Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, 1844-1900; Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, 1844-1900 -- Criticism and interpretation; Philosophy
Truth in itself is no power at all.... Truth must either attract power
to its side, or else side with power, for otherwise it will perish
again and again. 363
We should ... take the greatest precautions in regard to everything
connected with old age and its judgment upon life.... The reverence
which we feel for an old man, especially if he is an old thinker and
sage, easily blinds us to the deterioration of his intellect. 368
We must not make passion an argument for truth. 372
Have you experienced history within yourselves, commotions,
earthquakes, long and profound sadness, and sudden flashes of
happiness? Have you acted foolishly with great and little fools? Have
you really undergone the delusions and woe of the good people? and also
the woe and the peculiar happiness of the most evil? Then you may speak
to me of morality, but not otherwise! 376
"What do I matter?" is written over the door of the thinker of the
future. 379
The great man ever remains invisible in the greatest thing that claims
worship, like some distant star: his victory over power remains without
witnesses, and hence also without songs and singers. The hierarchy of
the great men in all the past history of the human race has not yet
been determined. 380
Whether what we are looking forward to is a thought or a deed, our
relationship to every essential achievement is none other than that
of pregnancy, and all our vainglorious boasting about "willing" and
"creating" should be cast to the winds! True and ideal selfishness
consists in always watching over and restraining the soul, so that our
productiveness may come to a beautiful termination. ... Still, these
pregnant ones are funny people! Let us therefore dare to be funny also,
and not reproach others if they must be the same. 384-385
Honest towards ourselves, and to all and everything friendly to us;
brave in the face of our enemy; generous towards the vanquished; polite
at all times: such do the four cardinal virtues wish us to be. 387
There is no "eternal justice" which requires that every fault shall
be atoned and paid for,--the belief that such a justice existed was a
terrible delusion, and useful only to a limited extent; just as it is
also a delusion that everything is guilt which is felt as such. It is
not the things themselves, but the opinions about things that do not
exist, which have been such a source of trouble to mankind. 391
What is the most efficacious remedy?--Victory. 393
The snake that cannot cast its skin perishes. So too with those minds
which are prevented from changing their views: they cease to be minds.
394
IV
"The Joyful Wisdom"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account