Fenrir's Fangs

13. Chastity

  I LOVE the forest. It is bad to live in cities: there, there are too
many of the lustful.
  Is it not better to fall into the hands of a murderer than into
the dreams of a lustful woman?
  And just look at these men: their eye saith it- they know nothing
better on earth than to lie with a woman.
  Filth is at the bottom of their souls; and alas! if their filth hath
still spirit in it!
  Would that ye were perfect- at least as animals! But to animals
belongeth innocence.
  Do I counsel you to slay your instincts? I counsel you to
innocence in your instincts.
  Do I counsel you to chastity? Chastity is a virtue with some, but
with many almost a vice.
  These are continent, to be sure: but doggish lust looketh
enviously out of all that they do.
  Even into the heights of their virtue and into their cold spirit
doth this creature follow them, with its discord.
  And how nicely can doggish lust beg for a piece of spirit, when a
piece of flesh is denied it!
  Ye love tragedies and all that breaketh the heart? But I am
distrustful of your doggish lust.
  Ye have too cruel eyes, and ye look wantonly towards the
sufferers. Hath not your lust just disguised itself and taken the name
of fellow-suffering?
  And also this parable give I unto you: Not a few who meant to cast
out their devil, went thereby into the swine themselves.
  To whom chastity is difficult, it is to be dissuaded: lest it become
the road to hell- to filth and lust of soul.
  Do I speak of filthy things? That is not the worst thing for me to
do.
  Not when the truth is filthy, but when it is shallow, doth the
discerning one go unwillingly into its waters.
  Verily, there are chaste ones from their very nature; they are
gentler of heart, and laugh better and oftener than you.
  They laugh also at chastity, and ask: "What is chastity?
  Is chastity not folly? But the folly came unto us, and not we unto
it.
  We offered that guest harbour and heart: now it dwelleth with us-
let it stay as long as it will!"-

  Thus spake Zarathustra.