The Shrinking Virtue

When Zarathustra was again on the continent, he did not go straightway to his mountains and his cave, but made many wanderings and questionings, and ascertained this and that; so that he said of himself jestingly: “Lo, a river that floweth back unto its source in many windings!” For he wanted to learn what had taken place AMONG MEN during the interval: whether they had become greater or smaller. And once, when he saw a row of new houses, he marvelled, and said:

When Zarathustra returned to the continent, he did not go straight to his mountains and his cave. Instead, he wandered widely, asked questions, and learned various things. So he jokingly said of himself: “Look, a river winding its way back to its source!” For he wanted to learn what had happened AMONG MEN in the meantime: whether they had become greater or smaller. Once, when he saw a row of new houses, he was amazed and said:

“What do these houses mean? Verily, no great soul put them up as its simile!

“What do these houses mean? Surely no great soul built them as an image of itself!

Did perhaps a silly child take them out of its toy-box? Would that another child put them again into the box!

Did a silly child perhaps take them out of a toy box? I wish another child would put them back in the box!

And these rooms and chambers—can MEN go out and in there? They seem to be made for silk dolls; or for dainty-eaters, who perhaps let others eat with them.”

And these rooms and chambers, can MEN go in and out of them? They seem made for silk dolls, or for people who eat delicacies and perhaps let others eat with them.”

And Zarathustra stood still and meditated. At last he said sorrowfully: “There hath EVERYTHING become smaller!

Zarathustra stood still and thought. At last he said sadly: “Everything there has become smaller!

Everywhere do I see lower doorways: he who is of MY type can still go therethrough, but—he must stoop!

Everywhere I look, I see lower doorways. Someone of MY type can still pass through them, but must stoop!

Oh, when shall I arrive again at my home, where I shall no longer have to stoop—shall no longer have to stoop BEFORE THE SMALL ONES!”—And Zarathustra sighed, and gazed into the distance.—

“Oh, when will I return home, where I will no longer have to stoop? No longer have to stoop BEFORE THE SMALL ONES!” And Zarathustra sighed and gazed into the distance.

The same day, however, he gave his discourse on the bedwarfing virtue.

That same day, however, he gave his speech on the bedwarfing virtue.

I pass through this people and keep mine eyes open: they do not forgive me for not envying their virtues.

I walk among these people with my eyes open. They do not forgive me for not envying their virtues.

They bite at me, because I say unto them that for small people, small virtues are necessary—and because it is hard for me to understand that small people are NECESSARY!

They bite at me because I tell them that small people need small virtues. They also bite at me because I find it hard to understand that small people are NECESSARY!

Here am I still like a cock in a strange farm-yard, at which even the hens peck: but on that account I am not unfriendly to the hens.

Here I am, still like a rooster in a strange farmyard, where even the hens peck at me. But I am not unfriendly to the hens because of it.

I am courteous towards them, as towards all small annoyances; to be prickly towards what is small, seemeth to me wisdom for hedgehogs.

I am polite to them, as I am to all small annoyances. Being prickly about small things seems like wisdom for hedgehogs.

They all speak of me when they sit around their fire in the evening—they speak of me, but no one thinketh—of me!

They all speak of me when they sit around their fire in the evening. They speak of me, but no one thinks of me!

This is the new stillness which I have experienced: their noise around me spreadeth a mantle over my thoughts.

This is the new stillness I have experienced: their noise around me covers my thoughts like a cloak.

They shout to one another: “What is this gloomy cloud about to do to us? Let us see that it doth not bring a plague upon us!”

They shout to one another: “What is this dark cloud going to do to us? Let’s make sure it doesn’t bring a plague upon us!”

And recently did a woman seize upon her child that was coming unto me: “Take the children away,” cried she, “such eyes scorch children’s souls.”

Recently, a woman grabbed her child as the child was coming toward me. “Take the children away,” she cried. “Eyes like those scorch children’s souls.”

They cough when I speak: they think coughing an objection to strong winds—they divine nothing of the boisterousness of my happiness!

They cough when I speak. They think coughing is an answer to strong winds. They have no idea how wildly happy I am!

“We have not yet time for Zarathustra”—so they object; but what matter about a time that “hath no time” for Zarathustra?

“We don't have time for Zarathustra yet,” they object. But what does an age matter if it “has no time” for Zarathustra?

And if they should altogether praise me, how could I go to sleep on THEIR praise? A girdle of spines is their praise unto me: it scratcheth me even when I take it off.

And if they all praised me, how could I sleep on THEIR praise? Their praise is like a belt of thorns to me. It scratches me even when I take it off.

And this also did I learn among them: the praiser doeth as if he gave back; in truth, however, he wanteth more to be given him!

I also learned this among them: those who praise act as if they are giving something back. In truth, they want to receive more!

Ask my foot if their lauding and luring strains please it! Verily, to such measure and ticktack, it liketh neither to dance nor to stand still.

Ask my foot whether it likes their songs of praise and temptation! Truly, to such a beat and ticking rhythm, it wants neither to dance nor to stand still.

To small virtues would they fain lure and laud me; to the ticktack of small happiness would they fain persuade my foot.

They want to lure me into small virtues and praise me for them. They want to persuade my feet to follow the ticktock of small happiness.

I pass through this people and keep mine eyes open; they have become SMALLER, and ever become smaller:—THE REASON THEREOF IS THEIR DOCTRINE OF HAPPINESS AND VIRTUE.

I walk among these people and keep my eyes open. They have become SMALLER, and they keep getting smaller. THE REASON IS THEIR TEACHING ABOUT HAPPINESS AND VIRTUE.

For they are moderate also in virtue,—because they want comfort. With comfort, however, moderate virtue only is compatible.

They are also moderate in their virtue because they want comfort. But only moderate virtue is compatible with comfort.

To be sure, they also learn in their way to stride on and stride forward: that, I call their HOBBLING.—Thereby they become a hindrance to all who are in haste.

Of course, they also learn to stride onward in their own way. I call this HOBBLING. By hobbling, they become an obstacle to all who are in a hurry.

And many of them go forward, and look backwards thereby, with stiffened necks: those do I like to run up against.

And many of them move forward while looking backward, their necks stiff. I like to run into those people.

Foot and eye shall not lie, nor give the lie to each other. But there is much lying among small people.

Foot and eye must not lie or contradict each other. But there is much lying among small people.

Some of them WILL, but most of them are WILLED. Some of them are genuine, but most of them are bad actors.

Some of them exercise their own WILL, but most are subject to the WILL of others. Some of them are genuine, but most are bad actors.

There are actors without knowing it amongst them, and actors without intending it—, the genuine ones are always rare, especially the genuine actors.

Among them are people who act without knowing it, and others who act without meaning to. Genuine people are always rare, especially genuine actors.

Of man there is little here: therefore do their women masculinise themselves. For only he who is man enough, will—SAVE THE WOMAN in woman.

There is little manliness here, so their women make themselves more masculine. For only a man who is man enough will SAVE THE WOMAN in woman.

And this hypocrisy found I worst amongst them, that even those who command feign the virtues of those who serve.

I found this hypocrisy worst among them: even those who command pretend to have the virtues of those who serve.

“I serve, thou servest, we serve”—so chanteth here even the hypocrisy of the rulers—and alas! if the first lord be ONLY the first servant!

“I serve, you serve, we serve.” Even the hypocrisy of the rulers chants this here. And alas, if the first lord is ONLY the first servant!

Ah, even upon their hypocrisy did mine eyes’ curiosity alight; and well did I divine all their fly-happiness, and their buzzing around sunny window-panes.

Ah, my curious eyes even noticed their hypocrisy. And I understood all their fly-happiness and their buzzing around sunny windowpanes.

So much kindness, so much weakness do I see. So much justice and pity, so much weakness.

I see so much kindness, so much weakness. So much justice and pity, so much weakness.

Round, fair, and considerate are they to one another, as grains of sand are round, fair, and considerate to grains of sand.

They are round, fair, and considerate toward one another, just as grains of sand are toward one another.

Modestly to embrace a small happiness—that do they call “submission”! and at the same time they peer modestly after a new small happiness.

They call modestly accepting a little happiness “submission”! And at the same time, they modestly look for another little happiness.

In their hearts they want simply one thing most of all: that no one hurt them. Thus do they anticipate every one’s wishes and do well unto every one.

In their hearts, they want one thing above all: for no one to hurt them. So they anticipate everyone’s wishes and do good to everyone.

That, however, is COWARDICE, though it be called “virtue.”—

But that is COWARDICE, though it is called “virtue.”

And when they chance to speak harshly, those small people, then do I hear therein only their hoarseness—every draught of air maketh them hoarse.

And when those small people happen to speak harshly, I hear only their hoarseness. Every draft of air makes them hoarse.

Shrewd indeed are they, their virtues have shrewd fingers. But they lack fists: their fingers do not know how to creep behind fists.

They are certainly clever, and their virtues have clever fingers. But they have no fists. Their fingers do not know how to creep behind fists.

Virtue for them is what maketh modest and tame: therewith have they made the wolf a dog, and man himself man’s best domestic animal.

For them, virtue is whatever makes one modest and tame. With it, they have turned the wolf into a dog and man himself into man’s best domestic animal.

“We set our chair in the MIDST”—so saith their smirking unto me—“and as far from dying gladiators as from satisfied swine.”

“We place our chair in the MIDDLE,” their smirks tell me, “equally far from dying gladiators and satisfied pigs.”

That, however, is—MEDIOCRITY, though it be called moderation.—

But that is MEDIOCRITY, even though it is called moderation.

I pass through this people and let fall many words: but they know neither how to take nor how to retain them.

I walk among these people and share many words. But they know neither how to take them in nor how to remember them.

They wonder why I came not to revile venery and vice; and verily, I came not to warn against pickpockets either!

They wonder why I did not come to condemn lust and vice. And indeed, I did not come to warn against pickpockets either!

They wonder why I am not ready to abet and whet their wisdom: as if they had not yet enough of wiseacres, whose voices grate on mine ear like slate-pencils!

They wonder why I won't help sharpen their wisdom. As if they didn't already have enough know-it-alls whose voices sound to me like pencils scraping on slate!

And when I call out: “Curse all the cowardly devils in you, that would fain whimper and fold the hands and adore”—then do they shout: “Zarathustra is godless.”

And when I call out, “Curse all the cowardly devils in you that want to whimper, fold their hands, and worship,” they shout, “Zarathustra is godless.”

And especially do their teachers of submission shout this;—but precisely in their ears do I love to cry: “Yea! I AM Zarathustra, the godless!”

Their teachers of submission shout this especially loudly. But I love to cry right in their ears: “Yes! I AM Zarathustra, the godless!”

Those teachers of submission! Wherever there is aught puny, or sickly, or scabby, there do they creep like lice; and only my disgust preventeth me from cracking them.

Those teachers of submission! Wherever anything is puny, sickly, or scabby, they crawl like lice. Only my disgust keeps me from crushing them.

Well! This is my sermon for THEIR ears: I am Zarathustra the godless, who saith: “Who is more godless than I, that I may enjoy his teaching?”

Well! This is my sermon for THEIR ears: I am Zarathustra the godless, and I say: “Who is more godless than I am, so that I may enjoy his teaching?”

I am Zarathustra the godless: where do I find mine equal? And all those are mine equals who give unto themselves their Will, and divest themselves of all submission.

I am Zarathustra the godless. Where can I find my equal? And all who claim their own will and reject all submission are my equals.

I am Zarathustra the godless! I cook every chance in MY pot. And only when it hath been quite cooked do I welcome it as MY food.

I am Zarathustra the godless! I cook every chance in MY pot. And only when it is fully cooked do I welcome it as MY food.

And verily, many a chance came imperiously unto me: but still more imperiously did my WILL speak unto it,—then did it lie imploringly upon its knees—

And indeed, many a chance came to me with authority. But my WILL spoke to it with even greater authority, and then it fell to its knees, pleading.

—Imploring that it might find home and heart with me, and saying flatteringly: “See, O Zarathustra, how friend only cometh unto friend!”—

It begged to find a home and a heart with me, saying flatteringly: “See, Zarathustra, how only a friend comes to a friend!”

But why talk I, when no one hath MINE ears! And so will I shout it out unto all the winds:

But why do I speak when no one has MY ears? So I will shout it to all the winds:

Ye ever become smaller, ye small people! Ye crumble away, ye comfortable ones! Ye will yet perish—

You keep getting smaller, you small people! You are crumbling away, you comfortable people! You will perish yet.

—By your many small virtues, by your many small omissions, and by your many small submissions!

By your many small virtues, your many small failures to act, and your many small acts of submission!

Too tender, too yielding: so is your soil! But for a tree to become GREAT, it seeketh to twine hard roots around hard rocks!

Your soil is too soft, too yielding! But for a tree to become GREAT, it must wrap hard roots around hard rocks!

Also what ye omit weaveth at the web of all the human future; even your naught is a cobweb, and a spider that liveth on the blood of the future.

What you leave undone also weaves the web of all humanity’s future. Even your doing nothing is a cobweb, and a spider that lives on the blood of the future.

And when ye take, then is it like stealing, ye small virtuous ones; but even among knaves HONOUR saith that “one shall only steal when one cannot rob.”

And when you take something, you petty virtuous people, it is like stealing. But even among scoundrels, HONOR says, “One should steal only when one cannot rob.”

“It giveth itself”—that is also a doctrine of submission. But I say unto you, ye comfortable ones, that IT TAKETH TO ITSELF, and will ever take more and more from you!

“It gives itself.” That is also a teaching of submission. But I tell you comfortable people, IT TAKES FOR ITSELF, and it will keep taking more and more from you!

Ah, that ye would renounce all HALF-willing, and would decide for idleness as ye decide for action!

Ah, if only you would give up all half-hearted willing and choose idleness as you choose action!

Ah, that ye understood my word: “Do ever what ye will—but first be such as CAN WILL.

Ah, if only you understood my words: “Always do what you will, but first be someone who CAN WILL.

Love ever your neighbour as yourselves—but first be such as LOVE THEMSELVES—

Always love your neighbor as yourself. But first, be someone who LOVES THEMSELVES.

—Such as love with great love, such as love with great contempt!” Thus speaketh Zarathustra the godless.—

Those who love with great love, those who love with great contempt!” So says Zarathustra the godless.

But why talk I, when no one hath MINE ears! It is still an hour too early for me here.

But why do I speak when no one has MY ears? I am still an hour too early here.

Mine own forerunner am I among this people, mine own cockcrow in dark lanes.

Among these people, I am my own forerunner, my own rooster crowing in dark lanes.

But THEIR hour cometh! And there cometh also mine! Hourly do they become smaller, poorer, unfruitfuller,—poor herbs! poor earth!

But THEIR hour is coming! And mine is coming too! With every hour, they become smaller, poorer, and less fruitful. Poor plants! Poor earth!

And SOON shall they stand before me like dry grass and prairie, and verily, weary of themselves—and panting for FIRE, more than for water!

And SOON they will stand before me like dry grass and prairie, truly tired of themselves and thirsting for FIRE more than for water!

O blessed hour of the lightning! O mystery before noontide!—Running fires will I one day make of them, and heralds with flaming tongues:—

Oh, blessed hour of lightning! Oh, mystery before noon! One day I will make them into running fires and messengers with flaming tongues.

—Herald shall they one day with flaming tongues: It cometh, it is nigh, THE GREAT NOONTIDE!

One day they will proclaim with flaming tongues: It is coming, it is near, THE GREAT NOONTIDE!

Thus spake Zarathustra.

This is what Zarathustra said.