Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None

Zarathustra is sitting on the stone before his cave when he notices the soothsayer approach, the same one he had wined and dined. Zarathustra notices that his face had transformed since he saw him last. The two shake hands as a sign that they want to recognize one another. The soothsay proclaims, “Oh, Zarathustra, I come to seduce you to your last sin,” that last sin being pity (194). The waves that crash against the mountain turn into the cries of men. The soothsayer tells Zarathustra that these cries are meant for him. The soothsayer says that the higher man cries for him as well, and Zarathustra becomes seized by horror. The soothsayer says, “Happiness—how could anyone find happiness among those who are buried away and hermits? Must I seek the last happiness far away on blessed isles between forgotten seas? But all is the same, nothing is worth it, searching does not help, and there are no blessed isles anymore!” (195). Zarathustra is filled with energy once more. He tells the soothsayer that the blessed isles do still exist. Zarathustra tells him that the cry of his overman must have come from the woods and not the sea. Because this is Zarathustra’s home, no harm will befall them. The soothsayer begs Zarathustra not to venture into the woods as it will do him no good. Zarathustra tells him to wait in the cave and eat honey. 

Sections I-II

In the woods, Zarathustra witnesses a strange procession: “Two kings came walking, adorned with crowns and purple sashes and as colorful as flamingoes; before them they drove a burdened ass” (196). Zarathustra wonders what they want here in his kingdom. Zarathustra makes a joke within earshot saying, “Strange! Strange! What rhyme or reason can this have? I see two kings—and only one ass!” (197). The kings assume him to be a hermit who has lived in the mountains for far too long, saying that living outside of society ruins good manners. “Good manners?” retorts the other king indignantly and bitterly, “Then what are we trying to run away from? Is it not ‘good manners’? Is it not our ‘good society?’” (197). The king speaks of how everything considered noble in their so-called good society is fake and foul. He argues that the peasant is the most noble and the rabble the most ignoble. Hearing this conversation, Zarathustra emerges. He introduces himself and says he has been listening to their conversation. When Zarathustra mentions the higher man the two kings reveal swords and confirm that they are searching for the higher man. Zarathustra is delighted that these kings possess such wisdom, and he enchants them with his rhymes.

The second king reveals that they had been shown a picture of Zarathustra in which he appeared devilish, and they were taught to fear him. Eventually, they determined that looks did not matter and that they should hear what Zarathustra teaches. He quotes Zarathustra’s philosophy on war and peace. Pleased and amused by the kings, Zarathustra shows them the path to his cave and invites them in as guests.

As Zarathustra walks, he becomes distracted and accidentally steps on someone. Zarathustra apologizes to the man he just stepped on and asks him to listen to a parable. The parable is of a wanderer who is daydreaming as he walks and trips over a sleeping dog. Zarathustra says the same occurred with them, but are not the dog and the man both lonely? The man tells Zarathustra that he has insulted his dignity as well. As the man rises out of the swamp, Zarathustra notices blood on his arm. The man says he will not answer a stumbling fool in his own territory. Zarathustra corrects the man, saying that this is his territory. Zarathustra says, “Things have gone badly for you in this life, you wretch; first you were bitten by the beasts, and then—you were stepped on by a human being!” (201). Upon hearing Zarathustra’s name, the man transforms. He asks who else concerns him in this life if not Zarathustra or the leeches of the swamp. He proclaims that he lies in the swamp so the leeches may feed, but now an even more beautiful leech bites him. Pleased with the man’s speech, Zarathustra asks for his name to which the man responds, “I am the conscientious of spirit” (202). He tells Zarathustra that he is the master of the leeches’ brain, and that is his world. The man tells Zarathustra that he is at home here because there are leeches present. Because he is conscientious, he is aware that he knows only one thing and is content with that limited knowledge. Zarathustra invites this man to his cave. 

Zarathustra sees a man yelling and thrashing. He thinks it is the higher man as these must have been the cries of distress that have been plaguing him. Yet, the man appears very weak, “like someone who had been abandoned and left stranded by the whole world” (203). The man begins to wail again, asking, “Who will warm me, who loves me still?” (203). He yells about the torment caused by an unknown god. He pleads with the unknown god, asking it what it could want from him. When he realizes that this god wants him, he demands that god give him himself in return. With this, his god left him. He yells, “Oh come back, My unknown god! My pain! My last-happiness!” (206). Zarathustra begins to beat the man. He calls the man a liar and a counterfeiter. The man jumps up only to reveal his wailing was a test for Zarathustra, which he passed. Zarathustra is angered. He asks the man why an actor was chosen to speak the truth. The man introduces himself as “the penitent of the spirit” (206). Zarathustra responds, “Just like you put make-up on your lie before me when you said ‘I only did this as a game!’ There was earnest in it, you are something of a penitent of the spirit!” (207). The man, angry at Zarathustra’s response, shoots an emerald bolt of lightning from his eye. Suddenly, he transforms and concedes that he has grown weary of his arts. He only pretends to be great. He says, “I wanted to represent a great human being and I persuaded many; but this lie was beyond my powers. On it I break down. Oh Zarathustra, everything about me is a lie; but that I am breaking down—this breaking down is genuine!” (207). Only in the man’s weariness of himself does Zarathustra see honor in him. The man reveals that he sought out Zarathustra to learn how to be honest and genuine. Zarathustra invites the man, who was also a magician, to his cave. 

Zarathustra encounters another man on the path who, he says, “dismayed him tremendously” (209). He sees depression in the pale face and suspects the man to be a priest. The man sees Zarathustra and tells him he is lost. He says to Zarathustra, “This world here is foreign to me and far off, I even heard wild beasts howling; and the one who could have offered me protection, he himself no longer exists” (209). He is seeking the last pious human, the saint, and the hermit to spread the news. Zarathustra asks if the news he is spreading is that God is dead. The man reveals he used to worship God and is heartbroken he no longer exists. He has retired from his old vocation. The man continues, “Did I arrive in vain in these woods and mountains? Then my heart resolved to seek another, the most pious of all those who do not believe in God—to seek Zarathustra!” (210). Zarathustra takes his hand, commenting that it is certainly a hand that has held out many blessings. He reveals his identity to the retired priest and tells him that pity killed the old God. The two bond over the pitfalls of religion such as the inclusion of judgment in a love that should transcend reward and retribution. After hearing Zarathustra speak, the priest realizes that it is Zarathustra’s piousness that no longer permits belief in a god (212). Zarathustra invites him to his cave. 

As Zarathustra walks, he enters the realm of death, which the shepherds call Snake Death. A voice suddenly calls out, asking Zarathustra to guess its riddle. The voice asks, “What is revenge against the witness?” (213). It continues, “I lure you back, there is slippery ice here! See to it, see to it that your pride does not break its legs here! You consider yourself wise, you proud Zarathustra! Then go ahead and guess the riddle, you hard nut cracker—the riddle that I am! So tell me: who am I?” (213). Zarathustra is overcome with pity at these words but composes himself. Zarathustra says he recognizes the voice as the murderer of God. Now, this murderer wants revenge on the only witness. The voice pleads with Zarathustra to stay and honor his ugliness. The ugly one confides in Zarathustra that he has received much persecution, but what truly wounds him is pity. Thus, he searched for Zarathustra who taught that “pitying is obtrusive” (214). He continues, “Be it a god’s, be it the pity of mankind: pitying is offensive to shame. And not wanting to help can be more noble than the virtue that leaps to help” (215). On murdering god, the ugly one says, “But he had to die: he saw with eyes that saw everything—he saw the depths and grounds of human beings, all their hidden disgrace and ugliness” (215). This god’s pitying knew no shame. He was always aware of the ugly one, witnessing his life and shame. He proclaims that human beings cannot bear a witness that sees everything. Zarathustra tells the ugly one that his cave has many hiding places. 

Zarathustra sees cows herded together, and he approaches them. A man reveals himself from the middle of the herd. He is peaceful and his eyes preach goodness. The man tells Zarathustra that they are seeking the same thing, that is, happiness on earth. The man says he has spent all morning persuading the cows to reveal the secret of their happiness. He says to Zarathustra that all great misery is called nausea and that man could use a lesson on chewing the cud from cows. Suddenly, the man transforms and asks whom he is speaking to. The man recognizes Zarathustra and describes him as the man who overcame great nausea. Zarathustra is overwhelmed and asks the man why he renounced his wealth to become a beggar. The voluntary beggar says his people ostracized him, and so he went to live with the animals. Zarathustra says, “Then you learned how it is harder to grant right than to take right, and that bestowing well is an art and the ultimate, craftiest master-art of kindness” (218). The man agrees, saying that the rabble has become the lowest way of life. He continues, “Lascivious greed, galling envy, aggrieved vengefulness, rabble pride: all of that leaped into my face. It is no longer true that the poor are blessed. But the kingdom of heaven is among the cows” (218). The two speak of how the difference between rich and poor is non-existent. They bond over their love of animals, and Zarathustra invites him to his cave. 

As Zarathustra walks, his shadow suddenly calls out to him. At this point, Zarathustra becomes annoyed with the lack of solitude in the mountains today. He tries to run away from his shadow, but it follows. Zarathustra soon realizes the folly of his actions and confronts his shadow, who initially shrinks from him. Zarathustra asks why this man calls himself his shadow. The man reveals that he is a wanderer who has followed in Zarathustra’s footsteps for years. His actions have begun to influence his body, and he is starting to resemble a shadow. The shadow says that for too long has he followed on the heels of truth. In his travels, he has lost his sense of self, having molded his identity around Zarathustra. He no longer knows what he wants, who he is, or his purpose in life. He searches for a home in vain. Zarathustra recognizes this man and speaks to him, saying, “You have lost your goal: indeed, how will you get rid of and get over this loss? Along with it—you have also lost your way! You poor roamer and raver, you weary butterfly! Do you want to have a rest and a home this evening? Then go up to my cave!” (222). 

Finally, Zarathustra sits and enjoys his solitude. The sun appears at high noon. Zarathustra feels compelled to fall asleep under a grape tree. As he falls asleep, he speaks to his heart. He says, “She stretches herself out, long—longer! She lies still, my strange soul. She’s already tasted too much that is good, this golden melancholy oppresses her, she grimaces” (224). Weary of its long journey, the soul finds sleep. Zarathustra feels the well of eternity leaving him, and his soul yearns to be brought back into it.