--- title: "Thus Spake Zarathustra" author: "Friedrich Nietzsche" translator: "Thomas Common" languages: [en] shelf: "Philosophy" section: 40 of 95 url: https://scriptura.si/works/nietzsche-zarathustra/40/ cite: "Friedrich Nietzsche, tr. Thomas Common, Thus Spake Zarathustra, section 40. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/nietzsche-zarathustra/40/" --- # Thus Spake Zarathustra *Friedrich Nietzsche, tr. Thomas Common* A prophet comes down from his mountain to teach the overman, in sermons and songs. ## 40. XXXVI. The Land of Culture Source: https://scriptura.si/works/nietzsche-zarathustra/40/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/nietzsche-zarathustra/40/#p-N [¶0] Too far did I fly into the future: a horror seized upon me. [¶1] And when I looked around me, lo! there time was my sole contemporary. [¶2] Then did I fly backwards, homewards—and always faster. Thus did I come unto you, ye present-day men, and into the land of culture. [¶3] For the first time brought I an eye to see you, and good desire: verily, with longing in my heart did I come. [¶4] But how did it turn out with me? Although so alarmed—I had yet to laugh! Never did mine eye see anything so motley-coloured! [¶5] I laughed and laughed, while my foot still trembled, and my heart as well. “Here forsooth, is the home of all the paintpots,”—said I. [¶6] With fifty patches painted on faces and limbs—so sat ye there to mine astonishment, ye present-day men! [¶7] And with fifty mirrors around you, which flattered your play of colours, and repeated it! [¶8] Verily, ye could wear no better masks, ye present-day men, than your own faces! Who could—RECOGNISE you! [¶9] Written all over with the characters of the past, and these characters also pencilled over with new characters—thus have ye concealed yourselves well from all decipherers! [¶10] And though one be a trier of the reins, who still believeth that ye have reins! Out of colours ye seem to be baked, and out of glued scraps. [¶11] All times and peoples gaze divers-coloured out of your veils; all customs and beliefs speak divers-coloured out of your gestures. [¶12] He who would strip you of veils and wrappers, and paints and gestures, would just have enough left to scare the crows. [¶13] Verily, I myself am the scared crow that once saw you naked, and without paint; and I flew away when the skeleton ogled at me. [¶14] Rather would I be a day-labourer in the nether-world, and among the shades of the bygone!—Fatter and fuller than ye, are forsooth the nether-worldlings! [¶15] This, yea this, is bitterness to my bowels, that I can neither endure you naked nor clothed, ye present-day men! [¶16] All that is unhomelike in the future, and whatever maketh strayed birds shiver, is verily more homelike and familiar than your “reality.” [¶17] For thus speak ye: “Real are we wholly, and without faith and superstition”: thus do ye plume yourselves—alas! even without plumes! [¶18] Indeed, how would ye be ABLE to believe, ye divers-coloured ones!—ye who are pictures of all that hath ever been believed! [¶19] Perambulating refutations are ye, of belief itself, and a dislocation of all thought. UNTRUSTWORTHY ONES: thus do I call you, ye real ones! [¶20] All periods prate against one another in your spirits; and the dreams and pratings of all periods were even realer than your awakeness! [¶21] Unfruitful are ye: THEREFORE do ye lack belief. But he who had to create, had always his presaging dreams and astral premonitions—and believed in believing!— [¶22] Half-open doors are ye, at which grave-diggers wait. And this is YOUR reality: “Everything deserveth to perish.” [¶23] Alas, how ye stand there before me, ye unfruitful ones; how lean your ribs! And many of you surely have had knowledge thereof. [¶24] Many a one hath said: “There hath surely a God filched something from me secretly whilst I slept? Verily, enough to make a girl for himself therefrom! [¶25] “Amazing is the poverty of my ribs!” thus hath spoken many a present-day man. [¶26] Yea, ye are laughable unto me, ye present-day men! And especially when ye marvel at yourselves! [¶27] And woe unto me if I could not laugh at your marvelling, and had to swallow all that is repugnant in your platters! [¶28] As it is, however, I will make lighter of you, since I have to carry what is heavy; and what matter if beetles and May-bugs also alight on my load! [¶29] Verily, it shall not on that account become heavier to me! And not from you, ye present-day men, shall my great weariness arise.— [¶30] Ah, whither shall I now ascend with my longing! From all mountains do I look out for fatherlands and motherlands. [¶31] But a home have I found nowhere: unsettled am I in all cities, and decamping at all gates. [¶32] Alien to me, and a mockery, are the present-day men, to whom of late my heart impelled me; and exiled am I from fatherlands and motherlands. [¶33] Thus do I love only my CHILDREN’S LAND, the undiscovered in the remotest sea: for it do I bid my sails search and search. [¶34] Unto my children will I make amends for being the child of my fathers: and unto all the future—for THIS present-day!— [¶35] Thus spake Zarathustra.