Page:Thus Spake Zarathustra - Alexander Tille - 1896.djvu/66

 32 THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA, I

" A fool I consider that wise man there with his forty thoughts ; but I believe that he well knoweth how to sleep.

Happy he who liveth near this wise man ! Such a sleep is infectious, even through a thick wall it is infectious.

A charm liveth even in his chair. Nor did the youths sit in vain before the preacher of virtue.

His wisdom is : to wake in order to sleep well. And verily, if life had no significance, and had I to choose nonsense, this nonsense would seem to be the worthiest to be chosen for me as well.

Now I understand clearly, what once was sought for above all when teachers of virtue were sought. Good sleep was sought for and poppyhead-like virtues with it !

For all those belauded wise men of chairs, wisdom was sleep without dreams : they knowing no better significance of life.

Even to-day there are a few extant who are like this preacher of virtues and not always so honest. But their time is past. And not much longer they stand : there they lie already.

Blessed are the sleepy : for they shall soon drop off."

Thus spake Zarathustra.

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