Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/214

 ISO THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA, II

Believest thou now that he spake the truth in this point ? Why dost thou believe that ? "

The disciple answered : " I believe in Zarathustra." But Zarathustra shook his head and smiled.

"Belief doth not make me blessed," said he, "more especially not the belief in myself.

But suppose somebody said seriously that the poets lie too much : he is right, we lie too much.

Besides we know too little and are bad learners. Thus we are compelled to lie.

And which of us poets hath not adulterated his wine ? Many a poisonous mishmash hath been brought about in our cellars ; many indescribable things have been done there.

And because we know little we like from our heart's heart the poor in spirit, especially if they are little young women !

And we are even desirous of the things which the little old women tell each other at night. This we call in ourselves eternally feminine.

And as though there were a particular secret ac- cess unto knowledge, which was obstructed for those who learn something we believe in the folk and their 'wisdom.'

But this is what all poets believe, that he who is lying in the grass or by lonely slopes and pricketh up his ears, learneth something about the things which are between heaven and earth.

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