Fenrir's Fangs

 30. The Famous Wise Ones

  THE people have ye served and the people's superstition- not the
truth!- all ye famous wise ones! And just on that account did they pay
you reverence.
  And on that account also did they tolerate your unbelief, because it
was a pleasantry and a by-path for the people. Thus doth the master
give free scope to his slaves, and even enjoyeth their
presumptuousness.
  But he who is hated by the people, as the wolf by the dogs- is the
free spirit, the enemy of fetters, the non-adorer, the dweller in
the woods.
  To hunt him out of his lair- that was always called "sense of right"
by the people: on him do they still hound their sharpest-toothed dogs.
  "For there the truth is, where the people are! Woe, woe to the
seeking ones!"- thus hath it echoed through all time.
  Your people would ye justify in their reverence: that called ye
"Will to Truth," ye famous wise ones!
  And your heart hath always said to itself: "From the people have I
come: from thence came to me also the voice of God."
  Stiff-necked and artful, like the ass, have ye always been, as the
advocates of the people.
  And many a powerful one who wanted to run well with the people, hath
harnessed in front of his horses- a donkey, a famous wise man.
  And now, ye famous wise ones, I would have you finally throw off
entirely the skin of the lion!
  The skin of the beast of prey, the speckled skin, and the
dishevelled locks of the investigator, the searcher, and the
conqueror!
  Ah! for me to learn to believe in your "conscientiousness," ye would
first have to break your venerating will.
  Conscientious- so call I him who goeth into God-forsaken
wildernesses, and hath broken his venerating heart.
  In the yellow sands and burnt by the sun, he doubtless peereth
thirstily at the isles rich in fountains, where life reposeth under
shady trees.
  But his thirst doth not persuade him to become like those
comfortable ones: for where there are oases, there are also idols.
  Hungry, fierce, lonesome, God-forsaken: so doth the lion-will wish
itself.
  Free from the happiness of slaves, redeemed from deities and
adorations, fearless and fear-inspiring, grand and lonesome: so is the
will of the conscientious.
  In the wilderness have ever dwelt the conscientious, the free
spirits, as lords of the wilderness; but in the cities dwell the
well-foddered, famous wise ones- the draught-beasts.
  For, always do they draw, as asses- the people's carts!
  Not that I on that account upbraid them: but serving ones do they
remain, and harnessed ones, even though they glitter in golden
harness.
  And often have they been good servants and worthy of their hire. For
thus saith virtue: "If thou must be a servant, seek him unto whom
thy service is most useful!
  The spirit and virtue of thy master shall advance by thou being his
servant: thus wilt thou thyself advance with his spirit and virtue!"
  And verily, ye famous wise ones, ye servants of the people! Ye
yourselves have advanced with the people's spirit and virtue- and
the people by you! To your honour do I say it!
  But the people ye remain for me, even with your virtues, the
people with purblind eyes- the people who know not what spirit is!
  Spirit is life which itself cutteth into life: by its own torture
doth it increase its own knowledge,- did ye know that before?
  And the spirit's happiness is this: to be anointed and consecrated
with tears as a sacrificial victim,- did ye know that before?
  And the blindness of the blind one, and his seeking and groping,
shall yet testify to the power of the sun into which he hath gazed,-
did ye know that before?
  And with mountains shall the discerning one learn to build! It is
a small thing for the spirit to remove mountains,- did ye know that
before?
  Ye know only the sparks of the spirit: but ye do not see the anvil
which it is, and the cruelty of its hammer!
  Verily, ye know not the spirit's pride! But still less could ye
endure the spirit's humility, should it ever want to speak!
  And never yet could ye cast your spirit into a pit of snow: ye are
not hot enough for that! Thus are ye unaware, also, of the delight
of its coldness.
  In all respects, however, ye make too familiar with the spirit;
and out of wisdom have ye often made an alms-house and a hospital
for bad poets.
  Ye are not eagles: thus have ye never experienced the happiness of
the alarm of the spirit. And he who is not a bird should not camp
above abysses.
  Ye seem to me lukewarm ones: but coldly floweth all deep
knowledge. Ice-cold are the innermost wells of the spirit: a
refreshment to hot hands and handlers.
  Respectable do ye there stand, and stiff, and with straight backs,
ye famous wise ones!- no strong wind or will impelleth you.
  Have ye ne'er seen a sail crossing the sea, rounded and inflated,
and trembling with the violence of the wind?
  Like the sail trembling with the violence of the spirit, doth my
wisdom cross the sea- my wild wisdom!
  But ye servants of the people, ye famous wise ones- how could ye
go with me!-
  Thus spake Zarathustra.