16 of 28 in Chapter LVI. OLD AND NEW TABLES402 of 593 in work
Weariness's Obstinate Languishing
Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus Spake Zarathustra

A critique of the 'weariness' that causes even brave men to abandon their goals just before reaching them, suggesting that such exhaustion creates false moral 'tables' or laws.

...beat with stripes! With stripes shall one again make you sprightly limbs. For if ye be not invalids, or decrepit creatures, of whom the earth is weary, then are ye sly sloths, or dainty, sneaking pleasure-cats. And if ye will not again RUN gaily, then shall ye—pass away! To the incurable shall one not seek to be a physician: thus teacheth Zarathustra:—so shall ye pass away! But more COURAGE is needed to make an end than to make a new verse: that do all physicians and poets know well.— 18.
O my brethren, there are tables which weariness framed, and tables which slothfulness framed, corrupt slothfulness: although they speak similarly, they want to be heard differently.— See this languishing one! Only a span-breadth is he from his goal; but from weariness hath he lain down obstinately in the dust, this brave one! From weariness yawneth he at the path, at the earth, at the goal, and at himself: not a step further will he go,—this brave one! Now gloweth the sun upon him, and the dogs lick at his sweat: but he lieth there in his obstinacy and preferreth to languish:— —A span-breadth from his goal, to languish! Verily, ye will have…
Only, my brethren, see that ye scare the dogs away from him, the idle skulkers, and all the swarming vermin:— —All the swarming vermin of the “cultured,” that—feast on the sweat of every hero!— 19. I form circles around me and holy boundaries; ever fewer ascend with me ever higher mountains: I build a mountain-range out of ever holier mountains.— But wherever ye would ascend with me, O my brethren, take care lest a PARASITE ascend with you! A parasite: that is a reptile, a creeping, cring...
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17 of 28 in Chapter LVI. OLD AND NEW TABLES403 of 593 in work
Beware the Parasite
Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus Spake Zarathustra

A warning against the 'parasite'—the creeping spirit that feeds on the weaknesses and dejections of noble souls to build its nest in their moments of weariness.

...s head—this hero! Better still that ye let him lie where he hath lain down, that sleep may come unto him, the comforter, with cooling patter-rain. Let him lie, until of his own accord he awakeneth,—until of his own accord he repudiateth all weariness, and what weariness hath taught through him! Only, my brethren, see that ye scare the dogs away from him, the idle skulkers, and all the swarming vermin:— —All the swarming vermin of the “cultured,” that—feast on the sweat of every hero!— 19.
I form circles around me and holy boundaries; ever fewer ascend with me ever higher mountains: I build a mountain-range out of ever holier mountains.— But wherever ye would ascend with me, O my brethren, take care lest a PARASITE ascend with you! A parasite: that is a reptile, a creeping, cringing reptile, that trieth to fatten on your infirm and sore places. And THIS is its art: it divineth where ascending souls are weary, in your trouble and dejection, in your sensitive modesty, doth it build its loathsome nest. Where the strong are weak, where the noble are all-too-gentle—there buildeth it its loathsome nest; the parasite liveth where the great have small sore places.
What is the highest of all species of being, and what is the lowest? The parasite is the lowest species; he, however, who is of the highest species feedeth most parasites. For the soul which hath the longest ladder, and can go deepest down: how could there fail to be most parasites upon it?— —The most comprehensive soul, which can run and stray and rove furthest in itself; the most necessary soul, which out of joy flingeth itself into chance:— —The soul in Being, which plungeth into Becomin...
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18 of 28 in Chapter LVI. OLD AND NEW TABLES404 of 593 in work
The Loftiest Parasites
Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus Spake Zarathustra

The author posits that the loftiest and most comprehensive soul is the one that necessarily attracts the most 'parasites' because it encompasses the greatest range of being, becoming, and folly.

...me, O my brethren, take care lest a PARASITE ascend with you! A parasite: that is a reptile, a creeping, cringing reptile, that trieth to fatten on your infirm and sore places. And THIS is its art: it divineth where ascending souls are weary, in your trouble and dejection, in your sensitive modesty, doth it build its loathsome nest. Where the strong are weak, where the noble are all-too-gentle—there buildeth it its loathsome nest; the parasite liveth where the great have small sore places.
What is the highest of all species of being, and what is the lowest? The parasite is the lowest species; he, however, who is of the highest species feedeth most parasites. For the soul which hath the longest ladder, and can go deepest down: how could there fail to be most parasites upon it?— —The most comprehensive soul, which can run and stray and rove furthest in itself; the most necessary soul, which out of joy flingeth itself into chance:— —The soul in Being, which plungeth into Becoming; the possessing soul, which SEEKETH to attain desire and longing:— —The soul fleeing from itself, which overtaketh itself in the widest circuit; the…
20. O my brethren, am I then cruel? But I say: What falleth, that shall one also push! Everything of to-day—it falleth, it decayeth; who would preserve it! But I—I wish also to push it! Know ye the delight which rolleth stones into precipitous depths?—Those men of to-day, see just how they roll into my depths! A prelude am I to better players, O my brethren! An example! DO according to mine example! And him whom ye do not teach to fly, teach I pray you—TO FALL FASTER!— 21. I love the br...
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19 of 28 in Chapter LVI. OLD AND NEW TABLES405 of 593 in work
Choosing Your Foe
Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus Spake Zarathustra

A prescription for the brave to reserve their strength for 'worthy foes' they can respect, rather than wasting energy on the noisy rabble and their petty conflicts.

...st parasites? 20. O my brethren, am I then cruel? But I say: What falleth, that shall one also push! Everything of to-day—it falleth, it decayeth; who would preserve it! But I—I wish also to push it! Know ye the delight which rolleth stones into precipitous depths?—Those men of to-day, see just how they roll into my depths! A prelude am I to better players, O my brethren! An example! DO according to mine example! And him whom ye do not teach to fly, teach I pray you—TO FALL FASTER!— 21.
I love the brave: but it is not enough to be a swordsman,—one must also know WHEREON to use swordsmanship! And often is it greater bravery to keep quiet and pass by, that THEREBY one may reserve oneself for a worthier foe! Ye shall only have foes to be hated; but not foes to be despised: ye must be proud of your foes. Thus have I already taught. For the worthier foe, O my brethren, shall ye reserve yourselves: therefore must ye pass by many a one,— —Especially many of the rabble, who din your ears with noise about people and peoples. Keep your eye clear of their For and Against! There is there much right, much wrong: he who looketh on…
Therein viewing, therein hewing—they are the same thing: therefore depart into the forests and lay your sword to sleep! Go YOUR ways! and let the people and peoples go theirs!—gloomy ways, verily, on which not a single hope glinteth any more! Let there the trader rule, where all that still glittereth is—traders’ gold. It is the time of kings no longer: that which now calleth itself the people is unworthy of kings. See how these peoples themselves now do just like the traders: they pick up t...
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20 of 28 in Chapter LVI. OLD AND NEW TABLES406 of 593 in work
Depart into Forests
Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus Spake Zarathustra

The author advises the noble individual to avoid the noisy distractions of the masses and their petty conflicts, suggesting that one should instead withdraw into solitude to preserve their strength for a worthy opponent.

...depths! A prelude am I to better players, O my brethren! An example! DO according to mine example! And him whom ye do not teach to fly, teach I pray you—TO FALL FASTER!— 21. I love the brave: but it is not enough to be a swordsman,—one must also know WHEREON to use swordsmanship! And often is it greater bravery to keep quiet and pass by, that THEREBY one may reserve oneself for a worthier foe! Ye shall only have foes to be hated; but not foes to be despised: ye must be proud of your foes.
Thus have I already taught. For the worthier foe, O my brethren, shall ye reserve yourselves: therefore must ye pass by many a one,— —Especially many of the rabble, who din your ears with noise about people and peoples. Keep your eye clear of their For and Against! There is there much right, much wrong: he who looketh on becometh wroth. Therein viewing, therein hewing—they are the same thing: therefore depart into the forests and lay your sword to sleep! Go YOUR ways! and let the people and peoples go theirs!—gloomy ways, verily, on which not a single hope glinteth any more!
Let there the trader rule, where all that still glittereth is—traders’ gold. It is the time of kings no longer: that which now calleth itself the people is unworthy of kings. See how these peoples themselves now do just like the traders: they pick up the smallest advantage out of all kinds of rubbish! They lay lures for one another, they lure things out of one another,—that they call “good neighbourliness.” O blessed remote period when a people said to itself: “I will be—MASTER over peoples!...
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