Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/133

 OF FREE DEATH 99

the spirit. And some are old in youth : but late youth remaineth long youth.

Unto many life is a failure, a poisonous worm eat- ing through unto their heart. These ought to see to it that they succeed better in dying.

Many never grow sweet, but putrefy even in sum- mer. It is cowardice that maketh them stick unto their branch.

Much-too-many live, and much-too-long they stick unto their branches. Would that storm came to shake from the tree all that is putrid and gnawed by worms !

Would that preachers of swift death came! They would be the proper storms to shake the trees of life ! But I hear only slow death preached and patience with all that is 'earthly.'

Alas ! ye preach patience with what is earthly ? What is earthly hath too much patience with you, ye revilers !

Too early died that Hebrew whom the preachers of slow death revere : and his dying-too-early hath been fatal for many since.

When Jesus the Hebrew knew only the tears and melancholy of the Hebrew, together with the hatred of the good and just, then a longing for death sur- prised him.

Would that he had remained in the desert and far away from the good and just ! Perhaps he would have

�� �