Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/157

 OF PRIESTS

One day Zarathustra made a sign unto his disciples and spake unto them these words :

" Here are priests. And though they are mine enemies, pass them quietly and with sleeping sword !

Among them also there are heroes; many of them have suffered too much. Hence they try to make others suffer.

t Evil friends they are : nothing is more revengeful than their submissiveness. And easily he defileth him- self who toucheth them.

But my blood is kindred with theirs; I would have my blood honoured even in theirs."

And when they had passed Zarathustra was attacked by pain. And when he had fought with his pain a little while, he thus began to speak:

" I am sorry for these priests. They are contrary unto my taste, but that is a small matter unto me since I am dwelling among men.

But I suffer and have suffered with them : prisoners they are for me, and branded ones. He whom they call Saviour put them into fetters :

Into the fetters of false values and illusory words! Oh, that someone would save them from their Saviour!

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