EXPLANATORY NOTES TO “THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA”
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, Levy, Oscar, and Ludovici, Anthony M. (Anthony Mario)
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“Love thy neighbour”—this would mean first and foremost: “Let thy neighbour go his own way”—and it is precisely this kind of virtue that is the most difficult!
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The bad man as the parasite. We must not be merely feasters and gourmets of life: this is ignoble.
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It is a noble sense which forbids our being only feasters and gourmets of life—this sense revolts against hedonism—: we want to perform something in return!—But the fundamental feeling of the masses is that one must live for nothing,—that is their vulgarity.
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The converse valuations hold good for the lower among men: in their case therefore it is necessary to implant virtues. They must be elevated above their lives, by means of absolute commands and terrible taskmasters.
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What is required: the new law must be made practicable—and out of its fulfilment, the overcoming of this law, and higher law, must evolve Zarathustra defines the attitude towards law, inasmuch as he suppresses the law of laws which is morality.
Laws as the backbone They must be worked at and created, by being fulfilled. The slavish attitude which has reigned hitherto towards law!
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The self-overcoming of Zarathustra as the prototype of mankind’s self-overcoming for the benefit of Superman. To this end the overcoming of morality is necessary.
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The type of the lawgiver, his development and his suffering. What is the purpose of giving laws at all?
Zarathustra is the herald who calls forth many lawgivers.
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Individual instruments.
1. The Commanders, the mighty—who do not love, unless it be that they love the images according to which they create. The rich in vitality, the versatile, the free, who overcome that which is extant
2. The obedient, the “emancipated”—love and reverence constitute their happiness, they have a sense of what is higher (their deficiencies are made whole by the sight of the lofty).
3. The slaves, the order of “henchmen”—: they must be made comfortable, they must cultivate pity for one another.
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The giver, the creator, the teacher—these are preludes of the ruler.
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All virtue and all self-mastery has only one purpose: that of preparing for the rule!
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Every sacrifice that the ruler makes is rewarded a hundredfold.
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How much does not the warrior, the prince, the man who is responsible for himself, sacrifice!—this should be highly honoured.
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The terrible task of the ruler who educates himself:—the kind of man and people over which he will rule must be forecast in him: it is in himself therefore that he must first have become a ruler!
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The great educator like nature must elevate obstacles in order that these may be overcome.
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The new teachers as preparatory stages for the highest Architect (they must impose their type on things).
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Institutions may be regarded as the after effects of great individuals and the means of giving great individuals root and soil—until the fruit ultimately appears.
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As a matter of fact mankind is continually trying to be able to dispense with great individuals by means of corporations, &c. But they are utterly dependent upon such great individuals for their ideal.
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