Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/252

 2l8 THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA, III

me mine own self, and whatever of it hath been for a long time abroad and hath been dispersed among all things and accidents.

And one more thing I know : now I stand before my last summit and before that which hath been long- est reserved for me. Alas, I must ascend my hardest path ! Alas, I have begun my loneliest wandering !

But whoever is of my kin escapeth not such an hour, an hour which speaketh unto him : ' It is only now that thou goest the way of thy greatness ! Sum- mit and precipice these are now contained in one !

Thou goest the way of thy greatness. Now what was called hitherto thy last danger hath become thy last refuge !

Thou goest the way of thy greatness. Thy best courage must now be that behind thee there is no further path !

Thou goest the way of thy greatness. Hither no one shall steal after thee ! Thy foot itself extinguished the path behind thee, and above it there standeth written : " Impossibility."

And if thou now lackest all ladders thou must know how to mount thine own head. Otherwise, how couldst thou ascend ?

Thine own head, and past thine own heart ! Now what is mildest in thee must become hardest

Whoever hath spared himself always, at last aileth because of his sparing himself so much. Let that

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