuchanunpardonablyearlyage,andwho,afterhavingconsideratelyaskedleavetodoso,onceappearedinSils-Mariaforathreedays'sojourn,tellingeverybodytherethatitwasnotfortheEngadinethat he had come.This excellent person,whowith all the impetuous simplicity of a youngPrussiannobleman, had waded deep into the swamp ofWagnerism (and into that of Dübringism[2] into thebargain!),seemedalmosttransformedduringthesethreedaysbyahurricaneoffreedom,likeonewhohasbeensuddenlyraisedtohisfullheightandgivenwings.AgainandagainIsaidtohimthatthiswasallowingtothesplendidair;everybodyfeltthesame,—onecouldnotstand6000feetaboveBayreuthfornothing,—buthewouldnotbelieveme....Be this as itmay, if I havebeen thevictimofmanyasmallorevengreatoffence, itwasnot "will,"and leastofall ill-will thatactuated theoffenders;butrather,asIhavealreadysuggested,itwasgoodwill,thecauseofnosmallamountofmischiefinfmylife,aboutwhichIhadtocomplain.Myexperiencegavemearighttofeelsuspiciousinregardtoallso-called "unselfish" instincts, in regard to the whole of "neighbourly love" which is ever ready andwaitingwithdeedsorwithadvice.Tomeitseemsthattheseinstinctsareasignofweakness,theyareanexampleof the inability towithstandastimulus—it isonlyamongdecadents that thispity iscalledavirtue.WhatIreproachthepitifulwithis, that theyare tooreadytoforgetshame,reverence,andthedelicacyoffeelingwhichknowshowtokeepatadistance;theydonotrememberthatthisgushingpitystinksofthemob,andthatitisnextofkintobadmanners—thatpitifulhandsmaybethrustwithresultsfatally destructive into a great destiny, into a lonely andwounded retirement, and into the privilegeswithwhichgreatguiltendowsone.Theovercomingofpity I reckonamong thenoblevirtues; In the"TemptationofZarathustra"Ihaveimaginedacase,inwhichagreatcryofdistressreacheshisears,inwhichpity swoopsdownuponhim likea last sin, andwouldmakehimbreak faithwithhimself.Toremain one's ownmaster in such circumstances, to keep the sublimity of one'smission pure in suchcases,—purefromthemanyignobleandmoreshort-sightedimpulseswhichcomeintoplayinso-calledunselfishactions,—thisistherub,thelasttestperhapswhichaZarathustrahastoundergo—theactualproofofhispower.

5

InyetanotherrespectIamnomorethanmyfatheroveragain,andasitwerethecontinuationofhislifeafteranall-too-earlydeath.Likeeverymanwhohasneverbeenabletomeethisequal,anduntowhomtheconcept "retaliation" is just as incomprehensibleas thenotionof "equal rights," Ihave forbiddenmyself theuseof any sort ofmeasureof securityorprotection—andalso, of course, ofdefence and"justification"—inallcasesinwhichIhavebeenmadethevictimeitheroftriflingorevenverygreatfoolishness.Myformofretaliationconsistsinthis:assoonaspossibletosetapieceofclevernessattheheelsofanactofstupidity;bythismeansperhapsitmaystillbepossibletoovertakeit.Tospeakinaparable:Idispatchapotofjaminordertogetridofabitterexperience....Letanybodyonlygivemeoffence, I shall "retaliate," he can be quite sure of that: before long I discover an opportunity ofexpressingmythankstothe"offender"(amongotherthingsevenfortheoffence)—orofaskinghimforsomething,whichcanbemorecourteouseventhangiving.Italsoseemstomethattherudestword,therudest letter, is more good-natured, more straightforward, than silence. Those—who keep silent arealmost always lacking in subtlety and refinement of heart; silence is an objection, to swallow agrievancemust necessarily produce a bad temper—it even upsets the stomach.All silent people aredyspeptic.YouperceivethatIshouldnotliketoseerudenessundervalued;itisbyfarthemosthumaneformofcontradiction,and, in themidstofmoderneffeminacy, it isoneofour firstvirtues; Ifone issufficientlyrichforit,itmayevenbeajoytobewrong.Ifagodweretodescendtothisearth,hewouldhave todonothingbutwrong—to takeguilt notpunishment,onone's shoulders, is the firstproofofdivinity.

6

Freedom from resentment and the understanding of the nature of resentment—whoknowshowverymuchafterallIamindebtedtomylongillnessforthesetwothings?Theproblemisnotexactlysimple:a man must have experienced both through his strength and through his weakness, If illness andweakness are to be chargedwith anything at all, it iswith the fact thatwhen they prevail, the veryinstinctofrecovery,whichistheinstinctofdefenceandofwarinman,becomesdecayed.Heknowsnothowtogetridofanything,howtocometotermswithanything,andhowtocastanythingbehindhim.Everything wounds him. People and things draw importunately near, all experiences strike deep,memory is a gatheringwound.Tobe ill is a sort of resentment in itself.Against this resentment theinvalidhasonlyonegreat remedy—Icall itRussian fatalism, that fatalismwhich is free fromrevolt,andwithwhich theRussian soldier, towhoma campaignprovesunbearable, ultimately lays himselfdown in the snow. To accept nothingmore, to undertake nothingmore, to absorb nothingmore—toceaseentirelyfromreacting....Thetremendoussagacityofthisfatalism,whichdoesnotalwaysimplymerely the courage for death, butwhich in themost dangerous casesmay actually constitute a self-preservativemeasure,amountstoareductionofactivityinthevitalfunctions,theslackeningdownofwhichislikeasortofwilltohibernate.Afewstepsfartherinthisdirectionwefindthefakir,whowillsleepforweeksinatomb....Owingtothefactthatonewouldbeuseduptooquicklyifonereacted,onenolongerreactsatall:thisistheprinciple.Andnothingonearthconsumesamanmorequicklythanthepassion of resentment.Mortification,morbid susceptibility, the inability towreak revenge, the desireandthirstforrevenge,theconcoctionofeverysortofpoison—thisissurelythemostinjuriousmannerofreactingwhichcouldpossiblybeconceivedbyexhaustedmen.Itinvolvesarapidwastingawayofnervous energy, an abnormal increase of detrimental secretions, as, for instance, that of bile into thestomach.Tothesickmanresentmentoughttobemorestrictlyforbiddenthananythingelse—itishisspecialdanger:unfortunately,however,itisalsohismostnaturalpropensity.ThiswasfullygraspedbythatprofoundphysiologistBuddha.His"religion,"whichitwouldbebettertocallasystemofhygiene,inordertoavoidconfoundingitwithacreedsowretchedasChristianity,dependedforitseffectuponthe triumph over resentment: tomake the soul free therefromwas considered the first step towardsrecovery. "Not through hostility is hostility put to flight; through friendship does hostility end": thisstands at the beginning of Buddha's teaching—this is not a precept of morality, but of physiology.Resentmentbornofweaknessisnotmoredeleterioustoanybodythanitistotheweakmanhimself—conversely, in the case of that man whose nature is fundamentally a rich one, resentment is asuperfluousfeeling,afeelingtoremainmasterofwhichisalmostaproofofriches.Thoseofmyreaderswhoknow the earnestness-withwhichmyphilosophywageswar against the feelingsof revengeandrancour,eventotheextentofattackingthedoctrineof"freewill"(myconflictwithChristianityisonlyaparticularinstanceofit),willunderstandwhyIwishtofocusattentionuponmyownpersonalattitudeand the certainty of my practical instincts precisely in this matter. In my moments of decadence Iforbademyself the indulgence of the above feelings, because theywere harmful; as soon asmy liferecoveredenoughrichesandpride,however,Iregardedthemagainasforbidden,butthistimebecausetheywerebeneathme.That"Russianfatalism"ofwhichIhavespokenmanifesteditselfinmeinsuchaway that for years I held tenaciously to almost insufferable conditions, places, habitations, andcompanions,oncechancehadplacedthemonmypath—itwasbetterthanchangingthem,thanfeelingthattheycouldbechanged,thanrevoltingagainstthem....Hewhostirredmefromthisfatalism,hewhoviolently tried to shakeme intoconsciousness, seemed tome thenamortal enemy—inpointof fact,therewasdangerofdeatheachtimethiswasdone.Toregardone'sselfasadestiny,nottowishone'sself"different"—this,insuchcircumstances,issagacity,itself.

7

War, on the other hand, is something different. At heart I am a warrior. Attacking belongs to myinstincts.Tobeabletobeanenemy,tobeanenemy—maybethesethingspresupposeastrongnature;inanycaseallstrongnaturesinvolvethesethings.Suchnaturesneedresistance,consequentlytheygoinsearchofobstacles:thepathosofaggressionbelongsofnecessitytostrengthasmuchasthefeelingsofrevengeandofrancourbelongtoweakness.Woman,forinstance,isrevengeful;herweaknessinvolvesthispassion,justasitinvolveshersusceptibilityinthepresenceofotherpeople'ssuffering.Thestrengthoftheaggressorcanbemeasuredbytheoppositionwhichheneeds;everyincreaseofgrowthbetraysitselfbyaseekingoutofmoreformidableopponents—orproblems:foraphilosopherwhoiscombativechallengesevenproblemstoaduel.Thetaskisnottoovercomeopponentsingeneral,butonlythoseopponentsagainstwhomonehastosummonallone'sstrength,one'sskill,andone'sswordsmanship—infact,opponentswhoareone'sequals....Tobeone'senemy'sequal—thisis thefirstconditionofanhonourable duel.Where one despises, one cannotwagewar.Where one commands,where one seessomethingbeneathone,oneoughtnottowagewar.MywartacticscanbereducedtofourprinciplesAFirst, I attack only things that are triumphant—if necessary I wait until they become triumphant.Secondly,IattackonlythosethingsagainstwhichIfindnoallies,againstwhichIstandalone—againstwhichIcompromisenobodybutmyself.... Ihavenotyet takenonesinglestepbefore thepubliceye,whichdidnotcompromiseme:thatismycriterionofapropermodeofaction.Thirdly,Inevermakepersonal attacks—I use a personality merely as a magnifying-glass, by means of which I render ageneral,butelusiveandscarcelynoticeableevil,moreapparent.InthiswayIattackedDavidStrauss,orratherthesuccessgiventoasenilebookbytheculturedclassesofGermany—bythismeansIcaughtGermanculturered-handed.InthiswayIattackedWagner,orratherthefalsityormongrelinstinctsofour"culture"whichconfoundsthesuper-refinedwiththestrong,andtheeffetewiththegreat.Fourthly,Iattackonlythosethingsfromwhichallpersonaldifferencesareexcluded,inwhichanysuchthingasabackground of disagreeable experiences is lacking. On the contrary, attacking is to me a proof ofgoodwilland,incertaincircumstances,ofgratitude.Bymeansofit,Idohonourtoathing,Idistinguisha thing;whether I associatemynamewith thatof an institutionor aperson,bybeingagainst or foreither,isallthesametome.IfIwagewaragainstChristianity,Ifeeljustifiedindoingso,becauseinthat quarter I havemet with no fatal experiences and difficulties—themost earnest Christians havealwaysbeenkindlydisposed tome. I, personally, themost essentialopponentofChristianity, am farfromholdingtheindividualresponsibleforwhatisthefatalityoflongages.

May I be allowed to hazard a suggestion concerning one last trait in my character, which in myintercoursewithothermenhasledmeintosomedifficulties?Iamgiftedwithasenseofcleanlinessthekeennessofwhichisphenomenal;somuchso,thatIcanascertainphysiologically—thatistosay,smell—theproximity,nay,theinmostcore,the"entrails"ofeveryhumansoul....Thissensitivenessofmineis furnished with psychological antennæ, wherewith I feel and grasp every secret: the quality ofconcealedfilth lyingat thebaseofmanyahumancharacterwhichmaybe the inevitableoutcomeofbase blood, and which education may have veneered, is revealed to me at the first glance. If myobservation has been correct, such people, whom my sense of cleanliness rejects, also becomeconscious,ontheirpart,ofthecautiousnesstowhichmyloathingpromptsme:andthisdoesnotmakethem anymore fragrant.... In keepingwith a customwhich I have long observed,—pure habits andhonesty towards myself are among the first conditions of my existence, I would die in uncleansurroundings,—Iswim,bathe,andsplashabout,asitwere,incessantlyinwater,inanykindofperfectlytransparentandshiningelement.Thatiswhymyrelationswithmyfellowstrymypatiencetonosmallextent;myhumanitydoesnotconsistinthefactthatIunderstandthefeelingsofmyfellows,butthatIcanenduretounderstand....Myhumanityisaperpetualprocessofself-mastery.ButIneedsolitude—

that is to say, recovery, return tomyself, thebreathingof free, crisp,bracingair....ThewholeofmyZarathustra is a dithyramb in honour of solitude, or, if I have been understood, in honour of purity.ThankHeaven, it isnot inhonourof"purefoolery"![3]Hewhohasaneye forcolourwillcallhimadiamond.Theloathingofmankind,oftherabble,wasalwaysmygreatestdanger....WouldyouhearkentothewordsspokenbyZarathustraconcerningdeliverancefromloathing?

"Whatforsoothhathcomeuntome?HowdidIdelivermyselffromloathing?Whohathmademineeyeyounger?HowdidIsoartotheheight,wheretherearenomorerabblesittingaboutthewell?

"Didmyveryloathingforgemewingsandthestrengthtoscentfountainsafaroff?VerilytotheloftiestheightsdidIneedtofly,tofindoncemorethespringofjoyfulness.

"Oh,Ifoundit,mybrethren!Uphere,ontheloftiestheight,thespringofjoyfulnessgushethforthforme.Andthereisalifeatthewellofwhichnorabblecandrinkwithyou.

"Almosttoofiercelydostthourush,forme,thouspringofjoyfulness!Andofttimesdostthouemptythepitcheragainintryingtofillit.

"AndyetmustIlearntodrawneartheemorehumbly.Fartooeagerlydothmyheartjumptomeetthee.

"My heart,whereonmy summer burneth,my short, hot,melancholy, over-blessed summer: howmysummerheartyearnethforthycoolness!

"Farewell, the lingering affliction of my spring! Past is the wickedness of my snowflakes in June!SummerhaveIbecomeentirely,andsummernoontide!

"Asummerintheloftiestheights,withcoldspringsandblessedstillness:ohcome,myfriends,thatthestillnessmaywaxevenmoreblessed!

"For this isourheightandourhome: toohighandsteep isourdwellingforall theuncleanand theirappetites.

"Do but cast your pure eyes into thewell ofmy joyfulness,my friends!How could it thus becomemuddy!Itwilllaughbackatyouwithitspurity.

"Onthe treecalledFuturedowebuildournest:eaglesshallbringfood in theirbeaksuntous lonelyones!

"Verilynotthefoodwhereoftheuncleanmightpartake.Theywouldthinktheyatefireandwouldburntheirmouths!

"Verily,noabodesfortheuncleandowehereholdinreadiness!Totheirbodiesourhappinesswouldseemanice-cavern,andtotheirspiritsalso!

"Andlikestrongwindswillweliveabovethem,neighbourstotheeagles,companionsofthesnow,andplaymatesofthesun:thusdostrongwindslive.

"AndlikeawindshallIonedayblowamidst them,andtakeawaytheirsoul'sbreathwithmyspirit:thusmyfuturewillethit.

"Verily,astrongwindisZarathustratoalllowlands;andthisishiscounseltohisfoesandtoallthosewhospitandspew:'Bewareofspittingagainstthewind!'"

[1]TherightwhicheveryPolishdeputy,whetheragreatoraninferiornobleman,possessedofforbiddingthepassing of anymeasure by theDiet, was called in Poland the liberum veto (in Polish nie pozwalam), andbroughtalllegislationtoastandstill.—TR.[2]EugenDübringisaphilosopherandpoliticaleconomistwhosegeneraldoctrinemightbecharacterisedasasortofabstractMaterialismwithanoptimisticcolouring.—TR.

[3]This,ofcourse,isareferencetoWagner'sParsifal.Seemynoteonp.96ofTheWilltoPowervol.i.—TR.

WHYIAMSOCLEVER

1

WhydoIknowmorethingsthanotherpeople?Why,infact,amIsoclever?Ihaveneverponderedoverquestionsthatarenotquestions.Ihaveneversquanderedmystrength.Ofactualreligiousdifficulties,for instance, Ihavenoexperience. Ihaveneverknownwhat it is to feel "sinful." In the sameway Icompletelylackanyreliablecriterionforascertainingwhatconstitutesaprickofconscience:fromallaccountsaprickofconsciencedoesnotseemtobeaveryestimablething....OnceitwasdoneIshouldhate to leaveanactionofmine in the lurch; Ishouldprefercompletely toomit theeviloutcome, theconsequences,fromtheproblemconcerningthevalueofanaction.Inthefaceofevilconsequencesoneis too ready to lose the proper standpoint fromwhichone's deedought to be considered.Aprick ofconsciencestrikesmeasasortof"evileye."Somethingthathasfailedshouldbehonouredallthemorejealously,preciselybecauseithasfailed—thisismuchmoreinkeepingwithmymorality.—"God,""theimmortalityofthesoul,""salvation,"a"beyond"—toallthesenotions,evenasachild,Ineverpaidanyattentionwhatsoever,nordidIwasteanytimeuponthem,—maybeIwasnevernaifenoughforthat?—Iamquiteunacquaintedwithatheismasaresult,andstilllessasaneventinmylife:inmeitisinborn,instinctive.Iamtooinquisitive,tooincredulous,toohighspirited,tobesatisfiedwithsuchapalpablyclumsysolutionof things.Godisa toopalpablyclumsysolutionof things;asolutionwhichshowsalackofdelicacytowardsusthinkers—atbottomHeisreallynomorethanacoarseandrudeprohibitionofus:yeshallnotthink!...Iammuchmoreinterestedinanotherquestion,—aquestionuponwhichthe"salvation of humanity" depends to a far greater degree than it does upon any piece of theologicalcuriosity:Irefertonutrition.Forordinarypurposes, itmaybeformulatedasfollows:"Howpreciselymustthoufeedthyselfinordertoattaintothymaximumofpower,orvirtùintheRenaissancestyle,—ofvirtue free frommoralic acid?"Myexperiences in regard to thismatter havebeen as bad as theypossiblycouldbe;IamsurprisedthatIsetmyself thisquestionsolate in life,andthat it tookmesolong to draw "rational" conclusions from my experiences. Only the absolute worth-1 lessness ofGermanculture—its"idealism"—cantosomeextentexplainhowitwasthatpreciselyinthismatterIwassobackwardthatmyignorancewasalmostsaintly.This"culture,"whichfromfirsttolastteachesonetolosesightofactualthingsandtohuntafterthoroughlyproblematicandso-calledidealaims,as,forinstance,"classicalculture"—asifitwerenothopelessfromthestarttotrytounite"classical"and"German"inoneconcept.Itisevenalittlecomical—tryandimaginea"classicallycultured"citizenofLeipzig!—Indeed, I can say, that up to a very mature age, my food was entirely bad—expressedmorally, it was "impersonal," "selfless," "altruistic," to the glory of cooks and all other fellow-Christians.ItwasthroughthecookinginvogueatLeipzig,forinstance,togetherwithmyfirststudyofSchopenhauer (1865), that I earnestly renounced my "Will to Live." To spoil one's stomach byabsorbinginsufficientnourishment—thisproblemseemedtomymindsolvedwithadmirablefelicitybythe above-mentioned cookery. (It is said that in the year 1866 changes were introduced into this

department.)ButastoGermancookeryingeneral—whathasitnotgotonitsconscience!Soupbeforethemeal(stillcalledallatedescaintheVenetiancookerybooksofthesixteenthcentury);meatboiledtoshreds,vegetablescookedwith fatand flour; thedegenerationofpastries intopaper-weights!And, ifyouaddtheretotheabsolutelybestialpost-prandialdrinkinghabitsoftheancients,andnotaloneoftheancientGermans,youwillunderstandwhereGerman intellect took itsorigin—that is tosay, insadlydisorderedintestines....Germanintellectisindigestion;itcanassimilatenothing.ButevenEnglishdiet,which incomparisonwithGerman,and indeedwithFrenchalimentation,seemstometoconstitutea"return to Nature,"—that is to say, to cannibalism,—is profoundly opposed to my own instincts. Itseemstometogivetheintellectheavyfeet,infact,Englishwomen'sfeet....ThebestcookingisthatofPiedmont. Alcoholic drinks do not agree with me; a single glass of wine or beer a day is amplysufficienttoturnlifeintoavalleyoftearsforme;—inMunichlivemyantipodes.AlthoughIadmitthatthisknowledgecametomesomewhatlate,italreadyformedpartofmyexperienceevenasachild.Asaboy Ibelieved that thedrinkingofwineand the smokingof tobaccowereat firstbut thevanitiesofyouths,andlatermerelybadhabits.MaybethepoorwineofNaumburgwaspartlyresponsibleforthispooropinionofwineingeneral.Inordertobelievethatwinewasexhilarating,IshouldhavehadtobeaChristian—inotherwords,Ishouldhavehadtobelieveinwhat,tomymind,isanabsurdity.Strangetosay,whereassmallquantitiesofalcohol,takenwithplentyofwater,succeedinmakingmefeeloutofsorts,largequantitiesturnmealmostintoarollickingtar.EvenasaboyIshowedmybravadointhisrespect.TocomposealongLatinessayinonenight,toreviseandrecopyit,toaspirewithmypentoemulatingtheexactitudeandthe tersenessofmymodel,Sallust,andtopourafewverystronggrogsoveritall—thismodeofprocedure,whileIwasapupilatthevenerableoldschoolofPforta,wasnotinthe least out ofkeepingwithmyphysiology,norperhapswith that ofSallust, howevermuch itmayhave been alien to dignifiedPforta.Later on, towards themiddle ofmy life, I grewmore andmoreopposedtoalcoholicdrinks:I,anopponentofvegetarianism,whohaveexperiencedwhatvegetarianismis,—just as Wagner, who converted me back to meat, experienced it,—cannot with sufficientearnestness advise all more spiritual natures to abstain absolutely from alcohol. Water answers thepurpose....Ihaveapredilectioninfavourofthoseplaceswhereinalldirectionsonehasopportunitiesofdrinkingfromrunningbrooks(Nice,Turin,Sils).InvinoVeritas:itseemsthathereoncemoreIamatvariancewiththerestoftheworldabouttheconcept"Truth"—withmespiritmovesonthefaceofthewaters....Hereareafewmoreindicationsastomymorality.Aheavymealisdigestedmoreeasilythananinadequateone.Thefirstprincipleofagooddigestionisthatthestomachshouldbecomeactiveasawhole. A man ought, therefore, to know the size of his stomach. For the same reasons all thoseinterminable meals, which I call interrupted sacrificial feasts, and which are to be had at any tabled'hôte,arestronglytobedeprecated.Nothingshouldbeeatenbetweenmeals,coffeeshouldbegivenup—coffee makes one gloomy. Tea is beneficial only in the morning. It should be taken in smallquantities,butverystrong.Itmaybeveryharmful,andindisposeyouforthewholeday,ifitbetakentheleastbittooweak.Everybodyhashisownstandardinthismatter,oftenbetweenthenarrowestandmostdelicatelimits.Inanenervatingclimateteaisnotagoodbeveragewithwhichtostarttheday:anhourbeforetakingitanexcellentthingistodrinkacupofthickcocoa,feedfromoil.Remainseatedaslittleaspossible,putnotrustinanythoughtthatisnotbornintheopen,totheaccompanimentoffreebodilymotion—norinoneinwhicheventhemusclesdonotcelebrateafeast.Allprejudicestaketheiroriginintheintestines.Asedentarylife,asIhavealreadysaidelsewhere,istherealsinagainsttheHolySpirit.

2.

Tothequestionofnutrition,thatoflocalityandclimateisnextofkin.Nobodyissoconstitutedastobe

abletoliveeverywhereandanywhere;andhewhohasgreatdutiestoperform,whichlayclaimtoallhis strength, has, in this respect, a very limited choice. The influence of climate upon the bodilyfunctions, affecting their acceleration or retardation, extends so far, that a blunder in the choice oflocalityandclimateisablenotonlytoalienateamanfromhisactualduty,butalsotowithholditfromhimaltogether,sothatheneverevencomesfacetofacewithit.Animalvigourneveracquiresenoughstrength inhim inorder to reach thatpitchofartistic freedomwhichmakeshisownsoulwhisper tohim:I,alone,candothat....Eversoslightatendencytolazinessintheintestines,onceithasbecomeahabit,isquitesufficienttomakesomethingmediocre,something"German"outofagenius;theclimateofGermany,alone,isenoughtodiscouragethestrongestandmostheroicallydisposedintestines.Thetempoofthebody'sfunctionsiscloselyboundupwiththeagilityortheclumsinessofthespirit'sfeet;spirit itself is indeedonlyaformoftheseorganicfunctions.Letanybodymakealistof theplacesinwhich men of great intellect have been found, and are still found; where wit, subtlety, and maliceconstitutehappiness;wheregenius isalmostnecessarilyathome:allof themrejoice inexceptionallydry air. Paris, Provence, Florence, Jerusalem, Athens—these names prove something, namely: thatgenius is conditioned by dry air, by a pure sky—that is to say, by rapid organic functions, by theconstantandever-presentpossibilityofprocuringforone'sselfgreatandevenenormousquantitiesofstrength. Ihaveacertaincase inmind inwhichamanof remarkable intellectand independent spiritbecameanarrow,cravenspecialistandagrumpyoldcrank,simplyowingtoalackofsubtletyinhisinstinct for climate.And Imyselfmight have been an example of the same thing, if illness had notcompelledme to reason,and to reflectupon reason realistically.Nowthat Ihave learnt through longpractice to read the effects of climatic andmeteorological influences, frommyownbody, as thoughfromaverydelicateandreliable instrument,and that Iamable tocalculate thechange indegreesofatmosphericmoisturebymeansofphysiologicalobservationsuponmyself,evenonsoshortajourneyasthatfromTurintoMilan;Ithinkwithhorroroftheghastlyfactthatmywholelife,untilthelasttenyears,—themostperilousyears,—hasalwaysbeenspent in thewrong,andwhat tomeought tohavebeen themost forbidden, places.Naumburg, Pforta, Thuringia in general, Leipzig, Bâle,Venice—somanyill-starredplacesforaconstitutionlikemine.IfIcannotrecallonesinglehappyreminiscenceofmychildhoodandyouth,itisnonsensetosupposethatso-called"moral"causescouldaccountforthis—as,forinstance,theincontestablefactthatIlackedcompanionsthatcouldhavesatisfiedme;forthisfactisthesameto-dayasiteverwas,anditdoesnotpreventmefrombeingcheerfulandbrave.Butitwas ignorance in physiologicalmatters—that confounded "Idealism"—thatwas the real curse ofmylife. This was the superfluous and foolish element in my existence; something from which nothingcouldspring,andforwhich therecanbenosettlementandnocompensation.As theoutcomeof this"Idealism"I regardall theblunders, thegreataberrationsof instinct,and the"modestspecialisations"whichdrewmeasidefromthetaskofmylife;as,forinstance,thefactthatIbecameaphilologist—whynotat leastamedicalmanoranythingelsewhichmighthaveopenedmyeyes?MydaysatBâle, thewholeofmy intellectual routine, includingmydaily time-table,wasanabsolutelysenselessabuseofextraordinarypowers,without theslightestcompensationfor thestrength that Ispent,withoutevenathoughtofwhatIwassquanderingandhowitsplacemightbefilled.Ilackedallsubtletyinegoism,allthefosteringcareofanimperativeinstinct;Iwasinastateinwhichoneisreadytoregardone'sselfasanybody'sequal,astateof"disinterestedness,"aforgettingofone'sdistancefromothers—something,inshort,forwhichIcanneverforgivemyself.WhenIhadwell-nighreachedtheendofmytether,simplybecause I had almost reachedmy end, I began to reflect upon the fundamental absurdity ofmy life—"Idealism."Itwasillnessthatfirstbroughtmetoreason.

3

Afterthechoiceofnutrition,thechoiceofclimateandlocality,thethirdmatterconcerningwhichonemustnotonanyaccountmakeablunder, is thechoiceof themanner inwhichonerecuperatesone'sstrength.Here,again,accordingtotheextenttowhichaspiritissuigeneris,thelimitsofthatwhichhecan allow himself—in otherwords, the limits of thatwhich is beneficial to him—becomemore andmore confined. As far as I in particular am concerned, reading in general belongs tomymeans ofrecuperation; consequently it belongs to that which ridsme ofmyself, to that which enablesme towanderinstrangesciencesandstrangesouls—tothat, infact,aboutwhichIamnolongerinearnest.Indeed, it is while reading that I recover from my earnestness. During the time that I am deeplyabsorbedinmywork,nobooksarefoundwithinmyreach;itwouldneveroccurtometoallowanyoneto speakor even to think inmypresence.For that iswhat readingwouldmean....Has anyone everactuallynoticed,that,duringtheperiodofprofoundtensiontowhichthestateofpregnancycondemnsnotonlythemind,butalso,atbottom,thewholeorganism,accidentandeverykindofexternalstimulusactstooacutelyandstrikestoodeep?Accidentandexternalstimulimust,asfaraspossible,beavoided:a sort ofwalling-of-one's-self-in is one of the primary instinctive precautions of spiritual pregnancy.ShallIallowastrangethoughttostealsecretlyoverthewall?Forthatiswhatreadingwouldmean....The periods of work and fruit-fulness are followed by periods of recuperation: come hither, yedelightful, intellectual, intelligentbooks!Shall I readGermanbooks?... Imustgobacksixmonths tocatchmyselfwithabook inmyhand.Whatwas it?AnexcellentstudybyVictorBrochardupon theGreeksceptics, inwhichmyLaertiana[1]wasused toadvantage.The sceptics!—theonlyhonourabletypesamongthatdouble-facedandsometimesquintuple-facedthrong,thephilosophers!....OtherwiseIalmostalwaystakerefugeinthesamebooks:altogethertheirnumberissmall;theyarebookswhicharepreciselymyproperfare.Itisnotperhapsinmynaturetoreadmuch,andofallsorts:alibrarymakesmeill.Neitherisitmynaturetolovemuchormanykindsofthings.Suspicionorevenhostilitytowardsnewbooks ismuchmoreakin tomy instinctive feeling than "toleration," largeurde cœur, andotherformsof"neighbour-love."...ItistoasmallnumberofoldFrenchauthors,thatIalwaysreturnagainand again; I believe only in French culture, and regard everything else in Europewhich calls itself"culture" as amisunderstanding. I do not even take the German kind into consideration.... The fewinstancesofhigherculturewithwhichIhavemetinGermanywereallFrenchintheirorigin.ThemoststrikingexampleofthiswasMadameCosimaWagner,byfarthemostdecisivevoiceinmattersoftastethat I have ever heard. If I do not read, but literally lovePascal? as themost instinctive sacrifice toChristianity, killing himself inch by inch, first bodily, then spiritually, according to the terribleconsistency of this most appalling form of inhuman cruelty; if I have something of Montaigne'smischievousness in my soul, and—who knows?—perhaps also in my body; if my artist's tasteendeavourstodefendthenamesofMolière,Corneille,andRacine,andnotwithoutbitterness,againstsuch awild genius as Shakespeare—all this does not preventme from regarding even the latter-dayFrenchmenalsoas charmingcompanions. I can thinkof absolutelynocentury inhistory, inwhichanetfulofmoreinquisitiveandatthesametimemoresubtlepsychologistscouldbedrawnuptogetherthanintheParisofthepresentday.Letmementionafewatrandom—fortheirnumberisbynomeanssmall—PaulBourget,PierreLoti,Gyp,Meilhac,AnatoleFrance,JulesLemaitre;or,topointtooneofstrongrace,agenuineLatin,ofwhomIamparticularlyfond,GuydeMaupassant.Betweenourselves,Ipreferthisgenerationeventoitsmasters,allofwhomwerecorruptedbyGermanphilosophy(Taine,forinstance,byHegel,whomhehas to thank forhismisunderstandingofgreatmenandgreatperiods).WhereverGermanyextendshersway,sheruinsculture.ItwasthewarwhichfirstsavedthespiritofFrance....Stendhalisoneofthehappiestaccidentsofmylife—foreverythingthatmarksanepochinithasbeenbrought tomebyaccidentandneverbymeansofa recommendation.He isquitepriceless,with his psychologist's eye, quick at forestalling and anticipating; with his grasp of facts, which isreminiscentofthesameartinthegreatestofallmastersoffacts(exungueNapoleonem);and,lastbut

not least,asanhonestatheist—aspecimenwhichisbothrareanddifficult todiscover inFrance—allhonour toProsperMérimée!...Maybe that IamevenenviousofStendhal?Herobbedmeof thebestatheistic joke,which I of all people could have perpetrated: "God's only excuse is thatHe does notexist"...Imyselfhavesaidsomewhere—WhathasbeenthegreatestobjectiontoLifehitherto?—God....

4

ItwasHeinrichHeinewhogavemethemostperfectideaofwhatalyricalpoetcouldbe.InvaindoIsearchthroughallthekingdomsofantiquityorofmoderntimesforanythingtoresemblehissweetandpassionate music. He possessed that divine wickedness, without which perfection itself becomesunthinkable tome,—Iestimate thevalueofmen,of races, according to the extent towhich they areunabletoconceiveofagodwhohasnotadashofthesatyrinhim.Andwithwhatmasteryhewieldshisnativetongue!OnedayitwillbesaidofHeineandmethatwewerebyfar thegreatestartistsof theGermanlanguagethathaveeverexisted,andthatweleftalltheeffortsthatmereGermansmadeinthislanguageanincalculabledistancebehindus.ImustbeprofoundlyrelatedtoByron'sManfred:ofallthedarkabyssesinthisworkIfoundthecounterpartsinmyownsoul—attheageofthirteenIwasripeforthis book.Words failme, I have only a look, for thosewho dare to utter the name ofFaust in thepresenceofManfred.TheGermansareincapableofconceivinganythingsublime:foraproofofthis,look at Schumann! Out of anger for this mawkish Saxon, I once deliberately composed a counter-overture toManfred,ofwhichHansvonBülowdeclaredhehadneverseen the likebeforeonpaper:suchcompositionsamountedtoaviolationofEuterpe.WhenIcastaboutmeformyhighestformulaofShakespeare, I find invariably but this one: that he conceived the type ofCæsar. Such things amancannotguess—heeitheristhething,orheisnot.Thegreatpoetdrawshiscreationsonlyfromoutofhisownreality.Thisissotosuchanextent,thatoftenafteralapseoftimehecannolongerendurehisownwork....AftercastingaglancebetweenthepagesofmyZarathustra,Ipacemyroomtoandfroforhalfan hour at a time, unable to overcome an insufferable fit of tears. I know of nomore heartrendingreadingthanShakespeare:howamanmusthavesufferedtobesomuchinneedofplayingtheclown!IsHamletunderstood?It isnotdoubt,butcertitude thatdrivesonemad....But inorder tofeel this,onemust be profound, one must be an abyss, a philosopher.... We all fear the truth.... And, to make aconfession;IfeelinstinctivelycertainandconvincedthatLordBaconistheoriginator,theself-torturer,ofthismostsinisterkindofliterature:whatdoIcareaboutthemiserablegabbleofAmericanmuddlersandblockheads?Butthepowerforthegreatestrealisminvisionisnotonlycompatiblewiththegreatestrealismindeeds,withthemonstrousindeeds,withcrime—itactuallypresupposesthelatter....WedonotknowhalfenoughaboutLordBacon—thefirstrealistinallthehighestacceptationofthisword—tobesureofeverythinghedid,everythinghewilled,andeverythingheexperiencedinhisinmostsoul....Letthecriticsgotohell!SupposeIhadchristenedmyZarathustrawithanamenotmyown,—letussaywithRichardWagner'sname,—theacumenoftwothousandyearswouldnothavesufficedtoguessthattheauthorofHuman,all-too-HumanwasthevisionaryofZarathustra.

5

AsIamspeakinghereoftherecreationsofmylife,IfeelImustexpressawordortwoofgratitudeforthatwhichhas refreshedmebyfar themostheartilyandmostprofoundly.This,without theslightestdoubt,wasmyintimaterelationshipwithRichardWagner.AllmyotherrelationshipswithmenItreatquite lightly; but I would not have the days I spent at Tribschen—those days of confidence, ofcheerfulness,ofsublimeflashes,andofprofoundmoments—blottedfrommylifeatanyprice.Iknow

notwhatWagnermayhavebeenforothers;butnocloudeverdarkenedour sky.And thisbringsmebackagaintoFrance,—IhavenoargumentsagainstWagnerites,andhocgenusomnewhobelievethatthey do honour toWagner by believing him to be like themselves; for such people I have only acontemptuouscurlofmylip.Withanaturelikemine,whichissostrangetoeverythingTeutonic,thateven the presence of a German retards my digestion, my first meeting with Wagner was the firstmomentinmylifeinwhichIbreathedfreely:Ifelthim,Ihonouredhim,asaforeigner,astheoppositeand the incarnate contradiction of all "German virtues." We who as children breathed the marshyatmosphereof thefifties,arenecessarilypessimists in regard to theconcept"German";wecannotbeanythingelsethanrevolutionaries—wecanassenttonostateofaffairswhichallowsthecantingbigottobe at the top. I care not a jotwhether this canting bigot acts in different colours to-day,whether hedressesinscarletordonstheuniformofahussar.[2]Verywell,then!Wagnerwasarevolutionary—hefledfromtheGermans....Asanartist,amanhasnohomeinEuropesaveinParis;thatsubtletyofallthe five senses which Wagner's art presupposes, those fingers that can detect slight gradations,psychologicalmorbidity—allthesethingscanbefoundonlyinParis.Nowhereelsecanyoumeetwiththispassion forquestionsof form, thisearnestness inmattersofmise-en-scène,which is theParisianearnestnessparexcellence. InGermanynoonehasany ideaof the tremendousambition that fills theheartofaParisianartist.TheGermanisagoodfellow.Wagnerwasbynomeansagoodfellow....ButIhave already said quite enough on the subject ofWagner's real nature (seeBeyond Good and Evil,Aphorism 269), and about those to whom he is most closely related. He is one of the late Frenchromanticists,thathigh-soaringandheaven-aspiringbandofartists,likeDelacroixandBerlioz,whointheirinmostnacresaresickandincurable,andwhoareallfanaticsofexpression,andvirtuososthroughandthrough....Who,insooth,wasthefirstintelligentfollowerofWagner?CharlesBaudelaire,theverymanwhofirstunderstoodDelacroix—thattypicaldecadent,inwhomawholegenerationofartistssawtheirreflection;hewasperhapsthelastofthemtoo....WhatisitthatIhaveneverforgivenWagner?ThefactthathecondescendedtotheGermans—thathebecameaGermanImperialist....WhereverGermanyspreads,sheruinsculture.

6

Takingeverythingintoconsideration,IcouldneverhavesurvivedmyyouthwithoutWagnerianmusic.ForIwascondemnedto thesocietyofGermans. Ifamanwish toget ridofafeelingof insufferableoppression,hehas to take tohashish.Well, Ihad to take toWagner.Wagner is thecounter-poison toeverythingessentiallyGerman—thefactthatheisapoisontoo,Idonotdeny.FromthemomentthatTristanwasarrangedforthepiano—allhonourtoyou,HerrvonBülow!—IwasaWagnerite.Wagner'spreviousworksseemedbeneathme—theyweretoocommonplace,too"German."...ButtothisdayIamstillseekingforaworkwhichwouldbeamatchtoTristanindangerousfascination,andpossessthesamegruesomeanddulcetqualityofinfinity;Iseekamongalltheartsinvain.AllthequaintfeaturesofLeonardodaVinci'sworklosetheircharmatthesoundofthefirstbarinTristan.ThisworkiswithoutquestionWagner'snonplus ultra; after its creation, the composition of theMastersingers andof theRingwasarelaxationtohim.Tobecomemorehealthy—thisinanaturelikeWagner'samountstogoingbackwards.Thecuriosityofthepsychologistissogreatinme,thatIregarditasquiteaspecialprivilegetohavelivedattherighttime,andtohavelivedpreciselyamongGermans,inordertoberipeforthiswork.Theworldmustindeedbeemptyforhimwhohasneverbeenunhealthyenoughforthis"infernalvoluptuousness": it isallowable, it iseven imperative, toemployamysticformulafor thispurpose. IsupposeIknowbetterthananyonetheprodigiousfeatsofwhichWagnerwascapable,thefiftyworldsofstrangeecstasiestowhichnooneelsehadwingstosoar;andasIamaliveto-dayandstrongenoughto turneven themost suspiciousandmostdangerous things tomyownadvantage, and thus togrow

stronger,IdeclareWagnertohavebeenthegreatestbenefactorofmylife.Thebondwhichunitesusisthefactthatwehavesufferedgreateragony,evenateachother'shands,thanmostmenareabletobearnowadays,andthiswillalwayskeepournamesassociatedinthemindsofmen.For,justasWagnerismerelyamisunderstandingamongGermans,so,intruth,amI,andeverwillbe.Yelacktwocenturiesofpsychologicalandartisticdiscipline,mydearcountrymen!...Butyecanneverrecoverthetimelost.

7

TothemostexceptionalofmyreadersIshouldliketosayjustonewordaboutwhatIreallyexactfrommusic.Itmustbecheerfulandyetprofound,likeanOctoberafternoon.Itmustbeoriginal,exuberant,andtender,andlikeadainty,softwomaninroguishnessandgrace...IshallneveradmitthataGermancanunderstandwhatmusicis.ThosemusicianswhoarecalledGerman,thegreatestandmostfamousforemost, are all foreigners, eitherSlavs,Croats, Italians,Dutchmen—or Jews; or else, likeHeinrichSchütz,Bach,andHändel,theyareGermansofastrongracewhichisnowextinct.Formyownpart,IhavestillenoughofthePoleleftinmetoletallothermusicgo,ifonlyIcankeepChopin.Forthreereasons I would exceptWagner's Siegfried Idyll, and perhaps also one or two things of Liszt, whoexcelledallothermusiciansinthenobletoneofhisorchestration;andfinallyeverythingthathasbeenproducedbeyondtheAlps—thissideoftheAlps.[3]IcouldnotpossiblydispensewithRossini,andstilllesswithmySouthernsoulinmusic,theworkofmyVenetianmaestro,PietroGasti.AndwhenIsaybeyondtheAlps,allIreallymeanisVenice.IfItrytofindanewwordformusic,IcanneverfindanyotherthanVenice.Iknownothowtodrawanydistinctionbetweentearsandmusic.Idonotknowhowtothinkeitherofjoy,orofthesouth,withoutashudderoffear.

OnthebridgeIstoodLately,ingloomynight.Cameadistantsong:IngoldendropsitrolledOvertheglitteringrimaway.Music,gondolas,lights—Drunk,swamfarforthinthegloom....

Astringedinstrument,mysoul,Sang,imperceptiblymoved,Agondolasongbystealth,Gleamingforgaudyblessedness.—Hearkenedanythereto?

8

In all these things—in the choice of food, place, climate, and recreation—the instinct of self-preservation is dominant, and this instinct manifests itself with least ambiguity when it acts as aninstinctofdefence.Tocloseone'seyestomuch,tosealone'searstomuch,tokeepcertainthingsatadistance—thisisthefirstprincipleofprudence,thefirstproofofthefactthatamanisnotanaccidentbutanecessity.Thepopularwordforthisinstinctofdefenceistaste.Aman'simperativecommandisnotonlytosay"no"incaseswhere"yes"wouldbeasignof"disinterestedness,"butalsotosay"no"asseldomaspossible.Onemust partwith all thatwhich compels one to repeat "no,"with ever greaterfrequency.Therationaleofthisprincipleisthatalldischargesofdefensiveforces,howeverslightthey

maybe, involveenormousandabsolutelysuperfluous losseswhen theybecomeregularandhabitual.Ourgreatestexpenditureofstrengthismadeupofthosesmallandmostfrequentdischargesofit.Theactofkeeping thingsoff,ofholding themat adistance, amounts toadischargeof strength,—donotdeceive yourselves on this point!—and an expenditure of energy directed at purely negative ends.Simplybybeingcompelledtokeepconstantlyonhisguard,amanmaygrowsoweakastobeunableany longer todefendhimself.Suppose Iwere to stepoutofmyhouse, and, insteadof thequiet andaristocratic city ofTurin, Iwere to find aGermanprovincial town,my instinctwouldhave to braceitself together in order to repel all that which would pour in upon it from this crushed-down andcowardlyworld.OrsupposeIweretofindalargeGermancity—thatstructureofviceinwhichnothinggrows, but where every single thing, whether good or bad, is squeezed in from outside. In suchcircumstances should I not be compelled to become a hedgehog?But to have prickles amounts to asquanderingof strength; they even constitute a twofold luxury,when, ifweonly chose to do so,wecoulddispensewiththemandopenourhandsinstead....

Anotherformofprudenceandself-defenceconsistsintryingtoreactasseldomaspossible,andtokeepone'sselfalooffromthosecircumstancesandconditionswhereinonewouldbecondemned,asitwere,tosuspendone's"liberty"andone'sinitiative,andbecomeamerereactingmedium.AsanexampleofthisIpointtotheintercoursewithbooks.Thescholarwho,insooth,doeslittleelsethanhandlebooks—withthephilologistofaverageattainmentstheirnumbermayamounttotwohundredaday—ultimatelyforgetsentirelyandcompletelythecapacityofthinkingforhimself.Whenhehasnotabookbetweenhisfingershecannotthink.Whenhethinks,herespondstoastimulus(athoughthehasread),—finallyallhedoesistoreact.Thescholarexhaustshiswholestrengthinsayingeither"yes"or"no"tomatterwhichhasalreadybeenthoughtout,orincriticisingit—heisnolongercapableofthoughtonhisownaccount....Inhimtheinstinctofself-defencehasdecayed,otherwisehewoulddefendhimselfagainstbooks. The scholar is a decadent.Withmy own eyes I have seen gifted, richly endowed, and free-spiritednaturesalready"readtoruins"atthirty,andmerewaxvestasthathavetoberubbedbeforetheycangiveoffanysparks—or"thoughts."Toset toearly in themorning,at thebreakofday, inall thefulnessanddawnofone'sstrength,andtoreadabook—thisIcallpositivelyvicious!

9

AtthispointIcannolongerevadeadirectanswertothequestion,howonebecomeswhatoneis.Andin giving it, I shall have to touch upon that masterpiece in the art of self-preservation, which isselfishness. ...Granting thatone's life-task—thedeterminationand the fateofone's life-task—greatlyexceedstheaveragemeasureofsuchthings,nothingmoredangerouscouldbeconceivedthantocomeface to face with one's self by the side of this life-task. The fact that one becomes what one is,presupposes that one has not the remotest suspicion of what one is. From this standpoint even theblundersofone'slifehavetheirownmeaningandvalue,thetemporarydeviationsandaberrations,themomentsofhesitationandofmodesty,theearnestnesswastedupondutieswhichlieoutsidetheactuallife-task.Inthesemattersgreatwisdom,perhapseventhehighestwisdom,comesintoactivity:inthesecircumstances, in which nosce teipsum would be the sure road to ruin, forgetting one's self,misunderstandingone'sself,belittlingone'sself,narrowingone'sself,andmakingone'sselfmediocre,amounttoreasonitself.Expressedmorally,toloveone'sneighbourandtoliveforothersandforotherthingsmay be themeansof protection employed tomaintain thehardest kindof egoism.This is theexceptional case in which I, contrary to my principle and conviction, take the side of the altruisticinstincts;forheretheyareconcernedinsubservingselfishnessandself-discipline.Thewholesurfaceofconsciousness—for consciousness is a surface—must be kept free from any one of the great

imperatives.Bewareevenofeverystrikingword,ofeverystrikingattitude!Theyareallsomanyriskswhich the instinct runsof"understanding itself" toosoon.Meanwhile theorganising"idea,"which isdestined to becomemaster, grows and continues to grow into the depths,—it begins to command, itleads you slowly back from your deviations and aberrations, it prepares individual qualities andcapacities,whichonedaywillmakethemselvesfeltasindispensabletothewholeofyourtask,—stepbystepitcultivatesalltheserviceablefaculties,beforeiteverwhispersawordconcerningthedominanttask, the "goal," the "object," and the "meaning" of it all. Looked at from this standpointmy life issimplyamazing.Forthetaskoftransvaluingvalues,morecapacitieswereneedfulperhapsthancouldwellbefoundsidebysideinoneindividual;andaboveall,antagonisticcapacitieswhichhadtobefreefromthemutualstrifeanddestructionwhichtheyinvolve.Anorderofrankamongcapacities;distance;the art of separating without creating hostility; to refrain from confounding things; to keep fromreconciling things; topossess enormousmultifariousness andyet tobe the reverseof chaos—all thiswas the first condition, the long secret work, and the artistic mastery of my instinct. Its superiorguardianshipmanifesteditselfwithsuchexceedingstrength,thatnotoncedidIeverdreamofwhatwasgrowing within me—until suddenly all my capacities were ripe, and one day burst forth in all theperfectionoftheirhighestbloom.Icannotremembereverhavingexertedmyself,Icanpointtonotraceof struggle in my life; I am the reverse of a heroic nature. To "will" something, to "strive" aftersomething,tohavean"aim"ora"desire"inmymind—Iknownoneofthesethingsfromexperience.Even at thismoment I look out uponmy future—a broad future!—as upon a calm sea: no sigh oflongingmakesarippleon itssurface. Ihavenot theslightestwish thatanythingshouldbeotherwisethan it is: Imyselfwouldnotbeotherwise....But in thismatter Ihavealwaysbeen thesame. Ihavenever had a desire. Amanwho, after his four-and-fortieth year, can say that he has never botheredhimself abouthonours,women, ormoney!—not that they did not come hisway.... Itwas thus that IbecameonedayaUniversityProfessor—Ihadneverhadtheremotest ideaofsucha thing;forIwasscarcelyfour-and-twentyyearsofage.Inthesameway,twoyearspreviously,Ihadonedaybecomeaphilologist,inthesensethatmyfirstphilologicalwork,mystartineveryway,wasexpresslyobtainedby my master Ritschl for publication in his Rheinisches Museum.[4] (Ritschl—and I say it in allreverence—was the only genial scholar that I have ever met. He possessed that pleasant kind ofdepravitywhichdistinguishesusThuringians,andwhichmakesevenaGermansympathetic—eveninthepursuitof truthweprefer toavailourselvesof roundaboutways. In saying this Idonotmean tounderestimateinanywaymyThuringianbrother,theintelligentLeopoldvonRanke....)

10

YoumaybewonderingwhyIshouldactuallyhaverelatedallthesetrivialand,accordingtotraditionalaccounts,insignificantdetailstoyou;suchactioncanbuttellagainstme,moreparticularlyifIamfatedtofigureingreatcauses.TothisIreplythatthesetrivialmatters—diet,locality,climate,andone'smodeofrecreation,thewholecasuistryof;self-love—areinconceivablymoreimportantthan,allthatwhichhashithertobeenheldinhighesteem!Itispreciselyinthisquarterthatwemustbegintolearnafresh.Allthosethingswhichmankindhasvaluedwithsuchearnestnessheretoforearenotevenreal;theyaremerecreationsoffancy,or,morestrictlyspeaking,liesbornoftheevilinstinctsofdiseasedand,inthedeepest sense, noxious natures—all the concepts, "God," "soul," "virtue," "sin," "Beyond," "truth,""eternal life." ... But the greatness of human nature, its "divinity," was sought for in them.... Allquestionsofpolitics,of socialorder,ofeducation,havebeen falsified, rootandbranch,owing to thefactthatthemostnoxiousmenhavebeentakenforgreatmen,andthatpeopleweretaughttodespisethesmallthings,orratherthefundamentalthings,oflife.IfInowchoosetocomparemyselfwiththosecreatureswhohavehithertobeenhonouredasthefirstamongmen,thedifferencebecomesobvious.I

do not reckon the so-called "first" men even as human beings—for me they are the excrements ofmankind,theproductsofdiseaseandoftheinstinctofrevenge:theyaresomanymonstersladenwithrottenness,somanyhopelessincurables,whoavengethemselvesonlife....Iwishtobetheoppositeofthesepeople:itismyprivilegetohavetheverysharpestdiscernmentforeverysignofhealthyinstincts.There is no such thing as amorbid trait inme; even in times of serious illness I have never grownmorbid, andyoumight seek invain for a traceof fanaticism inmynature.Noone canpoint to anymomentofmylifeinwhichIhaveassumedeitheranarrogantorapatheticattitude.Patheticattitudesarenotinkeepingwithgreatness;hewhoneedsattitudesisfalse....Bewareofallpicturesquemen!Lifewas easy—in fact easiest—to me, in those periods when it exacted the heaviest duties from me.Whoevercouldhaveseenmeduringtheseventydaysofthisautumn,when,withoutinterruption,Ididahostofthingsofthehighestrank—thingsthatnomancandonowadays—withasenseofresponsibilityforalltheagesyettocome,wouldhavenoticednosignoftensioninmycondition,butratherastateofoverflowingfreshnessandgoodcheer.NeverhaveIeatenwithmorepleasantsensations,neverhasmysleepbeenbetter.Iknowofnoothermannerofdealingwithgreattasks,thanasplay:this,asasignofgreatness, isanessentialprerequisite.Theslightestconstraint,asombremien,anyhardaccent in thevoice—allthesethingsareobjectionstoaman,buthowmuchmoretohiswork!...Onemustnothavenerves....Even tosuffer fromsolitude isanobjection—theonly thing Ihavealwayssuffered from is"multitude."[5]Atanabsurdly tenderage, in factwhenIwassevenyearsold, Ialreadyknewthatnohumanspeechwouldever reachme:didanyoneever seeme sadon that account?Atpresent I stillpossessthesameaffabilitytowardseverybody,Iamevenfullofconsiderationforthelowest:inallthisthereisnotanatomofhaughtinessorofsecretcontempt.HewhomIdespisesoonguessesthatheisdespised byme: the very fact ofmy existence is enough to rouse indignation in all thosewho havepollutedbloodintheirveins.Myformulaforgreatnessinmanis!amorfati:thefactthatamanwishesnothing to be different, either in front of him or behind him, or for all eternity. Not onlymust thenecessarybeborne,andonnoaccountconcealed,—allidealismisfalsehoodinthefaceofnecessity,—butitmustalsobeloved....

[1]Nietzsche, as iswell known,devotedmuch timewhena student atLeipzig to the studyof threeGreekphilosophers,Theognis,DiogenesLaertius,andDemocritus.Thisstudyfirstborefruitinthecaseofapaper,Zur Geschichte der Theognideischen Spruchsammlung, which was subsequently published by the mostinfluentialjournalofclassicalphilologyinGermany.Later,however,itenabledNietzschetoenterfortheprizeofferedbytheUniversityofLeipzigforanessay,DefontibusDiogenisLaertii.Hewassuccessfulingainingthe prize, and the treatise was afterwards published in theRheinischesMuseum, and is still quoted as anauthority.Itistothisessay,writtenwhenhewastwenty-threeyearsofage,thathehererefers.—TR.

[2]ThefavouriteuniformoftheGermanEmperor,WilliamII.—TR.[3]Inthelatteryearsofhislife,NietzschepracticallymadeItalyhishome.—TR.

[4]Seenoteonpage37.

[5]TheGermanwordsare,EinsamkeitandVielsamkeit.ThelatterwascoinedbyNietzsche.TheEnglishword"multitude"should,therefore,beunderstoodassignifyingmultifariousinstinctsandgifts,whichinNietzschestroveforascendancyandcausedhimmoresufferingthananysolitude.Complexityofthissort,heldincheckbyadominantinstinct,asinNietzsche'scase,isofcoursetheonlypossiblebasisofanartisticnature.—TR.

WHYIWRITESUCHEXCELLENTBOOKS

1

Iamone thing,mycreationsareanother.Here,beforeIspeakof thebooks themselves, Ishall touchuponthequestionoftheunderstandingandmisunderstandingwithwhichtheyhavemet.Ishallproceedtodothisinasperfunctoryamannerastheoccasiondemands;forthetimehasbynomeanscomeforthisquestion.Mytimehasnotyetcomeeither;somearebornposthumously.Onesdayinstitutionswillbeneededinwhichmenwillliveandteach,asIunderstandlivingandteaching;maybe,also,thatbythattime,chairswillbefoundedandendowedfortheinterpretationofZarathustra.ButIshouldregarditasacompletecontradictionofmyself,ifIexpectedtofindearsandeyesformytruthsto-day:thefactthat no one listens to me, that no one knows how to receive at my hands to-day, is not onlycomprehensible,itseemstomequitetheproperthing.Idonotwishtobemistakenforanother—andtothisendImustnotmistakemyself.TorepeatwhatIhavealreadysaid,Icanpointtobutfewinstancesofill-willinmylife:andasforliteraryill-will,Icouldmentionscarcelyasingleexampleofit.Ontheotherhand,Ihavemetwithfartoomuchpurefoolery!...Itseemstomethattotakeuponeofmybooksisoneoftheraresthonoursthatamancanpayhimself—evensupposingthatheputhisshoesfromoffhis feet beforehand, not tomention boots....When on one occasionDr.Heinrich von Stein honestlycomplainedthathecouldnotunderstandawordofmyZarathustra,Isaidtohimthatthiswasjustasitshouldbe:tohaveunderstoodsixsentencesinthatbook—thatistosay,tohavelivedthem—raisesamantoahigherlevelamongmortalsthan"modern"mencanattain.WiththisfeelingofdistancehowcouldIevenwishtobereadbythe"moderns"whomIknow!MytriumphisjusttheoppositeofwhatSchopenhauer's was—I say "Non legor, non legar."—Not that I should like to underestimate thepleasureIhavederivedfromtheinnocencewithwhichmyworkshavefrequentlybeencontradicted.Aslateaslastsummer,atatimewhenIwasattempting,perhapsbymeansofmyweighty,all-too-weightyliterature,tothrowtherestofliteratureoffitsbalance,acertainprofessorofBerlinUniversitykindlygavemetounderstandthatIoughtreallytomakeuseofadifferentform:noonecouldreadsuchstuffasIwrote.—Finally,itwasnotGermany,butSwitzerlandthatpresentedmewiththetwomostextremecases.AnessayonBeyondGoodandEvil,byDr.V.WidmanninthepapercalledtheBund,undertheheading"Nietzsche'sDangerousBook,"andageneralaccountofallmyworks, fromthepenofHerrKarlSpitteler,alsointheBund,constituteamaximuminmylife—Ishallnotsayofwhat....ThelattertreatedmyZarathustra,forinstanceas"advancedexercisesinstyle,"andexpressedthewishthatlateronImighttryandattendtothequestionofsubstanceaswell;Dr.WidmannassuredmeofhisrespectforthecourageIshowedinendeavouringtoabolishalldecentfeeling.Thankstoalittletrickofdestiny,everysentenceinthesecriticismsseemed,withaconsistencythatIcouldbutadmire,tobeaninvertedtruth.Infactitwasmostremarkablethatallonehadtodowasto"transvalueallvalues,"inordertohitthe nail on the head with regard to me, instead of striking my head with the nail.... I am moreparticularlyanxiousthereforetodiscoveranexplanation.Afterall,noonecandrawmoreoutofthings,booksincluded,thanhealreadyknows.Amanhasnoearsforthattowhichexperiencehasgivenhimnoaccess.Totakeanextremecase,supposeabookcontainssimplyincidentswhichliequiteoutsidetherangeofgeneralorevenrareexperience—supposeittobethefirstlanguagetoexpressawholeseriesof experiences. In this casenothing it containswill really beheard at all, and, thanks to an acousticdelusion,peoplewillbelieve thatwherenothingisheard there isnothingtohear....This,at least,hasbeenmyusualexperience,andproves,ifyouwill,theoriginalityofmyexperience.Hewhothoughthehadunderstoodsomething inmywork,hadasa ruleadjustedsomething in it tohisownimage—notinfrequentlytheveryoppositeofmyself,an"idealist,"forinstance.Hewhounderstoodnothinginmywork,woulddenythatIwasworthconsideringatall.—Theword"Superman,"whichdesignatesatypeofmanthatwouldbeoneofnature'srarestandluckieststrokes,asopposedto"modern"men,to"good"men, toChristiansandotherNihilists,—awordwhich in themouthofZarathustra, theannihilatorofmorality, acquires a very profound meaning,—is understood almost everywhere, and with perfectinnocence,inthelightofthosevaluestowhichaflatcontradictionwasmademanifestinthefigureof

Zarathustra—thatistosay,asan"ideal"type,ahigherkindofman,half"saint"andhalf"genius."...OtherlearnedcattlehavesuspectedmeofDarwinismonaccountofthisword:eventhe"herocult"ofthatgreatunconsciousandinvoluntaryswindler,Carlyle,—acultwhichIrepudiatedwithsuchroguishmalice,—wasrecognisedinmydoctrine.Once,whenIwhisperedtoamanthathewoulddobetterItoseekfortheSupermaninaCæsarBorgiathaninaParsifal,hecouldnotbelievehisears.ThefactthatIamquitefreefromcuriosityinregardtocriticismsofmybooks,moreparticularlywhentheyappearinnewspapers,willhavetobeforgivenme.Myfriendsandmypublishersknowthis,andneverspeaktomeof such things. In one particular case, I once saw all the sins that had been committed against asinglebook—itwasBeyondGoodandEvil;Icouldtellyouanicestoryaboutit.IsitpossiblethattheNational-Zeitung—aPrussianpaper(thiscommentisforthesakeofmyforeignreaders—formyownpart, Ibeg to state, I readonlyLeJournaldesDébats)—really and seriously regarded thebookas a"signofthetimes,"oragenuineandtypicalexampleofToryphilosophy,[1]forwhichtheKreuz-Zeitunghadnotsufficientcourage?...

2

This was said for the benefit of Germans: for everywhere else I have my readers—all of themexceptionally intelligentmen, characters thathavewon their spurs and thathavebeen reared inhighofficesandsuperiorduties;Ihaveevenrealgeniusesamongmyreaders.InVienna,inStPetersburg,inStockholm,inCopenhagen,inParis,andNewYork—Ihavebeendiscoveredeverywhere:Ihavenotyetbeen discovered in Europe's flatland—Germany.... And, tomake a confession, I rejoicemuchmoreheartilyoverthosewhodonotreadme,overthosewhohaveneitherheardofmynamenorofthewordphilosophy.ButwhithersoeverIgo,hereinTurin,forinstance,everyfacebrightensandsoftensatthesightofme.Athingthathasflatteredmemorethananythingelsehitherto,isthefactthatoldmarket-womencannotrestuntiltheyhavepickedoutthesweetestoftheirgrapesforme.Tothisextentmustamanbeaphilosopher....ItisnotinvainthatthePolesareconsideredastheFrenchamongtheSlavs.Acharming Russian lady will not be mistaken for a single moment concerning my origin. I am notsuccessfulatbeingpompous,themostIcandoistoappearembarrassed....IcanthinkinGerman,IcanfeelinGerman—Icandomostthings;butthisisbeyondmypowers....MyoldmasterRitschlwentsofarastodeclarethatIplannedevenmyphilologicaltreatisesafterthemannerofaParisiannovelist—that I made them absurdly thrilling. In Paris itself people are surprised at "toutes mes audaces etfinesses";—thewordsareMonsieurTaine's;—Ifearthateveninthehighestformsofthedithyramb,thatsaltwillbefoundpervadingmyworkwhichneverbecomesinsipid,whichneverbecomes"German"—and that is,wit.... I can do nought else.God helpme!Amen.—Weall know, someof us even fromexperience,whata"long-ears"is.Wellthen,IventuretoassertthatIhavethesmallestearsthathaveeverbeenseen.Thisfactisnotwithoutinteresttowomen—itseemstometheyfeelthatIunderstandthembetter!...Iamessentiallytheanti-ass,andonthisaccountaloneamonsterintheworld'shistory—inGreek,andnotonlyinGreek,IamtheAntichrist.

3

Iamtoagreatextentawareofmyprivilegesasawriter:inoneortwocasesithasevenbeenbroughthome tomehowverymuch thehabitual> readingofmyworks "spoils" aman's taste.Otherbookssimply cannot be endured after mine, and least of all philosophical ones. It is an incomparabledistinctiontocrossthethresholdofthisnobleandsubtleworld—inordertodosoonemustcertainlynotbeaGerman;itis,inshort,adistinctionwhichonemusthavedeserved.He,however,whoisrelated

tomethroughloftinessofwill,experiencesgenuinerapturesofunderstandinginmybooks:forIswoopdown fromheights intowhich no bird has ever soared; I know abysses intowhich no foot has everslipped.Peoplehavetoldmethatitisimpossibletolaydownabookofmine—thatIdisturbeventhenight'srest....Thereisnoprouderoratthesametimemoresubtlekindofbooks:theysometimesattaintothehighestpinnacleofearthlyendeavour,cynicism;tocapturetheir thoughtsamanmusthavethetenderestfingersaswellasthemostintrepidfists.Anykindofspiritualdecrepitudeutterlyexcludesallintercoursewith them—evenanykindofdyspepsia:amanmusthavenonerves,buthemusthaveacheerfulbelly.Notonlythepovertyofaman'ssoulanditsstuffyairexcludesallintercoursewiththem,butalso,andtoamuchgreaterdegree,cowardice,uncleanliness,andsecretintestinalrevengefulness;aword from my lips suffices to make the colour of all evil instincts rush into a face. Among myacquaintancesIhaveanumberofexperimentalsubjects,inwhomIseedepictedallthedifferent,andinstructively different, reactions which follow upon a perusal of my works. Those who will havenothing to do with the contents of my books, as for instance my so-called friends, assume an"impersonal" tone concerning them: they wish me luck, and congratulate me for having producedanotherwork; theyalsodeclare thatmywritingsshowprogress,because theyexhaleamorecheerfulspirit....Thethoroughlyviciouspeople,the"beautifulsouls,"thefalsefromtoptotoe,donotknowintheleastwhattodowithmybooks—consequently,withthebeautifulconsistencyofallbeautifulsouls,theyregardmyworkasbeneaththem.Thecattleamongmyacquaintances,themereGermans,leavemetounderstand,ifyouplease,thattheyarenotalwaysofmyopinion,thoughhereandtheretheyagreewithme....IhaveheardthissaidevenaboutZarathustra."Feminism,"whetherinmankindorinman,islikewise a barrier to my writings; with it, no one could ever enter into this labyrinth of fearlessknowledge.Tothisend,amanmustneverhavesparedhimself,hemusthavebeenhardinhishabits,inorder to be good-humoured andmerry among a host of inexorable truths.When I try to picture thecharacter of a perfect reader, I always imagine a monster of courage and curiosity, as well as ofsuppleness, cunning, and prudence—in short, a born adventurer and explorer. After all, I could notdescribebetterthanZarathustrahasdoneuntowhomIreallyaddressmyself:untowhomalonewouldherevealhisriddle?

"Untoyou,daringexplorersandexperimenters,anduntoallwhohaveeverembarkedbeneathcunningsailsuponterribleseas;

"Untoyouwhorevelinriddlesandintwilight,whosesoulsareluredbyflutesuntoeverytreacherousabyss:

"Foryecarenottogropeyourwayalongathreadwithcravenfingers;andwhereyeareabletoguess,yehatetoargue?"

4

Iwillnowpassjustoneortwogeneralremarksaboutmyartofstyle.Tocommunicateastateaninnertensionofpathosbymeansofsigns,includingthetempoofthesesigns,—thatisthemeaningofeverystyle;and inviewof the fact that themultiplicityof innerstates inme isenormous, Iamcapableofmany kinds of style—in short, the most multifarious art of style that any man has ever had at hisdisposal.Anystyleisgoodwhichgenuinelycommunicatesaninnercondition,whichdoesnotblunderoverthesigns,overthetempoofthesigns,orovermoods—allthelawsofphrasingaretheoutcomeofrepresentingmoods artistically.Good style, in itself, is a piece of sheer foolery,mere idealism, like"beautyinitself,"forinstance,or"goodnessinitself,"or"thething-in-itself."Allthistakesforgranted,ofcourse,thatthereexistearsthatcanhear,andsuchmenasarecapableandworthyofalikepathos,

thatthosearenotwantinguntowhomonemaycommunicateone'sself.MeanwhilemyZarathustra,forinstance, isstill inquestofsuchpeople—alas!hewillhavetoseekalongwhileyet!Amanmustbeworthyoflisteningtohim....And,untilthattime,therewillbenoonewhowillunderstandtheartthathasbeensquanderedinthisbook.Noonehaseverexistedwhohashadmorenovel,morestrange,andpurposelycreatedartformstoflingtothewinds.ThefactthatsuchthingswerepossibleintheGermanlanguage still awaited proof; formerly, I myself would have denied most emphatically that it waspossible.Beforemytimepeopledidnotknowwhatcouldbedonewith theGermanlanguage—whatcould be done with language in general. The art of grand rhythm, of grand style in periods, forexpressingthetremendousfluctuationsofsublimeandsuperhumanpassion,wasfirstdiscoveredbyme:withthedithyrambentitled"TheSevenSeals,"whichconstitutesthelastdiscourseofthethirdpartofZarathustra,Isoaredmilesaboveallthatwhichheretoforehasbeencalledpoetry.

5

The fact that the voicewhich speaks inmyworks is that of a psychologistwho has not his peer, isperhapsthefirstconclusionatwhichagoodreaderwillarrive—areadersuchasIdeserve,andonewhoreadsmejustasthegoodoldphilologistsusedtoreadtheirHorace.Thosepropositionsaboutwhichallthe world is fundamentally agreed—not to speak of fashionable philosophy, of moralists and otherempty-headedandcabbage-brainedpeople—aretomebutingenuousblunders:forinstance,thebeliefthat"altruistic"and"egoistic";areopposites,whileall the time the"ego" itself ismerelya"supremeswindle," an "ideal." ... There are no such things as egoistic or altruistic actions: both concepts arepsychological nonsense. Or the proposition that "man pursues happiness"; or the proposition that"happiness is the reward of virtue." ... Or the proposition that "pleasure and pain are opposites." ...Morality, the Circe of mankind, has falsified everything psychological, root and branch—it hasdemoralisedeverything,eventotheterriblynonsensicalpointofcallinglove"unselfish."Amanmustfirst be firmly poised, hemust stand securely on his two legs, otherwise he cannot love at all. Thisindeed the girls know only too well: they don't care two pins about unselfish andmerely objectivemen.... May I venture to suggest, incidentally, that I know women? This knowledge is part of myDionysianpatrimony.Whoknows?maybeIamthefirstpsychologistoftheeternallyfeminine.Womenalllikeme....Butthat'sanoldstory:save,ofcourse,theabortionsamongthem,theemancipatedones,thosewholackthewhere-withaltohavechildren.ThankgoodnessIamnotwillingtoletmyselfbetorntopieces!theperfectwomantearsyoutopieceswhenshelovesyou:IknowtheseamiableMænads....Oh!whatadangerous,creeping,subterraneanlittlebeastofpreysheis!Andsoagreeablewithal!...Alittlewoman,pursuinghervengeance,would forceopeneven the irongatesofFate itself.Woman isincalculablymorewicked thanman, she is also cleverer.Goodness in awoman is already a sign ofdegeneration.Allcasesof"beautifulsouls"inwomenmaybetracedtoafaultyphysiologicalcondition—butIgonofurther,lestIshouldbecomemedicynical.Thestruggleforequalrightsisevenasymptomofdisease;everydoctorknowsthis.Themorewomanlyawomanis,themoreshefightstoothandnailagainstrightsingeneral:thenaturalorderofthings,theeternalwarbetweenthesexes,assignstoherbyfar the foremost rank.Have people had ears to hearmy definition of love? It is the only definitionworthyofaphilosopher.Love,initsmeans,iswar;initsfoundation,itisthemortalhatredofthesexes.Haveyouheardmy reply to the question howawoman canbe cured, "saved" in fact?—Give her achild!Awomanneedschildren,manisalwaysonlyameans,thusspakeZarathustra."Theemancipationofwomen,"—this is the instinctivehatredofphysiologicallybotched—that is tosay,barren—womenfor thoseof their sisterswhoarewell constituted: the fight against "man" is alwaysonlyameans, apretext, a piece of strategy.By trying to rise to "Womanperse," to "HigherWoman," to the "IdealWoman,"alltheywishtodoistolowerthegenerallevelofwomen'srank:andtherearenomorecertain

meansto thisendthanuniversityeducation, trousers,andtherightsofvotingcattle.Truth to tell, theemancipatedare theanarchists in the"eternally feminine"world, thephysiologicalmishaps, themostdeep-rootedinstinctofwhomisrevenge.Awholespeciesofthemostmalicious"idealism"—which,bythebye,alsomanifestsitselfinmen,inHenrikIbsenforinstance,thattypicaloldmaid—whoseobjectistopoisonthecleanconscience,thenaturalspirit,ofsexuallove....Andinordertoleavenodoubtinyourmindsinregardtomyopinion,which,onthismatter,isashonestasitissevere,Iwillrevealtoyouonemoreclauseoutofmymoralcodeagainstvice—withtheword"vice"Icombateverykindof!oppositiontoNature,or,ifyoupreferfinewords,idealism.Theclausereads:"Preachingofchastityisapublic incitement to unnatural practices. All depreciation of the sexual life, all the sullying of it bymeans of the concept 'impure,' is the essential crime against Life—is the essential crime against theHolySpiritofLife."

In order to give you some idea of myself as a psychologist, let me take this curious piece ofpsychologicalanalysisoutofthebookBeyondGoodandEvil,inwhichitappears.Iforbid,bythebye,any guessing as to whom I am describing in this passage. "The genius of the heart, as that greatanchoritepossessesit,thedivinetempterandbornPiedPiperofconsciences,whosevoiceknowshowtosinkintotheinmostdepthsofeverysoul,whoneitheruttersawordnorcastsaglance,inwhichsomeseductivemotive or trick does not lie: a part ofwhosemasterliness is that he understands the art ofseeming—notwhatheis,butthatwhichwillplaceafreshconstraintuponhisfollowerstopressevermorecloselyuponhim,tofollowhimevermoreenthusiasticallyandwhole-heartedly....Thegeniusoftheheart,whichmakesallloudandself-conceitedthingsholdtheirtonguesandlendtheirears,whichpolishesall roughsoulsandmakes themtasteanewlonging—tolieplacidasamirror, that thedeepheavensmaybe reflected in them....Thegeniusof theheartwhich teaches theclumsyand toohastyhandtohesitateandgraspmoretenderly;whichscentsthehiddenandforgottentreasure, thepearlofgoodnessandsweetspirituality,beneaththickblackice,andisadiviningrodforeverygrainofgold,long buried and imprisoned in heaps ofmud and sand.... The genius of the heart, from contactwithwhicheverymangoesawayricher,not'blessed'andovercome,notasthoughfavouredandcrushedbythegoodthingsofothers;butricherinhimself,freshertohimselfthanbefore,openedup,breatheduponandsoundedbyathawingwind;moreuncertain,perhaps,moredelicate,morefragile,morebruised;butfullofhopeswhichasyetlacknames,fullofanewwillandstriving,fullofanewunwillingnessandcounter-striving."...

[1]Junker-Philosophie.The landedproprietorsconstitute thedominatingclass inPrussia,andit is fromthisclassthatallofficersandhigherofficialsaredrawn.TheKreuz-ZeitungistheorganoftheJunkerparty.—TR.

"THEBIRTHOfTRAGEDY"

1

In order to be fair to theBirthofTragedy (1872) it is necessary to forget a few things. It created asensationandevenfascinatedbymeansofitsmistakes—bymeansofitsapplicationtoWagnerism,asifthelatterwerethesignofanascendingtendency.Onthataccountalone, this treatisewasaneventinWagner's life: thenceforward great hopes surrounded the name ofWagner. Even to this day, peopleremindme,sometimesinthemiddleofParsifal,thatitrestsonmyconscienceiftheopinion,thatthismovementisofgreatvaluetoculture,atlengthbecameprevalentIhaveoftenseenthebookquotedas"TheSecondBirth ofTragedy from theSpirit ofMusic": people had ears only for new formulæ forWagner's art, his object and his mission—and in this way the real hidden value of the book wasoverlooked. "HellenismandPessimism"—thiswouldhavebeena less equivocal title, seeing that thebookcontains thefirstattemptatshowinghowtheGreekssucceeded indisposing:ofpessimism—inwhat manner they overcame it. ... Tragedy itself is the proof of the fact that the Greeks were notpessimists: Schopenhauer blundered here as he blundered in everything else.—Regarded impartially,TheBirthofTragedy isabookquitestrange to itsage:noonewoulddreamthat itwasbegun in thethunderofthebattleofWörth.IthoughtouttheseproblemsoncoldSeptembernightsbeneaththewallsofMetz, in themidst ofmy duties as nurse to thewounded; itwould be easier to think that itwaswrittenfiftyyearsearlier.Itsattitudetowardspoliticsisoneofindifference,—"un-German,"[1]aspeoplewouldsay to-day,—itsmellsoffensivelyofHegel;only inoneor twoformulæis it infectedwith thebitterodourofcorpseswhichispeculiartoSchopenhauer.Anidea—theantagonismofthetwoconceptsDionysianandApollonian—istranslatedintometaphysics;historyitselfisdepictedasthedevelopmentofthisidea;intragedythisantithesishasbecomeunity;fromthisstandpointthingswhichtheretoforehadneverbeenfacetofacearesuddenlyconfronted,andunderstoodandilluminatedbyeachother....Opera and revolution, for instance.... The two decisive innovations in the book are, first, thecomprehension of theDionysian phenomenon among theGreeks—it provides the first psychologicalanalysis of this phenomenon, and sees in it the single root of all Greek art; and, secondly, thecomprehensionofSocraticism—SocratesbeingpresentedforthefirsttimeastheinstrumentofGreekdissolution,asatypicaldecadent."Reason"versusInstinct."Reason"atanycost,asadangerous,life-underminingforce.ThewholebookisprofoundlyandpolitelysilentconcerningChristianity:thelatterisneitherApolloniannorDionysian; itdeniesallæstheticvalues,whichare theonlyvalues thatTheBirth of Tragedy recognises. Christianity is most profoundly nihilistic, whereas in the Dionysiansymbol,themostextremelimitsofayea-sayingattitudetolifeareattained.InonepartofthebooktheChristianpriesthoodisreferredtoasa"perfidiousorderofgoblins,"as"subterraneans."

2

This start of mine was remarkable beyond measure. As a confirmation of my inmost personalexperienceIhaddiscoveredtheonlyexampleof thisfact thathistorypossesses,—with thisIwas thefirsttounderstandtheamazingDionysianphenomenon.Atthesametime,byrecognisingSocratesasa

decadent, Iprovedmost conclusively that thecertaintyofmypsychologicalgraspof things ranverylittle risk at the hands of any sort ofmoral idiosyncrasy: to regardmorality itself as a symptom ofdegenerationisaninnovation,auniqueeventofthefirstorderinthehistoryofknowledge.HowhighIhad soared above the pitifully foolish gabble about Optimism and Pessimism with my two newdoctrines!Iwasthefirsttoseetheactualcontrast:thedegenerateinstinctwhichturnsuponlifewithasubterraneanlustofvengeance(Christianity,Schopenhauer'sphilosophy,andinsomerespectstooevenPlato'sphilosophy—inshort,thewholeofidealisminitstypicalforms),asopposedtoaformulaofthehighestyea-sayingtolife,bornofanabundanceandasuperabundanceoflife—aIyea-sayingfreefromallreserve,applyingeventosuffering,andguilt,andallthatisquestionableandstrangeinexistence....This last,most joyous,most exuberant and exultant yea to life, is not only the highest, but also theprofoundestconception,andonewhichismoststrictlyconfirmedandsupportedbytruthandscience.Nothing that existsmust be suppressed, nothing can be dispensedwith. Those aspects of lifewhichChristiansandotherNihilistsreject,belongtoanincalculablyhigherorderinthehierarchyofvalues,thanthatwhichtheinstinctofdegenerationcallsgood,andmaycallgood.Inordertounderstandthis,acertaincourageisnecessary,and,asaprerequisiteof this,acertainsuperfluityofstrength:foramancanapproachonlyasneartotruthashehasthecouragetoadvance—thatistosay,everythingdependsstrictlyuponthemeasureofhisstrength.Knowledge,andtheaffirmationofreality,arejustasnecessarytothestrongmanascowardice,theflightfromreality—infact,the"ideal"—arenecessarytotheweakinspiredbyweakness....Thesepeoplearenotatlibertyto"know,"—decadentsstandinneedoflies,—itis one of their self-preservative measures. He who not only understands the word "Dionysian," butunderstandshimself in that term, does not require any refutation of Plato, or of Christianity, or ofSchopenhauer—forhisnosescentsdecomposition.

3

Theextent towhich Ihadbymeansof thesedoctrinesdiscovered the ideaof "tragedy," theultimateexplanationofwhatthepsychologyoftragedyis,IdiscussedfinallyinTheTwilightoftheIdols(Aph.5,part10)...."Thesayingofyeatolife,andeventoitsweirdestandmostdifficultproblems:thewilltolife rejoicing at its own infinite vitality in the sacrifice of its highest types—that is what I calledDionysian,thatiswhatImeantasthebridgetothepsychologyofthetragicpoet.Nottocastoutterrorand pity, or to purge one's self of dangerous passion by discharging it with vehemence,—this wasAristotle's[2]misunderstandingofit,—buttobefarbeyondterrorandpityandtobetheeternallustofBecomingitself—thatlustwhichalsoinvolvesthejoyofdestruction."...InthissenseIhavetherighttoregardmyselfasthefirsttragicphilosopher—thatistosay,themostextremeantithesisandantipodesofapessimisticphilosopher.BeforemytimenosuchthingexistedasthistranslationoftheDionysianphenomenonintophilosophicemotion:tragicwisdomwaslacking;invainhaveIsoughtforsignsofitevenamong thegreatGreeks inphilosophy—thosebelonging to the twocenturiesbeforeSocrates. Istill remaineda littledoubtful aboutHeraclitus, inwhosepresence, alone, I feltwarmer andmore ateasethananywhereelse.Theyea-sayingtotheimpermanenceandannihilationofthings,whichisthedecisivefeatureofaDionysianphilosophy;theyea-sayingtocontradictionandwar,thepostulationofBecoming, togetherwith the radical rejection even of the conceptBeing— in all these things, at allevents, Imust recognise himwho has come nearest tome in thought hither to. The doctrine of the"EternalRecurrence"—that is to say, of the absolute and eternal repetitionof all things in periodicalcycles—thisdoctrineofZarathustra'smight,itistrue,havebeentaughtbefore.Inanycase,theStoics,whoderivednearlyalltheirfundamentalideasfromHeraclitus,showtracesofit.

Atremendoushopefindsexpressioninthiswork.Afterall,Ihaveabsolutelynoreasontorenouncethe

hopeforaDionysianfutureofmusic.Letuslookacenturyahead,andletussupposethatmyattempttodestroy two millenniums of hostility to Nature and of the violation of humanity be crowned withsuccessThatnewpartyof life-advocates,whichwillundertake thegreatestofall tasks, theelevationand perfection of mankind, as well as the relentless destruction of all degenerate and parasiticalelements, will make that superabundance of life on earth once more possible, out of which theDionysian statewill perforce arise again. I promise the advent of a tragic age: the highest art in thesayingofyeatolife,"tragedy,"willbebornagainwhenmankindhastheknowledgeofthehardest,butmostnecessaryofwars,behindit,without,however,sufferingfromthatknowledge....Apsychologistmight add that what I heard in Wagnerian music in my youth and early manhood had nothingwhatsoever to do withWagner; that when I described Dionysian music, I described merely what Ipersonallyhadheard—thatIwascompelledinstinctivelytotranslateandtransfigureeverythingintothenewspiritwhichfilledmybreast.Aproofofthis,andasstrongaproofasyoucouldhave,ismyessay,WagnerinBayreuth:inallitsdecisivepsychologicalpassagesIamtheonlypersonconcerned—withoutanyhesitationyoumayreadmynameortheword"Zarathustra"whereverthetextcontainsthenameofWagner. The whole panorama of the dithyrambic artist is the representation of the already existingauthor ofZarathustra, and it is drawnwith an abysmal depthwhich does not even once come intocontactwiththerealWagner.Wagnerhimselfhadanotionofthetruth;hedidnotrecognisehimselfinthe essay.—In thisway, "the ideaofBayreuth"was changed into somethingwhich to thosewho areacquaintedwithmyZarathustrawillbenoriddle—thatistosay,intotheGreatNoonwhenthehighestoftheelectwillconsecratethemselvesforthegreatestofallduties—whoknows?thevisionofafeastwhich Imay live to see.... The pathos of the first few pages is universal history; the lookwhich isdiscussedonpage105[3]ofthebook,istheactuallookofZarathustra;Wagner,Bayreuth,thewholeofthis petty German wretchedness, is a cloud upon which an infinite Fata Morgana of the future isreflected.Evenfromthepsychologicalstandpoint,allthedecisivetraitsinmycharacterareintroducedintoWagner'snature—thejuxtapositionofthemostbrilliantandmostfatalforces,aWilltoPowersuchasnomanhaseverpossessed—inexorablebraveryinmattersspiritual,anunlimitedpoweroflearningunaccompaniedbydepressedpowersforaction.Everythinginthisessayisaprophecy:theproximityofthe resurrectionof theGreek spirit, theneedofmenwhowillbecounter-Alexanders,whowilloncemoretietheGordianknotofGreekculture,afterithasbeencut.Listentotheworld-historicaccentwithwhich the concept "sense for the tragic" is introduced on page 180: there are little else but world-historicaccentsinthisessay.Thisis thestrangestkindof"objectivity"thateverexisted:myabsolutecertaintyinregardtowhatIam,projecteditselfintoanychancereality—truthaboutmyselfwasvoicedfromoutappallingdepths.Onpages174and175thestyleofZarathustraisdescribedandforetoldwithincisivecertainty,andnomoremagnificentexpressionwilleverbefoundthanthatonpages144-147fortheeventforwhichZarathustrastands—thatprodigiousactofthepurificationandconsecrationofmankind.

[1]ThoseGermanswho,likeNietzscheorGoethe,recognisedthatpoliticsconstitutedadangertoculture,andwhoappreciatedtheliteratureofmaturercultures,suchasthatofFrance,arecalledun-deutsch(un-German)byImperialisticGermans.—Tr.

[2]Aristotle'sPoetics,c.vi.—Tr.[3]ThisnumberandthosewhichfollowrefertoThoughtsoutofSeason,PartI.inthiseditionofNietzsche'sWorks.—TR.

"THOUGHTSOUTOFSEASON"

1

ThefouressayscomposingtheThoughtsoutofSeasonarethoroughlywarlikeintone.TheyprovethatIwas no mere dreamer, that I delight in drawing the sword—and perhaps, also, that my wrist isdangerously supple. The first onslaught (1873) was directed against German culture, upon which Ilookeddownevenat that timewithunmitigatedcontemptWithouteithersense,substance,orgoal, itwassimply"publicopinion."TherecouldbenomoredangerousmisunderstandingthantosupposethatGermany'ssuccessatarmsprovedanythinginfavourofGermanculture—andstilllessthetriumphofthisculture;overthatofFrance.Thesecondessay(1874)bringstolightthatwhichisdangerous,thatwhichcorrodesandpoisonslifeinourmannerofpursuingscientificstudy:Lifeisdiseased,thankstothisdehumanisedpieceofclockworkandmechanism,thankstothe"impersonality"oftheworkman,1andthefalseeconomyofthe"divisionoflabour."Theobject,whichisculture,islostsightof:modernscientificactivityasameanstheretosimplyproducesbarbarism.Inthistreatise,the"historicalsense,"ofwhichthiscenturyissoproud,isforthefirsttimerecognisedassickness,asatypicalsymptomofdecay.Inthethirdandfourthessays,asign-postissetuppointingtoahigherconceptofculture,toare-establishmentof thenotion"culture";and twopicturesof thehardest self-loveandself-disciplinearepresented,twoessentiallyun-moderntypes,fullofthemostsovereigncontemptforallthatwhichlayaround them and was called "Empire," "Culture," "Christianity," "Bismarck," and "Success,"—thesetwotypeswereSchopenhauerandWagner,or,inaword,Nietzsche....

2

Of thesefourattacks, thefirstmetwithextraordinarysuccess.Thestirwhich itcreatedwas ineverywaygorgeous.Ihadputmyfingeronthevulnerablespotofatriumphantnation—Ihadtolditthatitsvictorywasnotared-letterdayforculture,but,perhaps,somethingverydifferent.Thereplyrangoutfromallsides,andcertainlynotonlyfromoldfriendsofDavidStrauss,whomIhadmaderidiculousasthetypeofaGermanPhilistineofCultureandamanofsmugself-content—inshort,astheauthorofthatsuburbangospelofhis,calledTheOldandtheNewFaith(theterm"PhilistineofCulture"passedintothecurrentlanguageofGermanyaftertheappearanceofmybook).Theseoldfriends,whosevanityasWürtembergiansandSwabiansIhaddeeplywoundedinregardingtheiruniqueanimal,theirbirdofParadise, as a trifle comic, replied tomeas ingenuously andasgrossly as I couldhavewished.ThePrussianrepliesweresmarter;theycontainedmore"Prussianblue."Themostdisreputableattitudewasassumed by a Leipzig paper, the egregiousGrentzboten; and it cost me some pains to prevent myindignantfriendsinBâlefromtakingactionagainstit.Onlyafewoldgentlemendecidedinmyfavour,andforverydiverseandsometimesunaccountablereasons.Amongthemwasone,EwaldofGöttingen,whomadeitclearthatmyattackonStrausshadbeendeadly.TherewasalsotheHegelian,BrunoBauer,whofromthattimebecameoneofmymostattentivereaders.Inhislateryearshelikedtorefertome,when, for instance,hewanted togiveHerrvonTreitschke, thePrussianHistoriographer, ahint as towherehecouldobtaininformationaboutthenotion"Culture,"ofwhichhe(HerrvonT.)hadcompletelylostsight.TheweightiestandlongestnoticeofmybookanditsauthorappearedinWürzburg,andwaswritten by Professor Hoffmann, an old pupil of the philosopher von Baader. The essays made himforeseeagreatfutureforme,namely,thatofbringingaboutasortofcrisisanddecisiveturning-pointintheproblemofatheism,ofwhichherecognisedinmethemostinstinctiveandmostradicaladvocate.ItwasatheismthathaddrawnmetoSchopenhauer.Thereviewwhichreceivedbyfarthemostattention,

andwhichexcitedthemostbitterness,wasanextraordinarilypowerfulandpluckyappreciationofmyworkbyCarlHillebrand,amanwhowasusuallysomild,andthelasthumaneGermanwhoknewhowtowield a pen.The article appeared in theAugsburgGazette, and it can be read to-day, couched inrathermorecautiouslanguage,amonghiscollectedessays.Initmyworkwasreferredtoasanevent,asadecisive turning-point,as thefirstsignofanawakening,asanexcellentsymptom,andasanactualrevivalofGermanearnestnessandofGermanpassioninthingsspiritual.Hillebrandcouldspeakonlyinthetermsofthehighestrespect,oftheformofmybook,ofitsconsummatetaste,ofitsperfecttactindiscriminating between persons and causes: he characterised it as the best polemical work in theGermanlanguage,—thebestperformanceintheartofpolemics,whichforGermansissodangerousandsostronglytobedeprecated.Besidesconfirmingmystandpoint,helaidevengreaterstressuponwhatIhaddaredtosayaboutthedeteriorationoflanguageinGermany(nowadayswritersassumetheairsofPurists[1]andcannolongerevenconstructasentence);sharingmycontemptfortheliterarystarsofthisnation,heconcludedbyexpressinghisadmirationformycourage—that"greatestcourageofallwhichplacestheveryfavouritesofthepeopleinthedock."...Theafter-effectsofthisessayofmineprovedinvaluable to me in my life. No one has ever tried to meddle with me since. People are silent. InGermanyIamtreatedwithgloomycaution:foryearsIhaverejoicedintheprivilegeofsuchabsolutefreedomofspeech,asnoonenowadays,leastofallinthe"Empire,"hasenoughlibertytoclaim.Myparadiseis"intheshadowofmysword."AtbottomallIhaddonewastoputoneofStendhal'smaximsintopractice:headvisesonetomakeone'sentranceintosocietybymeansofaduel.AndhowwellIhadchosenmyopponent!—theforemostfree-thinkerofGermany.Asamatteroffact,quiteanovelkindoffreethoughtfounditsexpressioninthisway:uptothepresentnothinghasbeenmorestrangeandmoreforeigntomybloodthanthewholeofthatEuropeanandAmericanspeciesknownas litrespenseurs.Incorrigibleblockheads andclownsof "modern ideas" that they are, I feelmuchmoreprofoundly atvariancewiththemthanwithanyoneoftheiradversaries.Theyalsowishto"improve"mankind,aftertheirown fashion—that is to say, in theirown image; against thatwhich I stand for anddesire, theywouldwagean implacablewar, ifonly theyunderstoodit; thewholegangof themstillbelieve inan"ideal."...IamthefirstImmoralist.

3

IshouldnotliketosaythatthelasttwoessaysintheThoughtsoutofSeason,associatedwiththenamesofSchopenhauerandWagnerrespectively,serveanyspecialpurposeinthrowinglightuponthesetwocases,or in formulating theirpsychologicalproblems.Thisofcoursedoesnotapply toa fewdetails.Thus, for instance, in the second of the two essays, with a profound certainty of instinct I alreadycharacterisedtheelementaryfactorinWagner'snatureasatheatricaltalentwhichinallhismeansandinspirationsonlydraws its finalconclusions.Atbottom,mydesire in thisessaywas todosomethingverydifferentfromwritingpsychology:anunprecedentededucationalproblem,anewunderstandingofself-disciplineandself-defencecarriedtothepointofhardness,aroadtogreatnessandtoworld-historicduties,yearnedtofindexpression.Roughlyspeaking,Iseizedtwofamousand,theretofore,completelyundefinedtypesbytheforelock,afterthemannerinwhichoneseizesopportunities,simplyinordertospeak my mind on certain questions, in order to have a few more formulas, signs, and means ofexpressionatmydisposal.IndeedIactuallysuggestthis,withmostunearthlysagacity,onpage183ofSchopenhauerasEducator.PlatomadeuseofSocratesinthesameway—thatistosay,asacipherforPlato.Nowthat,fromsomedistance,Icanlookbackupontheconditionsofwhichtheseessaysarethetestimony, Iwould be loth to deny that they refer simply tome.The essayWagner inBayreuth is avisionofmyownfuture;ontheotherhand,mymostsecrethistory,mydevelopment,iswrittendowninSchopenhauerasEducator.But,aboveall,thevowImadeIWhatIamto-day,theplaceInowhold—at

aheightfromwhichIspeaknolongerwithwordsbutwiththunderbolts!—oh,howfarIwasfromallthisinthosedays!ButIsawtheland—Ididnotdeceivemyselfforonemomentastotheway,thesea,thedanger—andsuccess!Thegreatcalminpromising,thishappyprospectofafuturewhichmustnotremainonlyapromise!—Inthisbookeverywordhasbeenlived,profoundlyandintimately;themostpainful thingsarenot lacking in it; it containswordswhicharepositively runningwithblood.But awindofgreatfreedomblowsoverthewhole;evenitswoundsdonotconstituteanobjection.AstowhatI understand by being a philosopher,—that is to say, a terrible explosive in the presence ofwhicheverythingisindanger;astohowIsevermyideaofthephilosopherbymilesfromthatotherideaofhimwhich includes even aKant, not to speak of the academic "ruminators" and other professors ofphilosophy,—concerningallthesethingsthisessayprovidesinvaluableinformation,evengrantingthatatbottom,itisnot"SchopenhauerasEducator"but"NietzscheasEducator,"whospeakshissentimentsinit.Consideringthat,inthosedays,mytradewasthatofascholar,andperhaps,also,thatIunderstoodmytrade,thepieceofausterescholarpsychologywhichsuddenlymakesitsappearanceinthisessayisnotwithoutimportance:itexpressesthefeelingofdistance,andmyprofoundcertaintyregardingwhatwasmyreallife-task,andwhatweremerelymeans,intervals,andaccessoryworktome.Mywisdomconsistsinmyhavingbeenmanythings,andinmanyplaces,inordertobecomeonething—inordertobeabletoattaintoonething.Itwaspartofmyfatetobeascholarforawhile.

[1] The Purists constitute a definite body inGermany,which is called theDeutscher Sprach-Verein. Theirobjectistobanisheveryforeignwordfromthelanguage,andtheycarrythisprocessofostracismevenintothedomain of themenu,where their efforts at rendering themeaning of French dishes are extremely comical.Strangetosay,theirprincipalorgan,andtheirotherpublications,arebynomeansfreeeitherfromsolecismsorfaultsofstyle,anditisdoubtlesstothiscuriousanomalythatNietzschehererefers.—TR.

"HUMAN,ALL-TOO-HUMAN"

1

Humanall-too-Human,with its two sequels, is thememorial of a crisis. It is called a book for freespirits:almosteverysentence in it is theexpressionofa triumph—bymeansof it Ipurgedmyselfofeverythinginmewhichwasforeigntomynature.Idealismisforeigntome:thetitleofthebookmeans:"WhereyeseeidealthingsIsee—human,alas!all-too-humanthings!"...Iknowmenbetter.Theword"freespirit"inthisbookmustnotbeunderstoodasanythingelsethanaspiritthathasbecomefree,thathasoncemoretakenpossessionofitself.Mytone,thepitchofmyvoice,hascompletelychanged;thebookwillbethoughtclever,cool,andat timesbothhardandscornful.Acertainspirituality,ofnobletaste, seems to be ever struggling to dominate a passionate torrent at its feet. In this respect there issomesenseinthefactthatitwasthehundredthanniversaryofVoltaire'sdeaththatserved,sotospeak,asanexcuseforthepublicationofthebookasearlyas1878.ForVoltaire,astheoppositeofeveryonewhowroteafterhim,wasaboveallagrandeeof the intellect;preciselywhatIamalso.ThenameofVoltaireononeofmywritings—thatwasverilyastepforward—inmydirection....Looking into thisbookalittlemoreclosely,youperceiveapitilessspiritwhoknowsallthesecrethiding-placesinwhichidealsarewonttoskulk—wheretheyfindtheirdungeons,and,asitwere,theirlastrefuge.Withatorchinmyhand,thelightofwhichisnotbyanymeansaflickeringone,Iilluminatethisnetherworldwithbeams that cut like blades. It iswar, butwarwithout powder and smoke,withoutwarlike attitudes,

withoutpathosandcontortedlimbs—allthesethingswouldstillbe"idealism."Oneerroraftertheotherisquietlylaiduponice;theidealisnotrefuted,—itfreezes.Here,forinstance,"genius"freezes;roundthecornerthe"saint"freezes;underathickiciclethe"hero"freezes;andintheend"faith"itselffreezes.So-called"conviction"andalso"pity"areconsiderablycooled—andalmosteverywhere the"thing initself"isfreezingtodeath.

2

Thisbookwasbegunduring the firstmusical festival atBayreuth; a feelingofprofound strangenesstowardseverythingthatsurroundedmethere,isoneofitsfirstconditions.Hewhohasanynotionofthevisionswhichevenatthattimehadflittedacrossmypath,willbeabletoguesswhatIfeltwhenonedayIcametomysenses inBayreuth.Itwasjustas ifIhadbeendreaming.WhereonearthwasI?Irecognised nothing that I saw; I scarcely recognised Wagner. It was in vain that I called upreminiscences.Tribschen—remoteislandofbliss:nottheshadowofaresemblance!Theincomparabledaysdevotedtothelayingofthefirststone,thesmallgroupoftheinitiatedwhocelebratedthem,andwhowerefarfromlackingfingersforthehandlingofdelicatethings:nottheshadowofaresemblance!Whathadhappened?—WagnerhadbeentranslatedintoGerman!TheWagneritehadbecomemasterofWagner!—German art! theGermanmaster!Germanbeer!...Wewhoknowonly toowell thekindofrefined artists and cosmopolitanism in taste, to which alone Wagner's art can appeal, were besideourselvesat thesightofWagnerbedeckedwithGermanvirtues.I thinkIknowtheWagnerite,Ihaveexperiencedthreegenerationsofthem,fromBrendelofblessedmemory,whoconfoundedWagnerwithHegel,tothe"idealists"oftheBayreuthGazette,whoconfoundWagnerwiththemselves,—IhavebeentherecipientofeverykindofconfessionaboutWagner,from"beautifulsouls."MykingdomforjustoneintelligentwordI—Inverytruth,ablood-curdlingcompany!Nohl,Pohl,andKohl[1]andothersoftheirkidneytoinfinity!Therewasnotasingleabortionthatwaslackingamongthem—no,noteventheanti-Semite.—PoorWagner!Intowhosehandshadhefallen?Ifonlyhehadgoneintoaherdofswine!Butamong Germans! Some day, for the edification of posterity, one ought really to have a genuineBayreuthianstuffed,or,betterstill,preservedinspirit,—forit ispreciselyspirit that is lackinginthisquarter,—with this inscription at the foot of the jar: "A sample of the spirit whereon the 'GermanEmpire'wasfounded."...Butenough!InthemiddleofthefestivitiesIsuddenlypackedmytrunkandleft theplacefora fewweeks,despite thefact thatacharmingParisian ladysought tocomfortme; IexcusedmyselftoWagnersimplybymeansofafatalistictelegram.InalittlespotcalledKlingenbrunn,deeply buried in the recesses of the Bohmerwald, I carried my melancholy and my contempt ofGermansaboutwithmelikeanillness—and,fromtimetotime,underthegeneraltitleof"ThePlough-share,"Iwroteasentenceortwodowninmynote-book,nothingbutseverepsychologicalstuff,whichitispossiblemayhavefounditswayintoHuman,all-too-Human.

3

Thatwhichhadtakenplaceinme, then,wasnotonlyabreachwithWagner—Iwassufferingfromageneral aberration ofmy instincts, ofwhich amere isolated blunder,whether itwereWagner ormyprofessorship atBâle,wasnothingmore than a symptom. Iwas seizedwith a fit of impatiencewithmyself;IsawthatitwashightimethatIshouldturnmythoughtsuponmyownlot.InatriceIrealised,withappallingclearness,howmuchtimehadalreadybeensquandered—howfutileandhowsenselessmywholeexistenceasaphilologistappearedbythesideofmylife-task.Iwasashamedof thisfalsemodesty....Tenyearswerebehindme,duringwhich,totellthetruth,thenourishmentofmyspirithad

beenatastandstill,duringwhichIhadaddednotasingleusefulfragmenttomyknowledge,andhadforgotten countless things in the pursuit of a hotch-potch of dry-as-dust scholarship. To crawl withmeticulous care and short-sighted eyes through oldGreekmetricians—that iswhat I had come to!...MovedtopityIsawmyselfquitethin,quiteemaciated:realitieswereonlytooplainlyabsentfrommystockofknowledge,andwhat the"idealities"wereworth thedevilaloneknew!Apositivelyburningthirstovercameme:andfromthattimeforwardIhavedoneliterallynothingelsethanstudyphysiology,medicine, andnatural science—Ieven returned to theactual studyofhistoryonlywhenmy life-taskcompelled me to. It was at that time, too, that I first divined the relation between an instinctivelyrepulsiveoccupation,aso-calledvocation,whichisthelastthingtowhichoneis"called"andthatneedof lulling a feeling of emptiness and hunger, bymeans of an art which is a narcotic—bymeans ofWagner'sart,forinstance.Afterlookingcarefullyaboutme,Ihavediscoveredthatalargenumberofyoungmenareallinthesamestateofdistress:onekindofunnaturalpracticeperforceleadstoanother.In Germany, or rather, to avoid all ambiguity, in the Empire,[2] only too many are condemned todeterminetheirchoicetoosoon,andthentopineawaybeneathaburdenthattheycannolongerthrowoff....SuchcreaturescraveforWagnerasforanopiate,—theyarethusabletoforgetthemselves,toberidofthemselvesforamoment....WhatamIsaying!—forfiveorsixhours.

4

Atthistimemyinstinctsturnedresolutelyagainstanyfurtheryieldingorfollowingonmypart,andanyfurthermisunderstandingofmyself.Everykindof life, themostunfavourable circumstances, illness,poverty—anythingseemedtomepreferabletothatundignified"selfishness"intowhichIhadfallen;inthe first place, thanks tomy ignorance andyouth, and inwhich I had afterwards remainedowing tolaziness—theso-called"senseofduty."Atthisjuncturetherecametomyhelp,inawaythatIcannotsufficientlyadmire,andpreciselyat the right time, thatevilheritagewhich Iderive frommyfather'ssideofthefamily,andwhich,atbottom,isnomorethanapredispositiontodieyoung.Illnessslowlyliberatedmefromthe toils, it sparedmeanysortofsuddenbreach,anysortofviolentandoffensivestep.At that timeI lostnotaparticleof thegoodwillofothers,butratheraddedtomystore.Illnesslikewise gave me the right completely to reverse my mode of life; it not only allowed, it actuallycommanded,metoforget;itbestoweduponmethenecessityoflyingstill,ofhavingleisure,ofwaiting,andofexercisingpatience....Butallthismeansthinking!...Thestateofmyeyesaloneputanendtoallbook-wormishness,or,inplainEnglish—philology:Iwasthusdeliveredfrombooks;foryearsIceasedfromreading,andthiswasthegreatestboonIeverconferreduponmyself!Thatnethermostself,whichwas,asitwere,entombed,andwhichhadgrowndumbbecauseithadbeenforcedtolistenperpetuallytootherselves(forthatiswhatreadingmeans!),slowlyawakened;atfirstitwasshyanddoubtful,butatlastitspokeagainNeverhaveI rejoicedmoreovermycondition thanduring thesickestandmostpainfulmomentsofmylife.Youhaveonly toexamineTheDawnofDay,or,perhaps,TheWandererandhisShadow,[3]inordertounderstandwhatthis"returntomyself"actuallymeant:initselfitwasthehighestkindofrecovery!...Mycurewassimplytheresultofit.

5

Human,all-too-Human,thismonumentofacourseofvigorousself-discipline,bymeansofwhichIputanabruptend toall the"SuperiorBunkum,""Idealism,""BeautifulFeelings,"andothereffeminaciesthathadpercolatedintomybeing,waswrittenprincipallyinSorrento;itwasfinishedandgivendefiniteshapeduringawinteratBâle,underconditionsfarlessfavourablethanthoseinSorrento.Truthtotell,

itwasPeterGast,atthattimeastudentattheUniversityofBâle,andadevotedfriendofmine,whowasresponsibleforthebook.Withmyheadwrappedinbandages,andextremelypainful,Idictatedwhilehewroteandcorrectedashewentalong—tobeaccurate,hewastherealcomposer,whereasIwasonlytheauthor.Whenthecompletedbookultimatelyreachedme,—tothegreatsurpriseoftheseriousinvalidIthenwas,—Isent,amongothers,twocopiestoBayreuth.Thankstoamiraculousflashofintelligenceonthepartofchance,therereachedmepreciselyatthesametimeasplendidcopyoftheParsifaltext,withthefollowinginscriptionfromWagner'spen:"TohisdearfriendFriedrichNietzsche,fromRichardWagner,EcclesiasticalCouncillor."AtthiscrossingofthetwobooksIseemedtohearanominousnote.Did itnotsoundas if twoswordshadcrossed?Atalleventswebothfelt thiswasso, foreachofusremained silent.At about this time the firstBayreuthPamphlets appeared: and I thenunderstood themoveonmypartforwhichitwashightime.Incredible!Wagnerhadbecomepious.

6

Myattitudetomyselfatthattime(1876),andtheunearthlycertitudewithwhichIgraspedmylife-taskandallitsworld-historicconsequences,iswellrevealedthroughoutthebook,butmoreparticularlyinone very significant passage, despite the fact that, with my instinctive cunning, I once morecircumvented the use of the littleword "I,"—not however, this time, in order to shedworld-historicgloryonthenamesofSchopenhauerandWagner,butonthatofanotherofmyfriends,theexcellentDr.PaulRée—fortunatelymuchtooacuteacreaturetobedeceived—otherswerelesssubtle.AmongmyreadersIhaveanumberofhopelesspeople,thetypicalGermanprofessorforinstance,whocanalwaysberecognisedfromthefactthat,judgingfromthepassageinquestion,hefeelscompelledtoregardthewholebookasasortofsuperiorRealism.Asamatterof fact itcontradicts fiveorsixofmyfriend'sutterances: only read the introduction to The Genealogy of Morals on this question.—The passageabovereferredtoreads:"What,afterall,istheprincipalaxiomtowhichtheboldestandcoldestthinker,theauthorofthebook"OntheOriginofMoralSensations"(readNietzsche,thefirstImmoralist),"hasattainedbymeansofhisincisiveanddecisiveanalysisofhumanactions?'Themoralman,'hesaysisnonearer to the intelligible (metaphysical) world than is the physical man, for there is no intelligibleworld.'Thistheory,hardenedandsharpenedunderthehammer-blowofhistoricalknowledge"(readTheTransvaluationofallValues),"maysometimeorother,perhapsinsomefutureperiod,—1890!—serveastheaxewhichisappliedtotherootofthe'metaphysicalneed'ofman,—whethermoreasablessingthan a curse to the general welfare it is not easy to say; but in any case as a theorywith themostimportantconsequences,atonce fruitfuland terrible,and looking into theworldwith that Janus-facewhichallgreatknowledgepossesses."[4]

[1] Nohl and Pohl were both writers on music; Kohl, however, which literally means cabbage, is a slangexpression,denotingsuperiornonsense.—TR.

[2]Needlesstosay,NietzschedistinguishesbetweenBismarckianGermanyandthatotherGermany—Austria,Switzerland,andtheBalticProvinces—wheretheGermanlanguageisalsospoken.—TR.[3]Human,all-too-Human,PartII.inthisedition.—TR.

[4]Human,all-too-Human,vol.i.Aph.37.

"THEDAWNOFDAY:

THOUGHTSABOUTMORALITYASAPREJUDICE"

1

WiththisbookIopenmycampaignagainstmorality.Notthatitisatallredolentofpowder—youwillfindquiteotherandmuchnicersmellsinit,providedthatyouhaveanykeennessinyournostrils.Thereisnothingeitheroflightorofheavyartilleryinitscomposition,andifitsgeneralendbeanegativeone,itsmeansarenotso—meansoutofwhichtheendfollowslikealogicalconclusion,notlikeacannon-shot.Andifthereadertakesleaveofthisbookwithafeelingoftimidcautioninregardtoeverythingwhichhashithertobeenhonouredandevenworshippedunderthenameofmorality,itdoesnotalterthefactthatthereisnotonenegativeword,notoneattack,andnotonesinglepieceofmaliceinthewholework—onthecontrary,itliesinthesunshine,smoothandhappy,likeamarineanimal,baskinginthesunbetweentworocks.For,afterall,Iwasthismarineanimal:almosteverysentenceinthebookwasthoughtout,orrathercaught,amongthatmedleyofrocksintheneighbourhoodofGenoa,whereIlivedquitealone,andexchangedsecretswiththeocean.Eventothisday,whenbychanceIhappentoturnovertheleavesofthisbook,almosteverysentenceseemstomelikeahookbymeansofwhichIdrawsomethingincomparableoutofthedepths;itswholeskinquiverswithdelicateshuddersofrecollection.This book is conspicuous for no little art in gently catching thingswhichwhisk rapidly and silentlyaway,momentswhichIcallgodlikelizards—notwiththecrueltyofthatyoungGreekgodwhosimplytransfixed the poor little beast; but neverthelesswith something pointed—with a pen. "There are somanydawnswhichhavenotyetshed their light"—this Indianmaximiswrittenover thedoorwayofthis book.Wheredoes its author seek that newmorning, that delicate red, asyet undiscovered,withwhich another day—ah! a whole series of days, a whole world of new days!—will begin? In theTransvaluationofallValues, inanemancipation fromallmoralvalues, ina sayingofyea,and inanattitudeof trust, toall thatwhichhithertohasbeenforbidden,despised,anddamned.Thisyea-sayingbookprojects its light, its love, its tenderness,overallevil things, it restores to themtheirsoul, theirclear conscience, and their superior right and privilege to exist on earth.Morality is not assailed, itsimplyceasestobeconsidered.Thisbookcloseswiththeword"or?"—itistheonlybookwhichcloseswithan"or?".

2

Mylife-taskistoprepareforhumanityonesuprememomentinwhichitcancometoitssenses,aGreatNooninwhichitwillturnitsgazebackwardsandforwards,inwhichitwillstepfromundertheyokeofaccidentandofpriests,andforthefirsttimesetthequestionoftheWhyandWhereforeofhumanityasawhole—this life-tasknaturally followsoutof theconviction thatmankinddoesnotgeton the rightroadof itsownaccord, that it isbynomeansdivinely ruled,but rather that it ispreciselyunder thecoverof itsmostholyvaluations that the instinctofnegation,ofcorruption,andofdegenerationhasheldsuchaseductivesway.Thequestionconcerningtheoriginofmoralvaluationsisthereforeamatterofthehighestimportancetomebecauseitdeterminesthefutureofmankind.Thedemandmadeuponustobelievethateverythingisreallyinthebesthands,thatacertainbook,theBible,givesusthedefiniteandcomfortingassurancethatthereisaProvidencethatwiselyrulesthefateofman,—whentranslatedbackintorealityamountssimplytothis,namely,thewilltostiflethetruthwhichmaintainsthereverseof all this, which is that hitherto man has been in theworst possible hands, and that he has beengovernedbythephysiologicallybotched,themenofcunningandburningrevengefulness,andtheso-called"saints"—thoseslanderersoftheworldandtraducersofhumanity.Thedefiniteproofofthefactthatthepriest(includingthepriestindisguise,thephilosopher)hasbecomemaster,notonlywithina

certain limited religious community, but everywhere, and that themorality of decadence, thewill tononentity,hasbecomemoralityperse,istobefoundinthis:thataltruismisnowanabsolutevalue,andegoism is regarded with hostility everywhere. He who disagrees with me on this point, I regard asinfected. But all the world disagrees with me. To a physiologist a like antagonism between valuesadmitsofnodoubt.Ifthemostinsignificantorganwithinthebodyneglects,howeverslightly,toassertwithabsolutecertainty itsself-preservativepowers, its recuperativeclaims,and itsegoism, thewholesystem degenerates. The physiologist insists upon the removal of degenerated parts, he denies allfellow-feeling for suchparts, andhasnot the smallest feelingofpity for them.But thedesireof thepriest isprecisely thedegenerationof thewholeofmankind;hencehispreservationof thatwhich isdegenerate—thisiswhathisdominioncostshumanity.Whatmeaninghavethoselyingconcepts,thosehandmaidsofmorality,"Soul,""Spirit,""Freewill,""God,"iftheiraimisnotthephysiologicalruinofmankind?Whenearnestnessisdivertedfromtheinstinctsthataimatself-preservationandanincreaseofbodilyenergy,i.e.atanincreaseoflife;whenanæmiaisraisedtoanidealandthecontemptofthebodyisconstruedas"thesalvationofthesoul,"whatisallthisifitisnotarecipefordecadence?Lossof ballast, resistance offered to natural instincts, selflessness, in fact—this iswhat has hitherto beenknownasmorality.WithTheDawnofDay I first engaged in a struggle against themoralityof self-renunciation.

"JOYFULWISDOM:LAGAYASCIENZA"

1

DawnofDayisayea-sayingbook,profound,butclearandkindly.Thesameappliesoncemoreandinthe highest degree to La Gaya Scienza: in almost every sentence of this book, profundity andplayfulness go gently hand in hand. A verse which expresses my gratitude for the most wonderfulmonthofJanuarywhichIhaveeverlived—thewholebookisagift—sufficientlyrevealstheabysmaldepthsfromwhich"wisdom"hasherebecomejoyful.

"ThouwhowithcleavingfierylancesThestreamofmysoulfromitsicedostfree,TillwitharushandaroaritadvancesToenterwithglorioushopingthesea:Brightertoseeandpurerever,Freeinthebondsofthysweetconstraint,—Soitpraisesthywondrousendeavour,January,thoubeauteoussaint!"[1]

Whocanbeinanydoubtastowhat"glorioushoping"meanshere,whenhehasrealisedthediamondbeautyof the first ofZarathustra'swords as they appear in a glowof light at the closeof the fourthbook?Orwhenhereadsthegranitesentencesattheendofthethirdbook,whereinafateforalltimesisfirst given a formula?The songs of Prince Free-as-a-Bird,which, for themost part,werewritten inSicily, remindmequite forciblyof thatProvencalnotionof "GayaScienza," of that union of singer,knight, and free spirit,which distinguishes thatwonderfully early culture of the Provencals from allambiguouscultures.Thelastpoemofall,"TotheMistral,"—anexuberantdancesonginwhich,ifyouplease,thenewspiritdancesfreelyuponthecorpseofmorality,—isaperfectProvençalism.

[1]TranslatedforJoyfulWisdombyPaulV.Cohn.—TR.

"THUSSPAKEZARATHUSTRA:ABOOKFORALLANDNONE"

1

I now wish to relate the history of Zarathustra. The fundamental idea of the work, the EternalRecurrence,thehighestformulaofaYea-sayingtolifethatcaneverbeattained,wasfirstconceivedinthemonth ofAugust 1881. Imade a note of the idea on a sheet of paper,with the postscript: "Sixthousand feet beyond man and time." That day I happened to be wandering through the woodsalongsideoftheLakeofSilvaplana,andIhaltednotfarfromSurlei,besideahugerockthattoweredaloftlikeapyramid.Itwasthenthatthethoughtstruckme.Lookingbacknow,IfindthatexactlytwomonthsbeforethisinspirationIhadanomenofitscomingintheformofasuddenanddecisivechangeinmytastes—moreparticularlyinmusic.ThewholeofZarathustramightperhapsbeclassifiedundertherubricmusic.Atallevents,theessentialconditionofitsproductionwasasecondbirthwithinmeoftheartofhearing.InRecoaro,asmallmountainresortnearVicenza,whereIspentthespringof1881,Iandmyfriendandmaestro,PeterGast—whowasalsoonewhohadbeenbornagain,discoveredthatthephœnix music hovered over us, in lighter and brighter plumage than it had ever worn before. If,therefore, I now calculate from that day forward the sudden production of the book, under themostunlikely circumstances, in February 1883,—the last part, out of which I quoted a few lines in mypreface,waswrittenpreciselyinthehallowedhourwhenRichardWagnergaveuptheghostinVenice,—Icometotheconclusionthattheperiodofgestationcoveredeighteenmonths.Thisperiodofexactlyeighteenmonths,mightsuggest,atleasttoBuddhists,thatIaminrealityafemaleelephantTheintervalwasdevotedtotheGayaScienza,whichcontainshundredsofindicationsoftheproximityofsomethingunparalleled; for, after all, it shows the beginning of Zarathustra, since it presents Zarathustra'sfundamentalthoughtinthelastaphorismbutoneofthefourthbook.TothisintervalalsobelongsthatHymntoLife(foramixedchoirandorchestra),thescoreofwhichwaspublishedinLeipzigtwoyearsagobyE.W.Fritsch,andwhichgaveperhapsnoslightindicationofmyspiritualstateduringthisyear,inwhichtheessentiallyyea-sayingpathos,whichIcallthetragicpathos,completelyfilledmeheartandlimb.Onedaypeoplewillsingit tomymemory.Thetext, let itbewellunderstood,asthereissomemisunderstanding abroad on this point, is not by me; it was the astounding inspiration of a youngRussianlady,MissLouvonSalome,withwhomIwasthenonfriendlyterms.Hewhois inanywayabletomakesomesenseofthelastwordsofthepoem,willdivinewhyIpreferredandadmiredit:thereisgreatnessinthem.Painisnotregardedasanobjectiontoexistence:"Andifthouhastnoblissnowlefttocrownme—Leadon!ThouhastthySorrowstill."

Maybethatmymusicisalsogreatinthispassage.(Thelastnoteoftheoboe,bythebye,isCsharp,notC.Thelatterisamisprint.)Duringthefollowingwinter,IwaslivingonthatcharminglypeacefulGulfofRapallo,notfarfromGenoa,whichcuts inlandbetweenChiavariandCapePortoFino.Myhealthwasnotverygood;thewinterwascoldandexceptionallyrainy;andthesmallalbergoinwhichIlivedwassoclosetothewaterthatatnightmysleepwasdisturbediftheseawasrough.Thesecircumstancesweresurelytheveryreverseoffavourable;andyet,inspiteofitall,andasifinproofofmybeliefthateverythingdecisivecomestolifeindefianceofeveryobstacle,itwaspreciselyduringthiswinterandinthemidstoftheseunfavourablecircumstancesthatmyZarathustraoriginated.InthemorningIusedto

startoutinasoutherlydirectionupthegloriousroadtoZoagli,whichrisesupthroughaforestofpinesandgivesoneaviewfarouttosea.Intheafternoon,orasoftenasmyhealthallowed,IwalkedroundthewholebayfromSantaMargheritatobeyondPortoFino.Thisspotaffectedmeallthemoredeeplybecause itwas sodearly lovedby theEmperorFrederick III. In theautumnof1886 I chanced tobethereagainwhenhewasrevisitingthissmallforgottenworldofhappinessforthelasttime.ItwasonthesetworoadsthatallZarathustracametome,aboveall,Zarathustrahimselfasatype—Ioughtrathertosaythatitwasonthesewalksthathewaylaidme.

2

Inordertounderstandthistype,youmustfirstbequiteclearconcerningitsfundamentalphysiologicalcondition: this condition is what I call great healthiness. In regard to this idea I cannot make mymeaningmoreplainormorepersonalthanIhavedonealreadyinoneofthelastaphorisms(No.382)ofthe fifth book of theGaya Scienza: "We new, nameless, and unfathomable creatures," so reads thepassage, "we firstlingsof a future stillunproved—wewhohaveanewend inviewalso requirenewmeans to that end, that is to say, a new healthiness, a stronger, keener, tougher, bolder, andmerrierhealthinessthananythathasexistedheretofore.Hewholongstofeelinhisownsoulthewholerangeofvaluesandaimsthathaveprevailedonearthuntilhisday,andtosailroundallthecoastsofthisideal'MediterraneanSea';who,fromtheadventuresofhisowninmostexperience,wouldfainknowhowitfeels to be a conqueror and discoverer of the ideal;—as also how it iswith the artist, the saint, thelegislator, the sage, the scholar, the man of piety and the godlike anchorite of yore;—such a manrequiresonethingaboveallforhispurpose,andthatis,greathealthiness—suchhealthinessashenotonlypossesses,butalsoconstantlyacquiresandmustacquire,becausehe iscontinuallysacrificing itagain, and is compelled to sacrifice it! And now, therefore, after having been long on the way, weArgonauts of the ideal, whose pluck is greater than prudence would allow, and who are oftenshipwrecked andbruised, but, as I have said, healthier thanpeoplewould like to admit, dangerouslyhealthy,andforeverrecoveringourhealth—itwouldseemasifwehadbeforeus,asarewardforallour toils, a country still undiscovered, the horizon ofwhich no one has yet seen, a beyond to everycountryandevery refugeof the ideal thatmanhaseverknown,aworld sooverflowingwithbeauty,strangeness,doubt,terror,anddivinity,thatbothourcuriosityandourlustofpossessionarefranticwitheagerness.Alas! how in the face of suchvistas, andwith suchburningdesire in our conscience andconsciousness,couldwestillbecontentwiththemanofthepresentday?Thisisbadindeed;but,thatweshouldregardhisworthiestaimsandhopeswithill-concealedamusement,orperhapsgivethemnothoughtatall,isinevitable.Anotheridealnowleadsuson,awonderful,seductiveideal,fullofdanger,the pursuit of which we should be loath to urge upon any one, because we are not so ready toacknowledge any one's right to it: the ideal of a spirit who plays ingenuously (that is to say,involuntarily, andas theoutcomeof superabundantenergyandpower)witheverything that,hitherto,hasbeencalledholy,good,inviolable,anddivine;towhomeventheloftiestthingthatthepeoplehavewithreasonmadetheirmeasureofvaluewouldbenobetterthanadanger,adecay,andanabasement,orat leasta relaxationand temporary forgetfulnessof self: the idealofahumanlysuperhumanwell-beingandgoodwill,whichoftenenoughwillseeminhuman—aswhen,forinstance,itstandsbesideallpastearnestnessonearth,andallpastsolemnitiesinhearing,speech,tone,look,morality,andduty,astheirmost lifelike and unconscious parody—butwithwhich, nevertheless,greatearnestness perhapsalonebegins,thefirstnoteofinterrogationisaffixed,thefateofthesoulchanges,thehourhandmoves,andtragedybegins."

3

Hasanyoneat theendof thenineteenthcenturyanydistinctnotionofwhatpoetsof a stronger ageunderstood by the word inspiration? If not, I will describe it. If one had the smallest vestige ofsuperstitionleftinone,itwouldhardlybepossiblecompletelytosetasidetheideathatoneisthemereincarnation,mouthpiece, ormedium of an almighty power. The idea of revelation, in the sense thatsomething which profoundly convulses and upsets one becomes suddenly visible and audible withindescribable certainty and accuracy—describes the simple fact. One hears—one does not seek; onetakes—one does not ask who gives: a thought suddenly flashes up like lightning, it comes withnecessity,withoutfaltering—Ihaveneverhadanychoiceinthematter.Thereisanecstasysogreatthatthe immense strain of it is sometimes relaxed by a flood of tears, during which one's steps nowinvoluntarilyrushandanoninvoluntarilylag.Thereisthefeelingthatoneisutterlyoutofhand,withtheverydistinctconsciousnessofanendlessnumberoffinethrillsandtitillationsdescendingtoone'svery toes;—there is a depth of happiness inwhich themost painful and gloomy parts do not act asantithesestotherest,butareproducedandrequiredasnecessaryshadesofcolourinsuchanoverflowoflight.Thereisaninstinctforrhythmicrelationswhichembracesawholeworldofforms(length,theneed of a wide-embracing rhythm, is almost the measure of the force of an inspiration, a sort ofcounterparttoitspressureandtension).Everythinghappensquiteinvoluntarily,asifinatempestuousoutburstoffreedom,ofabsoluteness,ofpoweranddivinity.Theinvoluntarynatureofthefiguresandsimiles is the most remarkable thing; one loses all perception of what is imagery and metaphor;everything seems to present itself as the readiest, the truest, and simplest means of expression. Itactually seems, to use one of Zarathustra's own phrases, as if all things came to one, and offeredthemselvesassimiles.("Heredoallthingscomecaressinglytothydiscourseandflatterthee,fortheywouldfainrideuponthyback.Oneverysimile thouridesthereuntoevery truth.Hereflyopenuntotheeallthespeechandwordshrinesoftheworld,herewouldallexistencebecomespeech,herewouldallBecominglearnoftheehowtospeak.")Thisismyexperienceofinspiration.IdonotdoubtbutthatIshouldhavetogobackthousandsofyearsbeforeIcouldfindanotherwhocouldsaytome:"Itisminealso!"

4

Fora fewweeksafterwards I layan invalid inGenoa.Then followedamelancholy spring inRome,whereIonlyjustmanagedtolive—andthiswasnoeasymatter.Thiscity,whichisabsolutelyunsuitedto the poet-author of Zarathustra, and for the choice of which I was not responsible, made meinordinatelymiserable. I tried to leave it. Iwanted to go toAquila—the opposite ofRome in everyrespect,andactually founded inaspiritofhostility towards thatcity, justas Ialsoshall foundacitysomeday,asamementoofanatheistandgenuineenemyoftheChurch,apersonverycloselyrelatedtome,thegreatHohenstaufen,theEmperorFrederickII.ButFatelaybehinditall:IhadtoreturnagaintoRome.IntheendIwasobligedtobesatisfiedwiththePiazzaBarberini,afterIhadexertedmyselfinvain to find an anti-Christian quarter. I fear that on one occasion, to avoid bad smells as much aspossible,IactuallyinquiredatthePalazzodelQuirinalewhethertheycouldnotprovideaquietroomfor a philosopher. In a chamber high above the Piazza just mentioned, from which one obtained ageneralviewofRome,andcouldhearthefountainsplashingfarbelow,theloneliestofallsongswascomposed—"The Night-Song." About this time I was obsessed by an unspeakably sad melody, therefrain of which I recognised in the affords, "dead through immortality," ... In the summer, findingmyselfoncemoreinthesacredplacewherethefirstthoughtofZarathustraflashedlikealightacrossmymind,Iconceivedthesecondpart.Tendayssufficed.Neitherforthesecond,thefirst,northethird

part,haveIrequiredadaylonger.Intheensuingwinter,beneaththehalcyonskyofNice,whichthenforthefirsttimepoureditslightintomylife,IfoundthethirdZarathustra—andcametotheendofmytask: thewholehavingoccupiedmescarcelyayear.Manyhiddencornersandheights in thecountryround about Nice are hallowed for me by moments that I can never forget. That decisive chapter,entitled"OldandNewTables,"wascomposedduringthearduousascentfromthestationtoEza—thatwonderfulMoorishvillageintherocks.Duringthosemomentswhenmycreativeenergyflowedmostplentifully,mymuscularactivitywasalwaysgreatest.Thebodyisinspired:letuswaivethequestionof"soul." Imightoftenhavebeenseendancing in thosedays,andIcould thenwalk forsevenoreighthoursonendoverthehillswithoutasuggestionoffatigue.Isleptwellandlaughedagooddeal—Iwasperfectlyrobustandpatient.

5

Withtheexceptionoftheseperiodsofindustrylastingtendays,theyearsIspentduringtheproductionofZarathustra,andthereafter,wereformeyearsofunparalleleddistress.Amanpaysdearlyforbeingimmortal:tothisendhemustdiemanytimesoverduringhislife.ThereissuchathingaswhatIcallthe rancour of greatness: everything great, whether a work or a deed, once it is completed, turnsimmediatelyagainstitsauthor.Theveryfactthatheisitsauthormakeshimweakatthistime.Hecannolongerendurehisdeed.Hecannolongerlookitfull intheface.Tohavesomethingatone'sbackwhichonecouldneverhavewilled,somethingtowhichtheknotofhumandestinyisattached—andtobe forced thenceforward to bear it on one's shoulders!Why, it almost crushes one! The rancour ofgreatness!Asomewhatdifferentexperienceistheuncannysilencethatreignsaboutone.Solitudehassevenskinswhichnothingcanpenetrate.Onegoesamongmen;onegreetsfriends:butthesethingsareonlynewdeserts,thelooksofthoseonemeetsnolongerbearagreeting.Atthebestoneencountersasortofrevolt.Thisfeelingofrevolt,Isuffered,invaryingdegreesofintensity,atthehandsofalmosteveryonewhocamenearme;itwouldseemthatnothinginflictsadeeperwoundthansuddenlytomakeone'sdistancefelt.Thosenoblenaturesarescarcewhoknownothowtoliveunlesstheycanrevere.Athird thing is the absurd susceptibility of the skin to small pin-pricks, a kind of helplessness in thepresenceofallsmallthings.Thisseemstomeanecessaryoutcomeoftheappallingexpenditureofalldefensiveforces,whichisthefirstconditionofeverycreativeact,ofeveryactwhichproceedsfromthemost intimate,mostsecret,andmostconcealedrecessesofaman'sbeing.Thesmalldefensiveforcesarethus,asitwere,suspended,andnofreshenergyreachesthem.Ieventhinkitprobablethatonedoesnot digest sowell, that one is lesswilling tomove, and that one ismuch too open to sensations ofcoldnessandsuspicion;for, ina largenumberofcases,suspicionismerelyablunder inetiology.OnoneoccasionwhenI felt like this Ibecameconsciousof theproximityofaherdofcows,some timebeforeIcouldpossiblyhaveseenitwithmyeyes,simplyowingtoareturninmeofmilderandmorehumanesentiments:theycommunicatedwarmthtome....

6

Thisworkstandsalone.Donotletusmentionthepoetsinthesamebreath;nothingperhapshaseverbeen produced out of such a superabundance of strength.My concept "Dionysian" here became thehighestdeed;comparedwithiteverythingthatothermenhavedoneseemspoorandlimited.Thefactthat a Goethe or a Shakespeare would not for an instant have known how to take breath in thisatmosphereofpassionandoftheheights;thefactthatbythesideofZarathustra,Danteisnomorethanabeliever,andnotonewhofirstcreatesthetruth—thatistosay,notaworld-rulingspirit,aFate; the

factthatthepoetsoftheVedawerepriestsandnotevenfittounfastenZarathustra'ssandal—allthisistheleastofthings,andgivesnoideaofthedistance,oftheazuresolitude,inwhichthisworkdwells.Zarathustrahasaneternalrighttosay:"Idrawaroundmecirclesandholyboundaries.Everfeweraretheythatmountwithmetoeverloftierheights.Ibuildmeamountainrangeofeverholiermountains."Ifallthespiritandgoodnessofeverygreatsoulwerecollectedtogether,thewholecouldnotcreateasingle one ofZarathustra's discourses.The ladder uponwhich he rises and descends is of boundlesslength; he has seen further, he has willed further, and gone further than any other man. There iscontradiction in every word that he utters, this most yea-saying of all spirits. Through him allcontradictionsareboundupintoanewunity.Theloftiestandthebasestpowersofhumannature,thesweetest, the lightest,and themost terrible, rush forth fromoutonespringwitheverlastingcertainty.Untilhiscomingnooneknewwhatwasheight,ordepth,andstilllesswhatwastruth.Thereisnotasinglepassage in this revelationof truthwhichhadalreadybeenanticipatedanddivinedbyeven thegreatestamongmen.BeforeZarathustratherewasnowisdom,noprobingofthesoul,noartofspeech:inhisbook,themostfamiliarandmostvulgarthinguttersunheard-ofwords.Thesentencequiverswithpassion.Eloquencehasbecomemusic.Forksoflightningarehurledtowardsfuturesofwhichnoonehaseverdreamedbefore.Themostpowerfuluseofparablesthathasyetexistedispoorbesideit,andmerechild's-playcomparedwiththisreturnoflanguagetothenatureofimagery.SeehowZarathustragoesdownfromthemountainandspeaksthekindestwordstoeveryone!Seewithwhatdelicatefingershe toucheshisveryadversaries, thepriests, andhowhe sufferswith themfrom themselves!Here, ateverymoment,man is overcome, and the concept "Superman" becomes the greatest reality,—out ofsight, almost far awaybeneath him, lies all thatwhich heretofore has been called great inman.Thehalcyonicbrightness,thelightfeet,thepresenceofwickednessandexuberancethroughout,andallthatis the essence of the typeZarathustra,was never dreamt of before as a prerequisite of greatness. InpreciselytheselimitsofspaceandinthisaccessibilitytooppositesZarathustrafeelshimselfthehighestofalllivingthings:andwhenyouhearhowhedefinesthishighest,youwillgiveuptryingtofindhisequal.

"Thesoulwhichhaththelongestladderandcanstepdowndeepest,

"Thevastestsoulthatcanrunandstrayandrovefurthestinitsowndomain,

"Themostnecessarysoul,thatoutofdesireflingethitselftochance,

"ThestablesoulthatplungethintoBecoming,thepossessingsoulthatmustneedstasteofwillingandlonging,

"Thesoulthatflyethfromitself,andover-takethitselfinthewidestcircle,

"Thewisestsoulthatfollyexhortethmostsweetly,

"Themostself-lovingsoul,inwhomallthingshavetheirrise,theirebbandflow."

But this is the very idea of Dionysus. Another consideration leads to this idea. The psychologicalproblempresentedbythetypeofZarathustrais,howcanhe,whoinanunprecedentedmannersaysno,andacts no, in regard to all thatwhichhasbeen affirmedhitherto, remainnevertheless a yea-sayingspirit?howcanhewhobearstheheaviestdestinyonhisshouldersandwhoseverylife-taskisafatality,yetbethebrightestandthemosttranscendentalofspirits—forZarathustraisadancer?howcanhewhohas thehardestandmost terriblegraspof reality,andwhohas thought themost "abysmal thoughts,"nevertheless avoid conceiving these things as objections to existence, or even as objections to theeternalrecurrenceofexistence?—howis it thatonthecontraryhefindsreasonsforbeinghimself theeternalaffirmationofallthings,"thetremendousandunlimitedsayingofYeaandAmen"?..."Intoevery

abyss do I bear the benediction ofmy yea to Life." ... But this, oncemore, is precisely the idea ofDionysus.

7

Whatlanguagewillsuchaspiritspeak,whenhespeaksuntohissoul?Thelanguageofthedithyramb.Iam the inventor of the dithyramb.Hearken unto themanner inwhichZarathustra speaks to his soulBeforeSunrise(iii.48).Beforemytimesuchemeraldjoysanddivinetendernesshadfoundnotongue.EventheprofoundestmelancholyofsuchaDionysustakesshapeasadithyramb.AsanexampleofthisItake"TheNight-Song,"—theimmortalplaintofonewho,thankstohissuperabundanceoflightandpower,thankstothesunwithinhim,iscondemnednevertolove.

"Itisnight:nowdoallgushingspringsraisetheirvoices.Andmysoultooisagushingspring.

"Itisnight:nowonlydoallloversburstintosong.Andmysoultooisthesongofalover.

"Somethingunquenchedandunquenchableiswithinme,thatwouldraiseitsvoice.Acravingforloveiswithinme,whichitselfspeakeththelanguageoflove.

"LightamI:wouldthatIwerenight!Butthisismyloneliness,thatIambegirtwithlight.

"Alas,whyamInotdarkandlikeuntothenight!HowjoyfullywouldIthensuckatthebreastsoflight!

"AndevenyouwouldIbless,yetwinklingstarletsandglow-wormsonhigh!andbeblessedinthegiftsofyourlight.

"ButinmineownlightdoIlive,everbackintomyselfdoIdrinktheflamesIsendforth.

"Iknownotthehappinessofthehandstretchedforthtograsp;andofthaveIdreamtthatstealingmustbemoreblessedthantaking.

"WretchedamIthatmyhandmayneverrestfromgiving:anenviousfateisminethatIseeexpectanteyesandnightsmadebrightwithlonging.

"Oh,thewretchednessofallthemthatgive!Oh,thecloudsthatcoverthefaceofmysun!Thatcravingfordesire!thatburninghungerattheendofthefeast!

"TheytakewhatIgivethem;butdoItouchtheirsoul?Agulfisthere'twixtgivingandtaking;andthesmallestgulfisthelasttobebridged.

"An appetite is born fromoutmybeauty:would that Imight do harm to them that I fillwith light;wouldthatImightrobthemofthegiftsIhavegiven:—thusdoIthirstforwickedness.

"Towithdrawmyhandwhentheirhandisreadystretchedforthlikethewaterfallthatwavers,waverseveninitsfall:—thusdoIthirstforwickedness.

"Forsuchvengeancedothmyfulnessyearn:tosuchtricksdothmylonelinessgivebirth.

"Myjoyingivingdiedwiththedeed.Byitsveryfulnessdidmyvirtuegrowwearyofitself.

"Hewhogivethriskethtolosehisshame;hethatiseverdistributinggrowethcallousinhandandhearttherefrom.

"Mineeyesno longermelt into tearsat thesightof thesuppliant's shame;myhandhathbecome toohardtofeelthequiveringofladenhands.

"Whitherhaveyefled,thetearsofmineeyesandthebloomofmyheart?Oh,thesolitudeofallgivers!

Oh,thesilenceofallbeacons!

"Manyarethesunsthatcircleinbarrenspace;toallthatisdarkdotheyspeakwiththeirlight—tomealonearetheysilent.

"Alas,thisisthehatredoflightforthatwhichshineth:pitilessitrunnethitscourse.

"Unfairinitsinmosthearttothatwhichshineth;coldtowardsuns,—thusdotheverysungoitsway.

"Likeatempestdothesunsflyovertheircourse:forsuchistheirway.Theirownunswervingwilldotheyfollow:thatistheircoldness.

"Alas, it is ye alone, ye creatures of gloom, ye spirits of the night, that take yourwarmth from thatwhichshineth.Yealonesuckyourmilkandcomfortfromtheuddersoflight.

"Alas,aboutmethereisice,myhandburnethitselfagainstice!

"Alas,withinmeisathirstthatthirstethforyourthirst!

"Itisnight:woeisme,thatImustneedsbelight!Andthirstafterdarkness!Andloneliness!

"Itisnight:nowdothmylongingburstforthlikeaspring,—forspeechdoIlong.

"Itisnight:nowdoallgushingspringsraisetheirvoices.Andmysoultooisagushingspring.

"Itisnight:nowonlydoallloversburstintosong.Andmysoultooisthesongofalover."

8

Suchthingshaveneverbeenwritten,neverbeenfelt,neverbeensuffered:onlyaGod,onlyDionysussuffers in thisway.Thereply tosuchadithyrambon thesun'ssolitude in lightwouldbeAriadne. ...Whoknows,butI,whoAriadneis!Toallsuchriddlesnooneheretoforehadeverfoundananswer;Idoubtevenwhetheranyonehadeverseenariddlehere.OnedayZarathustraseverelydetermineshislife-task—andit isalsomine.Letnoonemisunderstand itsmeaning. It'sayea-saying to thepointofjustifying,tothepointofredeemingevenallthatispast.

"Iwalkamongmenasamongfragmentsofthefuture:ofthatfuturewhichIsee.

"Andallmycreativenessandeffortisbutthis,thatImaybeabletothinkandrecastallthesefragmentsandriddlesanddismalaccidentsintoonepiece.

"Andhowcould Ibear tobeaman, ifmanwerenot alsoapoet, a riddle reader, anda redeemerofchance!

"Toredeemallthepast,andtotransformevery'itwas'into'thuswouldIhaveit'—thatalonewouldbemysalvation!"

Inanotherpassagehedefinesasstrictlyaspossiblewhattohimalone"man"canbe,—notasubjectforlovenoryet forpity—Zarathustrabecamemasterevenofhis loathingofman:man is tohima thingunshaped,rawmaterial,anuglystonethatneedsthesculptor'schisel.

"Nolongertowill,nolongertovalue,nolongertocreate!Oh,thatthisgreatwearinessmayneverbemine!

"Even in the lust ofknowledge, I feel only the joyofmywill tobeget and togrow; and if therebeinnocenceinmyknowledge,itisbecausemyprocreativewillisinit.

"AwayfromGodandgodsdidthiswilllureme:whatwouldtherebetocreateifthereweregods?

"Buttomandothiteverdrivemeanew,myburning,creativewill.Thusdrivethitthehammertothestone.

"Alas,yemen,withinthestonetheresleepethanimageforme,theimageofallmydreams!Alas,thatitshouldhavetosleepinthehardestanduglieststone!

"Nowragethmyhammerruthlesslyagainstitsprison.Fromthestonethefragmentsfly:what'sthattome?

"Iwillfinishit:forashadowcameuntome—thestillestandlightestthingonearthoncecameuntome!

"ThebeautyoftheSupermancameuntomeasashadow.Alas,mybrethren!Whatarethe—godstomenow?"

Let me call attention to one last point of view. The line in italics is my pretext for this remark. ADionysianlife-taskneedsthehardnessofthehammer,andoneofitsfirstessentialsiswithoutdoubtthejoyevenofdestruction.Thecommand,"Hardenyourselves!"andthedeepconvictionthatallcreatorsarehard,isthereallydistinctivesignofaDionysiannature.

BEYONDGOODANDEVIL:

"THEPRELUDETOAPHILOSOPHYOFTHEFUTURE"

1

Myworkfortheyearsthatfollowedwasprescribedasdistinctlyaspossible.Nowthattheyea-sayingpartofmy life-taskwasaccomplished, therecame the turnof thenegativeportion,both inwordanddeed:thetransvaluationofallvaluesthathadexistedhitherto,thegreatwar,—theconjuring-upofthedaywhenthefataloutcomeofthestrugglewouldbedecided.Meanwhile,Ihadslowlytolookaboutme for my peers, for those who, out of strength, would proffer me a helping hand in my work ofdestruction. From that time onward, allmywritings are somuch bait:maybe I understand asmuchaboutfishingasmostpeople?Ifnothingwascaught,itwasnotIwhowasatfaultTherewerenofishtocomeandbite.

2

Inallitsessentialpoints,thisbook(1886)isacriticismofmodernity,embracingthemodernsciences,arts,evenpolitics,togetherwithcertainindicationsastoatypewhichwouldbethereverseofmodernman, or as little like him as possible, a noble and yea-saying type. In this last respect the book is aschoolforgentlemen—thetermgentlemanbeingunderstoodhereinamuchmorespiritualandradicalsense than it has implied hitherto.All those things ofwhich the age is proud,—as, for instance, far-famed "objectivity," "sympathy with all that suffers," "the historical sense," with its subjection toforeigntastes,withitslying-in-the-dustbeforepetitsfaits,andtherageforscience,—areshowntobethecontradictionofthetyperecommended,andareregardedasalmostill-bred.IfyourememberthatthisbookfollowsuponZarathustra,youmaypossiblyguesstowhatsystemofdietitowesitslife.The

eye which, owing to tremendous constraint, has become accustomed to see at a great distance,—Zarathustra is evenmore far-sighted than theTsar,—is here forced to focus sharply thatwhich iscloseathand,thepresenttime,thethingsthatlieabouthim.Inalltheaphorismsandmoreparticularlyintheformofthisbook,thereaderwillfindthesamevoluntaryturningawayfromthoseinstinctswhichmadeaZarathustraapossiblefeat.Refinementinform,inaspiration,andintheartofkeepingsilent,areitsmoreorlessobviousqualities;psychologyishandledwithdeliberatehardnessandcruelty,—thewholebookdoesnot containone singlegood-naturedword....All this sort of thing refreshes aman.WhocanguessthekindofrecreationthatisnecessaryaftersuchanexpenditureofgoodnessasistobefoundinZarathustra?Fromatheologicalstandpoint—nowpayyeheed;foritisbutonrareoccasionsthatIspeakasatheologian—itwasGodHimselfwho,attheendofHisgreatwork,coiledHimselfupintheformofaserpentatthefootofthetreeofknowledge.ItwasthusthatHerecoveredfrombeingaGod....Hehadmadeeverythingtoobeautiful....ThedevilissimplyGod'smomentofidleness,onthatseventhday.

"THEGENEALOGYOFMORALS:APOLEMIC"

Thethreeessayswhichconstitutethisgenealogyare,asregardsexpression,aspiration,andtheartoftheunexpected,perhapsthemostcuriousthingsthathaveeverbeenwritten.Dionysus,asyouknow,isalsothe god of darkness. In each case the beginning is calculated tomystify; it is cool, scientific, evenironical, intentionally thrust to the fore, intentionally reticent.Gradually less calmness prevails; hereandthereaflashoflightningdefinesthehorizon;exceedinglyunpleasanttruthsbreakuponyourearsfromoutremotedistanceswithadull, rumblingsound,—untilverysoonafiercetempoisattainedinwhicheverythingpressesforwardataterribledegreeoftension.Attheend,ineachcase,amidfearfulthunderclaps,anewtruthshinesoutbetweenthickclouds.ThetruthofthefirstessaysthepsychologyofChristianity: thebirthofChristianityoutof thespiritofresentment,not,asissupposed,outof the"Spirit,"—inallitsessentials,acounter-movement,thegreatinsurrectionagainstthedominionofnoblevalues.Thesecondessaycontainsthepsychologyofconscience:thisisnot,asyoumaybelieve,"thevoiceofGod inman"; it is the instinctofcruelty,which turns inwardsonce it isunable todischargeitselfoutwardly.Crueltyishereexposed,forthefirsttime,asoneoftheoldestandmostindispensableelements in the foundation of culture. The third essay replies to the question as to the origin of theformidablepowerof theascetic ideal,of thepriest ideal,despite the fact that this ideal is essentiallydetrimental, that it isawill tononentityand todecadence.Reply: it flourishednotbecauseGodwasactivebehindthepriests,asisgenerallybelieved,butbecauseitwasafautedemieux—fromthefactthat hitherto it has been the only ideal and has had no competitors. "For man prefers to aspire tononentitythannottoaspireatall."Butaboveall,untilthetimeofZarathustratherewasnosuchthingas a counter-ideal. You have understood my meaning. Three decisive overtures on the part of apsychologisttoaTransvaluationofallValues.—Thisbookcontainsthefirstpsychologyofthepriest.

"THETWILIGHTOFTHEIDOLS:

HOWTOPHILOSOPHISEWITHTHEHAMMER"

1

Thiswork—whichcoversscarcelyonehundredandfiftypages,withitscheerfulandfatefultone,likealaughingdemon,andtheproductionofwhichoccupiedsofewdaysthatIhesitatetogivetheirnumber—isaltogetheranexceptionamongbooks:thereisnoworkmorerichinsubstance,moreindependent,more upsetting—morewicked. If any one should desire to obtain a rapid sketch of how everything,beforemytime,wasstandingonitshead,heshouldbeginreadingmeinthisbook.Thatwhichiscalled"Idols"onthetitlepageissimplytheoldtruththathasbeenbelievedinhitherto.InplainEnglish,TheTwilightoftheIdolsmeansthattheoldtruthisonitslastlegs.

2

There isno reality,no"ideality,"whichhasnotbeen touched in thisbook (touched!whatacautiouseuphemism!).Notonlytheeternalidols,butalsotheyoungest—thatistosay,themostsenile:modernideas,forinstance.Astrongwindblowsbetweenthetreesandinalldirectionsfallthefruit—thetruths.Thereisthewasteofanall-too-richautumninthisbook:youtripovertruths.Youevencrushsometodeath,therearetoomanyofthem.Thosethingsthatyoucangrasp,however,arequiteunquestionable;theyareirrevocabledecrees.Ialonehavethecriterionof"truths"inmypossession.Ialonecandecide.Itwouldseemasifasecondconsciousnesshadgrownupinme,asifthe"life-will"inmehadthrownalightuponthedownwardpathalongwhichithasbeenrunningthroughouttheages.Thedownwardpath—hithertothishadbeencalledtheroadto"Truth."Allobscureimpulse—"darknessanddismay"—isatanend,the"goodman"waspreciselyhewhowasleastawareoftheproperway.[1]And,speakinginallearnestness,noonebeforemeknewtheproperway, thewayupwards:onlyaftermytimecouldmenoncemorefindhope,life-tasks,androadsmappedoutthatleadtoculture—Iamthejoyfulharbingerofthisculture....OnthisaccountaloneIamalsoafatality.

3

Immediatelyafterthecompletionoftheabove-namedwork,andwithoutlettingevenonedaygoby,ItackledtheformidabletaskoftheTransvaluationwithasupremefeelingofpridewhichnothingcouldequal;and,certainateachmomentofmyimmortality,IcutsignaftersignupontabletsofbrasswiththesurenessofFate.ThePrefacecame intobeingon3rdSeptember1888.When,afterhavingwritten itdown,Iwentoutintotheopenthatmorning,IwasgreetedbythemostbeautifuldayIhadeverseeninthe Upper Engadine—clear, glowing with colour, and presenting all the contrasts and all theintermediarygradationsbetween iceand thesouth. I leftSils-Mariaonlyon the20thofSeptember. Ihadbeenforced todelaymydepartureowing tofloods,andIwasverysoon,andforsomedays, theonlyvisitorinthiswonderfulspot,onwhichmygratitudebestowsthegiftofanimmortalname.Afterajourneythatwasfullofincidents,andnotwithoutdangertolife,—asforinstanceatComo,whichwasfloodedwhenIreacheditinthedeadofnight,—IgottoTurinontheafternoonofthe21st.Turinistheonlysuitableplaceforme,and it shallbemyhomehenceforward. I took thesame lodgingsas Ihadoccupied in the spring, 6111 Via Carlo Alberto, opposite the mighty Palazzo Carignano, in whichVittorioEmanuelewasborn;andIhadaviewof thePiazzaCarloAlbertoandabove itacross to thehills.Withouthesitating,orallowingmyselftobedisturbedforasinglemoment,Ireturnedtomywork,onlythelastquarterofwhichhadstilltobewritten.Onthe30thSeptember,tremendoustriumph;theseventhday;theleisureofagodonthebanksofthePo.[2]Onthesameday,IwrotethePrefacetoTheTwilight of the Idols, the correction of the proofs of which provided me with recreation during themonthofSeptember.NeverinmylifehaveIexperiencedsuchanautumn;norhadIeverimaginedthat

suchthingswerepossibleonearth—aClaudeLorrainextendedtoinfinity,eachdayequaltothelastinitswildperfection.

[1]AwittyreferencetoGoethe'swell-knownpassageintheProloguetoFaust:—

"Agoodman,thoughindarknessanddismay,Maystillbeconsciousoftheproperway."ThewordsarespokenbytheLord.—TR.

[2] There is a wonderful promenade along the banks of the Po, for which Turin is famous, and of whichNietzschewasparticularlyfond.—TR.

"THECASEOFWAGNER:AMUSICIAN'SPROBLEM"

1

Inordertodojusticetothisessayamanoughttosufferfromthefateofmusicasfromanopenwound.—Fromwhatdo I sufferwhen I suffer from the fateofmusic?From the fact thatmusichas lost itsworld-transfiguring, yea-saying character—that it is decadent music and no longer the flute ofDionysus.Supposing,however,thatthefateofmusicbeasdeartomanashisownlife,becausejoyandsuffering are alike bound upwith it; then hewill find this pamphlet comparativelymild and full ofconsideration.Tobecheerfulinsuchcircumstances,andlaughgood-naturedlywithothersatone'sself,—ridendodicereseverum[1]whentheverumdicerewouldjustifyeverysortofhardness,—ishumanityitself.WhodoubtsthatI,oldartillery-manthatIam,wouldbeableifIlikedtopointmyheavygunsatWagner?—EverythingdecisiveinthisquestionIkepttomyself—IhavelovedWagner.—Afterall,anattackupon amore thanusually subtle "unknownperson"whomanotherwouldnot havedivined soeasily,liesinthemeaningandpathofmylife-task.Oh,Ihavestillquiteanumberofother"unknownpersons" to unmask besides aCagliostro ofMusic!Above all, I have to direct an attack against theGermanpeople,who, inmattersof the spirit, groweverydaymore indolent, poorer in instincts, andmorehonest who, with an appetite for which they are to be envied, continue to diet themselves oncontradictions, and gulp down "Faith" in company with science, Christian love together with anti-Semitism,and thewill topower (to the"Empire"),dishedupwith thegospelof thehumble,withoutshowing the slightest signs of indigestion. Fancy this absence of party-feeling in the presence ofopposites! Fancy this gastric neutrality and "disinterestedness"! Behold this sense of justice in theGermanpalate,whichcangrantequalrightstoall,—whichfindseverythingtasteful!Withoutashadowof a doubt theGermans are idealists.When Iwas last inGermany, I foundGerman taste striving tograntWagnerandtheTrumpeterofSakkingen[2]equalrights;whileImyselfwitnessedtheattemptsofthepeopleofLeipzigtodohonourtooneofthemostgenuineandmostGermanofmusicians,—usingGermanhereintheoldsenseoftheword,—amanwhowasnomereGermanoftheEmpire,themasterHeinrichSchütz, by founding aLiszt Society, the object ofwhichwas to cultivate and spread artful(listige[3])Churchmusic.WithoutashadowofdoubttheGermansareidealists.

2

Butherenothingshallstopmefrombeingrude,andfromtellingtheGermansoneortwounpleasant

hometruths:whoelsewoulddoitifIdidnot?Irefertotheirlaxityinmattershistorical.NotonlyhavetheGermansentirelylostthebreadthofvisionwhichenablesonetograspthecourseofcultureandthevaluesofculture;notonlyaretheyoneandallpolitical(orChurch)puppets;buttheyhavealsoactuallyputabanuponthisverybreadthofvision.Amanmustfirstandforemostbe"German,"hemustbelongto"therace";thenonlycanhepassjudgmentuponallvaluesandlackofvaluesinhistory—thenonlycanheestablishthem....TobeGermanisinitselfanargument,"Germany,Germanyaboveall,"[4]isaprinciple;theGermansstandforthe"moralorderoftheuniverse"inhistory;comparedwiththeRomanEmpire,theyaretheup-holdersoffreedom;comparedwiththeeighteenthcentury,theyaretherestorersofmorality,ofthe"CategoricalImperative."ThereissuchathingasthewritingofhistoryaccordingtothelightsofImperialGermany;thereis,Ifear,anti-Semitichistory—thereisalsohistorywrittenwithan eye to the Court, and Herr von Treitschke is not ashamed of himself. Quite recently an idioticopinioninhistoricis,anobservationofVischertheSwabianæsthete,sincehappilydeceased,madetheroundoftheGermannewspapersasa"truth"towhicheveryGermanmustassentTheobservationwasthis:"TheRenaissanceandtheReformationonlytogetherconstituteawhole—theæstheticrebirth,andthemoralrebirth."WhenIlistentosuchthings,Iloseallpatience,andIfeelinclined,Ievenfeelitmyduty,totelltheGermans,foronceinaway,allthattheyhaveontheirconscience.Everygreatcrimeagainstcultureforthelast fourcenturies liesontheirconscience....Andalwaysforthesamereason,alwaysowingtotheirbottomlesscowardiceinthefaceofreality,whichisalsocowardiceinthefaceoftruth;alwaysowing to the loveof falsehoodwhichhasbecomealmost instinctive in them—inshort,"idealism." Itwas theGermanswho causedEurope to lose the fruits, thewholemeaningof her lastperiodofgreatness—theperiodoftheRenaissance.Atamomentwhenahigherorderofvalues,valuesthatwerenoble,thatsaidyeatolife,andthatguaranteedafuture,hadsucceededintriumphingovertheopposite values, the values of degeneration, in the very seat of Christianity itself,—and even in theheartsofthosesittingthere,—Luther,thatcursedmonk,notonlyrestoredtheChurch,but,whatwasathousand timesworse, restoredChristianity, and at a time toowhen it lay defeated.Christianity, theDenialoftheWilltoLive,exaltedtoareligion!Lutherwasanimpossiblemonkwho,thankstohisown"impossibility,"attackedtheChurch,andinsodoingrestoredit!CatholicswouldbeperfectlyjustifiedincelebratingfeastsinhonourofLuther,andinproducingfestivalplays[5]inhishonour.Lutherandthe"rebirthofmorality"!Mayallpsychologygotothedevil!WithoutashadowofadoubttheGermansareidealists. On two occasions when, at the cost of enormous courage and self-control, an upright,unequivocal, and perfectly scientific attitude of mind had been attained, the Germans were able todiscoverbackstairsleadingdowntotheold"ideal"again,compromisesbetweentruthandthe"ideal,"and,inshort,formulæfortherighttorejectscienceandtoperpetratefalsehoods.LeibnizandKant—these two great breaks upon the intellectual honesty of Europe! Finally, at a moment when thereappearedon the bridge that spanned two centuries of decadence, a superior force of genius andwillwhichwas strong enough to consolidateEurope and to convert it into apolitical and economicunit,withtheobjectofrulingtheworld,theGermans,withtheirWarsofIndependence,robbedEuropeofthesignificance—the marvellous significance, of Napoleon's life. And in so doing they laid on theirconscienceeverythingthatfollowed,everythingthatexiststo-day,—thissicklinessandwantofreasonwhichismostopposedtoculture,andwhichiscalledNationalism,—thisnévrosenationalefromwhichEurope is suffering acutely; this eternal subdivision of Europe into petty states, with politics on amunicipalscale: theyhaverobbedEuropeitselfof itssignificance,of itsreason,—andhavestuffeditintoacul-de-sac.Isthereanyoneexceptmewhoknowsthewayoutofthiscul-de-sac?DoesanyoneexceptmeknowofanaspirationwhichwouldbegreatenoughtobindthepeopleofEuropeoncemoretogether?

3

Andafterall,whyshould Inotexpressmysuspicions? Inmycase, too, theGermanswillattempt tomakeagreatfategivebirthmerelytoamouse.Uptothepresenttheyhavecompromisedthemselveswithme;Idoubtwhetherthefuturewillimprovethem.Alas!howhappyIshouldbetoproveafalseprophet in this matter! My natural readers and listeners are already Russians, Scandinavians, andFrenchmen—willtheyalwaysbethesame?Inthehistoryofknowledge,Germansarerepresentedonlybydoubtfulnames,theyhavebeenabletoproduceonly"unconscious"swindlers(thiswordappliestoFichte,Schelling,Schopenhauer,Hegel, andSchleiermacher, just aswell as toKantorLeibniz; theywereallmereSchleiermachers).[6]TheGermansmustnothave thehonourofseeing the firstuprightintellectintheirhistoryofintellects,thatintellectinwhichtruthultimatelygotthebetterofthefraudoffour thousandyears, reckoned as onewith theGerman intellect. "German intellect" ismy foul air: Ibreathewithdifficulty in theneighbourhoodof thispsychologicaluncleanliness thathasnowbecomeinstinctive—anuncleanlinesswhichineverywordandexpressionbetraysaGerman.Theyhaveneverundergoneaseventeenthcenturyofhardself-examination,astheFrenchhave,—aLaRochefoucauld,aDescartes,areathousandtimesmoreuprightthantheveryfirstamongGermans,—thelatterhavenotyethadanypsychologists.Butpsychologyisalmostthestandardofmeasurementforthecleanlinessoruncleanlinessofarace....For ifamanisnotevenclean,howcanhebedeep?TheGermansare likewomen,youcanscarcelyever I fathom theirdepths—theyhaven't any,and that's theendof it.Thustheycannotevenbecalledshallow.Thatwhichiscalled"deep"inGermany,ispreciselythisinstinctiveuncleanlinesstowardsone'sself,ofwhichIhavejustspoken:peoplerefusetobeclearinregardtotheirown natures.Might I be allowed, perhaps, to suggest theword "German" as an international epithetdenotingthispsychologicaldepravity?—Atthemomentofwriting,forinstance,theGermanEmperorisdeclaring it to be hisChristian duty to liberate the slaves inAfrica; among usEuropeans, then, thiswouldbecalled simply "German." ...Have theGermanseverproducedevenabook thathaddepth?Theyarelackinginthemereideaofwhatconstitutesabook.IhaveknownscholarswhothoughtthatKantwasdeep.AttheCourtofPrussiaIfearthatHerrvonTreitschkeisregardedasdeep.AndwhenIhappen to praise Stendhal as a deep psychologist, I have often been compelled, in the company ofGermanUniversityProfessors,tospellhisnamealoud.

4

AndwhyshouldInotproceedtotheend?Iamfondofclearingtheair.ItisevenpartofmyambitiontobeconsideredasessentiallyadespiserofGermans.IexpressedmysuspicionsoftheGermancharacterevenattheageofsix-and-twenty(seeThoughtsoutofSeason,vol.ii.pp.164,165),—tomymindtheGermans are impossible.When I try to think of the kind of man who is opposed to me in all myinstincts, mymental image takes the form of a German. The first thing I askmyself when I beginanalysingaman,is,whetherhehasafeelingfordistanceinhim;whetherheseesrank,gradation,andordereverywherebetweenmanandman;whetherhemakesdistinctions;forthisiswhatconstitutesagentleman.Otherwisehebelongshopelesslytothatopen-hearted,open-minded—alas!andalwaysverygood-naturedspecies,lacanaille!ButtheGermansarecanaille—alas!theyaresogood-natured!Amanlowers himself by frequenting the society of Germans: the German places every one on an equalfooting.With the exception of my intercourse with one or two artists, and above all with RichardWagner,IcannotsaythatIhavespentonepleasanthourwithGermans.Suppose,foronemoment,thattheprofoundestspiritofallagesweretoappearamongGermans,thenoneofthesavioursoftheCapitolwouldbesuretoariseanddeclarethathisownuglysoulwasjustasgreat.Icannolongerabidethisracewithwhichamanisalwaysinbadcompany,which;hasnoideaofnuances—woetome!Iama

nuance—andwhichhasnotespritinitsfeet,andcannotevenwalkwithal!Inshort,theGermanshavenofeetatall,theysimplyhavelegs.TheGermanshavenotthefaintestideaofhowvulgartheyare—butthisinitselfistheacmeofvulgarity,—theyarenotevenashamedofbeingmerelyGermans.Theywillhavetheirsayineverything,theyregardthemselvesasfittodecideallquestions;Ievenfearthattheyhavedecidedaboutme.Mywholelifeisessentiallyaproofofthisremark.InvainhaveIsoughtamongthemforasignoftactanddelicacytowardsmyself.AmongJewsIdidindeedfindit,butnotamongGermans.Iamsoconstitutedastobegentleandkindlytoeveryone,—Ihavetherightnottodrawdistinctions,—butthisdoesnotpreventmyeyesfrombeingopen.Iexceptnoone,andleastofallmyfriends,—Ionlytrust that thishasnotprejudicedmyreputationforhumanityamongthem?TherearefiveorsixthingswhichIhavealwaysmadepointsofhonour.Albeit,thetruthremainsthatformanyyearsIhaveconsideredalmosteveryletterthathasreachedmeasapieceofcynicism.Thereismorecynicisminanattitudeofgoodwilltowardsmethaninanysortofhatred.Itelleveryfriendtohisfacethathehasneverthoughtitworthhiswhiletostudyanyoneofmywritings:fromtheslightesthintsIgather that they do not even know what lies hidden in my books. And with regard even to myZarathustra,whichofmy friendswouldhave seenmore in it than a pieceof unwarrantable, thoughfortunately harmless, arrogance? Ten years have elapsed, and no one has yet felt it a duty to hisconsciencetodefendmynameagainsttheabsurdsilencebeneathwhichithasbeenentombed.Itwasaforeigner,aDane,whofirstshowedsufficientkeennessofinstinctandofcouragetodothis,andwhoprotested indignantly against my so-called friends. At what German University to-day would suchlecturesonmyphilosophybepossible,asthosewhichDr.BrandesdeliveredlastspringinCopenhagen,thusprovingoncemorehisrighttothetitlepsychologist?Formypart,thesethingshavenevercausedme any pain; thatwhich isnecessary does not offendme.Amor fati is the core ofmy nature. This,however,doesnot alter the fact that I love ironyandevenworld-historic irony.And thus, about twoyears before hurling the destructive thunderbolt of theTransvaluation,whichwill send thewhole ofcivilisationintoconvulsions,IsentmyCaseofWagneroutintotheworld.TheGermansweregiventhechanceofblunderingand immortalising their stupidityoncemoreonmyaccount,and theystillhavejust enough time to do it in.Andhave they fallen inwithmyplans?Admirably!mydearGermans.Allowmetocongratulateyou.

[1]ThemottoofTheCaseofWagner.—TR.[2]AnoperabyNesslerwhichwasalltherageinGermanytwentyyearsago.—TR.

[3]UnfortunatelyitisimpossibletorenderthisplayonthewordsinEnglish.—TR.

[4]TheGermanNationalSong(Deutschland,Deutschlandüberalles).—TR.[5]Eversincetheyear1617suchplayshavebeenproducedbytheProtestantsofGermany.—TR.

[6]Schleiermacherliterallymeansaweaverormakerofveils.—TR.

WHYIAMAFATALITY

1

I knowmy destiny. There will come a day $ whenmy namewill recall thememory of somethingformidable—a crisis the like of which has never been known on earth, the memory of the mostprofoundclashofconsciences,andthepassingofasentenceuponallthatwhichtheretoforehadbeenbelieved,exacted,andhallowed.Iamnotaman,Iamdynamite.Andwithitallthereisnoughtofthefounderofareligioninme.Religionsaremattersforthemob;aftercomingincontactwithareligiousman,IalwaysfeelthatImustwashmyhands....Irequireno"believers,"itismyopinionthatIamtoofullofmalicetobelieveeveninmyself;Ineveraddressmyselftomasses.IamhorriblyfrightenedthatonedayIshallbepronounced"holy."YouwillunderstandwhyIpublishthisbookbeforehand—itistoprevent people fromwrongingme. I refuse to be a saint; Iwould rather be a clown.Maybe I am aclown.AndIamnotwithstanding,or rathernotnotwithstanding, themouthpieceof truth; fornothingmoreblown-outwithfalsehoodhaseverexisted,thanasaint.Butmytruthisterrible:forhithertolieshavebeencalledtruth.TheTransvaluationofallValues,thisismyformulaformankind'sgreateststeptowardscomingtoitssenses—astepwhichinmebecamefleshandgenius.MydestinyordainedthatIshould be the first decent human being, and that I should feel myself opposed to the falsehood ofmillenniums.Iwasthefirsttodiscovertruth,andforthesimplereasonthatIwasthefirstwhobecameconsciousoffalsehoodasfalsehood—thatistosay,Ismeltitassuch.Mygeniusresidesinmynostrils.Icontradictasnoonehascontradictedhitherto,andamneverthelessthereverseofanegativespirit.Iamtheharbingerofjoy,thelikeofwhichhasneverexistedbefore;Ihavediscoveredtasksofsuchloftygreatness that, untilmy time, no one had any idea of such things.Mankind can begin to have freshhopes,onlynowthatIhavelived.Thus,IamnecessarilyamanofFate.ForwhenTruthentersthelistsagainst thefalsehoodofages,shocksareboundtoensue,andaspellofearthquakes,followedbythetransposition of hills and valleys, such as theworld has never yet imagined even in its dreams.Theconcept "politics" then becomes elevated entirely to the sphere of spiritual warfare. All the mightyrealmsoftheancientorderofsocietyareblownintospace—fortheyareallbasedonfalsehood:therewillbewars,thelikeofwhichhaveneverbeenseenonearthbefore.Onlyfrommytimeandaftermewillpoliticsonalargescaleexistonearth.

2

Ifyoushouldrequireaformulaforadestinyofthiskindthathastakenhumanform,youwillfinditinmyZarathustra.

"Andhewhowouldbeacreatoringoodandevil—verily,hemustfirstbeadestroyer,andbreakvalues

intopieces.

"Thusthegreatestevilbelongethuntothegreatestgood:butthisisthecreativegood."

Iambyfarthemostterriblemanthathaseverexisted;butthisdoesnotalterthefactthatIshallbecomethemostbeneficent.Iknowthejoyofannihilationtoadegreewhichiscommensuratewithmypowertoannihilate.InbothcasesIobeymyDionysiannature,whichknowsnothowtoseparatethenegativedeedfromthesayingofyea.Iamthefirstimmoralist,andinthissenseIamessentiallytheannihilator.

3

Peoplehaveneveraskedmeastheyshouldhavedone,whatthenameofZarathustrapreciselymeantinmymouth,inthemouthofthefirstimmoralist;forthatwhichdistinguishesthisPersianfromallothersinthepastistheveryfactthathewastheexactreverseofanimmoralist.Zarathustrawasthefirsttoseeinthestrugglebetweengoodandevil theessentialwheel intheworkingofthings.Thetranslationofmoralityintotherealmofmetaphysics,asforce,cause,end-in-itself,ishiswork.Buttheveryquestionsuggestsitsownanswer.Zarathustracreatedthismostportentousofallerrors,—morality;thereforehemustbethefirsttoexposeit.Notonlybecausehehashadlongerandgreaterexperienceofthesubjectthananyotherthinker,—allhistoryisindeedtheexperimentalrefutationofthetheoryoftheso-calledmoralorderofthings,—butbecauseofthemoreimportantfactthatZarathustrawasthemosttruthfulofthinkers.Inhisteachingaloneistruthfulnessupheldasthehighestvirtue—thatistosay,asthereverseof the cowardiceof the "idealist"who takes tohis heels at the sight of reality.Zarathustrahasmorepluckinhisbodythanallotherthinkersputtogether.Totellthetruthandtoaimstraight:thatisthefirstPersianvirtue.HaveImademyselfclear?...Theovercomingofmoralitybyitself,throughtruthfulness,themoralist'sovercomingofhimselfinhisopposite—inme—thatiswhatthenameZarathustrameansinmymouth.

4

InrealitytwonegationsareinvolvedinmytitleImmoralist.Ifirstofalldenythetypeofmanthathashithertobeenregardedasthehighest—thegood,thekind,andthecharitable;andIalsodenythatkindofmoralitywhichhasbecomerecognisedandparamountasmorality-in-itself—Ispeakofthemoralityofdecadence,or,touseastillcruderterm,Christianmorality.Iwouldagreetothesecondofthetwonegationsbeingregardedasthemoredecisive,for,reckonedasawhole,theoverestimationofgoodnessand kindness seems to me already a consequence of decadence, a symptom of weakness, andincompatiblewithanyascendingandyea-sayinglife.Negationandannihilationareinseparablefromayea-sayingattitudetowardslife.Letmehaltforamomentatthequestionofthepsychologyofthegoodman. In order to appraise the value of a certain type of man, the cost of his maintenance must becalculated,—andtheconditionsofhisexistencemustbeknown.Theconditionoftheexistenceofthegood is falsehood: or, otherwise expressed, the refusal at any price to see how reality is actuallyconstituted. The refusal to see that this reality is not so constituted as always to be stimulatingbeneficent instincts, and still less, so as to suffer at allmoments the intrusion of ignorant and good-naturedhands.Toconsiderdistressofallkindsasanobjection,assomethingwhichmustbedoneawaywith, is thegreatestnonsenseonearth;generallyspeaking, it isnonsenseof themostdisastroussort,fatalinitsstupidity—almostasmadasthewill toabolishbadweather,outofpityforthepoor,sotospeak.Inthegreateconomyofthewholeuniverse,theterrorsofreality(inthepassions,inthedesires,inthewilltopower)areincalculablymorenecessarythanthatformofpettyhappinesswhichiscalled"goodness";itisevenneedfultopractiseleniencyinordersomuchastoallowthelatteraplaceatall,

seeing that it is based upon a falsification of the instincts. I shall have an excellent opportunity ofshowing the incalculablycalamitousconsequences to thewholeofhistory,of thecredoofoptimism,thismonstrousoffspringofthehominesoptimi.Zarathustra,[1]thefirstwhorecognisedthattheoptimistisjustasdegenerateasthepessimist,thoughperhapsmoredetrimental,says:"Goodmenneverspeakthetruth.Falseshoresandfalseharbourswereyetaughtbythegood.Intheliesofthegoodwereyebornandbred.Throughthegoodeverythinghathbecomefalseandcrookedfromtheroots."Fortunatelytheworldisnotbuiltmerelyuponthoseinstinctswhichwouldsecuretothegood-naturedherdanimalhispaltryhappiness.Todesireeverybodytobecomea"goodman,""agregariousanimal,""ablue-eyed,benevolent, beautiful soul," or—as Herbert Spencer wished—a creature of altruism, would meanrobbingexistenceofitsgreatestcharacter,castratingman,andreducinghumanitytoasortofwretchedChinadom.And thissomehave tried todo! It isprecisely this thatmencalledmorality. In this senseZarathustracalls"thegood,"now"thelastmen,"andanon"thebeginningoftheend";andaboveall,heconsidersthemas themostdetrimentalkindofmen,becausetheysecuretheirexistenceatthecostofTruthandatthecostoftheFuture.

"Thegood—theycannotcreate;theyareeverthebeginningoftheend.

"Theycrucifyhimwhowritethnewvaluesonnewtables;theysacrificeuntothemselvesthefuture;theycrucifythewholefutureofhumanity!

"Thegood—theyareeverthebeginningoftheend.

"Andwhateverharmtheslanderersoftheworldmaydo,theharmofthegoodisthemostcalamitousofallharm."

5

Zarathustra,as thefirstpsychologistof thegoodman, isperforce thefriendof theevilman.Whenadegeneratekindofmanhassucceededtothehighestrankamongthehumanspecies,hispositionmusthavebeengainedat thecostofthereversetype—atthecostofthestrongmanwhoiscertainoflife.Whenthegregariousanimalstandsinthegloriousraysofthepurestvirtue,theexceptionalmanmustbedegradedtotherankoftheevil.Iffalsehoodinsistsatallcostsonclaimingtheword"truth"foritsownparticularstandpoint,thereallytruthfulmanmustbesoughtoutamongthedespised.Zarathustraallowsofnodoubthere;hesaysthatitwaspreciselytheknowledgeofthegood,ofthe"best,"whichinspiredhisabsolutehorrorofmen.And itwasoutof this feelingof repulsion thathegrew thewingswhichallowedhimtosoarintoremotefutures.Hedoesnotconcealthefactthathistypeofmanisonewhichis relatively superhuman—especially as opposed to the "good"man, and that the good and the justwouldregardhissupermanasthedevil.

"Yehighermen,onwhommygazenowfalls,thisisthedoubtthatyewakeinmybreast,andthisismysecretlaughter:methinksyewouldcallmySuperman—thedevil!Sostrangeareyeinyoursoulstoallthatisgreat,thattheSupermanwouldbeterribleinyoureyesforhisgoodness."

It is from this passage, and from no other, that you must set out to understand the goal to whichZarathustraaspires—thekindofmanthatheconceivesseesrealityasitis;heisstrongenoughforthis—heisnotestrangedorfarremovedfromit,heisthatrealityhimself,inhisownnaturecanbefoundalltheterribleandquestionablecharacterofreality:onlythuscanmanhavegreatness.

6

ButIhavechosenthetitleofImmoralistasasurnameandasabadgeofhonourinyetanothersense;Iam very proud to possess this name which distinguishes me from all the rest of mankind. No onehithertohasfeltChristianmoralitybeneathhim;tothatendtherewereneededheight,aremotenessofvision, and an abysmal psychological depth, not believed to be possible hitherto. Up to the presentChristianmoralityhasbeentheCirceofallthinkers—theystoodatherservice.Whatman,beforemytime,haddescendedintotheundergroundcavernsfromoutofwhichthepoisonousfumesofthisideal—of this slanderingof theworld—burst forth?Whatmanhad evendared to suppose that theywereundergroundcaverns?Wasasingleoneofthephilosopherswhoprecededmeapsychologistatall,andnot theveryreverseofapsychologist—that is tosay,a"superiorswindler,"an"Idealist"?Beforemytimetherewasnopsychology.Tobethefirstinthisnewrealmmayamounttoacurse;atallevents,itisafatality:foroneisalsothefirsttodespise.Mydangeristheloathingofmankind.

7

Haveyouunderstoodme?Thatwhichdefinesme,thatwhichmakesmestandapartfromthewholeoftherestofhumanity,isthefactthatIunmaskedChristianmorality.ForthisreasonIwasinneedofawordwhichconveyedtheideaofachallengetoeverybody.Nottohaveawakenedtothesediscoveriesbefore,struckmeasbeingthesignofthegreatestuncleanlinessthatmankindhasonitsconscience,asself-deception become instinctive, as the fundamental will to be blind to every phenomenon, allcausality and all reality; in fact, as an almost criminal fraud inpsychologicis.Blindness in regard toChristianityistheessenceofcriminality—foritisthecrimeagainstlife.Agesandpeoples,thefirstaswellasthelast,philosophersandoldwomen,withtheexceptionoffiveorsixmomentsinhistory(andofmyself,theseventh),areallalikeinthis.HithertotheChristianhasbeenthe"moralbeing,"apeerlessoddity, and, as "a moral being," he was more absurd, more vain, more thoughtless, and a greaterdisadvantagetohimself,thanthegreatestdespiserofhumanitycouldhavedeemedpossible.Christianmorality is the most malignant form of all false too the actual Circe of humanity: that which hascorruptedmankind.Itisnoterroraserrorwhichinfuriatesmeatthesightofthisspectacle;itisnotthemillenniums of absence of "goodwill," of discipline, of decency, and of bravery in spiritual things,whichbetraysitselfinthetriumphofChristianity;itisrathertheabsenceofnature,itistheperfectlyghastly fact thatanti-nature itself received thehighesthonours asmorality andas law, and remainedsuspendedovermanastheCategoricalImperative.Fancyblunderinginthisway,notasanindividual,notasapeople,butasawholespecies!ashumanity!Toteachthecontemptofalltheprincipalinstinctsof life; topositfalselytheexistenceofa"soul,"ofa"spirit," inorder tobeabletodefythebody; tospreadthefeelingthatthereissomethingimpureintheveryfirstprerequisiteoflife—insex;toseektheprincipleofevilintheprofoundneedofgrowthandexpansion—thatistosay,insevereself-love(thetermitselfisslanderous);andconverselytoseeahighermoralvalue—butwhatamItalkingabout?—Imean themoral value per se, in the typical signs of decline, in the antagonism of the instincts, in"selflessness,"inthelossofballast,in"thesuppressionofthepersonalelement,"andin"loveofone'sneighbour"(neighbouritis!).What!ishumanityitselfinastateofdegeneration?Hasitalwaysbeeninthisstate?One thing iscertain, thatyeare taughtonly thevaluesofdecadenceas thehighestvalues.Themoralityofself-renunciationisessentiallythemoralityofdegeneration;thefact,"Iamgoingtothedogs,"istranslatedintotheimperative,"Yeshallallgotothedogs"—andnotonlyintotheimperative.Thismorality of self-renunciation, which is the only kind ofmorality that has been taught hitherto,betraysthewilltononentity—itdenieslifetotheveryroots.Therestillremainsthepossibilitythatitisnotmankindthatisinastateofdegeneration,butonlythatparasiticalkindofman—thepriest,who,bymeansofmoralityand lies,hasclimbedup tohispositionofdeterminatorofvalues,whodivined inChristianmoralityhisroadtopower.And,totellthetruth,thisismyopinion.TheteachersandIleaders

of mankind—including the theologians—have been, every one of them, decadents: hence their)transvaluation of all values into a hostility towards; life; hencemorality.The definition ofmorality;Moralityistheidiosyncrasyofdecadents,actuatedbyadesiretoavengethemselveswithsuccessuponlife.Iattachgreatvaluetothisdefinition.

8

Haveyouunderstoodme?IhavenotutteredasinglewordwhichIhadnotalreadysaidfiveyearsagothroughmymouthpieceZarathustra.TheunmaskingofChristianmoralityisaneventwhichunequalledinhistory, it isarealcatastrophe.Themanwhothrowslightuponit isa forcemajeure,a fatality;hebreaksthehistoryofmanintotwo.Timeisreckonedupbeforehimandafterhim.Thelightningflashoftruthstruckpreciselythatwhichtheretoforehadstoodhighest:hewhounderstandswhatwasdestroyedbythatflashshouldlooktoseewhetherhestillholdsanythinginhishands.Everythingwhichuntilthenwascalledtruth,hasbeenrevealedasthemostdetrimental,mostspiteful,andmostsubterraneanformof life; the holy pretext, which was the "improvement" of man, has been recognised as a ruse fordraininglifeofitsenergyandofitsblood.MoralityconceivedasVampirism....Themanwhounmasksmorality has also unmasked the worthlessness of the values in which men either believe or havebelieved;henolongerseesanythingtobereveredinthemostvenerableman—eveninthetypesofmenthathavebeenpronouncedholy;allhecanseeinthemisthemostfatalkindofabortions,fatal,becausethey fascinate. The concept "God" was invented as the opposite of the concept life—everythingdetrimental, poisonous, and slanderous, and all deadly hostility to life, wad bound together in onehorribleunitinHim.Theconcepts"beyond"and"trueworld"wereinventedinordertodepreciatetheonlyworldthatexists—inorderthatnogoaloraim,nosenseor task,mightbeleft toearthlyreality.The concepts "soul," "spirit," and last of all the concept "immortal soul,"were invented in order tothrow contempt on the body, in order tomake it sick and "holy," in order to cultivate an attitude ofappalling levity towards all things in lifewhich deserve to be treated seriously, i.e. the questions ofnutritionandhabitation,ofintellectualdiet,thetreatmentofthesick,cleanliness,andweather.Insteadof health, we find the "salvation of the soul"—that is to say, a folie circulate fluctuating betweenconvulsionsandpenitenceandthehysteriaofredemption.Theconcept"sin,"togetherwiththetortureinstrument appertaining to it,which is the concept "freewill,"was invented in order to confuse andmuddle our instincts, and to render the mistrust of them man's second nature! In the concepts"disinterestedness"and"self-denial,"theactualsignsofdecadencearetobefound.Theallurementofthatwhichisdetrimental,theinabilitytodiscoverone'sownadvantageandself-destruction,aremadeintoabsolutequalities, intothe"duty,"the"holiness,"andthe"divinity"ofman.Finally—tokeeptheworsttothelast—bythenotionofthegoodman,allthatisfavouredwhichisweak,ill,botched,andsick-in-itself,whichought tobewipedout.The lawof selection is thwarted, an ideal ismadeoutofoppositiontotheproud,well-constitutedman,tohimwhosaysyeatolife,tohimwhoiscertainofthefuture, andwho guarantees the future—thisman is henceforth called the evil one.And all thiswasbelievedinasmorality!—Ecrasezl'infâme!

9

Haveyouunderstoodme?DionysusversusChrist.

[1]NeedlesstosaythisisNietzsche,andnolongerthePersian.—TR.

[Pg144][Pg145]

EDITORIALNOTETOPOETRY

Theeditorbegstostatethat,contrarytohisannouncementintheEditorialNotetoTheJoyfulWisdom,inwhichhedeclaredhisintentionofpublishingallofNietzsche'spoetry,hehasneverthelesswithheldcertainlessimportantversesfrompublication.Thisalterationinhisplansisduetohisbeliefthatitisaninjusticeandanindiscretiononthepartofposteritytosurpriseanauthor,asitwere,inhisnégligé,or,inplainEnglish,"inhisshirt-sleeves."Authorsgenerallyareverysensitiveonthispoint,andrightlyso:avisitbehindthescenesisnotpreciselytotheadvantageofthetheatre,andevenfinishedpicturesnotyetframedarenotreadilyshownbythecarefulartist.AstheGermanedition,however,containsnearlyallthatNietzsche left behind, either in small notebooksor on scrapsof paper, the editor couldnotwellsuppress everything thatwas not prepared for publicationbyNietzschehimself,more particularly assomeoftheversesarereallyveryremarkable.Hehas,therefore,madeaveryplentifulselectionfromtheSongsandEpigrams,nearlyallofwhicharetobefoundtranslatedhere,andfromtheFragmentsoftheDionysusDithyrambs,ofwhichoverhalfhavebeengiven.AllthecompleteDionysusDithyrambsappearinthisvolume,savethosewhichareduplicatesofversesalreadytranslatedintheFourthPartofZarathustra.TheseDionysusDithyrambswerepreparedreadyforpressbyNietzschehimself.Hewrotethe final manuscript during the summer of 1888 in Sils Maria; their actual composition, however,belongstoanearlierdate.

Alltheverses,unlessotherwisestated,havebeentranslatedbyMr.PaulVictorCohn.

[Pg147][Pg148][Pg149]

SONGS,EPIGRAMS,ETC.

SONGS

TOMELANCHOLY[1]

OMelancholy,benotwrothwithmeThatIthispenshouldpointtopraisetheeonly,

Andinthypraise,withheadbowedtotheknee,Squatlikeahermitonatree-stumplonely.

Thusoftthousaw'stme,—yesterday,atleast,—Fullinthemorningsunanditshotbeaming,

While,visioningthecarrionofhisfeast,Thehungryvulturevalleywardflewscreaming.

Yetdidstthouerr,foulbird,albeitI,Solikeamummy'gainstmyloglayleaning!

ThoucouldstnotseetheseeyeswhoseecstasyRolledhither,thither,proudandoverweening.

Whatthoughtheydidnotsoaruntothineheight,orreachedthosefar-off,cloud-rearedprecipices,

ForthattheysankthedeepersotheymightWithinthemselveslightDestiny'sabysses.

Thusoftinsullennessperverseandfree,Benthideouslikeasavageathisaltar,

There,Melancholy,heldIthoughtofthee,Apenitent,thoughyouthful,withhispsalter.

SocroucheddidIenjoythevulture'sspan,Thethunderoftheavalanche'spaces,

Thouspakesttome—norwastfalselikeman,Thouspakest,butwithsternanddreadfulfaces.

HarshgoddessthouofNaturewildandstark,Mistress,thatcom'stwiththreatstodauntandquellme,

Topointmeoutthevulture'sairyareAndlaughingavalanches,torepelme.

Aroundusgnashingpantsthelusttokill,Thetormenttowinlifeinallitschanges;

Alluringonsomecliff,abruptandchill,Someflowercravesthebutterflythatranges.

AllthisamI—shudderingIfeelitall—Obutterflybeguiled,Olonelyflower,

Thevultureandtheice-pentwaterfall,Themoaningstorm—allsymbolsofthypower,—

Thougoddessgrimbeforewhomdeeplybowed,Withheadonknee,mylipswithpæansbursting,

IliftadreadfulsongandcryaloudForLife,forLife,forLife—foreverthirsting!

Ovengefulgoddess,benotwroth,Iask,ThatItomeshtheeinmyrhymeshavestriven.

Hetrembleswhobeholdsthineawfulmask;Hequailstowhomthydreadrighthandisgiven.

SongupontremblingsongbystartsandfitsIchant,inrhythmallmythoughtunfolding,

Theblackinkflows,thepointedgoose-quillspits,

Ogoddess,goddess—leavemetomyscolding!

AFTERANIGHTSTORM[2]

To-dayinmistyveilsthouhangestdimly,Gloomygoddess,o'ermywindow-pane.

Grimlywhirlthepallidsnow-flakes,grimlyRoarstheswollenbrookuntotheplain.

Ah,bylightofhaggardlevinsglaring,'Neaththeuntamedthunder'sroarandroll,

'Midstthevalley'smurkwastthoupreparing—Sorceress!thydankandpoisonedbowl.

Shuddering,IheardthroughmidnightbreakingRapturesofthyvoice—andhowlsofpain.

Sawthybrightorbsgleam,thyrighthandshakingWiththemaceofthunderhurledamain.

NearmydrearycouchIheardthecrashesOfthinearmouredsteps,heardweaponsslam,

Heardthybrazenchainstrike'gainstthesashes,Andthyvoice:"Come!hearkenwhoIam!

TheimmortalAmazontheycallme;AllthingsweakandwomanishIshun;

Manlyscornandhateinwarenthralme;VictressIandtigressallinone!

WhereItreadtherecorpsesfallbeforeme;Frommineeyesthefurioustorchesfly,

Andmybrainthinkspoisons.Bend,adoreme!WormofEarthandWillo'Wisp—ordie!"

HYMNSTOFRIENDSHIP

(TwoFragments)

1

GoddessFriendship,deigntohearthesongThatwesinginfriendship'shonour!

Wheretheeyeoffriendshipglances,FilledwithallthejoyoffriendshipComethounightoaidme,

RosydawninthygazeandInholyhandthefaithfulpledgeofyoutheternal.

2

Morning'spast:thesunofnoondayScorcheswithhotrayourheads.

LetussitbeneaththearbourSingingsongsinpraiseoffriendship.Friendshipwasourlife'sreddawning,Anditssunsetredshallbe.

THEWANDERER[3]

AllthroughthenightawandererwalksSturdyofstride,

WithwindingvaleandslopingheightE'erathisside.Fairisthenight:

On,onhestrides,norslackensspeed,Andknowsnotwherehispathwilllead.

Abird'ssonginthenightisheard,"Ahme,whathastthoudone,Obird,HowdostthougripmysenseandfeetAndpourestheart-vexationsweet

Intomineear—Imustremain,Tohearkenfain:

Whyluremewithinvitingstrain?"

Thegoodbirdspeaks,stayinghissong:"Ilurenotthee,—no,thouartwrong—Withthesemytrills

Iluremymatefromoffthehills—Norheedthyplight.

Tomealonethenight'snotfair.What'sthattothee?Forthmustthoufare,On,onwardever,restingne'er.

Whystand'stthounow?Whathasmypipingdonetothee,Thouroamingwight?"

Thegoodbirdpondered,silentquite,"Whydothmypipingchangehisplight?Whystandshenow,

Thatluckless,luckless,roamingwight?"

TOTHEGLACIER

Atnoontidehour,whenfirst,IntothemountainsSummertreads,Summer,theboywitheyessohotandweary,Thentoohespeaks,Yetwecanonlyseehisspeech.

Hisbreathispanting,likethesickman'sbreathOnfeveredcouch.TheglacierandthefirtreeandthespringAnswerhiscall—Yetwetheiransweronlysee.ForfasterfromtherockleapsdownThetorrentstream,asthoughtogreet,Andstands,likeawhitecolumntrembling,Allyearningthere.Anddarkeryetandtruerlooksthefir-treeThane'erbefore.And'twixttheice-massandthecoldgreystoneAsuddenlightbreaksforth—SuchlightIoncebeheld,andmarkedthesign.

Eventhedeadman'seyeSurelyoncemoregrowslight,When,sorrowful,hischildGiveshimembraceandkiss:SurelyoncemoretheflameoflightWellsout,andglowingintolifeThedeadeyespeaks:"Mychild!Ahchild,youknowIloveyoutrue!"

Soallthingsglowandspeak—theglacierspeaks,Thebrook,thefir,Speakwiththeirglancetheselfsamewords:Weloveyoutrue,Ah,child,youknowweloveyou,loveyoutrue!

Andhe,Summer,theboywitheyessohotandweary,Woe-worn,giveskissesMoreardentever,Andwillnotgo:ButliketoveilsheblowshiswordsFromouthislips,Hiscruelwords:"Mygreeting'sparting,Mycominggoing,InyouthIdie."

AllroundtheyhearkenAndscarcelybreathe(Nosongstersings),AndshudderingrunLikegleamingrayOverthemountain;Allroundtheyponder,—Norspeak—

Twasatthenoon,Atnoontidehour,whenfirstIntothemountainsSummertreads,Summer,theboywitheyessohotandweary.

AUTUMN[4]

'TisAutumn:—Autumnyetshallbreakthyheart!Flyaway!flyaway!—Thesuncreeps'gainstthehillAndclimbsandclimbsAndrestsateverystep.

Howfadedgrewtheworld!Onweary,slackenedstringsthewind

Playethhistune.FairHopefledfar—Hewailethafter.

'TisAutumn:—Autumnyetshallbreakthyheart!Flyaway!flyaway!Ofruitofthetree,Thoutremblest,fallest?WhatsecretwhispereduntotheeTheNight,Thaticyshuddersdeckthycheek,Thycheekofpurplehue?

Silentartthou,nordostreply—Whospeakethstill?—

'TisAutumn:—Autumnyetshallbreakthyheart!Flyaway!flyaway!—"Iamnotfair,"—Sospeaksthelonestar-flower,—"YetmenIloveAndcomfortmen—Manyflowersshalltheybehold,Andstooptome,Andbreakme,ah!—SothatwithintheireyesshallgleamRemembranceswift,RemembranceoffarfairerthingsthanI:—Iseeit—seeit—andIperishso."

'TisAutumn:—Autumnyetshallbreakthyheart!Flyaway!flyaway!

CAMPOSANTODISTAGLIENO[5]

Maiden,ingentlewiseYoustrokeyourlamb'ssoftfleece,YetflashingfromyoureyesBothlightandflamene'ercease.CreatureofmerryjestAndfavouritenearandfar,Piouswithkindnessblest,

Amorosissima!

Whatbrokesosoonthechain,Whatdoesyourheartdeplore?Andwho,pray,wouldnotfain,Ifyoulovedhim,adore?—You'remute,butfromyoureye,Thetear-dropisnotfar,You'remute:you'llyearnanddie,

Amorosissima?

THELITTLEBRIGNAMED"LITTLEANGEL"[6]

"LittleAngel"calltheyme!—Nowaship,butonceagirl,Ah,andstilltoomuchagirl!Mysteering-wheel,sobrighttosee,Butforsakeoflovedothwhirl.

"LittleAngel"calltheyme,Withhundredflagstoornament,Acaptainsmart,onglorybent,Steersme,puffedwithvanity(Hehimself'sanornament).

"LittleAngel"calltheyme,Andwhere'eralittleflameGleamsforme,I,likealamb,Gomyjourneyeagerly(Iwasalwayssuchalamb!).

"LittleAngel"calltheyme—ThinkyouIcanbarkandwhineLikeadog,thismouthofmineThrowingsmokeandflamefullfree?Ah,adevil'smouthismine.

"LittleAngel"calltheyme—OnceIspokeabitterword,Thatmylover,whenheheard,Fastandfarawaydidflee:Yes,Ikilledhimwiththatword!

"LittleAngel"calltheyme:

Hardlyheard,IsprangsoglibFromthecliffandbrokearib:Frommyframemysoulwentfree,Yes,escapedmethroughthatrib.

"LittleAngel"calltheyme—Thenmysoul,likecatinflightStraightdidonthisshipalightSwiftlybounding—one,two,three!Yes,itsclawsareswifttosmite.

"LittleAngel"calltheyme!—Nowaship,butonceagirl,Ah,andstilltoomuchagirl!Mysteering-wheel,sobrighttosee,Forsakeoflovealonedothwhirl.

MAIDEN'SSONG

YesterdaywithseventeenyearsWisdomreachedI,amaidenfair,Iamgrey-haired,itappears,Nowinallthings—savemyhair.

Yesterday,Ihadathought,Was'tathought?—youlaughandscorn!Didyoueverhaveathought?Ratherwasafeelingborn.

Dareawomanthink?ThisscreedWisdomlongagobegot:"Followwomanmust,notlead;Ifshethinks,shefollowsnot."

Wisdomspeaks—Icreditnaught:Ratherhopsandstingslikeflea:"Womanseldomharboursthought;Ifshethinks,nogoodisshe!"

Tothiswisdom,old,renowned,BowIindeepreverence:NowmywisdomI'llexpoundInitsveryquintessence.

AvoicespokeinmeyesterdayAsever—listenifyoucan:"Womanismorebeauteousaye,Butmoreinteresting—man!"

"PIA,CARITATEVOLE,AMOROSISSIMA"[7]

Cavewherethedeadonesrest,Omarblefalsehood,theeIlove:foreasyjestMysoulthousettestfree.

To-day,to-dayalone,Mysoultotearsisstirred,Atthee,thepicturedstone,Atthee,thegravenword.

Thispicture(noneneedwis)Ikissedtheotherday.Whenthere'ssomuchtokissWhydidIkissthe—clay?

Whoknowsthereasonwhy?"Atombstonefool!"youlaugh:Ikissed—I'llnotdeny—E'enthelongepitaph.

TOFRIENDSHIP

Hailtothee,Friendship!Myhopeconsummate,Myfirstreddaybreak!Alas,soendlessOftpathandnightseemed,Andlife'slongroadAimlessandhateful!NowlifeI'ddoubleInthineeyesseeing

Dawn-glory,triumph,Mostgraciousgoddess!

PINETREEANDLIGHTNING

O'ermanandbeastIgrewsohigh,Andspeak—butnonewillgivereply.

Tooloneandtallmycrestdidsoar:Iwait:whatamIwaitingfor?

Thecloudsaregrowntoonighoflate,'TisthefirstlightningIawait.

TREEINAUTUMN

Whydidye,blockheads,meawakenWhileIinblissfulblindnessstood?

Ne'erIbyfearmorefellwasshaken—Vanishedmygoldendreamingmood.

Bear-elephants,withtrunksallgreedy,Knockfirst!Wherehaveyourmannersfled?

Ithrew—andfearhasmademespeedy—Dishesofripefruit—atyourhead.

AMONGFOES(ORAGAINSTCRITICS)

(AfteraGipsyProverb)

Herethegallows,therethecord,Andthehangman'sruddybeard.

Round,thevenom-glancinghorde:—Nothingnewtome'sappeared.

ManytimesI'veseenthesight,NowlaughinginyourfaceIcry,

"Hangingmeisuselessquite:Die?Nay,nay,Icannotdie!"

Beggarsall!YeenvymeWinningwhatyeneverwon!

True,Isufferagony,Butforyou—yourlifeisdone.

ManytimesI'vefaceddeath'splight,YetsteamandlightandbreathamI.

Hangingmeisuselessquite:Die?Nay,nay,Icannotdie!

THENEWCOLUMBUS[8]

"Dearest,"saidColumbus,"neverTrustaGenoeseagain.

Atthebluehegazesever,Distancedothhissoulenchain.

Strangenessistometoodear—Genoahassunkandpassed—

Heart,becool!Hand,firmlysteer!Seabeforeme:land—atlast?

Firmlyletusplantourfeet,Ne'ercanwegiveupthisgame—

Fromthedistancewhatdothgreet?Onedeath,onehappiness,onefame.

INLONESOMENESS[9]

ThecawingcrowsTownwardsonwhirringpinionsroam;Sooncomethesnows—Thricehappynowwhohathahome!

Fast-rootedthere,

Thougazestbackwards—oh,howlong!Thoufool,whydareErewintercome,thisworldofwrong?

Thisworld—agateTomyriaddesertsdumbandhoar!WholostthroughfateWhatthouhastlost,shallrestnomore.

Nowstand'stthoupale,Afrozenpilgrimagethydoom,LikesmokewhosetrailColdandstillcolderskiesconsume.

Fly,bird,andscreech,Likedesert-fowl,thysongapart!Hideoutofreach,Fool!ingrimicethybleedingheart.

Firmlyletusplantourfeet,Ne'ercanwegiveupthisgame—

Fromthedistancewhatdothgreet?Onedeath,onehappiness,onefame.

ThecawingcrowsTownwardsonwhirringpinionsroam:

Sooncomethesnows—Woeuntohimwhohathnohome!

MyAnswer

Themanpresumes—GoodLord!—tothinkthatI'dreturn

TothosewarmroomsWheresnugtheGermanovensburn

Myfriend,yousee'Tisbutthyfollydrivesmefar,—

PityfortheeAndallthatGermanblockheadsare!

VENICE

ONthebridgeIstood,Mellowwasthenight,Musiccamefromfar—DropsofgoldoutpouredOntheshimmeringwaves.Song,gondolas,light,Floateda-twinklingoutintothedusk.

Thechordsofmysoul,movedByunseenimpulse,throbbedSecretlyintoagondolasong,Withthrillsofbright-huedecstasy.HadIalistenerthere?

[1]TranslatedbyHermanScheffauer.

[2]TranslatedbyHermanScheffauer.[3]ThispoemwaswrittenonthebetrothalofoneofNietzsche'sBâlefriends.—TR.

[4]TranslatedbyHermanScheffauer.

[5]CampoSantodiStaglienoisthecemeteryofStaglieno,nearGenoa.Thepoemwasinspiredbythesightofagirlwithalambonthetombstone,withthewordsunderneath—"Pia,caritatevole,amorosissima."[6] Published by Nietzsche himself. The poem was inspired by a ship that was christened Angiolina, inmemoryofalove-sickgirlwholeaptintothesea.—TR.

[7]Seeabove,p.157.Bothpoemswereinspiredbythesametombstone.—TR.[8]TheGenoeseisNietzschehimself,wholivedagreatpartofhislifeatGenoa.—TR.

[9]TranslatedbyHermanScheffauer.

EPIGRAMS

CAUTION:POISON![1]

Hewhocannotlaughatthishadbetternotstartreading;

Forifhereadanddonotlaugh,physiche'llbeneeding!

HOWTOFINDONE'SCOMPANY

Withjestersitisgoodtojest:Wholikestotickle,istickledbest.

THEWORD

Idearlylovethelivingword,Thatfliestoyoulikeamerrybird,Readywithpleasantnodtogreet,E'eninmisfortunewelcome,sweet,Yetithasblood,canpantyoudeep:Thentothedove'searitwillcreep:Andcurlitself,orstartforflight—Whate'eritdoes,itbringsdelight.

Yettenderdoththewordremain,Soonitisill,soonwellagain:Soifitslittlelifeyou'dspare,Ograspitlightlyandwithcare,Norheavyhanduponitlay,Fore'enacruelglancewouldslay!Thereitwouldlie,unsouled,poorthing!Allstark,allformless,andallcold,Itslittlebodychangedandbattered,

Bydeathanddyingrudelyshattered.

Adeadwordisahatefulthing,Abarren,rattling,ting-ting-ting.AcurseonuglytradesIcryThatdoomalllittlewordstodie!

THEWANDERERANDHISSHADOW

ABook

You'llne'ergoonnoryetgoback?Ise'enforchamoisherenotrack?

SohereIwaitandfirmlyclaspWhateyeandhandwillletmegrasp!

Five-foot-broadledge,redmorning'sbreath,Andunderme—world,man,anddeath!

JOYFULWISDOM

Thisisnobook—forsuch,wholooks?Coffinsandshrouds,naughtelse,arebooks!What'sdeadandgonetheymaketheirprey,YetinmybooklivesfreshTo-day.

Thisisnobook—forsuch,wholooks?Whocaresforcoffins,shrouds,andspooks?Thisisapromise,anactofwill,Alastbridge-breaking,forgoodorill;Awindfromsea,ananchorlight,Awhirrofwheels,asteeringright.Thecannonroars,whitesmokesitsflame,Thesea—themonster—laughsandscentsitsgame.

DEDICATION[2]

Hewhohasmuchtotell,keepsmuchSilentandunavowed.

Hewhowithlightning-flashwouldtouchMustlongremainacloud!

THENEWTESTAMENT[3]

IsthisyourBookofSacredLore,Forblessing,cursing,andsuchuses?—Come,comenow:attheverydoorGodsomeoneelse'swifeseduces?

THE"TRUEGERMAN"

"OPeupledesmeilluresTartuffes,ToyouI'mtrue,Iwis."Hespoke,butintheswiftestskiffWenttoCosmopolis.

TOTHEDARWINIANS[4]

AfoolthishonestBritisherWasnot...ButaPhilosopher!Asthatyoureallyratehim?

SetDarwinupbyGoethe'sside?Butmajestyyouthusderide—Geniimajestatem!

ToHAFIZ

(ToastQuestionofaWater-Drinker)

Whatyouhavebuilded,yonderinn,O'ertopsallhouseshigh:

ThepossetyouhavebrewedthereinTheworldwillne'erdrinkdry.

ThebirdthatonceappearedonearthAsphœnix,isyour,guest.

ThemousethatgaveamountainbirthIsyouyourselfconfessed!

You'reallandnaught,you'reinnandwine,You'rephœnix,mountain,mouse.

BacktoyourselftocomeyoupineOrflyfromoutyourhouse.

Downwardfromeveryheightyou'vesunk,Andinthedepthsstillshine:

Thedrunkennessofallthedrunk,Whydoyouaskfor—wine?

TOSPINOZA

Of"AllinOne"aferventdevoteeAmoreDei,ofreasonedpiety,Doffshoes!Alandthriceholythismustbe!—YetunderneaththislovetheresateAtorchofvengeance,burningsecretlyTheHebrewGodwasgnawedbyHebrewhate.Hermit!DoIarightinterpretthee?

ARTHURSCHOPENHAUER

Thatwhichhetaught,hashaditsday,Thatwhichhelived,shallliveforaye:Lookattheman!Nobondsmanhe!Nore'ertomortalbowedhisknee!

TORICHARDWAGNER

OYouwhochafeateveryfetter'slink,Arestlessspirit,neverfree:Who,thoughvictoriousaye,inbondsstillcowered,Disgustedmoreandmore,andflayedandscoured,Tillfromeachcupofbalmyoupoisondrink,Alas!andbytheCrossallhelplesssink,Youtoo,youtoo,amongtheoverpowered!

ForlongIwatchedthisplaysoweirdlyshaped,Breathinganairofprison,vault,anddread,Withchurchlyfragrance,cloudsofincensespread,AndyetIfoundallstrange/interrorgaped.ButnowIthrowmyfool'scapo'ermyhead,ForIescaped!

MUSICOFTHESOUTH[5]

Allthatmyeaglee'ersawclear,Iseeandfeelinheartto-day(Althoughmyhopewaswanandgray)Thysonglikearrowpiercedmineear,Abalmtotouch,abalmtohear,Asdownfromheavenitwingeditsway.

SonowforlandsofsouthernfireTohappyisleswhereGreciannymphsholdsport!Thithernowturntheship'sdesire—Noshipe'erspedtofairerport.

ARIDDLE

Ariddlehere—canyoutheanswerscent?

"Whenmandiscovers,womanmustinvent."——

TOFALSEFRIENDS

Youstole,youreye'snotclearto-day.Youonlystoleathought,sir?nay,Whybesorudelymodest,pray?Here,takeanotherhandful—stay,TakeallIhave,youswine—youmayEattillyourfilthispurgedaway.

FRIENDYORICK

Beofgoodcheer,FriendYorick!Ifthisthoughtgivespain,Asnowitdoes,Ifear,Isitnot"God"?Andthoughinerrorlain,'Tisbutyourowndearchild,Yourfleshandblood,Thattorturesyouandgivesyoupain,Yourlittlerogueanddo-no-good,Seeiftherodwillchangeitsmood!

Inbrief,friendYorick,leavethatdrearPhilosophy—andletmenowWhisperonewordasmedicine,Myownprescription,inyourear,Myremedyagainstsuchspleen—"WholoveshisGod,chastiseshim,Iween,"

RESOLUTION

Ishouldbewisetosuitmymood,Notatthebeckofothermen:Godmadeasstupidashecould

Theworld—well,letmepraisehimthen.

AndifImakenotstraightmytrack,But,farasmaybe,windandbend,That'showthesagebeginshistack,Andthatishowthefoolwill—end.

*****

Theworldstandsneverstill,Nightlovestheglowingday—Sweetsoundstoear"Iwill!"Andsweeterstill"Imay!"

THEHALCYONIAN[6]

Addressingmemostbashfully,Awomanto-daysaidthis:

"Whatwouldyoubelikeinecstasy,Ifsoberyoufeelsuchbliss?"

FINALE[6]

Laughterisaseriousart.Iwoulddoitbetterdaily.DidIwellto-dayorno?Camethesparkrightfromtheheart?Littleusethoughheadwaggaily,Iftheheartcontainnoglow.

[1]TranslatedbyFrancisBickley.

[2]Onthetitle-pageofacopyofJoyfulWisdom,dedicatedtoHerrAugustBungal.—TR.[3]TranslatedbyFrancisBickley.

[4]TranslatedbyFrancisBickley.

[5] Probably written for Peter Gast, Nietzsche's faithful friend, and a musician whose "Southern" musicNietzscheadmired.—TR.[6]TranslatedbyFrancisBickley.

DIONYSUS-DITHYRAMBS

(1888)

ThesearethesongsofZarathustrawhichhesangtohimselfsoastoendurehislastsolitude.

[Pg174][Pg175]

OFTHEPOVERTYOFTHERICHEST

Tenyearspassedby—Notadropreachedme,Norain-fraughtwind,nodewoflove—Arainlessland....NowentreatImywisdomNottobecomestingyinthisdrought;Overflowthyself,tricklethydew,Bethyselftherainoftheparchedwilderness!

IoncebadethecloudsDepartfrommymountains;OnceIsaidtothem,"Morelight,yedarkones!"To-dayIenticethemtocome:Makemedarkwithyourudders:—Iwouldmilkyou,Yecowsoftheheights!Milk-warmwisdom,sweetdewofloveIpourovertheland.

Away,away,yetruthsThatlooksogloomy!IwillnothaveonmymountainsBitter,impatienttruths.Maytruthapproachmeto-dayGildedbysmiles,Sweetenedbythesun,brownedbylove,—AripetruthIwouldfainbreakofffromthetree.

To-dayIstretchmyhandsTowardthetressesofchance,Wiseenoughtolead,

Tooutwitchancelikeachild.To-dayIwillbehospitable'Gainsttheunwelcome,'GainstdestinyitselfIwillnotbeprickly....—Zarathustraisnohedgehog.

Mysoul,Insatiablewithitstongue,Hasalreadytastedofallthingsgoodandevil,Andhasdivedintoalldepths.Butever,likethecork,Itswimstothesurfaceagain,Andfloatslikeoiluponbrownseas:Becauseofthissoulmencallmefortunate.

Whoaremyfatherandmother?IsnotmyfatherPrincePlenty?AndmymotherSilentLaughter?DidnottheunionofthesetwoBegetme,theenigmaticbeast—Me,themonsteroflight—Me,Zarathustra,thesquandererofallwisdom?

Sickto-dayfromtenderness,Adewywind,Zarathustrasitswaiting,waitingonhismountains—SweetandstewingInhisownjuice,Beneathhisownsummit,Beneathhisice,Wearyandhappy,ACreatoronhisseventhday.

—Silence!AtruthpassesovermeLikeacloud,—Withinvisiblelightningsitstrikesme,Onbroad,slowstairs,Itshappinessclimbstome:Come,come,belovedtruth!

—Silence!'Tismytruth!Fromtimideyes,Fromvelvetshudders,Herglancemeetsmine,Sweetandwicked,amaiden'sglance.

Shehasguessedthereasonofmyhappiness,Shehasguessedme—ha!whatisshethinking?ApurpledragonLurksintheabyssofhermaiden'sglance.

—Silence!Mytruthisspeaking!—

"Woetothee,Zarathustra!ThoulookestlikeoneThathathswallowedgold:Theywillslitupthybellyyet!

Thouarttoorich,Thoucorrupterofmany!Thoumakesttoomanyjealous,Toomanypoor....Evenonmethylightcastsashadow—Ifeelchill:goaway,thourichoneGoaway,Zarathustra,fromthepathofthysun

BETWEENBIRDSOFPREY

Whowouldheredescend,HowsoonIsheswallowedupbythedepths!Butthou,Zarathustra,Stilllovesttheabysses,Lovestthemasdoththefirtree!

ThefirflingsitsrootsWheretherockitselfgazesShudderingatthedepths,—ThefirpausesbeforetheabyssesWhereallaroundWouldfaindescend:AmidtheimpatienceOfwild,rolling,leapingtorrentsItwaitssopatient,sternandsilent,Lonely....

Lonely!WhowouldventureHeretobeguest—

Tobethyguest?

Abirdofprey,perchanceJoyousatothers'misfortune,WillclingpersistentTothehairofthesteadfastwatcher,Withfrenziedlaughter,Avulture'slaughter....

Whereforesosteadfast?—Mockshesocruel:Hemusthavewings,wholovestheabyss,Hemustnotstayonthecliff,Asthouwhohangestthere!—

OZarathustra,CruellestNimrod!OflatestillahunterofGod,Aspider'swebtocapturevirtue,Anarrowofevil!NowHuntedbythyself,ThineownpreyCaughtinthegripofthineownsoul.

NowLonelytomeandthee,Twofoldinthineownknowledge,MidahundredmirrorsFalsetothyself,MidahundredmemoriesUncertain,Wearyateverywound,Shiveringateveryfrost,Throttledinthineownnoose,Self-knower!Self-hangman!

WhydidstbindthyselfWiththenooseofthywisdom?WhyluredstthyselfIntotheoldserpent'sparadise?WhystolestintoThyself,thyself?...

Asickmannow,Sickofserpent'spoison,

AcaptivenowWhohastdrawnthehardestlot:InthineownshaftBowedasthouworkest,InthineowncavernDiggingatthyself,Helplessquite,Stiff,AcoldcorseOverwhelmedwithahundredburdens,Overburdenedbythyself,Aknower!Aself-knower!ThewiseZarathustra!...

Thousoughtesttheheaviestburden,Sofoundestthouthyself,Andcanstnotshakethyselfoff....

Watching,Chewing,Onethatstandsuprightnomore!Thouwiltgrowdeformedeveninthygrave,Deformedspirit!

AndoflatestillsoproudOnallthestiltsofthypride!Oflatestillthegodlesshermit,Thehermitwithonecomrade—thedevil,Thescarletprinceofeverydevilment!...

Now—BetweentwonothingsHuddledup,Aquestion-mark,Awearyriddle,Ariddleforvultures....Theywill"solve"thee,Theyhungeralreadyforthy"solution,"Theyflutteralreadyabouttheir"riddle,"Aboutthee,thedoomedone!OZarathustra,Self-knower!Self-hangman!

THESUNSINKS

I

Notmuchlongerthirstestthou,Oburnt-upheart!Promiseisintheair,FromunknownmouthsIfeelabreath,—Thegreatcoolnesscomes....Mysunstoodhotabovemeatnoonday:Agreetingtoyouthatarecoming,Yesuddenwinds,Yecoolspiritsofafternoon!

Theairisstrangeandpure.SeehowthenightLeersatmewitheyesaskance,Likeaseducer!...Bestrong,mybraveheart,Andasknot"Why?"

2

Thedayofmylife!Thesunsinks,AndthecalmfloodAlreadyisgilded.Warmbreathestherock:DidhappinessatnoondayTakeitssiestawelluponit?IngreenlightHappinessstillglimmersupfromthebrownabyss

Dayofmylife!Eventide'snigh,ThyeyealreadyGlowshalf-broken,ThydewalreadyPoursoutitstear-drops,AlreadyoverthewhiteseasWalksthepurpleofthylove,Thylasthesitatingholiness....

3

Goldengaiety,come!Thou,thesweetestforetaste—Foretasteofdeath!—WentImywaytooswiftly?Nowthatthefootgrowsweary,Thineeyestillcatchesme,Thyhappinessstillcatchesme.

Aroundbutwavesandplay.Whateverwashard—Sankintoblueoblivion.Myboatnowstandsidle.Stormandmotion—howdiditforgetthem!DesireandHopearedrowned,Seaandsoularebecalmed.

SeventhSolitude!Neverfelt!Sweetcertaintynearer,Orwarmerthesun'sray.—Glowsnottheiceofmysummityet?Silvery,light,afishNowmyvesselswimsout....

THELASTDESIRE[1]

SowouldIdieAsthenIsawhimdie,Thefriend,wholikeagodIntomydarklingyouthThrewlightning'slightandfire:Buoyantyetdeepwashe,Yea,inthebattle'sstrifeWiththegaydancer'sheart.

AmidthewarriorsHiswasthelightestheart,AmidtheconquerorsHisbrowwasdarkwiththought—Hewasafatepoisedonhisdestiny:Unbending,castingthoughtintothepast

Andfuture,suchwashe.

Fearfulbeneaththeweightofvictory,Yetchanting,asbothvictoryanddeathCamehandandhandtohim.

Commandingevenashelayindeath,Andhiscommandthatmanannihilate.

SowouldIdieAsthenIsawhimdie,Victoriousanddestroying.

THEBEACON

Here,wheretheislandgrewamidtheseas,Asacrificialrockhigh-towering,Hereunderdarklingheavens,Zarathustralightshismountain-fires,Abeaconforshipsthathavestrayed,Abeaconforthemthathaveananswer!...

Theseflameswithgrey-whitebelly,Incolddistancessparkletheirdesire,Stretchesitsnecktowardseverpurerheights—Asnakeuprearedinimpatience:ThissignalIsetuptherebeforeme.Thisflameismineownsoul,Insatiablefornewdistances,Speedingupward,upwarditssilentheat.

WhyflewZarathustrafrombeastsandmen?Whyfledheswiftfromallcontinents?Sixsolitudesheknowsalready—Buteventheseawasnotlonelyenoughforhim,Ontheislandhecouldclimb,onthemounthe

becameflame,AttheseventhsolitudeHecastsafishing-rodfaro'erhishead.

Storm-tossedseamen!WreckageofancientstarsYeseasofthefuture!Uncompassedheavens!AtalllonelyonesInowthrowmyfishing-rod.

Giveanswertotheflame'simpatience,Letme,thefisheronhighmountains,Catchmyseventh,lastsolitude!——

FAMEANDETERNITY[2]

I

Speak,tellme,howlongwiltthoubroodUponthisadversefateofthine?Beware,lestfromthydolefulmoodAcountenance90darkisbrewedThatmeninseeingtheedivineAhatemorebitterthanthebrine.

****Speak,whydoesZarathustraroamUponthetoweringmountain-height?Distrustful,cankered,dour,hishomeIsshutsolongfromhumansight?

****See,suddenlyflamesforthalightning-flash,ThepitprofoundwiththunderouschallengefightsAgainsttheheavens,midstclamorouscrackandcrashOfthegreatmountain!Cradledintheheights,Bornasthefruitofhateandlightning'slove,ThewrathofZarathustradwellsaboveAndloomswithmenaceofathundercloud.

****Ye,whohaveroofs,goquickly,creepandhide!Tobed,yetenderlings!ForthundersloudUpontheblastsofstormtriumphantride,Andbastionsandrampartsswayandrock,

Thelightningsearstheduskyfaceofnight,AndeerietruthslikegleamsofHadesmockThesensefamiliar.SoinstormbreaksforthTheflamingcurseofZarathustra'swrath.

2

Thisfame,whichallthewideworldloves,Itouchwithgloves,

AndscorningbeatBeneathmyfeet.

****Whohankerafterthepayofit?Whocastthemselvesinthewayofit?Theseprostitutestogold,Thesemerchantfolk.TheyfoldTheirunctuouspalmsoverthejinglingfame,Whoseringingchinkwinsalltheworld'sacclaim.

****Hastthouthelusttobuy?Itneedsnoskill.Theyareallvenal.Letthypursebedeep,AndlettheirgreedypawsunhinderedcreepIntoitsdepths.Soletthemtaketheirfill,Forifthoudostnotofferthemenough,Their"virtue"they'llparade,tohidetheirhuff.

****Theyareallvirtuous,yeaeveryone.VirtueandfameareeverinaccordSolongastimedothrun,

ThetonguesthatprateofvirtueasrewardEarnfame.Forvirtueisfame'scleverbawd.

****Amongstthesevirtuous,IprefertobeOneguiltyofallvileandhorridsin!AndwhenIseefame'simportunitySoadvertisehershamelessharlotry,Ambitionturnstogall.AmidstsuchkinOneplacealone,thelowest,wouldIwin.

****Thisfame,whichallthewideworldloves,Itouchwithgloves,AndscorningbeatBeneathmyfeet.

3

Hush!Iseevastness!—andofvastythingsShallmanbedumb,unlesshecanenshrineThemwithhiswords?ThentakethemightwhichbringsTheheartuponthytongue,charmedwisdommine!

****Ilookabove,thererollsthestar-strownsea.Onight,mutesilence,voicelesscryofstars!Andlo!Asign!Theheavenitsvergeunbars—

Ashiningconstellationfallstowardsme.

4

Oloftiest,star-clusteredcrownofBeing!OcarvedtabletsofEternity!Anddostthoutrulybendthywaytome?Thyloveliness,toall—obscurity,What?Fear'stnottounveilbeforemyseeing?

****OshieldofDestiny!OcarventabletsofEternity!Yea,verily,thouknowest—whatmankinddothhate,WhatIalonedolove:thouartinviolateTostrokesofchangeandtime,offatesthefate!'Tisonlythou,OdireNecessity,Canstkindleeverlastingloveinme!

****OloftiestcrownofLife!OshieldofFate!Thatnodesirecanreachtoinvocate,Thatne'erdefiledorsulliedisbyNay,EternalYeaoflife,fore'eramIthyYea:ForIlovethee,Eternity!

[1]TranslatedbyDr.G.T.Wrench.

[2]TranslatedbyDr.G.T.Wrench.

[Pg190][Pg191]

FRAGMENTSOFDIONYSUS-DITHYRAMBS

(1882-88)

[Pg192][Pg193]

SPEECHES,PARABLES,ANDSIMILES

3

Myhome'sinthehighlands,

ForthehighlandsIyearnnot,Iraisenotmineeyesaloft:Iamonethatlooksdownward,Onethatmustbless,—Allblesserslookdownward.

11

ThusIbegan,Iunlearnedallself-pity!

13

Notinshatteringidols,Butinshatteringtheidol-worshipperinthee,Consistedthyvalour.

14

See,therestandThoseheavycatsofgranite,Thoseold,oldValues.Woeisme!Howoverthrowthem?

****Scratchingcats,Withpawsthatarefettered,TheretheysitAndtheirglanceispoison.

17

Alightning-flashbecamemywisdom:Withswordofadamantitclovemeevery

darkness!

19

AthoughtthatstillFlowshot,likelava:ButallstreamsoflavaBuildafortressaroundthem,Andeverythoughtfinally

Oppressesitselfwithlaws.

20

Suchismywill:Andsince'tismywill,AllgoesasIwish—Thatwasmyfinalwisdom:IwilledwhatImust,AndthusIforcedevery"must,"—Sincethenhasbeenformeno"must."

23

DeceitIswar'swholeartThefox'sskinIsmysecretshirtofmail

25

WeofthenewunderworldGrubfornewtreasures.GodlessitseemedtotheancientsTodisturbtheearth'sbowelsfortreasuresAndoncemorethisgodlessnessrevives,Hearyenotearth'sbowelsthunder?

28

Lookingforloveandfindingmasks,Findingaccursedmasksandhavingtobreakthem!

29

DoIloveyou?Yes,astheriderloveshissteed,Thatcarryethhimtohisgoal.

30

Hispityiscruel,Hislovinghand-claspbruises,Givenotagiantyourhand!

31

Yefearme?Yefearthetaut-strungbow?Yefearamanmightsethisarrowtothebow?

33

Iamnaughtbutaword-maker.Whatmatterwords?WhatmatterI?

34

Ah,myfriends,Whitherhasflownallthatiscalled"good"?Whitherallgoodpeople?Whithertheinnocenceofallthesefalsehoods?Icallallgood,Leavesandgrass,happiness,blessing,andrain.

35

Notthroughhissinsandgreatestfollies.ThroughhisperfectionIsuffered,AsIsufferedmostfrommen.[1]

36

"Manisevil."SospakethewisestFormyconsolement.

37

AndonlywhenItomyselfamaburdenDoyefallheavyuponme!

38

Toosoon,alreadyIlaughagain:Forafoe'tiseasyTomakemeamends.

39

GentleamItowardsmanandchance;Gentlewithallmen,andevenwithgrasses:Aspotofsunshineonwintercurtains,Moistwithtenderness,Athawingwindtosnow-boundsouls:

****Proud-mindedtowardstriflingGains,whereIseethehuckster'slongfinger,'TisayemypleasureTobebamboozled:Suchisthebiddingofmyfastidioustaste.

40

Astrangebreathbreathesandspitsatme,AmIamirror,thatstraightwayisclouded?

41

Littlepeople,Confiding,open-hearted,Butlow-builtportals,Whereonlythelowofstaturecanenter.

****HowcanIgetthroughthecity-gateWhohadforgottentoliveamongdwarfs?

42

Mywisdomwasliketothesun,Ilongedtogivethemlight,ButIonlydeceivedthem.

ThesunofmywisdomBlindedtheeyesOfthesepoorbats....

43

Blackerandevillerthingsdidstthouseethaneveraseerdid:

ThroughtherevelsofHellnosagehadeverjourneyed.

44

Back!onmyheelstoocloselyyefollow!Back!lestmywisdomshouldtreadonyou,crush

you!

45

"Hegoestohellwhogoesthyways!"SobeitItomyhellI'llpavethewaymyselfwithwell-mademaxims.

46

YourGod,youtellme,IsaGodoflove?ThestingofconscienceAstingfromGod?Astingoflove?

48

Theychewgravel,TheylieontheirbelliesBeforelittleroundthings,Theyadoreallthatfallethnotdown—TheselastservantsofGodBelievers(inreality)!

50

TheymadetheirGodoutofnothing,Whatwonderifnowheisnaught?

51

Yeloftiermen!TherehaveoncebeenMorethoughtfultimes,morereflective,Thanisourto-dayandto-morrow.

52Ourtimeislikeasickwoman—Letherbutshriek,rave,scold,Andbreakthetablesanddishes!

54

Yemount?Isittruethatyemount,Yeloftiermen?

Areyenot,pray,LiketoaballSpedtotheheightsBythelowestthat'sinyou?Doyenotfleefromyourselves,Oyeclimbers?

55

AllthatyouthoughtYouhadtodespise,Whereyouonlyrenounced!

56

Allmenrepeattherefrain!No,no,andthricesayNo!What'sallthisyap-yaptalkofheaven?Wewouldnotenterthekingdomofheaven,Thekingdomofearthshallbeours?

57

Thewillredeemeth,HethathasnothingtodoInaNothingfindsfoodfortrouble.

58

Youcannotendureitmore,Yourtyrannousdestiny,Loveit—you'regivennochoice!

59

Thesealonefreeusfromwoes(ChoosenowI)SuddendeathOrlong-drawn-outlove.

60

Ofdeathwearesure,Sowhynotbemerry?

61

TheworstofpleasIhavehiddenfromyou—thatlifegrewtedious!Throwitaway,thatyefinditagaintoyourtaste!

62

Lonelydays,Yemustwalkonvalorousfeet!

63

LonelinessPlantsnaught,itripens....Andeventhenyoumusthavethesunforyourfriend.

64

Oncemoremustyeplungeinthethrong—Inthethrongyegrowhardandsmooth.SolitudewithersAndlastlydestroys.—

65

Whenonthehermitcomesthegreatfear;WhenherunsandrunsAndknowsnotwhither;WhenthestormsroarbehindAndthelightningbearswitnessagainsthim,AndhiscavernbreedsspectresAndfillshimwithdread.

67

Throwthypaininthedepths,Man,forget!Man,forget!Divineistheartofforgetting!Wouldstfly?Wouldstfeelathomeintheheights?Throwthyheaviestloadinthesea!Hereisthesea,hurlthyselfinthesea!Divineistheartofforgetting!

69

Lookforward,neverlookback!WesinktothedepthsIfwepeereverintothedepths.

70

Beware,bewareOfwarningthereckless!ThywarningwilldrivethemToleapintoeveryabyss!

71

Whyhurledhehimselffromtheheights?Whatledhimastray?Hispityforallthatislowlyledhimastray,Andnowheliesthere,broken,useless,andcold.

72

Whitherwenthe?Whoknows?Weonlyknowthathesank.Astarwentoutinthedesolatevoid,Andlonewasthevoid.

73

WhatwehavenotButneed,Wemusttake.AndsoagoodconscienceItook.

74

Whoistherethatcouldbestowrightuponthee?Sotakethyright!

75

Oyewaves,Wondrouswaves,areyewrothwithme?Doyeraisemeyourcrestsinwrath?WithmyrudderIsmiteYourfollyfullsquare.ThisbarkyeyourselvesToimmortallifewillcarryalong.

77

Whennonewvoicewasheard,YemadefromoldwordsAlaw:Whenlifegrowsstark,thereshootsupthelaw.

78

WhatnonecanrefuteYesaymustbetrue?Oh,yeinnocents!

79

Artthoustrong?Strongasanass?StrongasGod?Artthouproud?SoproudastoflauntUnashamedthyconceit?

80

Beware,Andne'erbeatthedrumOfthydestinyIGooutofthewayFromallpom-pomoffame!

****Benotknowntoosoon!Beonethathashoardedrenown!

81

Wiltthougraspatthethorns?Thyfingersmustpay.Graspataponiard.

85

Beatabletofgold,TheywillgraveupontheeIngoldenscript.

86

UprighthestandsWithmoresenseof"justice"

InhisoutermosttoeThanIhaveinallmyhead.Avirtue-monsterMantledinwhite.

87

Alreadyhemimicshimself,Alreadywearyhegrows,Alreadyheseeksthepathshehastrod—Whooflatestilllovedalltracksuntrodden!

Secretlyburnt—Notforhisfaith,RatherbecausehehadlosttheheartTofindnewfaith.

88

Toolonghesatinthecage,Thatrunaway!ToolonghedreadedAgaoler!

Timorousnowhegoethhisways,Allthingsmakehimtostumble—Theshadowe'enofastickmakeshimtostumble.

89

Yechamberssmokyandmusty,Yecagesandnarrowhearts,Howcouldyourspiritbefree?

90

Narrowsouls!Huckster-souls!WhenmoneyleapsintotheboxThesoulleapsintoittoo![2]

92

Areyewomen,ThatyewishtosufferFromthatwhichyelove?

99

Theyarecold,thesemenoflearning!Wouldthatalightning-flashmightstriketheirfood,Andtheirmouthscouldlearntoeatfire!

101

YourfalseloveForthepast,Aloveforthegravesofthedead,IsatheftfromlifeThatstealsallthefuture.

****AnantiquaryIsacraftsmanofdeadthings,Wholivesamongcoffinsandskeletons.

103

OnlythepoetwhocanlieWilfully,skilfully,Cantellthetruth.

104

Ourchaseaftertruth,Is'tachaseafterhappiness?

105

TruthIsawoman,nobetter,Cunninginhershame:OfwhatshelikesbestShewillknownaught,Andcoversherface....

TowhatdothsheyieldButtoviolence?Violencesheneeds.Behard,yesages!Yemustcompelher,ThatshamefacedTruth....ForherhappinessSheneedsconstraint—Sheisawoman,nobetter.

106

Wethoughtevilofeachother?Weweretoodistant,Butnowinthistinyhut,Pinnedtoonedestiny,Howcouldwestillbefoes?WemustneedslovethoseWhomwecannotescape.

107

Lovethyfoe,Lettherobberrobthee:Thewomanhearsand—doesit.

110

AproudeyeWithsilkencurtains,Seldomclear,Honourshimthatmayseeitunveiled.

111

SluggardeyesThatseldomlove—Butwhentheylove,thelevinflashesAsfromshaftsofgoldWhereadaggerkeepsguardatthetreasureoflove.

117

Theyarecrabs,forwhomIhavenofellow-feeling.Graspthem,theypinchyou;Leavethemalone,andtheywalkbackward.

119

Crookedgogreatriversandmen,Crooked,butturnedtotheirgoal;Thatistheirhighestcourage,Theydreadednotcrookedpaths.

121

Wouldstcatchthem?ThenspeaktothemAstostraysheep:"Yourpath,yourpathYouhavelost!"TheyfollowallThatflatterthemso:"What?hadweapath?"Eachwhisperstheother:"Itreallyseemsthatwehaveapath."

[The numbering given corresponds to that of the original, several fragments having been omitted.—TR.]

[1]NietzscheherealludestoChristianperfection,whichheconsidersequivalenttoharmlessness.—TR.

[2]AlludingtothesayingoftheDominicanmonkTetzel,whosoldindulgencesinthetimeofLuther:"Whenmoneyleapsintothebox,thesoulleapsfromhelltoheaven!"—TR.

[Pg208][Pg209]

HYMNTOLIFE.

ForChorusandOrchestra.WORDSBY LOU SALOMÉ.MUSIC BY FRIEDRICHNIETZSCHE.Trans.BYHERMANSCHEFFAUER.Arr.forPianoBYADRIANCOLLINS.M.A.

[Pg215][Pg216]

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