Page 48 of 51
14
If it were true that life did not deserve to be welcomed, the moral man, precisely on account of his self-denial and obligingness, would then be guilty of misusing his fellow to his own personal advantage.
15
"Love thy neighbour"—this would mean first and foremost: "Let thy neighbour go his own way"—and it is precisely this kind of virtue that is the most difficult!
16
The bad man as the parasite. We must not be merely feasters and gourmets of life: this is ignoble.
17
It is a noble sense which forbids our being only feasters and gourmets of life—this sense revolts against hedonism—: we want to perform something in return!—But the fundamental feeling of the masses is that one must live for nothing,—that is their vulgarity.
18
The converse valuations hold good for the lower among men: in their case therefore it is necessary to implant virtues. They must be elevated above their lives, by means of absolute commands and terrible taskmasters.
19
What is required: the new law must be made practicable—and out of its fulfilment, the overcoming of this law, and higher law, must evolve Zarathustra defines the attitude towards law, inasmuch as he suppresses the law of laws which is morality.
Laws as the backbone They must be worked at and created, by being fulfilled. The slavish attitude which has reigned hitherto towards law!
20
The self-overcoming of Zarathustra as the prototype of mankind's self-overcoming for the benefit of Superman. To this end the overcoming of morality is necessary.
21
The type of the lawgiver, his development and his suffering. What is the purpose of giving laws at all?
Zarathustra is the herald who calls forth many lawgivers.
22
Individual instruments.
1. The Commanders, the mighty—who do not love, unless it be that they love the images according to which they create. The rich in vitality, the versatile, the free, who overcome that which is extant
2. The obedient, the "emancipated"—love and reverence constitute their happiness, they have a sense of what is higher (their deficiencies are made whole by the sight of the lofty).
3. The slaves, the order of "henchmen"—: they must be made comfortable, they must cultivate pity for one another.
23
The giver, the creator, the teacher—these are preludes of the ruler.
24
All virtue and all self-mastery has only one purpose: that of preparing for the rule!
25
Every sacrifice that the ruler makes is rewarded a hundredfold.
26
How much does not the warrior, the prince, the[Pg 265] man who is responsible for himself, sacrifice!—this should be highly honoured.
27
The terrible task of the ruler who educates himself:—the kind of man and people over which he will rule must be forecast in him: it is in himself therefore that he must first have become a ruler!
28
The great educator like nature must elevate obstacles in order that these may be overcome.
29
The new teachers as preparatory stages for the highest Architect (they must impose their type on things).
30
Institutions may be regarded as the after effects of great individuals and the means of giving great individuals root and soil—until the fruit ultimately appears.
31
As a matter of fact mankind is continually trying to be able to dispense with great individuals by means of corporations, &c. But they are utterly dependent upon such great individuals for their ideal.
32
The eudmonistic and social ideals lead men backwards,—it may be that they aim at a very useful working class,—they are creating the ideal slave[Pg 266] of the future, the lower caste which must on no account be lacking!
33
Equal rights for all!—this is the most extraordinary form of injustice, for with it the highest men do not get their due.
34
It is not a matter of the rights of the stronger, for strong and weak are alike in this, that they all extend their power as far as they can.
35
A new form of estimating man: above all the question:
How much power has he got?
How manifold are his instincts?
How great is his capacity for communication and assimilation?
The ruler as the highest type.
36
Zarathustra rejoices that the war of the classes is at last over, and that now at length the time is ripe for an order of rank among individuals. His hatred of the democratic system of levelling is only a blind; as a matter of fact he is very pleased that this has gone so far. Now he can perform his task.—
Hitherto his doctrines had been directed only at the ruling caste of the future. These lords of the earth must now take the place of God, and must create for themselves the profound and absolute confidence of those they rule. Their new holiness, their[Pg 267] renunciation of happiness and ease, must be their first principle. To the lowest they grant the heirloom of happiness, not to themselves. They deliver the physiologically botched by teaching them the doctrine of "swift death." They offer religions and philosophical systems to each according to his rank.
37
"The conflict in the heart of the ruler is the contest between the love which is in his heart for him who is most remote, and the love which he feels for his neighbour."
To be a creator and to be capable of goodness are not at all things which exclude one another. They are rather one and the same thing; but the creator is farsighted and the good man nearsighted.
38
The feeling of power. The strife of all egos to discover that thought which will remain poised above men like a star.—The ego is a primum mobile.
39
The struggle for the application of the power which mankind now represents! Zarathustra calls to the gladiators of this struggle.
40
We must make our ideals prevail:—We must strive for power in such a way as our ideal commands.
41
The doctrine of the Eternal Recurrence is the turning point of history.
42
Suddenly the terrible chamber of truth is opened, an unconscious self-protectiveness, caution, ambush, defence keeps us from the gravest knowledge. Thus have I lived heretofore. I suppress something; but the restless babbling and rolling down of stones has rendered my instinct over-powerful. Now I am rolling my last stone, the most appalling truth stands close to my hand.
Truth has been exorcised out of its grave:—we created it, we waked it: the highest expression of courage and of the feeling of power. Scorn of all pessimism that has existed hitherto!
We fight with it,—we find out that our only means of enduring it is to create a creature who is able to endure it:—unless, of course, we voluntarily dazzle ourselves afresh and blind ourselves in regard to it But this we are no longer able to do!
