Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/136

 OF GIVING VIRTUE

��Zarathustra having taken leave of the town unto which his heart was attached and whose name is : the Cow of Many Colours many followed him who called themselves his disciples, and accompanied him. Having arrived at four crossways Zarathustra told them that now he wished to go alone; for he had a liking for going alone. But his disciples gave him at parting a stick on the golden handle of which a serpent curled round a sun. Zarathustra, pleased with the stick and supporting himself with it, spake thus unto his disciples :

"Tell me: how came gold to be valued highest? Because it is uncommon and of little use and shining and chaste in its splendour; it ever spendeth itself.

Only as an image of the highest virtue gold came to be valued highest. Gold-like shineth the glance of him who giveth. The glitter of gold maketh peace between moon and sun.

Uncommon is the highest virtue, and of little use ; shining it is and chaste in its splendour : a giving virtue is the highest virtue.

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