Existentialism
Friedrich Nietzsche
(1844 - 1900)
|
A
sublime one saw I today, a solemn one, a penitent of the
spirit: Oh, how my soul laughed at his ugliness! (thus
spake zarathustra) |
13.Chastity
I LOVE the forest. It is bad to live in
cities: there, there are too many of the lustful.
Is it not better to fall into the hands
of a murderer than into the dreams of a lustful woman?
And just look at these men: their eye saith
it- they know nothing better on earth than to lie with a woman.
Filth is at the bottom of their souls;
and alas! if their filth hath still spirit in it!
Would that ye were perfect- at least as
animals! But to animals belongeth innocence.
Do I counsel you to slay your instincts?
I counsel you to innocence in your instincts.
Do I counsel you to chastity? Chastity
is a virtue with some, but with many almost a vice.
These are continent, to be sure: but doggish
lust looketh enviously out of all that they do.
Even into the heights of their virtue and
into their cold spirit doth this creature follow them, with its discord.
And how nicely can doggish lust beg for
a piece of spirit, when a piece of flesh is denied it!
Ye love tragedies and all that breaketh
the heart? But I am distrustful of your doggish lust.
Ye have too cruel eyes, and ye look wantonly
towards the sufferers. Hath not your lust just disguised itself and taken
the name of fellow-suffering?
And also this parable give I unto you:
Not a few who meant to cast out their devil, went thereby into the swine
themselves.
To whom chastity is difficult, it is to
be dissuaded: lest it become the road to hell- to filth and lust of soul.
Do I speak of filthy things? That is not
the worst thing for me to do.
Not when the truth is filthy, but when
it is shallow, doth the discerning one go unwillingly into its waters.
Verily, there are chaste ones from their
very nature; they are gentler of heart, and laugh better and oftener than
you.
They laugh also at chastity, and ask: "What
is chastity?
Is chastity not folly? But the folly came
unto us, and not we unto it.
We offered that guest harbour and heart:
now it dwelleth with us- let it stay as long as it will!"Thus spake
Zarathustra.
Ce
qu'on fait n'est jamais compris mais seulement loué ou blâmé.
Nietzsche, Gay Science |
