Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/39

 the market; for a performance had been promised by a rope-dancer. And Zarathustra thus spake unto the folk:

" I teach you beyond-man. Man is a something that shall be surpassed. What have ye done to surpass him ?

All beings hitherto have created something beyond themselves : and are ye going to be the ebb of this great tide and rather revert to the animal than surpass man?

What with man is the ape ? A joke or a sore shame. Man shall be the same for beyond-man, a joke or a sore shame.

Ye have made your way from worm to man, and much within you is still worm. Once ye were apes, even now man is ape in a higher degree than any ape.

He who is the wisest among you is but a discord and hybrid of plant and ghost. But do I order you to become ghosts or plants ?

Behold, I teach you beyond-man !

Beyond-man is the significance of earth. Your will shall say : beyond-man shall be the significance of earth.

I conjure you, my brethren, remain faithful to earth and do not believe those who speak unto you of superterrestrial hopes ! Poisoners they are whether they know it or not.

Despisers of life they are, decaying and themselves