查拉图斯特拉如是说 英文版 Thus Spake Zarathustra
尼采 Friedrich Nietzsche
APPENDIX. Page 2
Chapter XXII. The Bestowing Virtue.
An important aspect of Nietzsche's philosophy is brought to light in thisdiscourse. His teaching, as is well known, places the Aristotelian man ofspirit, above all others in the natural divisions of man. The man withoverflowing strength, both of mind and body, who must discharge thisstrength or perish, is the Nietzschean ideal. To such a man, giving fromhis overflow becomes a necessity; bestowing develops into a means ofexistence, and this is the only giving, the only charity, that Nietzscherecognises. In paragraph 3 of the discourse, we read Zarathustra's healthyexhortation to his disciples to become independent thinkers and to findthemselves before they learn any more from him (see Notes on Chapters LVI.,par. 5, and LXXIII., pars. 10, 11).
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PART II.
Chapter XXIII. The Child with the Mirror.
Nietzsche tells us here, in a poetical form, how deeply grieved he was bythe manifold misinterpretations and misunderstandings which were becomingrife concerning his publications. He does not recognise himself in themirror of public opinion, and recoils terrified from the distortedreflection of his features. In verse 20 he gives us a hint which it werewell not to pass over too lightly; for, in the introduction to "TheGenealogy of Morals" (written in 1887) he finds it necessary to refer tothe matter again and with greater precision. The point is this, that acreator of new values meets with his surest and strongest obstacles in thevery spirit of the language which is at his disposal. Words, like allother manifestations of an evolving race, are stamped with the values thathave long been paramount in that race. Now, the original thinker who findshimself compelled to use the current speech of his country in order toimpart new and hitherto untried views to his fellows, imposes a task uponthe natural means of communication which it is totally unfitted toperform,--hence the obscurities and prolixities which are so frequently metwith in the writings of original thinkers. In the "Dawn of Day", Nietzscheactually cautions young writers against THE DANGER OF ALLOWING THEIRTHOUGHTS TO BE MOULDED BY THE WORDS AT THEIR DISPOSAL.
Chapter XXIV. In the Happy Isles.
While writing this, Nietzsche is supposed to have been thinking of theisland of Ischia which was ultimately destroyed by an earthquake. Histeaching here is quite clear. He was among the first thinkers of Europe toovercome the pessimism which godlessness generally brings in its wake. Hepoints to creating as the surest salvation from the suffering which is aconcomitant of all higher life. "What would there be to create," he asks,"if there were--Gods?" His ideal, the Superman, lends him the cheerfulnessnecessary to the overcoming of that despair usually attendant upongodlessness and upon the apparent aimlessness of a world without a god.
Chapter XXIX. The Tarantulas.
The tarantulas are the Socialists and Democrats. This discourse offers usan analysis of their mental attitude. Nietzsche refuses to be confoundedwith those resentful and revengeful ones who condemn society FROM BELOW,and whose criticism is only suppressed envy. "There are those who preachmy doctrine of life," he says of the Nietzschean Socialists, "and are atthe same time preachers of equality and tarantulas" (see Notes on ChapterXL. and Chapter LI.).
Chapter XXX. The Famous Wise Ones.
This refers to all those philosophers hitherto, who have run in the harnessof established values and have not risked their reputation with the peoplein pursuit of truth. The philosopher, however, as Nietzsche understoodhim, is a man who creates new values, and thus leads mankind in a newdirection.
Chapter XXXIII. The Grave-Song.
Here Zarathustra sings about the ideals and friendships of his youth.Verses 27 to 31 undoubtedly refer to Richard Wagner (see Note on ChapterLXV.).
Chapter XXXIV. Self-Surpassing.
In this discourse we get the best exposition in the whole book ofNietzsche's doctrine of the Will to Power. I go into this questionthoroughly in the Note on Chapter LVII.
Nietzsche was not an iconoclast from choice. Those who hastily class himwith the anarchists (or the Progressivists of the last century) fail tounderstand the high esteem in which he always held both law and discipline.In verse 41 of this most decisive discourse he truly explains his positionwhen he says: "...he who hath to be a creator in good and evil--verily hehath first to be a destroyer, and break values in pieces." This teachingin regard to self-control is evidence enough of his reverence for law.
Chapter XXXV. The Sublime Ones.
These belong to a type which Nietzsche did not altogether dislike, butwhich he would fain have rendered more subtle and plastic. It is the typethat takes life and itself too seriously, that never surmounts the camel-stage mentioned in the first discourse, and that is obdurately sublime andearnest. To be able to smile while speaking of lofty things and NOT TO BEOPPRESSED by them, is the secret of real greatness. He whose hand trembleswhen it lays hold of a beautiful thing, has the quality of reverence,without the artist's unembarrassed friendship with the beautiful. Hencethe mistakes which have arisen in regard to confounding Nietzsche with hisextreme opposites the anarchists and agitators. For what they dare totouch and break with the impudence and irreverence of the unappreciative,he seems likewise to touch and break,--but with other fingers--with thefingers of the loving and unembarrassed artist who is on good terms withthe beautiful and who feels able to create it and to enhance it with histouch. The question of taste plays an important part in Nietzsche'sphilosophy, and verses 9, 10 of this discourse exactly state Nietzsche'sultimate views on the subject. In the "Spirit of Gravity", he actuallycries:--"Neither a good nor a bad taste, but MY taste, of which I have nolonger either shame or secrecy."
Chapter XXXVI. The Land of Culture.
This is a poetical epitome of some of the scathing criticism of scholarswhich appears in the first of the "Thoughts out of Season"--the polemicalpamphlet (written in 1873) against David Strauss and his school. Hereproaches his former colleagues with being sterile and shows them thattheir sterility is the result of their not believing in anything. "He whohad to create, had always his presaging dreams and astral premonitions--andbelieved in believing!" (See Note on Chapter LXXVII.) In the last twoverses he reveals the nature of his altruism. How far it differs from thatof Christianity we have already read in the discourse "Neighbour-Love", buthere he tells us definitely the nature of his love to mankind; he explainswhy he was compelled to assail the Christian values of pity and excessivelove of the neighbour, not only because they are slave-values and thereforetend to promote degeneration (see Note B.), but because he could only lovehis children's land, the undiscovered land in a remote sea; because hewould fain retrieve the errors of his fathers in his children.
Chapter XXXVII. Immaculate Perception.
An important feature of Nietzsche's interpretation of Life is disclosed inthis discourse. As Buckle suggests in his "Influence of Women on theProgress of Knowledge", the scientific spirit of the investigator is bothhelped and supplemented by the latter's emotions and personality, and thedivorce of all emotionalism and individual temperament from science is afatal step towards sterility. Zarathustra abjures all those who would fainturn an IMPERSONAL eye upon nature and contemplate her phenomena with thatpure objectivity to which the scientific idealists of to-day would so muchlike to attain. He accuses such idealists of hypocrisy and guile; he saysthey lack innocence in their desires and therefore slander all desiring.
Chapter XXXVIII. Scholars.
This is a record of Nietzsche's final breach with his former colleagues--the scholars of Germany. Already after the publication of the "Birth ofTragedy", numbers of German philologists and professional philosophers haddenounced him as one who had strayed too far from their flock, and hislectures at the University of Bale were deserted in consequence; but it wasnot until 1879, when he finally severed all connection with Universitywork, that he may be said to have attained to the freedom and independencewhich stamp this discourse.
Chapter XXXIX. Poets.
People have sometimes said that Nietzsche had no sense of humour. I haveno intention of defending him here against such foolish critics; I shouldonly like to point out to the reader that we have him here at his best,poking fun at himself, and at his fellow-poets (see Note on Chapter LXIII.,pars. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20).
Chapter XL. Great Events.
Here we seem to have a puzzle. Zarathustra himself, while relating hisexperience with the fire-dog to his disciples, fails to get them interestedin his narrative, and we also may be only too ready to turn over thesepages under the impression that they are little more than a mere phantasyor poetical flight. Zarathustra's interview with the fire-dog is, however,of great importance. In it we find Nietzsche face to face with thecreature he most sincerely loathes--the spirit of revolution, and we obtainfresh hints concerning his hatred of the anarchist and rebel. "'Freedom'ye all roar most eagerly," he says to the fire-dog, "but I have unlearnedthe belief in 'Great Events' when there is much roaring and smoke aboutthem. Not around the inventors of new noise, but around the inventors ofnew values, doth the world revolve; INAUDIBLY it revolveth."
Chapter XLI. The Soothsayer.
This refers, of course, to Schopenhauer. Nietzsche, as is well known, wasat one time an ardent follower of Schopenhauer. He overcame Pessimism bydiscovering an object in existence; he saw the possibility of raisingsociety to a higher level and preached the profoundest Optimism inconsequence.
Chapter XLII. Redemption.
Zarathustra here addresses cripples. He tells them of other cripples--theGREAT MEN in this world who have one organ or faculty inordinatelydeveloped at the cost of their other faculties. This is doubtless areference to a fact which is too often noticeable in the case of so many ofthe world's giants in art, science, or religion. In verse 19 we are toldwhat Nietzsche called Redemption--that is to say, the ability to say of allthat is past: "Thus would I have it." The in ability to say this, and theresentment which results therefrom, he regards as the source of all ourfeelings of revenge, and all our desires to punish--punishment meaning tohim merely a euphemism for the word revenge, invented in order to still ourconsciences. He who can be proud of his enemies, who can be grateful tothem for the obstacles they have put in his way; he who can regard hisworst calamity as but the extra strain on the bow of his life, which is tosend the arrow of his longing even further than he could have hoped;--thisman knows no revenge, neither does he know despair, he truly has foundredemption and can turn on the worst in his life and even in himself, andcall it his best (see Notes on Chapter LVII.).
Chapter XLIII. Manly Prudence.
This discourse is very important. In "Beyond Good and Evil" we hear oftenenough that the select and superior man must wear a mask, and here we findthis injunction explained. "And he who would not languish amongst men,must learn to drink out of all glasses: and he who would keep cleanamongst men, must know how to wash himself even with dirty water." This, Iventure to suggest, requires some explanation. At a time whenindividuality is supposed to be shown most tellingly by putting boots onone's hands and gloves on one's feet, it is somewhat refreshing to comeacross a true individualist who feels the chasm between himself and othersso deeply, that he must perforce adapt himself to them outwardly, at least,in all respects, so that the inner difference should be overlooked.Nietzsche practically tells us here that it is not he who intentionallywears eccentric clothes or does eccentric things who is truly theindividualist. The profound man, who is by nature differentiated from hisfellows, feels this difference too keenly to call attention to it by anyoutward show. He is shamefast and bashful with those who surround him andwishes not to be discovered by them, just as one instinctively avoids alllavish display of comfort or wealth in the presence of a poor friend.
Chapter XLIV. The Stillest Hour.
This seems to me to give an account of the great struggle which must havetaken place in Nietzsche's soul before he finally resolved to make knownthe more esoteric portions of his teaching. Our deepest feelings cravesilence. There is a certain self-respect in the serious man which makeshim hold his profoundest feelings sacred. Before they are uttered they arefull of the modesty of a virgin, and often the oldest sage will blush likea girl when this virginity is violated by an indiscretion which forces himto reveal his deepest thoughts.
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PART III.
This is perhaps the most important of all the four parts. If it containedonly "The Vision and the Enigma" and "The Old and New Tables" I shouldstill be of this opinion; for in the former of these discourses we meetwith what Nietzsche regarded as the crowning doctrine of his philosophy andin "The Old and New Tables" we have a valuable epitome of practically allhis leading principles.
Chapter XLVI. The Vision and the Enigma.
"The Vision and the Enigma" is perhaps an example of Nietzsche in his mostobscure vein. We must know how persistently he inveighed against theoppressing and depressing influence of man's sense of guilt andconsciousness of sin in order fully to grasp the significance of thisdiscourse. Slowly but surely, he thought the values of Christianity andJudaic traditions had done their work in the minds of men. What were oncebut expedients devised for the discipline of a certain portion of humanity,had now passed into man's blood and had become instincts. This oppressiveand paralysing sense of guilt and of sin is what Nietzsche refers to whenhe speaks of "the spirit of gravity." This creature half-dwarf, half-mole,whom he bears with him a certain distance on his climb and finally defies,and whom he calls his devil and arch-enemy, is nothing more than the heavymillstone "guilty conscience," together with the concept of sin which atpresent hangs round the neck of men. To rise above it--to soar--is themost difficult of all things to-day. Nietzsche is able to think cheerfullyand optimistically of the possibility of life in this world recurring againand again, when he has once cast the dwarf from his shoulders, and heannounces his doctrine of the Eternal Recurrence of all things great andsmall to his arch-enemy and in defiance of him.
That there is much to be said for Nietzsche's hypothesis of the EternalRecurrence of all things great and small, nobody who has read theliterature on the subject will doubt for an instant; but it remains a verydaring conjecture notwithstanding and even in its ultimate effect, as adogma, on the minds of men, I venture to doubt whether Nietzsche everproperly estimated its worth (see Note on Chapter LVII.).
What follows is clear enough. Zarathustra sees a young shepherd strugglingon the ground with a snake holding fast to the back of his throat. Thesage, assuming that the snake must have crawled into the young man's mouthwhile he lay sleeping, runs to his help and pulls at the loathsome reptilewith all his might, but in vain. At last, in despair, Zarathustra appealsto the young man's will. Knowing full well what a ghastly operation he isrecommending, he nevertheless cries, "Bite! Bite! Its head off! Bite!"as the only possible solution of the difficulty. The young shepherd bites,and far away he spits the snake's head, whereupon he rises, "No longershepherd, no longer man--a transfigured being, a light-surrounded being,that LAUGHED! Never on earth laughed a man as he laughed!"
In this parable the young shepherd is obviously the man of to-day; thesnake that chokes him represents the stultifying and paralysing socialvalues that threaten to shatter humanity, and the advice "Bite! Bite!" isbut Nietzsche's exasperated cry to mankind to alter their values before itis too late.
Chapter XLVII. Involuntary Bliss.
This, like "The Wanderer", is one of the many introspective passages in thework, and is full of innuendos and hints as to the Nietzschean outlook onlife.
Chapter XLVIII. Before Sunrise.
Here we have a record of Zarathustra's avowal of optimism, as also theimportant statement concerning "Chance" or "Accident" (verse 27). Thosewho are familiar with Nietzsche's philosophy will not require to be toldwhat an important role his doctrine of chance plays in his teaching. TheGiant Chance has hitherto played with the puppet "man,"--this is the facthe cannot contemplate with equanimity. Man shall now exploit chance, hesays again and again, and make it fall on its knees before him! (See verse33 in "On the Olive Mount", and verses 9-10 in "The Bedwarfing Virtue").
Chapter XLIX. The Bedwarfing Virtue.
This requires scarcely any comment. It is a satire on modern man and hisbelittling virtues. In verses 23 and 24 of the second part of thediscourse we are reminded of Nietzsche's powerful indictment of the greatof to-day, in the Antichrist (Aphorism 43):--"At present nobody has anylonger the courage for separate rights, for rights of domination, for afeeling of reverence for himself and his equals,--FOR PATHOS OFDISTANCE...Our politics are MORBID from this want of courage!--Thearistocracy of character has been undermined most craftily by the lie ofthe equality of souls; and if the belief in the 'privilege of the many,'makes revolutions and WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE them, it is Christianity, letus not doubt it, it is CHRISTIAN valuations, which translate everyrevolution merely into blood and crime!" (see also "Beyond Good and Evil",pages 120, 121). Nietzsche thought it was a bad sign of the times thateven rulers have lost the courage of their positions, and that a man ofFrederick the Great's power and distinguished gifts should have been ableto say: "Ich bin der erste Diener des Staates" (I am the first servant ofthe State.) To this utterance of the great sovereign, verse 24 undoubtedlyrefers. "Cowardice" and "Mediocrity," are the names with which he labelsmodern notions of virtue and moderation.
In Part III., we get the sentiments of the discourse "In the Happy Isles",but perhaps in stronger terms. Once again we find Nietzsche thoroughly atease, if not cheerful, as an atheist, and speaking with vertiginous daringof making chance go on its knees to him. In verse 20, Zarathustra makesyet another attempt at defining his entirely anti-anarchical attitude, andunless such passages have been completely overlooked or deliberatelyignored hitherto by those who will persist in laying anarchy at his door,it is impossible to understand how he ever became associated with that foulpolitical party.