Thus Spake Zarathustra - Penn State University

Thus Spake ZarathustraChapter XXXVIII. ScholarsChapter XL. Great EventsTHIS IS A RECORD of Nietzsche’s final breach with his formercolleagues—the scholars of Germany. Already after the HERE WE SEEM to have a puzzle. Zarathustra himself, whilepublication of the “Birth of Tragedy”, numbers of Germanphilologists and professional philosophers had de-fails to get them interested in his narrative, and we alsorelating his experience with the fire-dog to his disciples,nounced him as one who had strayed too far from their may be only too ready to turn over these pages under theflock, and his lectures at the University of Bale were impression that they are little more than a mere phantasyor poetical flight. Zarathustra’s interview with thedeserted in consequence; but it was not until 1879, whenhe finally severed all connection with University work, fire-dog is, however, of great importance. In it we findthat he may be said to have attained to the freedom and Nietzsche face to face with the creature he most sincerelyloathes—the spirit of revolution, and we obtainindependence which stamp this discourse.fresh hints concerning his hatred of the anarchist andChapter XXXIX. Poetsrebel. “‘Freedom’ ye all roar most eagerly,” he says to thefire-dog, “but I have unlearned the belief in ‘Great Events’PEOPLE HAVE SOMETIMES said that Nietzsche had no sense of when there is much roaring and smoke about them. Nothumour. I have no intention of defending him here against around the inventors of new noise, but around the inventorsof new values, doth the world revolve; inaudibly itsuch foolish critics; I should only like to point out to thereader that we have him here at his best, poking fun at revolveth.”himself, and at his fellow-poets (see Note on ChapterLXIII., pars. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20).Chapter XLI. The Soothsayer306