"Femeie, dă-mi adevărul acela mititel", zisei. Şi bătrânica îmi răspunse:

"Mergi la femei? Să nu uiţi să-ţi iei biciul!"

Aşa grăit-a Zarathustra.

Friedrich Nietzche - "Aşa grăit-a Zarathustra"

Calling a character the most "x" human ever, where that x can be pretty much anything most Westerners would like to have, is a quick way to create an interesting, "unique" character without having to do much actual thinking. By concentrating all aspects of this character's greatness into that one x, the protagonist remains "human" and easy to identify with. The character-development portions of the narrative quickly write themselves against the backdrop of showing off all the neat tricks the protagonist can perform with x. The writing and dialogue can be crap, but the audience may remain entranced as it watches what it would be like to be the most x ever.

Unconvinced that this archetype is especially prominent in fiction? Here is a list of films that exhibit this attribute and are either culturally essential franchises, critically acclaimed, or both.

1. The Matrix
2. Harry Potter
3. Good Will Hunting
4. Star Wars
5. A Beautiful Mind
6. Any superhero movie. Ever. Including Iron Man.

That list is not comprehensive and amounts to what I can remember without any research. Of the top 100 grossing movies of all time, I conservatively count 27 to fall unambiguously into this criteria. That does not include situations like The Lord of the Rings series where a secondary figure arguably fulfills the role or when the characters are simply ridiculously skilled at what they do rather than THE greatest at it (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, 300, and several others). I'm not even considering the two instances where a character's divinity is more than implied, those being The Passion of the Christ and Bruce Almighty. This “archetype” is not just an archetype or a cliché, but a defining aspect of popular modern cinema.

There isn't anything particularly "dangerous" about popular narratives portraying the same hackneyed storytelling device over and over again. Narratives relying on messianic figures have in a certain sense become a genre of their own, trading in the lust scenes of erotica or the explosions of action movies for a human character with a single, unrealistically strong characteristic. Critics seem completely unaware of their universal effect of turning any movie into a meaningless experiment into a showcase of how neat it would be to be the most "x" person ever. Any meaning found in the acclaimed Rain Man or the universally panned The Wizard flows directly from the genius of either protagonist, as both are character-driven dramas. However, critics seem fixated upon performances, technical virtuosity, or whether or not the movie in question was a ninety minute commercial for the Super Nintendo, rather than the underlying quality and content of either story, which are seemingly identical. To selectively praise equally cliched narratives with messianic figures as a focal point is roughly analogous to giving a Pulitzer to a book of random words simply because the words were spelled correctly and the formatting was pristine. For any popular narrative, the literary application of superhuman abilities is the equivalent of valueless shiny rocks, not a device of meaningful brilliance.

There are yet situations where portraying a character as great is effective and consequential. This is when the narrative only ostensibly tells a story while really making a (allegedly) demonstratively true argument. The writer places importance on developing the argument and the character possesses desirable traits embodying the writer’s philosophy. The best example is Neitzche's Thus Spake Zarathustra. Zarathustra is not great out of virtue of being really smart or really strong, but by personifying the philosophy Neitzche argues. The reader sees Zarathustra's reaction to an array of situations. If the reader disagrees with Zarathustra, he rejects Neitzche. If she agrees, this is out of reasonable persuasion, not because Neitzche embroidered his protagonist with irrelevant implications of cosmic greatness.

The titular "danger" in messianic figures is when the author does the opposite. If the writer latches onto one of the aforementioned "x" and applies it to his character, it's harmless. When that character is then used as a spokesperson for a philosophy, with no argument proffered beyond the fact that this character is the best person ever, it's ridiculous. In the Ender's Saga, a series of books succeeding the sci-fi classic, Ender's Game, the protagonist, a military genius who saved the world with his unquestionable logic and rationality as a child, takes a jarring, unsubstantiated turn towards a condescending form of smarmy relativism later in the series. This turn is scarcely justified by anything but the events in the narrative which uncomfortably fit in with such relativism, and which the protagonist can magically foresee with his massive intelligence.

These books, starting with Speaker for the Dead, do not really ever argue anything. Instead, they promote a value set by stating it self-evidentially within the narrative, and use the endorsement of the messianic figure to provide justification. Such argument is no more than a startlingly clear example of Appeal to Authority, but one that takes it a step further. The "authority" is no more than the author himself. In effect, works such as this, which use irrelevant characterizations of a protagonist as "the best", argue nothing but that the author’s political and philosophical opinions are true because he said so.

The phenomenal popularity of messianic narratives ensures us a steady supply well into the future. Our enjoyment of watching really smart or really strong or really magical people is fine. We take pleasure in watching seemingly human characters use superhuman powers. However, the audience and critics should not confuse this pleasure with meaning, as the effective differences in plot amongst diverse messianic stories are metaphorically little more than the differences in setting for explosions in an action movie. If the author uses these analogous explosions as a way to vindicate her personal opinions, the work can without further consideration be tossed aside as dishonest and crass. The only exception is an argument wherein a character is great because he embodies the argued philosophy, as in the case of Zarathustra, rather than stating argument is true because the character asserting it is great, as in Ender. It is rare when a messianic narrative holds meaning; I leave it to the critics to begin seeing when they do.

Great indeed is the efficacy of prayer. It opens the gate of one’s inner temple to let Ahura Mazda in. ~Zarathustra

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s answers to Dr. Hislop’s question on prayer are revealing:

"When you ask God, you rise to His level. You must ask God. To ask God is perfectly all right. It is your duty to ask God. Words must be said and, the thoughts must correspond to the words. It is true enough that the Divinity knows all. But He requires that true words be said. The mother may know that, to maintain life, the child requires food. But milk is given only when the child asks for it."

Swami stresses that when there is real need, God should be asked to provide. But there are several doubting Thomases among us, who ask, "You mean prayers work? He can only give us what, according to Him, we need or what we deserve. Is it not? Will the Lord like to give us all that we ask for, in our prayers to Him? Under such circumstances what is the use of prayer?" Of course, all these doubts can be resolved.

So what then is "Prayer" all about? Prayer is the subtlest and most sublime thread that links the human soul with the Divine Spirit. It establishes a relationship between the individual and the Infinite Supreme. It is the winged arrow of human feeling that coalesces with the Divine Love of God.

All religions expound the glory of prayer. Every saint took recourse to prayer in his spiritual growth. There is no great man upon earth who did not offer prayers at the recognition of the Divine Hand guiding him. To many, however, prayer becomes merely a repetition of hymns or words. Heart-felt sincerity is lacking. Most often, if we are honest enough to admit it, we pray to impress others. Real prayer does not depend upon how many beautiful words you have selected to repeat or whether you have a good accent or not. Prayer depends upon the purity of your feeling and the intensity of your yearning.

Therefore prayer requires the possession of a feeling that is free from egocentricities, a feeling that is not corrupted or tarnished by greed, anger, hatred, pride and other gross sentiments. It is true that every religion has definite prayers that are revealed by the great sages and saints, encompassing in them lofty ideas and thoughts. However, if you repeat them mechanically without entering into the beauty and grandeur of the meaning and the feeling that are encompassed by those words, you are merely depleting the energy of your speech.

Swami has been saying this all along. For the acquisition of the Grace of the Lord and the resulting Awareness of the Reality, the quality of peace is the prime need. Every aspirant is aware how Draupadi received the Grace of the Lord, through her righteousness and her piety. Though her husbands were mighty heroes and famous monarchs, she sought refuge in Lord Krishna, feeling that all others are of no use. Prahlada sought refuge under different circumstances. He surrendered all at birth to the Lord; he knew that the Lord was ever by his side and that he was ever by the side of his Lord; so he had no need to call out to him for protection. Prahlada was unaware of anything except the Lord; he could not distinguish between one function of the Lord and another. So how could he pray for protection? For all such God-intoxicated and dedicated souls, prayer is unnecessary. But for a majority of people prayer is necessary to keep us on the right path, the path that leads straight to God.

The Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) has said, "Be constant in prayer, and give charity and worship with the worshipful. And seek help with patience and prayer, though it is indeed hard except for the humble."

Swami even guides us to the extent of laying down the track that we are to follow. He says, regular prayers twice a day will give the devotee strength and courage. He adds, the Grace of God can confer mental peace and so good sleep and rest for the mind.

"Feel that you are a hundred per cent dependent on God; He will look after you and save you from harm and injury. When you go to bed, offer thankful homage to Him for guiding and guarding you throughout the day. Activity must be dedicated to God, the highest good. Then it will provide health of body and mind."

Swami in one of His conversations with Dr John Hislop, has said, "Whenever and wherever you put yourself in touch with God, that is the state of meditation." Swami goes on to say that prayer must be united with practice. "You should not pray for one thing and practice another. The words you utter, the deeds you do, the prayers you utter, must all be along the same path."

One-pointedness is all-important. Prayer first needs honesty, the acceptance of what one really is, of sincerely acknowledging that one is in need of Divine help. There has been enough documented evidence of the power of prayer. Recently doctors across the United States, in several hospitals recommended prayer as a part of the treatment of the ill. The doctors too sit and pray along with the patients. And it has been proved that the rate of recovery of those praying patients who have undergone even major surgeries, to be much faster than those who did not pray. — J. Prasad

Lost in the mystic garden
You listen to the wounded flowers
And mourn with the song of separation
Arcane violins lamenting the conference of sad Souls

Teardrops in the earth, daggers in the sky
The rain is bleeding your name in each drop
Weak blossoms weep for Beloved
Trembling vines kiss moonlight a painful goodbye

A thousand fallen rose petals for heartbreak
Seven hundred for misery
One million for exile
Sorrow immortalized on a Persian tapestry

Watching from the terrace
You see memories scattered like pearls
Across the silent ocean
Sailing quietly to their black abyss

Your fortress burned to the ground
And you walked away from the ruins – why?
Back to your library, you went
In pursuit of words and the wise

A flute player comes knocking the next day
You have been up all night, shattered from the inside
“Go away!” you shout
“I’m Reading!”

“O Seeker!” he says,
“Like a blind fugitive, you were chased back into your prison
If only you understood the words you read
You would have never closed this door again!”

Tribal nomads arrive with their instruments
And play a melody of sorrow and beauty
With poetry like an Urdu Ghazal
And music like the ethereal

The flute player explains
“Joy and Sorrow are mirrors to each other
Beneath Sorrow, treasures of Joy is what you will always find
When you were in ruins, you left these behind:”

A paintbrush and a bowl of colors

It is the only way out – paint on the prison wall
The vision of your heart – walk into it!
Pass through the Portal of Experience
Be drawn to Love’s sacred call

Tear through the cloak of Reason and step into the Unseen
You have the flame of Zarathustra burning with the soul of the world
You have the staff of Moses transforming all illusion into reality
You have the light of Muhammad shining upon all creation

Keep painting, Soul Painter!
Merge the Visible with the Invisible
Defy the odds like Imam Husayn and 'Ali
Spears and daggers are no obstacle
In the face of this hidden wonder's unity

Listen:
The wild dance of the santur
Rhythmic tabla, the strike of the sitar
The cinematic overture

Dance in the Eternal King's courtyard
Escape the man-made rules and laws of control
Dance! You are a planet orbiting His Beauty
Only He can look into the window of your Soul

Creator says:
You have nothing to fear
I am with you
Show Me your wounds
And I will heal them
Tell Me your sorrows
And I will show you that I am near
Tell Me your hardships
And I will show you the blessed path you travel
Tell Me of those endless halls you wander
And I will guide you through
Hand Me your tears
And I will show you the ocean they belong to

Open your hands
And reach into the sky if you want to be lifted
Let your feet bid farewell to the earth
If you want to soar to infinity

Close your eyes
Breathe – arms out, heart open
Receive the wind, the sea, the spirit of all creation
Embrace this Love that cannot be named

Now open your eyes
Here is the Garden, here is the Sun
To the Fields of Fortune you must go
Leap, with all of your Being

Elysium awaits you, Brave one.

~ Broken Mystic~

La frase forse più conosciuta, detta in molteplici modi nel libro, è:

• Io vi insegno il superuomo. L'uomo è qualcosa che deve essere superato.

Che cos'è questo “superuomo”? Una razza superiore? procediamo per gradi.

Il libro ha come protagonista Zarathustra, un profeta, un eremita, che ha trovato una visione del mondo che vuole trasmettere agli uomini. Tramite questo personaggio Nietzsche ci comunicherà tutte le sue idee riguardo al mondo, agli uomini, a come dovremmo condurre le nostre vite e a che cosa bisognerebbe aspirare.

Per Nietzsche l'essere umano è il fulcro di ogni pensiero. Il superuomo non è un uomo con geni differenti, ma è un uomo con una mentalità differente, un uomo che vive in una società diversa da quella attuale, in cui tutte le sue potenzialità possano essere liberate. L'uomo deve essere superato, non in quanto essere umano, ma deve superare la condizione della società che si è creato, e deve costruirne un'altra migliore. Purtroppo spiegare queste idee alle persone “comuni” per Zarathustra si rivela un compito molto arduo, come avrà sperimentato qualunque persona che vuole proporre una idea al “popolo”:

• non mi capiscono : non sono la bocca per queste orecchie.

• Quando venni la prima volta tra gli uomini, commisi la stoltezza degli eremiti, la grande stoltezza: mi misi sul mercato. E quando parlai a tutti, non parlai a nessuno.

• che cosa cerchi mai presso i dormienti?

• Laggiù invece – là parlano tutti, ma non si ascolta nessuno. Si può annunciare la propria saggezza con le campane: ai mercanti in piazza basta agitare le loro monete per coprirne il suono!

Oggi le persone, oltre a essere stolte e ottuse, sono delle caricature del vero uomo, cioè del superuomo:

• il mercato è pieno di buffoni solenni – e il popolo si gloria dei suoi grandi uomini! Questi sono per esso i signori dell'ora. Ma l'ora li incalza: ed essi incalzano te. E anche da te vogliono un sì o un no.

• Pensano molto a te nella loro anima stretta – per loro sei sempre inquietante! Tutto quel che fa molto pensare diventa inquietante.

• Guardate come si arrampicano, queste svelte scimmie! Si arrampicano gli uni sugli altri e si trascinano nel fango e nella bassezza.

• Siamo fuggiti dalla plebaglia, da tutti quegli urloni e quelle mosche scacazzacarte, dal puzzo dei mercanti, dall'ambizione sgambettante, dal fiato cattivo: puah, vivere tra la plebaglia, – puah, dover apparire i primi tra la plebaglia!

Le persone sono chiuse nel loro piccolo mondo e non hanno aspirazione se non quelle di essere i signori dell'ora, e seguono religioni che non fanno altro che “tenerli in catene”:

• Colui che essi chiamano il Redentore li ha gettati in catene: Nelle catene di falsi valori e parole fallaci! Oh, se qualcuno li redimesse dal loro redentore!

Nietzsche non ci dice come sarà la nuova società dove vivrà il superuomo, ma sa che un mondo migliore per un uomo migliore è possibile, e indica come vivere in questo mondo per poter tendere al superuomo. Bisogna vivere conoscendo, con lo scopo di fare, non una conoscenza fine a se stessa ma innovativa. Bisogna essere dei leoni ridenti:

• Uno sperimentare e interrogare è stato tutto il mio andare – e in verità, bisogna anche imparare a rispondere, a un tale interrogare! Ma ciò è ben secondo il mio gusto: – non un buon gusto, non un cattivo gusto, ma il mio gusto, di cui più non mi vergogno né faccio mistero.<<Questa, è ora la mia strada; qual'è la vostra? >> così rispondevo a coloro che mi <<chiedevano la strada>>. La strada cioè –non esiste!

• Spezzate, spezzate, uomini della conoscenza, le vecchie tavole!

• Si ripaga male un maestro, se si rimane sempre e solo un discepolo.

• Non l'origine da cui provenite, costituisca d'ora in poi il vostro onore, bensì la meta verso cui andate! La vostra volontà e il vostro piede, che vuol andare al di là di voi stessi – ciò costituisca il vostro nuovo onore!

• Il volere libera: giacché volere è creare: questo insegno io. E solo per creare dovete imparare!

• Solo chi fa impara.

• uomini più elevati, più forti, più vittoriosi, più lieti, tali che siano squadrati nel corpo e nell'anima: leoni ridenti devono venire!

• Io sono una legge solo per i miei, non sono una legge per tutti. Ma chi mi appartiene, dev'essere fatto di ossa robuste, e anche di piedi leggeri, – allegro alle guerre e alle feste, non un ipocondriaco, non un sognatore svanito, pronto alle cose più difficili come a una festa fatta per lui, sano e integro. Il meglio appartiene ai miei e a me; e se non ce lo danno ce lo prendiamo: il cibo migliore, il cielo più limpido, i pensieri più forti, le donne più belle!

Bisogna scegliersi il giusto nemico che ci permetterà di crescere:

• Dovete cercare il vostro nemico, dovete condurre la vostra guerra e per le vostre idee!

• E spesso c'è più valore nel trattenersi e nel passar oltre: al fine di preservarsi per un nemico più degno! Voi dovete avere solo nemici che siano da odiare, non nemici da disprezzare: dovete essere fieri del vostro nemico.

Gli uomini che riescono a vivere con questo spirito è probabile che siano “uomini superiori”, cioè uomini che sanno come si evolverà la società umana, e che l'uomo è qualcosa che deve essere superato; ma un uomo superiore non potrà mai essere un superuomo, perché sarà sempre in qualche modo legato a questa società che l'ha partorito. La vita in società per gli uomini superiori è difficile e fonte di tristezze, in quanto non vengono capiti e sbeffeggiati. Ma se anche non condividono gli stessi valori della “maggioranza”, potranno sempre gioire nell'essere un genitore del superuomo.

• L'avvenire e ciò che è remoto siano per te la causa del tuo oggi.

• Fratelli miei, quel che io posso amare nell'uomo è che egli sia un passaggio e un tramonto.

• Io amo colui che vuole creare al di sopra di sé e così perisce.

• Medico, cura te stesso: così curerai anche il tuo malato. Sia questa la sua cura migliore, che egli veda con i suoi occhi colui che risana se stesso.

• Oh, fratelli, chi è primogenito viene sempre sacrificato.

• O uomini superiori, la vostra cosa peggiore è: che voi tutti non abbiate imparato a danzare come si deve – a danzare al di là di voi stessi! Che importa se siete falliti? Quante cose sono ancora possibili! E allora imparate dunque a ridere al di là di voi stessi! In alto i cuori, miei bravi ballerini, in alto, più in alto! E non dimenticatemi neanche il buon riso!

Uguali alle persone che ci circondano per natura, ma agli antipodi per quel che riguarda la mentalità:

• <<Perché così duro? – disse una volta al diamante il carbone da cucina – non siamo forse parenti stretti?>>

Anche se molto critico nei confronti delle persone, l'uomo superiore ha in sé il più profondo amore per gli uomini e per la terra. La via per il superuomo non è in cielo o in Dio, è da ricercare nell'uomo stesso e nel senso profondo dell'esistenza della vita.

• Così una volta mi parlò il diavolo:<<Anche Dio ha il suo inferno; è il suo amore degli uomini>>.

• Che voi abbiate disprezzato, o uomini superiori, questo mi fa sperare. Perché i grandi disprezzatori sono anche i grandi veneratori.

• Ma noi non vogliamo affatto andare nel regno dei cieli: noi siamo diventati uomini, e quindi vogliamo il regno della terra.

• il superuomo è il senso della terra.

• un nuovo orgoglio mi insegnò il mio Io, ed io lo insegno agli uomini: di non ficcare più il capo nella sabbia delle cose celesti, ma di portarlo libero, un capo terreno che dà senso alla terra!

Conclusioni

Nietzsche non ci dice cosa imparare, non parla di metodo scientifico, non dice quali sono i mali di questa società, cosa rende gli uomini di oggi così mediocri, non dice come si raggiungerà e come sarà la società in cui farà la comparsa il superuomo. Pochi spunti vengono lanciati sulla natura dello Stato:

• Solo dove finisce lo Stato comincia l'uomo che non è superfluo.

e sul fatto che la futura società non può essere un ritorno al passato:

• La volontà non può volere all'indietro.

L'oggetto dei nostri studi ognuno lo deve trovare da sé, l'importante è che si viva con un fuoco sempre acceso dentro, con la mente consapevole di quale è l'obiettivo, e con la precisione e l'eleganza di un ballerino, in qualunque campo decidiamo di applicarci:

• Io vi dico: bisogna avere ancora il caos in sé per poter partorire una stella danzante.

• Non con la collera ma con il riso si uccide.

• Si, è in me qualcosa di invulnerabile, di insotterrabile, qualcosa che fa saltare la roccia: si chiama la mia volontà. Tacita essa procede e immutata attraverso gli anni.

• Così voglio uomo e donna: buono per la guerra l'uno, buona per partorire l'altra, ed entrambi buoni per danzare con la testa e con le gambe.

• Famelica, violenta, solitaria, senzadio: così vuole essere la volontà leonina.

• crederei solo a un Dio che sapesse danzare.

References

Tutte le citazioni sono tratte dall'edizione: BUR-Traduzione di Sossio Giametta-dodicesima edizione febbraio 2005 (titolo e autore del libro le ometto, perchè lapalissiano)

Pagina di wikipedia su Nietzsche: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nietzsche

                                       The significance of the Faravahar

1. The figure inside is that of an old man, representing wisdom of age.
2. There are two wings in two sides of the picture, which have three main feathers. These main feathers indicate three symbols of "good thoughts, good words, and good deeds," which are at the same time the motive of flight and advancement.
3. The lower part of the Faravahar consists of three parts, representing "bad reflection, bad words and bad deeds" which causes misery and misfortune for human beings.
4. There are two loops at the two sides of the Faravahar, which represent positive forces and negative forces. The former is directed toward the face and the latter is located at the back. This also indicates that we have to proceed toward the good and turn away from bad.
5. The ring in the center symbolizes the eternity of universe or the eternal nature of the soul. As a circle, it has no beginning and no end.
6. One of the hands points upwards, indicating that there is only one direction to choose in life and that is forward. The other hand holds a ring and some interpreters consider that as the ring of covenant and used in wedding ceremonies representing loyalty and faithfulness which is the basis of Zartosht's philosophy. This means when a true Iranian gives a promise, it is like a ring and it cannot be broken.

Since, the ring of covenant which located in the center of the Faravahar's trunk is the symbol of the immortality of the spirit, it can be inferred that more human beings try to promote their own Faravahar, more their spirit will be elevated in the other world after they pass away. For that reason, ancient Iranians would never mourn at the death of their beloved ones, because they would believe that their spirit will be elevated to a higher level in the other world. On the basis of one's Faravahar, everybody is responsible for his/her own deed.

Dorood to Iran, Iranians and Farhange Iran

Enjoy

-Link-

Zoroastrianism Ancient Persian religion founded around 1200 BCE by Zarathustra.

Its sacred scripture, the Avesta, has some affinities with the Hindu Rig Veda and portrays an eternal struggle between good and evil, personified by Ahura Mazda (Good) and Angra Mainyu (Evil).

Fire is regarded as holy and a perpetual flame is maintained by temple priests who wear masks to prevent polluting the fire with their breath.

This notion of spiritual pollution is important to Zoroastrianism.

Jamsheed K. Choksy suggests a complex interplay among biological, psychosocial and spiritual factors when outlining the Zoroastrian belief that ritual space is "pure" as opposed to "impure" or "polluted."

Access to ritual spaces had never been equally available to all the faithful, irrespective of gender and class, especially because of considerations relating to purity and pollution. In Zoroastrian society, a wide range of items categorized as pollutants--from bad thoughts, false words, and harmful deeds to bodily fluids when released--are ascribed power to vitiate the efficacy of rituals paces, rites performed herein, and participants. So direct access to performances within pure space was and is generally restricted to duly initiated, purified members of the hereditary male clergy during propitiatory rituals, and to purifiers and candidates for cleansing during purificatory rituals. In the absence of priests, male and female members of the laity--especially religiously learned individuals--may perform basic rites.

Jamsheed K. Choksy, "To Cut off, Purify, and Make Whole: Historiographical and Ecclesiastical Conceptions of Ritual Space" Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 123, No. 1 (Jan. - Mar., 2003: 21-41), p. 30.

The Muslim conquest of Iran in the 7^th century threatened the extinction of Zoroastrianism but the religion has survived in limited numbers with the Gabars of Iran and Parsees of India. » Ahriman

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Windtürme. Yazd ist eine der ältesten Städte in der Kevir-Wüste und berühmt für seine Windtürme und arabischen Pferde. Da ich selbst reite, sind die Pferde eine eigene Story (poste ich demnächst).
Die Windtürme sind ein uraltes und erstaunlich gut funktionierende Klimaanlage, die es auch in arabischen Wüstenländern im Nahen Osten gibt. Wie übergroße Kamine ragen diese Türme weit über die Hausdächer, fangen den Wind ein und leiten ihn über Schächte ins innere des Hauses.

Zarathustra. Interessant ist Yazd auch, weil es dort noch um die 2000 Anhänger der vorislamischen Religion Zarathustras gibt. Die meisten Zarathustrier leben in Indien. Ihre drei wichtigen Glaubensgrundsätze sind: Denke gut! Rede gut! Handle gut! In Yazd haben sie ihren Feuertempel mit einer seit 470 n. Chr. lodernden Flamme auf dem Altar. Am Rande der Stadt stehen auf Hügeln noch zwei Begräbnis-Türme und Zeremonienhäuser. In diesen so genannten „Türmen des Schweigens“ legten die Zarathustrier noch vor 40 Jahren ihre Toten den Geiern zum Abweiden vor, da sie glauben, Tote würden die „heilige“ Erde verunreinigen. Seit Mitte der 1960-er Jahre dürfen sie ihr Bestattungsritual aus hygienischen Gründen im Iran nicht mehr ausüben. Unterhalb der Türme gibt es jetzt einen Friedhof mit auszementierten Gräbern.

Allzu süße Früchte - die mag der Krieger nicht. Darum mag er das Weib; bitter ist auch noch das süßeste Weib. [...]

Im echten Manne ist ein Kind versteckt: das will spielen. Auf, ihr Frauen, so entdeckt mir doch das Kind im Manne! [...]

Ein Spielzeug sei das Weib, rein und fein, dem Edelsteine gleich, bestrahlt von den Tugenden einer Welt, welche noch nicht da ist. [...]

"Du gehst zu Frauen? Vergiss die Peitsche nicht!""

F. Nietzsche: Also sprach Zarathustra

F. Nietzsche, Vom Geist der Schwere. In: Also sprach Zarathustra

Treatise by Friedrich Nietzsche, written in four parts and published in German between 1883 and 1885 as Also sprach Zarathustra. The work is incomplete, but it is the first thorough statement of Nietzsche's mature philosophy and the masterpiece of his career. It received little attention during his lifetime but its influence since his death has been considerable, in the arts as well as philosophy. Written in the form of a prose narrative, Thus Spoke Zarathustra offers the philosophy of its author through the voice of Zarathustra (based on the Persian prophet Zoroaster) who, after years of meditation, has come down from a mountain to offer his wisdom to the world. It is this work in which Nietzsche made his famous (and much misconstrued) statement that "God is dead" and in which he presented some of the most influential and well-known (and likewise misunderstood) ideas of his philosophy, including those of the Ubermensch ("overman" or "superman") and the "will to power." Though this is essentially a work of philosophy, it is also a masterpiece of literature. The book is a combination of prose and poetry, including epigrams, dithyrambs, and parodies as well as sections of pure poetry.

This is the concept that we should recognise that we use a number of different tools to get the job done. Some purists would argue that true Machinima can only be produced within the environment of a single game engine. However I believe that may limit creativity and you should use as many tools as you need. Take the path of least resistance - if there's a tool that will do the job, why not embrace it?

I agree with the ethos of anymation - use any available tool to achieve the effect you want. There are thousands of users out there right now using Antics as one step on their journey to produce their vision in video. You might create your models in Google SketchUp, bring them to life in Antics, then add some polish in After Effects. Anymation in action :)

It's great to be witness to the birth of a new concept! But do you agree with the anymation concept? Are there any benefits in confining your workflow to one or two pieces of software? Share your thoughts on the subject with the Antics community.

"Ahora partiré yo solo, queridos discípulos. Y vosotros también partiréis solos. Así lo quiero.

En verdad, éste es mi consejo: ¡Alejaos de mí, y precaveos contra Zarathustra! Mejor aún: ¡Avergonzaos de él! Tal vez os engañó.

[...]Mal se paga al maestro si se permanece siempre discípulo ¿Por qué no vais a deshojar vosotros mi corona?

Vosotros me veneráis, mas, ¿qué ocurrirá si vuestra veneración se derrumba? ¡Cuidad de que no os aplaste mi estatua!

[...]Me hallastes cuando aún no os habíais buscado a vosotros mismos. Así les ocurre a todos los creyentes: por eso la fe es tan poquita cosa."

Esta claro que Nietzsche no buscaba discípulos, por eso cuando alguien te diga que es nietzscheano no le hagas mucho caso, a menos que sea nietzcheano contra el propio Nietzsche. Quería que hasta quienes lo leyeran rumiaran bien todo cuanto contaba, todo su pensamiento. Poco más que decir, una joya para un espíritu crítico.

P.D. No os acostumbréis a un post por dia mis compinches! :P

BAHÁ'ÍERNAS STÖRSTA HELG

Ridván är en genuin bahá'í-högtid, det är bara bahá'íer som firar den. Det görs till åminnelse av ett antal predikningar som Bahá'í-religionens grundare Bahá'u'lláh (Alláhs Strålglans, Guds Härlighet) gjorde under dessa dagar år 1863 i en trädgård/park vid namn Ridván nära floden Tigrís i Baghdad. Under dessa tolv dagar deklarerade Han att Han bar på en uppenbarelse från Gud, liksom bl.a. Muhammed, Jesus, Moses och Zarathustra (Zoroaster) före Honom.

Det finns ingen motsvarande högtid inom kristendomen. Om så vore fallet, skulle de kristna ha valt ut någon dag på året för att högtidlighålla Jesus första officiella predikan, förmodligen Bergspredikan. Evangelierna berättar om vad Jesus sade, men inte vilken tid på året denna predikan skedde. När det gäller Bahá'u'lláh är det tvärtom: vi känner till den exakta tiden – 21 april - 2 maj –men vet inte så mycket om vad Bahá'u'lláh sade.  Vi vet emellertid att Han under dessa dagar öppet deklarerade att Han var Guds profet för vår tid.  Bahá'u'lláh använde ordet "Gudsmanifestation" om Sig Själv och Muhammed, Jesus, Buddha, Moses, Zarathustra före Honom. Gudsmanifestationerna är de speciella människor som Gud valt ut – "andliga spegelbilder av Gud", Guds återsken – för att föra ut nya kunskaper till mänskligheten.

EN BUDBÄRARE FRÅN GUD

Vid den tidpunkten hade Bahá'u'lláh redan skrivit ett antal böcker, som Sju Dalar (1858), Förborgade Ord (1858) och Visshetens Bok (1862). Det stod redan klart för Hans närmaste krets att Han var en budbärare från Gud. Ett av de bevis som vi kan se än idag är att Bahá'u'lláh i sina böcker och många mindre skrifter uppvisar kunskaper som Han omöjligen kunde ha utan hjälp av högre makter – dels för att Han inte hade fått någon undervisning  på dessa områden, dels för att Han beskriver fenomen som vetenskapen ännu inte hade upptäckt, definierat och namngett.

Exempel på det förstnämnda är Hans ingående kunskaper om den mystiska kärnan i alla religioner och slutsatsen att Det Absoluta och Det Yttersta Budskapet är detsamma i alla trosriktningar om man skalar av utanpåverket, vidskepelsen och fortlöpande tillägg och tolkningar som gjorts av människor av politiska och andra skäl. Denna förmåga delade Bahá'u'lláh med sin förelöpare Báb, som 23 år tidigare hade startat en andlig revolution i Iran och avrättats för detta år 1850. Det tog nästan 150 år innan religionsforskare kunde göra samma analys, genom internationellt samarbete, datorer och med hjälp av en stab doktorander och forskningsassistenter.

ÖVERMÄNSKLIGA KUNSKAPER

Men Bahá'u'lláh ägde även djupgående kunskaper om olika länders maktstrukturer och historia och kunde sätta tummen på de olika orättvisor som folken i skilda länder plågades av. Han kunde enkelt peka ut vilka härskare som snart skulle störtas, till och med i vilken ordning. Några år senare, när Bahá'u'lláh befann Sig i själva Turkiet, skrev Han brev till världens härskare med anvisningar om hur de skulle förändra sin politik för att befria sina undersåtar från de usla, trälliknande förhållandena. Han dömde ut nationalismen redan i dess barndom, när den skulle ersätta systemet med att territorier gick i arv inom kungahusen. Bahá'u'lláh förstod att nationalismen skulle spåra ur. De fasor som drabbade världen under 1900-talet i form av nationalsocialism, fascism, kejsarkulter, folkmord och världskrig har mer än väl bekräftat detta.

Exempel på beskrivningar av fenomen som fortfarande idag bara den vetenskapliga eliten förstår är föreställningen att det finns en verklighet utanför det som numera kallas "rumtiden", och att vi människor lever fångade i denna fyrdimensionella värld. Bahá'u'lláh skrev vidare om ljus som människan inte kan uppfatta (det kallas numera ultraviolett och infrarött ljus). Han förkastade tanken på en rasindelning av mänskligheten långt innan pseudovetenskapen "rasbiologi" uppstått i 30-talets Tyskland och Sverige.  Han förstod att Jorden inte var bara 6000 år gammal och tolkade berättelsen om att Gud skapat Jorden på sex dagar symboliskt. Enligt Bahá'u'lláh pågår skapelsen fortfarande, än i dag. Han ansåg att om människan närmar sig religionen metodiskt,  med öppet sinne och både vetenskapliga och andliga verktyg, så kommer hon till slut att inse att Gud finns och att våra själar lever vidare efter den fysiska kroppens död.

FÖDDES SOM RIKEMANSSON I TEHERAN

Guds Strålglans Bahá'u'lláh föddes som shíamuslim den 12 november 1817 i Teheran i Iran. Hans namn var egentligen Mirzá Husayn 'Ali Nurí , viket betyder herr 'Ali Husayn från provinsen Núr. Han var son till en högt ansedd och mycket rik adelsman med nära anknytning till shahens hov. Trots de ytterst privilegierade förhållanden under vilka Bahá'u'lláh växte upp, hade Han Själv inget intresse av att ärva de höga positioner som både fadern och farfadern innehaft.  Han hade ett mycket empatiskt sinnelag och lade mycket energi på att lindra människor lidande där Han kunde. Han funderade mycket över frågor som rättvisa, hur det kunde komma att det i Guds perfekta skapelse kunde finnas fattiga, sjuka och utnyttjade människor, hur Gud kunde tillåta korruption bland andliga och världsliga ledare. Det är sådant många frågar sig än i dag, men Bahá'u'lláh kunde till sist förklara det hela och ange färdriktningen för hur hela världen skulle botas.

TORTERAD OCH KEDJAD I UNDERJORDEN

År 1844 startade Bahá'u'lláhs landsman Báb (som ursprungligen kallades Báb'u'lláh, Alláhs Port) en religiös väckelserörelse i Iran. Bábí (Bábs rörelse) spred sig snabbt över landet och Bahá'u'lláh blev en av de första och mest hängivna anhängarna.  Rörelsen kritiserade skarpt det moraliska och andliga förfallet, särskilt hos präster och myndighetspersoner, och blev därför snart förbjuden. Anhängarna förföljdes och även kvinnor och barn slaktades på de mest ohyggliga sätt. Báb Själv dog martyrdöden i juli 1850. Två år senare fängslades och torterades även Bahá'u'lláh, trots att Han kom från en högt uppsatt familj.  Det var när Han satt kedjad i Irans mest fruktansvärda fängelse – en före detta underjordisk vattenreservoar som förvandlats till en kolmörk, stinkande fängelsehåla där tusentals fångar trängts ihop utan sanitära möjligheter och där folk dog som flugor i de sjukdomar som härjade där – som Bahá'u'lláh började få sina första uppenbarelser från Gud.

PLUNDRAD PÅ ÄGODELAR OCH UTVISAD TILL BAGDAD

Bland annat p.g.a. påtryckningar från ryska ambassaden i Iran frigavs Bahá'u'lláh efter fyra månader. Han utvisades dock ur landet eftersom Han uppfattades som den nye ledaren för bábí-rörelsen och  de iranska myndigheterna ville avlägsna Honom från anhängarna. Man aktade sig noga för att döda Honom eftersom en ny martyr kunde bli startskottet till en revolution. Bahá'u'lláh och Hans familj berövades emellertid hela sin förmögenhet: allt från markegendomar till personliga föremål. De fick inte behålla mer än kläderna på kroppen när de i januari 1853 tvingades iväg till Baghdad, som då tillhörde det Osmanska väldet (det turkiska imperiet).

Vid denna tidpunkt fanns många iranska flyktingar i Baghdad med omnejd, och en bitter strid hade brutit ut om hur man skulle gå vidare efter Bábs död. Så fort Han hade återhämtat Sig efter den fruktansvärda fängelsevistelsen försökte Bahá'u'lláh – som var den person som Báb, när Han förstod att Han skulle avrättas, skickat sitt sigill och sina dokument till – ta Sig an församlingen och stifta fred. När inte det gick flydde Bahá'u'lláh djupt bedrövad därifrån. En morgon 1854 var Han borta och inte ens Hans egen familj visste vart Han tagit vägen. Efter två år lyckades man lokalisera Honom till ödemarken i de kurdiska bergstrakterna i norr. Där hade Bahá'u'lláh tillbringat två år ensam med Gud under namnet Darvish Muhammad-i-Irani.

TILLKÄNAGIVANDET I RIDVÁN

Våren 1863 kom beslutet att Bahá'u'lláh och Hans familj skulle förvisas ännu längre bort; denna gång till Istanbul. Under de tolv dagar som det tog att förbereda karavanen för den långa resan talade Bahá'u'lláh varje dag till dem som ville lyssna i parkträdgården Ridván. Inga anteckningar eller referat finns när det gäller dessa predikningar. Vi vet emellertid att åhörarna till en början var ganska få, men att fler och fler, både iranska flyktingar och irakier med olika religiös tillhörighet, strömmade till Ridván varje ny dag. Bahá'u'lláh lyckades förmodligen övertyga alla som lyssnade, för det finns inga rapporter, berättelser eller tidningsartiklar där någon ifrågasätter Honom och Hans budskap, trots att Han jämställde Sig med Muhammed och Jesus. Däremot tryckte myndigheterna på för att Han skulle ge sig av till Turkiet tidigare. Makthavarna ville verkligen bli av med Honom.

Han tillkännagav vem Han var och anförde olika bevis för detta. Han förklarade hur världen kunde räddas genom nedrustning, upprättandet av ett världssamhälle och ett personligt och intimt förhållande till Gud. Efter detta övergick bábí -rörelsen till att vara en självständig religion som fick namnet bahá'í, och Bahá'u'lláh kom av ett växande antal anhängare att betraktas som Guds ställföreträdare på Jorden.

HERRENS HÄRLIGHET I DET HELIGA LANDET

Till slut blev anhängarna för många även i Turkiet. År 1868 blev Bahá'u'lláh och Hans närmaste förvisade till den beryktade fängelsestaden 'Akká (Achor, Akko, Accre), en stad som ligger vid kusten i nuvarande Israel, invid berget Karmel (Carmel), inte långt ifrån Haifa. Därmed uppfyllde Bahá'u'lláh en rad profetior i flera religioner om att Herrens Härlighet skulle uppenbaras i det Heliga landet.

Come molte religioni che seguiranno, tema principale é la perenne lotta fra Bene e Male, incarnati rispettivamente dal Dio Supremo Ahura Mazda, e dallo spirito malvagio Angra Mainyu. In vita, ogni uomo puo' scegliere la sua strada, sapendo pero' che il bene porterà alla felicità eterna, mentre il male porterà solo tormenti, almeno fino alla fine dei giorni, quando il mondo verrà purificato ed i morti saranno salvati dall'inferno. Molto poetico il rito del passaggio all'aldilà, in cui l'anima deve attraversare un ponte, che misurando i suoi peccati ne decreta la sua destinazione.

Testo sacro di questa religione é l'Avesta, di cui ci é giunta quasi completa solo la parte relativa alle pene da adottare per i vari reati (é interessante anche notare che solo l'inizio del libro, gli Inni, sono fatti risalire direttamente a Zoroastro).

Mazda e Angra non sono le uniche due divinità della religione: lo stesso Ahura comanda su un intero pantheon (derivante quasi interamente dalle antiche credenze persiane), che lo aiuta nella lotta contro il male. La più famosa fra questi Dei inferiori é sicuramente Mitra, mandata sulla Terra a proteggerla dalle forze demoniache, ed eretta a giudice delle anime. La figura di Mitra si ritroverà poi anche nelle civiltà Greche (che a lei dedicheranno un intero culto), e Romana (in cui verrà identificata con Apollo).

Come guadagnarsi il Paradiso?

Anche in questo lo Zoroastrismo non si differenzia da tante altre religioni conosciute oggi (se non forse per il concetto di uguaglianza sessuale): il seguace di Ahura, oltre a dimostrare quotidianamente la sua adorazione con preghiere e genuflessioni, doveva mostrare buone intenzioni, rispetto verso l'ambiente, fare la carità ed il più possibile buone opere.

Due piccole curiosità:

• Sembra che gli stessi Magi che andarono a portare i doni al neonato Gesù fossero dei Magi Zoroastriani (i magi erano la casta sacerdotale ereditaria della religione).
• Nietzsche introduce la sua dottrina del superuomo proprio attraverso la figura di Zarathustra, che nel suo libro "Cosi Parlo' Zarathustra" scende sulla Terra rigettando le idee dualistiche di bene e di male, e di un altro mondo metafisico, venendo pero' deriso da tutti e costretto a vagare nel deserto alla ricerca dell'uomo superiore.

Soliti links per approfondire:

Lo Zoroastrismo su Wikipedia
Gruppi Zoroastriani in Italia
Pagina molto approfondita su Angelologia.it

lui Zarathustra

Ajuns pe culmea unui munte, Răzvrătitul începu a povesti molcom întregii lumi adunate la poalele sale, ceea ce el considera ca fiind gnoza sa divină, iluminarea însăşi, transpusă în metaforă :

“La începuturi, atunci când lumea-ntreagă era Unul, iar duala luptă fratricidă a contrariilor nu îsi făcuse maliţioasa apariţie decât sporadic şi fără vreo şansă de reuşită, pe câmpul existenţei divine fiinţa un lan de grâu, auriu, perfect, ca însuşi universul. Fiecare spic îsi trăgea seva dătătoare de viaţă din Pământul-Mamă, iar energia o primea generos din ceruri de la Soarele-Tată, care îl mângâia necontenit cu razele sale luminoase.

Totul era o armonie sacră, un ciclu neîntrerupt al existenţei, în care firele aurii erau conştiente si profund mulţumite cu soarta lor de a vieţui si a muri neîncetat pentru a da naştere altor vieţi, mai puternice, mai mândre, mai înţelepte. Cunoscându-si limitele, tindeau să se desăvârşească-n viaţă, în efemerul clipei, fără a se admonesta pentru greşelile săvârşite în încercarea lor de a atinge perfecţiunea divină, ce rezida în însăşi fiinţa lor, ca o comoară de preţ, ferecată-ntr-un cufăr.

Eternitatea, infinitul percepţiei le-a fost scuturat într-o bună zi ... un negustor rău-voitor, profund măcinat de fierea greutăţilor lumeşti, a aruncat o mică sămânţă în marele lan de aur. În solul fertil, sămânţa a prins rod, iar spicele de grâu nu au izgonit-o, căci nu vedeau nici un rău în a primi un biet transfug în lumea lor perfectă. Aşa, zi de zi, generaţie de generaţie, din mica sămânţă au răsărit trei hâde buruieni, trei buruieni din aceeasi rădăcină. Mirate, spicele de grâu au început să asculte ce aveau buruienile de zis, în momentul când acestea au dobândit taina glasului. Înveşmântate-n negru, invidioase pe frumuseţea şi perfecţiunea firelor, au început să urle înfiorător, să strige cu voce puternică, instigând spicele la lucruri noi, nemaiauzite :

<Viaţa voastră cea adevărată începe după Seceriş. Până atunci, lepădaţi-vă de straiele aurii, de mândria voastră, de deşertăciunea clipei voastre inutile!>

Contrariate, spicele au întors cununa lor bogată în altă direcţie, pentru a nu mai auzi tânguirile buruienilor guralive. Însă, nici gând ca acestea să le permită să nu asculte predicile lor obscure. Fugind după ele, au început sa strige lucruri chiar mai ciudate, mai pline de venin şi ură neputincioasă :

<Voi existaţi doar pentru gloria Secerătorului. Renunţaţi la căutărea voastră, la desăvârşirea totală, întru voi – şi pentru voi – căci tot ceea ce săvârşiti fără a avea în gând măreţia Sa, e păcat, iar pedeapsa-I pentru păcat e chinul veşnic!>

La aceste lucruri înfiorătoare, în inocenţa lor, spicele de grâu au plecat urechea, dorind să afle mai multe despre Seceriş şi lumea veşnicei bucurii, promisă de buruieni. Au asculta, au ascultat, au ascultat, până ce încet, încet au început sa ia ca adevăr toate răutăţile pe care înveşmântatele-n negru începura să le arunce în aer, lepădând în cele din urmă cununa şi căutarea căii spre divinitatea interioară pe care strămoşii lor le preţuiră ca fiind valoarea supremă a vieţii. Atunci, buruienile, considerară că e timpul pentru o nouă lecţie, ultima, cea mai plină de fiere şi noroi :

<Lumea-ntreagă nu e Una, cum ati fost învăţaţi să credeţi. Cele doua părţi ale ei nu sunt fraţii buni ai aceluiaşi tată, cum greşit crezutaţi, ci din contră – duşmani de moarte ... la fel sunteţi si voi, rupţi în două, iar ceea ce e bun în voi, apare dupa Seceriş, când vă lepădaţi pe veci de mizeria trupului mârşav!>

Mulţumite de izbândă, buruienile au contemplat cum fiecare spic începuse să îşi arunce mândra cunună, să îşi piardă culoarea, să-şi refuze seva de la pământul dătător de viaţă si energia de la soarele dătător de lumină. Spicele au început să pălească, să se veştejească, nemaisperând altceva decât ziua secerişului...

Iar aceasta, lume moartă, este lecţia pe care am decis să ţi-o împărtăşesc în lumina sfârşitului ce planează ca un spectru malvolent asupra ta, lecţia Aducătorului de Lumină, cel veşnic strălucitor şi iubitor al întregului neam omenesc, aceasta-i este gnoza răzvrătirii”

Cu văpăi în ochi, dar cu un surâs plin de dispreţ pe buze, Răzvrătitul a încheiat, lăsând lumea sa simtă, să cugete asupra gnozei sale perene, dar mai ales asupra buruienilor, buruienilor ce zac mereu, oriunde, învrăjbind spicele de grâu de pretutindeni, predicând moartea şi ura de sine ... buruienile de negustor.

The Avesta was most likely passed on orally until written in Iran during the 3rd to 7th centuries.

First translated from Avestan (an eastern Indo-European language) and introduced to Europeans in 1771, it is still used by Iranian Gabars and Indian Parsees.

The Avesta is mostly read to instill a sense of personal religious duty to the Lord (Ahura Mazda) and its style roughly compares to a combination of the Hindu Rig Veda and Book of Manu.

In the scripture Zarathustra dialogues with Ahura Mazda, asking questions and receiving answers on practical, cosmological and soteriological issues. The theme of physical and spiritual pollution enters prominently in the Avesta, extending to both corpses and women during the menstrual period.

Regarding the former, evil spiritual beings - "fiends" - are said to haunt the dakmas (graves or exposure sites known as "towers of silence") and from their feeding create a stench.

Ahura Mazda tells Zarathustra,

The fiends revel in there until that stench is rooted in the Dakhmas. Thus from the Dakhmas arise the infection of diseases, itch, hot fever, humours, cold fever, rickets, and hair untimely white. There death has most power on man, from the hour when the sun is down.

Source » http://www.sacred-texts.com/zor/sbe04/sbe0413.htm

These diseases especially fall upon evil people who do not try to improve their ways.

As in many ancient cultures, including India and Greece, sickness and disease are attributed to the influence of the Evil One (Angra Mainyu) and his various demons.

A variation of evil spiritual beings feeding off and weakening mortal beings is found in Vampirism.

At one point in the Avesta, Zarathustra enters into battle with the fearsome Angra Mainyu, to emerge victorious.

The resulting invocations and praises to various deities (all subservient to Ahura Mazda) again reveals that the Avesta is very much influenced by - and yet different from - the Hindu Rig Veda.

Although the Avesta is traditionally believed to have been revealed to Zarathustra, most scholars claim only the Gathas, a group of 17 hymns, were authored by the prophet.

While sections of the original text survive, much has been lost over the centuries. » Zoroastrianism

Add to this, report errors, suggest edits or voice your opinion by posting a comment

"He who seeketh may easily get lost himself. All isolation is wrong": so say the herd. And long didst thou belong to the herd.

The voice of the herd will still echo in thee. And when thou sayest, "I have no longer a conscience in common with you," then will it be a plaint and a pain.

Lo, that pain itself did the same conscience produce; and the last gleam of that conscience still gloweth on thine affliction.

but thou wouldst go the way of thine affliction, which is the way unto thyself? Then show me thin authority and thy strength to do so!

art thou a new strength and a new authority? A first motion? a self-rolling wheel? Canst thou also compel stars to revolve around around thee?

Alas! there is so much lusting for loftiness! There are so many convulsions of the ambitions! show me that thou are not a lusting and ambitious one!

Alas! there are so many great thoughts that do nothing more than the bellows: they inflate, and make emptier than ever.

Free, dost thou call thyself? thy ruling thought would I hear of, and not that thou hast escaped from a yoke.

Art thou one entitled to escape from a yoke? Many a one hath cast away his final worth when he hath cast away his servitude.

Free from what? What doth that matter to Zarathustra! Clearly, however, shall thine eye show unto me: free for what?

Canst thou give unto thyself thy bad and thy good, and set up thy will as a law over thee? Canst thou be judge for thyself, and avenger of thy law?

Terrible is aloneness with the judge and avenger of one's own law. Thus is a star projected into desert space, and into the icy breath of aloneness.

To-day sufferest thou still from the multitude, thou individual; to-day hast thou still thy courage unabated, and thy hopes.

But one day will the solitude weary thee; one day will thy pride yield, and thy courage quail. Thou wilt one day cry: "I am alone!"

One day wilt thou see no longer thy loftiness, and see too closely thy lowliness; thy sublimity itself will frighten thee as a phantom. Thou will one day cry: "All is false!"

There are feelings which seek to slay the lonesome one; if they do not succeed, then must they themselves die! But art thou capable of it- to be a murderer?

Hast thou ever known, my brother, the word disdain? And the anguish of thy justice in being just to those that disdain thee?

Thou forcest many to think differently about thee; that, charge they heavily to thine account. Thou camest nigh unto them, and yet wentest past: for that they never forgive thee.

Thou goest beyond them: but the higher thou risest, the smaller doth the eye of envy see thee. Most of all, however, is the flying one hated.

"How could ye be just unto me! must thou say- "I choose your injustice as my allotted portion."

Injustice and filth cast they at the lonesome one: but, my brother, if thou wouldst be a star, thou must shine for them nonetheless on that account!

And be on thy guard against the good and just! They would fain crucify those who devise their own virtue- they hate the lonesome ones.

Be on thy guard, also, against holy simplicity! All is unholy to it that is not simple; fain, likewise, would it play with the fire- of the fagot and stake.

And be on thy guard, also, against the assaults of thy love! Too readily doth the recluse reach his hand to any one who meeteth him.

To many a one mayest thou not give thy hand, but only thy paw; and I wish thy paw also to have claws.

But the worst enemy thou canst meet, wilt thou thyself always be; thou waylayest thyself in caverns and forests.

Thou lonesome one, thou goest the way to thyself! And past thyself and thy seven devils leadeth thy way!

A heretic wilt thou be to thyself, and a wizard and a sooth-sayer, and a fool, and a doubter, and a reprobate, and a villain.

Ready must thou be to burn thyself in thine own flame; how couldst thou become new if thou have not first become ashes!

Thou lonesome one, thou goest the way of the creating one: a God wilt thou create for thyself out of thy seven devils!

Thou lonesome one, thou goest the way of the loving one: thou lovest thyself, and on that account despisest thou thyself, as only he loving ones despise.

To create, desireth the loving one, because he despiseth! What knoweth he of love who hath not been obliged to despise just what he loved!

With thy love, go into thine isolation, my brother, and with thy creating; and late only will justice limp after thee.

With my tears, go into thin isolation, my brother. I love him who seeketh to create beyond himself, and thus succumbeth.- Thus spake Zarathustra