Existentialism
Friedrich Nietzsche
(1844 - 1900)
Thus Spake Zarathustra
|
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) |
72.The Supper
FOR at this point the soothsayer
interrupted the greeting of Zarathustra and his guests: he
pressed forward as one who had no time to lose, seized Zarathustra's
hand and exclaimed: "But Zarathustra!
One thing is more necessary
than the other, so sayest thou thyself: well, one thing is
now more necessary unto me than all others.
A word at the right time: didst
thou not invite me to table? And here are many who have made
long journeys. Thou dost not mean to feed us merely with discourses?
Besides, all of you have thought
too much about freezing, drowning, suffocating, and other
bodily dangers: none of you, however, have thought of my danger,
namely, perishing of hunger-"
(Thus spake the soothsayer.
When Zarathustra's animals, however, heard these words, they
ran away in terror. For they saw that all they had brought
home during the day would not be enough to fill the one soothsayer.)
"Likewise perishing of
thirst," continued the soothsayer. "And although
I hear water splashing here like words of wisdom- that is
to say, plenteously and unweariedly, I- want wine!
Not every one is a born water-drinker
like Zarathustra. Neither doth water suit weary and withered
ones: we deserve wine- it alone giveth immediate vigour and
improvised health!"
On this occasion, when the
soothsayer was longing for wine, it happened that the king
on the left, the silent one, also found expression for once.
"We took care," said he, "about wine, I, along
with my brother the king on the right: we have enough of wine,-
a whole ass-load of it. So there is nothing lacking but bread."
"Bread," replied
Zarathustra, laughing when he spake, "it is precisely
bread that anchorites have not. But man doth not live by bread
alone, but also by the flesh of good lambs, of which I have
two:
-These shall we slaughter quickly,
and cook spicily with sage: it is so that I like them. And
there is also no lack of roots and fruits, good enough even
for the fastidious and dainty,- nor of nuts and other riddles
for cracking.
Thus will we have a good repast
in a little while. But whoever wisheth to eat with us must
also give a hand to the work, even the kings. For with Zarathustra
even a king may be a cook."
This proposal appealed to the
hearts of all of them, save that the voluntary beggar objected
to the flesh and wine and spices.
"Just hear this glutton
Zarathustra!" said he jokingly: "doth one go into
caves and high mountains to make such repasts?
Now indeed do I understand
what he once taught us: Blessed be moderate poverty!' And
why he wisheth to do away with beggars."
"Be of good cheer,"
replied Zarathustra, "as I am. Abide by thy customs,
thou excellent one: grind thy corn, drink thy water, praise
thy cooking,- if only it make thee glad!
I am a law only for mine own;
I am not a law for all. He, however, who belongeth unto me
must be strong of bone and light of foot,-Joyous in fight
and feast, no sulker, no John o' Dreams, ready for the hardest
task as for the feast, healthy and hale.
The best belongeth unto mine
and me; and if it be not given us, then do we take it:- the
best food, the purest sky, the strongest thoughts, the fairest
women!"Thus spake Zarathustra; the king on the right
however answered and said: "Strange! Did one ever hear
such sensible things out of the mouth of a wise man?
And verily, it is the strangest
thing in a wise man, if over and above, he be still sensible,
and not an ass."
Thus spake the king on the
right and wondered; the ass however, with ill-will, said YE-A
to his remark. This however was the beginning of that long
repast which is called "The Supper" in the history-books.
At this there was nothing else spoken of but the higher man.
Ce
qu'on fait n'est jamais compris mais seulement loué ou blâmé.
Nietzsche, Gay Science |
