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Loathing's Wings
Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus Spake Zarathustra

A personal confession of overcoming loathing for the 'rabble' by ascending to a spiritual height where one can drink from a private well of delight.

...unto me, and their bargaining for power. And holding my nose, I went morosely through all yesterdays and to-days: verily, badly smell all yesterdays and to-days of the scribbling rabble! Like a cripple become deaf, and blind, and dumb—thus have I lived long; that I might not live with the power-rabble, the scribe-rabble, and the pleasure-rabble. Toilsomely did my spirit mount stairs, and cautiously; alms of delight were its refreshment; on the staff did life creep along with the blind one.
What hath happened unto me? How have I freed myself from loathing? Who hath rejuvenated mine eye? How have I flown to the height where no rabble any longer sit at the wells? Did my loathing itself create for me wings and fountain-divining powers? Verily, to the loftiest height had I to fly, to find again the well of delight! Oh, I have found it, my brethren! Here on the loftiest height bubbleth up for me the well of delight! And there is a life at whose waters none of the rabble drink with me!
Almost too violently dost thou flow for me, thou fountain of delight! And often emptiest thou the goblet again, in wanting to fill it! And yet must I learn to approach thee more modestly: far too violently doth my heart still flow towards thee:— My heart on which my summer burneth, my short, hot, melancholy, over-happy summer: how my summer heart longeth for thy coolness! Past, the lingering distress of my spring! Past, the wickedness of my snowflakes in June! Summer have I become entirely,...
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4 of 4 in Chapter XXVIII. THE RABBLE210 of 593 in work
Nest on Future Tree
Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus Spake Zarathustra

A vision of an exclusive future home for the 'pure' and 'lone ones,' where their happiness would be an unbearable 'ice-cave' to the impure.

...the wickedness of my snowflakes in June! Summer have I become entirely, and summer-noontide! A summer on the loftiest height, with cold fountains and blissful stillness: oh, come, my friends, that the stillness may become more blissful! For this is OUR height and our home: too high and steep do we here dwell for all uncleanly ones and their thirst. Cast but your pure eyes into the well of my delight, my friends! How could it become turbid thereby! It shall laugh back to you with ITS purity.
On the tree of the future build we our nest; eagles shall bring us lone ones food in their beaks! Verily, no food of which the impure could be fellow-partakers! Fire, would they think they devoured, and burn their mouths! Verily, no abodes do we here keep ready for the impure! An ice-cave to their bodies would our happiness be, and to their spirits!
And as strong winds will we live above them, neighbours to the eagles, neighbours to the snow, neighbours to the sun: thus live the strong winds. And like a wind will I one day blow amongst them, and with my spirit, take the breath from their spirit: thus willeth my future. Verily, a strong wind is Zarathustra to all low places; and this counsel counselleth he to his enemies, and to whatever spitteth and speweth: “Take care not to spit AGAINST the wind!”— Thus spake Zarathustra. XXIX. T...
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1 of 7 in Chapter XXIX. THE TARANTULAS211 of 593 in work
Now entering Chapter XXIX. THE TARANTULAS
Revenge's Black Triangle
Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus Spake Zarathustra

Using the metaphor of the tarantula, Nietzsche critiques those who preach equality, arguing that their pursuit of justice is actually a masked form of secret revenge and a desire to inflict suffering on others.

...inds will we live above them, neighbours to the eagles, neighbours to the snow, neighbours to the sun: thus live the strong winds. And like a wind will I one day blow amongst them, and with my spirit, take the breath from their spirit: thus willeth my future. Verily, a strong wind is Zarathustra to all low places; and this counsel counselleth he to his enemies, and to whatever spitteth and speweth: “Take care not to spit AGAINST the wind!”— Thus spake Zarathustra. XXIX. THE TARANTULAS.
Lo, this is the tarantula’s den! Wouldst thou see the tarantula itself? Here hangeth its web: touch this, so that it may tremble. There cometh the tarantula willingly: Welcome, tarantula! Black on thy back is thy triangle and symbol; and I know also what is in thy soul. Revenge is in thy soul: wherever thou bitest, there ariseth black scab; with revenge, thy poison maketh the soul giddy! Thus do I speak unto you in parable, ye who make the soul giddy, ye preachers of EQUALITY! Tarantulas are ye unto me, and secretly revengeful ones! But I will soon bring your hiding-places to the light: therefore do I laugh in your face my laughter of the…
Because, FOR MAN TO BE REDEEMED FROM REVENGE—that is for me the bridge to the highest hope, and a rainbow after long storms. Otherwise, however, would the tarantulas have it. “Let it be very justice for the world to become full of the storms of our vengeance”—thus do they talk to one another. “Vengeance will we use, and insult, against all who are not like us”—thus do the tarantula-hearts pledge themselves. “And ‘Will to Equality’—that itself shall henceforth be the name of virtue; and aga...
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2 of 7 in Chapter XXIX. THE TARANTULAS212 of 593 in work
Revenge's Tarantula-Hearts
Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus Spake Zarathustra

The author argues that the true path to human redemption is the overcoming of revenge, specifically critiquing 'preachers of equality' as being motivated by secret malice.

..., there ariseth black scab; with revenge, thy poison maketh the soul giddy! Thus do I speak unto you in parable, ye who make the soul giddy, ye preachers of EQUALITY! Tarantulas are ye unto me, and secretly revengeful ones! But I will soon bring your hiding-places to the light: therefore do I laugh in your face my laughter of the height. Therefore do I tear at your web, that your rage may lure you out of your den of lies, and that your revenge may leap forth from behind your word “justice.”
Because, FOR MAN TO BE REDEEMED FROM REVENGE—that is for me the bridge to the highest hope, and a rainbow after long storms. Otherwise, however, would the tarantulas have it. “Let it be very justice for the world to become full of the storms of our vengeance”—thus do they talk to one another. “Vengeance will we use, and insult, against all who are not like us”—thus do the tarantula-hearts pledge themselves. “And ‘Will to Equality’—that itself shall henceforth be the name of virtue; and against all that hath power will we raise an outcry!” Ye preachers of equality, the tyrant-frenzy of impotence crieth thus in you for “equality”: your most secret tyrant-longings disguise themselves thus in virtue-words!
Fretted conceit and suppressed envy—perhaps your fathers’ conceit and envy: in you break they forth as flame and frenzy of vengeance. What the father hath hid cometh out in the son; and oft have I found in the son the father’s revealed secret. Inspired ones they resemble: but it is not the heart that inspireth them—but vengeance. And when they become subtle and cold, it is not spirit, but envy, that maketh them so. Their jealousy leadeth them also into thinkers’ paths; and this is the sign...
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3 of 7 in Chapter XXIX. THE TARANTULAS213 of 593 in work
Equality as Vengeance
Friedrich Nietzsche
Thus Spake Zarathustra

The author critiques preachers of equality, arguing that their demand for justice is merely a masked 'tyrant-frenzy' fueled by inherited vengeance and impotence.

...is for me the bridge to the highest hope, and a rainbow after long storms. Otherwise, however, would the tarantulas have it. “Let it be very justice for the world to become full of the storms of our vengeance”—thus do they talk to one another. “Vengeance will we use, and insult, against all who are not like us”—thus do the tarantula-hearts pledge themselves. “And ‘Will to Equality’—that itself shall henceforth be the name of virtue; and against all that hath power will we raise an outcry!”
Ye preachers of equality, the tyrant-frenzy of impotence crieth thus in you for “equality”: your most secret tyrant-longings disguise themselves thus in virtue-words! Fretted conceit and suppressed envy—perhaps your fathers’ conceit and envy: in you break they forth as flame and frenzy of vengeance. What the father hath hid cometh out in the son; and oft have I found in the son the father’s revealed secret. Inspired ones they resemble: but it is not the heart that inspireth them—but vengeance.
And when they become subtle and cold, it is not spirit, but envy, that maketh them so. Their jealousy leadeth them also into thinkers’ paths; and this is the sign of their jealousy—they always go too far: so that their fatigue hath at last to go to sleep on the snow. In all their lamentations soundeth vengeance, in all their eulogies is maleficence; and being judge seemeth to them bliss. But thus do I counsel you, my friends: distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful! They are...
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