Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/278

 244 THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA, III

'I serve, thou servest, we serve.' Thus the hypoc- risy of the rulers prayeth. And, alas, if the highest lord be merely the highest servant !

Alas ! the curiosity of mine eye strayed even unto their hypocrisies, and well I divined all their fly-happi- ness and their humming round window panes in the sunshine.

So much kindness, so much weakness see I. So much justice and sympathy, so much weakness.

Round, honest, and kind are they towards each other, as grains of sand are round, honest, and kind unto grains of sand.

Modestly to embrace a small happiness they call ' submission ' ! And therewith they modestly look side- ways after a new small happiness.

At bottom they desire plainly one thing most of all : to be hurt by nobody. Thus they oblige all and do well unto them.

But this is cowardice; although it be called 'virtue.'

And if once they speak harshly, these small folk, 7 hear therein merely their hoarseness. For every draught of air maketh them hoarse.

Prudent are they ; their virtues have prudent fin- gers. But they are lacking in clenched fists ; their fmsrers know not how to hide themselves behind fists.

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For them virtue is what maketh modest and tame. Thereby they have made the wolf a dog and man himself man's best domestic animal.

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