From the pressure of plenitude, from the tension of forces that are continually increasing within us and which cannot yet discharge themselves, a condition is produced which is very similar to that which precedes a storm: we--like Nature's sky--become overcast. I hat, too, is "pessimism.".. A teaching which puts an end to such a condition by the fact that it _commands_ something: a transvaluation of values by means of which the accumulated forces are given a channel, a direction, so that they explode into deeds and flashes of lightning-does not in the least require to be a hedonistic teaching: in so far as it _releases strength_ which was compressed to an agonising degree, it brings happiness. 1023. _Pleasure_ appears with the feeling of power. _Happiness_ means that the consciousness of power and triumph has begun to prevail. _Progress_ is the strengthening of the type, the ability to exercise great will-power, everything else is a misunderstanding and a danger. 1024. There comes a time when the old masquerade and moral togging-up of the passions provokes repugnance: _naked Nature;_ when the _quanta_ of _power_ are recognised as _decidedly_ simple (as _determining rank_); when _grand style_ appears again as the result of great passion. 1025. The purpose of culture _would have_ us enlist everything terrible, step by step and experimentally, into its service; but before it is _strong enough_ for this it must combat, moderate, mask, and even curse everything terrible. Wherever a culture points to anything as evil, it betrays its _fear_ and therefore weakness. _Thesis:_ everything good is the evil of yore which has been rendered serviceable. _Standard:_ the more terrible and the greater the passions may be which an age, a people, and an individual are at liberty to possess, because they are able to use them as _a means, the higher is their culture:_ the more mediocre, weak, submissive, and cowardly a man may be, the more things he will regard as _evil:_ according to him the kingdom of evil is the largest. The lowest man will see the kingdom of evil (_i.e._ that which is forbidden him and which is hostile to him) everywhere. 1026. It is not a fact that "happiness follows virtue"--but it is the mighty man who first _declares his happy state to be virtue._ Evil actions belong to the mighty and the virtuous: bad and base actions belong to the subjected. The mightiest man, the creator, would have to be the most evil, inasmuch as he makes his ideal prevail over all men in _opposition_ to their ideals, and remoulds them according to his own image. Evil, in this respect, means hard, painful, enforced.