Thus Spake Zarathustra - Penn State University

Thus Spake Zarathustramin:—ever, who is of the highest species feedeth most parasites.—All the swarming vermin of the “cultured,” that—feast on the sweat of every hero!—For the soul which hath the longest ladder, and can godeepest down: how could there fail to be most parasites19.upon it?——The most comprehensive soul, which can run andI FORM CIRCLES AROUND ME and holy boundaries; ever fewer stray and rove furthest in itself; the most necessary soul,ascend with me ever higher mountains: I build a mountain-rangeout of ever holier mountains.——The soul in Being, which plungeth into Becoming;which out of joy flingeth itself into chance:—But wherever ye would ascend with me, O my brethren, the possessing soul, which seeketh to attain desire andtake care lest a parasite ascend with you!longing:—A parasite: that is a reptile, a creeping, cringing reptile,that trieth to fatten on your infirm and sore places. in the widest circuit; the wisest soul, unto which folly—The soul fleeing from itself, which overtaketh itselfAnd this is its art: it divineth where ascending souls are speaketh most sweetly:—weary, in your trouble and dejection, in your sensitive —The soul most self-loving, in which all things havemodesty, doth it build its loathsome nest.their current and counter-current, their ebb and theirWhere the strong are weak, where the noble are alltoo-gentle—therebuildeth it its loathsome nest; the worst parasites?flow:—oh, how could the loftiest soul fail to have theparasite liveth where the great have small sore-places.What is the highest of all species of being, and what is20.the lowest? The parasite is the lowest species; he, how-192