Read Online Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche, R. J. Hollingdale - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Friedrich Nietzsche, R. J. Hollingdale
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now wills its own will, the spirit sundered from the world now wins its own world.
I have named you three metamorphoses of the spirit: howthe spirit became a camel, and the camel a lion, and the lion at last a child.
Thus spoke Zarathustra. And at that time he was living in the town called The Pied Cow.
Of the Chairs of Virtue
Z ARATHUSTRA heard a wise man praised who was said to discourse well on sleep and virtue: he was greatly honoured and rewarded for it, and all the young men sat before his chair. Zarathustra went to him and sat before his chair with all the young men. And thus spoke the wise man:
Honour to sleep and modesty before it! That is the first thing! And avoid all those who sleep badly and are awake at night!
Even the thief is shamed when confronted with sleep: he always steals softly through the night. But shameless is the night-watchman, shamelessly he bears his horn.
Sleeping is no mean art: you need to stay awake all day to doit.
You must overcome yourself ten times a day: that causes a fine weariness and is opium to the soul.
Ten times must you be reconciled to yourself again: for overcoming is bitterness and the unreconciled man sleeps badly.
You must discover ten truths a day: otherwise you will seek truth in the night too, with your soul still hungry.
You must laugh and be cheerful ten times a day: or your stomach, that father of affliction, will disturb you in the night.
Few know it, but one must have all the virtues in order to sleep well. Shall I bear false witness? Shall I commit adultery?
Shall I covet my neighbour’s maidservant? None of this would be consistent with good sleep.
And even when one has all the virtues, there is still one thing to remember: to send even these virtues to sleep at the proper time.
That they may not quarrel among themselves, the pretty little women! And over you, unhappy man!
Peace with God and with your neighbour: thus good sleep will have it. And peace too with your neighbour’s devil. Otherwise he will haunt you at night.
Honour and obedience to the authorities, and even to the crooked authorities! Thus good sleep will have it. How can I help it that power likes to walk on crooked legs?
I shall always call him the best herdsman who leads his sheep to the greenest meadows: that accords with good sleep.
I do not desire much honour, nor great treasure: they excite spleen. But one sleeps badly without a good name and a small treasure.
The company of a few is more welcome to me than bad company: but they must come and go at the proper time. That accords with good sleep.
The poor in spirit, too, please me greatly: they further sleep. Blessed and happy they are indeed, especially if one always agrees with their views.
Thus for the virtuous man does the day pass. And when night comes I take good care not to summon sleep! He, the lord of virtues, does not like to be summoned!
But I remember what I have done and thought during the day. Ruminating I ask myself, patient as a cow: What were your ten overcomings?
And which were the ten reconciliations and the ten truths and the ten fits of laughter with which my heart enjoyed itself?
As I ponder such things rocked by my forty thoughts, sleep, the lord of virtue, suddenly overtakes me uncalled.
Sleep knocks on my eyes: they grow heavy. Sleep touches my mouth: it stays open.
Truly, he comes to me on soft soles, the dearest of thieves, and steals my thoughts from me: I stand as silent as this chair.
But I do not stand for long: already I am lying down.
When Zarathustra heard the wise man’s words he laughedin his heart: for through them a light had dawned upon him. And he spoke thus to his heart:
This wise man with his forty thoughts seems to me a fool: but I believe he knows well enough how to sleep.
Happy is he who lives in this wise man’s neighbourhood. Such sleep is contagious, even through a thick wall.
A spell dwells even in his chair. And the young men have not sat in vain before the
I have named you three metamorphoses of the spirit: howthe spirit became a camel, and the camel a lion, and the lion at last a child.
Thus spoke Zarathustra. And at that time he was living in the town called The Pied Cow.
Of the Chairs of Virtue
Z ARATHUSTRA heard a wise man praised who was said to discourse well on sleep and virtue: he was greatly honoured and rewarded for it, and all the young men sat before his chair. Zarathustra went to him and sat before his chair with all the young men. And thus spoke the wise man:
Honour to sleep and modesty before it! That is the first thing! And avoid all those who sleep badly and are awake at night!
Even the thief is shamed when confronted with sleep: he always steals softly through the night. But shameless is the night-watchman, shamelessly he bears his horn.
Sleeping is no mean art: you need to stay awake all day to doit.
You must overcome yourself ten times a day: that causes a fine weariness and is opium to the soul.
Ten times must you be reconciled to yourself again: for overcoming is bitterness and the unreconciled man sleeps badly.
You must discover ten truths a day: otherwise you will seek truth in the night too, with your soul still hungry.
You must laugh and be cheerful ten times a day: or your stomach, that father of affliction, will disturb you in the night.
Few know it, but one must have all the virtues in order to sleep well. Shall I bear false witness? Shall I commit adultery?
Shall I covet my neighbour’s maidservant? None of this would be consistent with good sleep.
And even when one has all the virtues, there is still one thing to remember: to send even these virtues to sleep at the proper time.
That they may not quarrel among themselves, the pretty little women! And over you, unhappy man!
Peace with God and with your neighbour: thus good sleep will have it. And peace too with your neighbour’s devil. Otherwise he will haunt you at night.
Honour and obedience to the authorities, and even to the crooked authorities! Thus good sleep will have it. How can I help it that power likes to walk on crooked legs?
I shall always call him the best herdsman who leads his sheep to the greenest meadows: that accords with good sleep.
I do not desire much honour, nor great treasure: they excite spleen. But one sleeps badly without a good name and a small treasure.
The company of a few is more welcome to me than bad company: but they must come and go at the proper time. That accords with good sleep.
The poor in spirit, too, please me greatly: they further sleep. Blessed and happy they are indeed, especially if one always agrees with their views.
Thus for the virtuous man does the day pass. And when night comes I take good care not to summon sleep! He, the lord of virtues, does not like to be summoned!
But I remember what I have done and thought during the day. Ruminating I ask myself, patient as a cow: What were your ten overcomings?
And which were the ten reconciliations and the ten truths and the ten fits of laughter with which my heart enjoyed itself?
As I ponder such things rocked by my forty thoughts, sleep, the lord of virtue, suddenly overtakes me uncalled.
Sleep knocks on my eyes: they grow heavy. Sleep touches my mouth: it stays open.
Truly, he comes to me on soft soles, the dearest of thieves, and steals my thoughts from me: I stand as silent as this chair.
But I do not stand for long: already I am lying down.
When Zarathustra heard the wise man’s words he laughedin his heart: for through them a light had dawned upon him. And he spoke thus to his heart:
This wise man with his forty thoughts seems to me a fool: but I believe he knows well enough how to sleep.
Happy is he who lives in this wise man’s neighbourhood. Such sleep is contagious, even through a thick wall.
A spell dwells even in his chair. And the young men have not sat in vain before the
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