The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1153

What woman understands by love is clear enough: complete surrender (not merely devotion) of soul and body, without any motive, without any reservation, rather with shame and terror at the thought of a devotion restricted by clauses or associated with conditions.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 294

(to cite the most instructive instance), and all that was dependent on it, experienced. The generation _that followed_, trained in suppressing their expression, no longer possessed the passions themselves, but had a pleasant, superficial, playful disposition in their place,—a generation which was so permeated with the incapacity to be ill-mannered, that even an injury was not taken and retaliated, except with courteous words.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 927

In this connection I recollect old Kant, who, as a punishment for having _gained possession surreptitiously_ of the "thing in itself"—also a very ludicrous affair!—was imposed upon by the categorical imperative, and with that in his heart _strayed back again_ to "God," the "soul," "freedom," and "immortality," like a fox which strays back into its cage: and it had been _his_ strength and shrewdness which had _broken open_ this cage!—What? You admire the categorical imperative in you?

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 703

_The Object of Punishment._—The object of punishment is to improve him _who punishes_,—that is the ultimate appeal of those who justify punishment.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 540

_The Theory of Poisons._—So many things have to be united in order that scientific thinking may arise, and all the necessary powers must have been devised, exercised, and fostered singly!

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 488

_The Tone of the German Language._—We know whence the German originated which for several centuries has been the universal, literary language of Germany. The Germans, with their reverence for everything that came from the _court_, intentionally took the chancery style as their pattern in all that they had to _write_, especially in their letters, records, wills, &c.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 828

Had Prometheus first to _fancy_ that he had _stolen_ the light, and that he did penance for the theft—in order finally to discover that he had created the light, _in that he had longed for the light_, and that not only man, but also _God_ had been the work of _his_ hands and the clay in his hands? All mere creations of the creator?—just as the illusion, the theft, the Caucasus, the vulture, and the whole tragic Prometheia of all thinkers!

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 31

The charm, however, of all that is problematic, the delight in the X, is too great in those more spiritual and more spiritualised men, not to spread itself again and again like a clear glow over all the trouble of the problematic, over all the danger of uncertainty, and even over the jealousy of the lover. We know a new happiness....

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 3

In the retrospective valuation of his work which appears in "Ecce Homo" the author himself observes with truth that the fourth book, "Sanctus Januarius," deserves especial attention: "The whole book is a gift from the Saint, and the introductory verses express my gratitude for the most wonderful month of January that I have ever spent." Book fifth "We Fearless Ones," the Appendix "Songs of Prince Free-as-a-Bird," and the Preface, were added to the second edition in 1887.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 463

No, nothing of this enchants, nor is felt as enchanting; but Schopenhauer's mystical embarrassments and shufflings in those passages where the matter-of-fact thinker allowed himself to be seduced and corrupted by the vain impulse to be the unraveller of the world's riddle: his undemonstrable doctrine of _one will_ ("all causes are merely occasional causes of the phenomenon of the will at such a time and at such a place," "the will to live, whole and undivided, is present in every being, even in the smallest, as perfectly as in the sum of all that was, is, and will be"); his _denial of the individual_ ("all lions are really only one lion," "plurality of individuals is an appearance," as also _development_ is only an appearance: he calls the opinion of Lamarck "an ingenious, absurd error"); his fantasy about _genius_ ("in æsthetic contemplation the individual is no longer an individual, but a pure, will-less, painless, timeless subject of knowledge," "the subject, in that it entirely merges in the contemplated object, has become this object itself"); his nonsense about _sympathy_, and about the outburst of the _principium individuationis_ thus rendered possible, as the source of all morality; including also such assertions as, "dying is really the design of existence," "the possibility should not be absolutely denied that a magical effect could proceed from a person already dead":—these, and similar _extravagances_ and vices of the philosopher, are always first accepted and made articles of faith; for vices and extravagances are always easiest to imitate, and do not require a long preliminary practice.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 468

And not only is he allured thereto by the whole mystic pomp of this philosophy (which would also have allured a Cagliostro), the peculiar airs and emotions of the philosopher have all along been seducing him as well!

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 631

The more universally and unconditionally an individual, or the thought of an individual, can operate, so much more homogeneous and so much lower must be the mass that is there operated upon; while counter-strivings betray internal counter-requirements, which also want to gratify and realise themselves.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1260

And to say it between ourselves and with reference to my own case,—I do not desire that either my ignorance, or the vivacity of my temperament, should prevent me being understood by _you_, my friends: I certainly do not desire that my vivacity should have that effect, however much it may impel me to arrive quickly at an object, in order to arrive at it at all. For I think it is best to do with profound problems as with a cold bath—quickly in, quickly out.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 545

_Herd-Instinct._—Wherever we meet with a morality we find a valuation and order of rank of the human impulses and activities. These valuations and orders of rank are always the expression of the needs of a community or herd: that which is in the first place to _its_ advantage—and in the second place and third place—is also the authoritative standard for the worth of every individual.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 500

The truth is, however, that he then behaves very awkwardly and uglily, and as if destitute of rhythm and melody; so that onlookers are pained or moved thereby, but nothing more—_unless_ he elevate himself to the sublimity and enrapturedness of which certain passions are capable. Then even the German becomes _beautiful_.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 148

Is there a philosophy of nutrition? (The ever-recurring outcry for and against vegetarianism proves that as yet there is no such philosophy!) Have the experiences with regard to communal living, for example, in monasteries, been collected? Has the dialectic of marriage and friendship been set forth? The customs of the learned, of trades-people, of artists, and of mechanics—have they already found their thinkers? There is so much to think of thereon!

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1210

Such is our lot, as we have said: we grow in _height_; and even should it be our calamity—for we dwell ever closer to the lightning!—well, we honour it none the less on that account; it is that which we do not wish to share with others, which we do not wish to bestow upon others, the fate of all elevation, _our_ fate....

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 474

Let us be loyal to Wagner in that which is _true_ and original in him,—and especially in this point, that we, his disciples, remain loyal to ourselves in that which is true and original in us. Let us allow him his intellectual humours and spasms, let us in fairness rather consider what strange nutriments and necessaries an art like his _is entitled to_, in order to be able to live and grow! It is of no account that he is often wrong as a thinker; justice and patience are not _his_ affair.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 587

In order at least that they may not _disturb_, the wisdom of all the founders of religions, the small as well as the great, has commended to them the formula of prayer, as a long mechanical labour of the lips, united with an effort of the memory, and with a uniform, prescribed attitude of hands and feet—_and_ eyes!

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 663

_On "Educational Matters."_—In Germany an important educational means is lacking for higher men; namely, the laughter of higher men; these men do not laugh in Germany.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 373

Here is the bath and the refreshment of the ancient spirit:—and perhaps this bath was still more necessary for the rare and sublime natures of the ancient world than for the vulgar.—On the other hand, a vulgar turn in northern works, for example in German music, offends me unutterably.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 331

The "law of nature" sounded to him as blasphemy against God; in truth he would too willingly have seen the whole of mechanics traced back to moral acts of volition and arbitrariness:—but because nobody could render him this service, he _concealed_ nature and mechanism from himself as best he could, and lived in a dream.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1141

Is the "aim," the "purpose," not often enough only an extenuating pretext, an additional self-blinding of conceit, which does not wish it to be said that the ship _follows_ the stream into which it has accidentally run? That it "wishes" to go that way, _because_ it _must_ go that way? That it has a direction, sure enough, but—not a steersman? We still require a criticism of the conception of "purpose."

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1044

It was _modesty_ which invented in Greece the word "philosopher," and left to the play-actors of the spirit the superb arrogance of assuming the name "wise"—the modesty of such monsters of pride and self-glorification as Pythagoras and Plato.—

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 304

The magnanimous person appears to me—at least that kind of magnanimous person who has always made most impression—as a man with the strongest thirst for vengeance, to whom a gratification presents itself close at hand, and who _already_ drinks it off _in imagination_ so copiously, thoroughly, and to the last drop, that an excessive, rapid disgust follows this rapid licentiousness;—he now elevates himself "above himself," as one says, and forgives his enemy, yea, blesses and honours him.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 11

He, however, who could do so would certainly forgive me everything, and more than a little folly, boisterousness and "Joyful Wisdom"—for example, the handful of songs which are given along with the book on this occasion,—songs in which a poet makes merry over all poets in a way not easily pardoned.—Alas, it is not only on the poets and their fine "lyrical sentiments" that this reconvalescent must vent his malignity: who knows what kind of victim he seeks, what kind of monster of material for parody will allure him ere long?

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1145

Also under higher social conditions there grows under similar pressure a similar species of men. Only the histrionic instinct is there for the most part held strictly in check by another instinct, for example, among "diplomatists";—for the rest, I should think that it would always be open to a good diplomatist to become a good actor on the stage, provided his dignity "allowed" it.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 723

_The Joyless Person._—A single joyless person is enough to make constant displeasure and a clouded heaven in a household; and it is only by a miracle that such a person is lacking!—Happiness is not nearly such a contagious disease;—how is that!

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 211

One should consider successively from the same standpoint the virtues of obedience, chastity, piety, and justice.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 387

And fine talking was arrived at by Sophocles!—pardon me this heresy!—It is very different with _serious opera_: all its masters make it their business to prevent their personages being understood. "An occasional word picked up may come to the assistance of the inattentive listener; but on the whole the situation must be self-explanatory,—the _talking_ is of no account!"—so they all think, and so they have all made fun of the words.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 826

Perhaps the whole of _religion_, also, may appear to some distant age as an exercise and a prelude, in like manner as the prelude and preparation of science here exhibit themselves, though _not_ at all practised and regarded as such. Perhaps religion may have been the peculiar means for enabling individual men to enjoy but once the entire self-satisfaction of a God and all his self-redeeming power.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 256

Hunting was then something common: but just as this finally became a privilege of the powerful and noble, and thereby lost the character of the commonplace and the ordinary—by ceasing to be necessary and by becoming an affair of fancy and luxury:—so it might become the same some day with buying and selling.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 458

"He may know the times, _but I know his temper_,—away with the jigging fool!"—shouts Brutus. We may translate this back into the soul of the poet that composed it.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 235

For he thinks of himself, and wishes people to think of him what Napoleon once uttered in his classical style—"I have the right to answer by an eternal 'thus I am' to everything about which complaint is brought against me. I am apart from all the world, I accept conditions from nobody.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1188

So that, for example, a musician could all his life create things which _contradict_ all that his ear and heart, spoilt as they are for listening, prize, relish and prefer:—he would not even require to be aware of the contradiction! As an almost painfully regular experience shows, a person's taste can easily outgrow the taste of his power, even without the latter being thereby paralysed or checked in its productivity.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 314

_The Ultimate Nobility of Character._—What then makes a person "noble"? Certainly not that he makes sacrifices; even the frantic libertine makes sacrifices. Certainly not that he generally follows his passions; there are contemptible passions.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 52

Many drops I waste and spill, So my scornful mood you curse: Who to brim his cup doth fill, Many drops _must_ waste and spill— Yet he thinks the wine no worse.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 914

_One must Learn to Love._—This is our experience in music: we must first _learn_ in general _to hear_, to hear fully, and to distinguish a theme or a melody, we have to isolate and limit it as a life by itself; then we need to exercise effort and good-will in order _to endure_ it in spite of its strangeness, we need patience towards its aspect and expression, and indulgence towards what is odd in it:—in the end there comes a moment when we are _accustomed_ to it, when we expect it, when it dawns upon us that we should miss it if it were lacking; and then it goes on to exercise its spell and charm more and more, and does not cease until we have become its humble and enraptured lovers, who want it, and want it again, and ask for nothing better from the world.—It is thus with us, however, not only in music: it is precisely thus that we have _learned to love_ all things that we now love.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 273

It is simply the law of necessity that operates here: people want to live, and have to sell themselves; but they despise him who exploits their necessity, and _purchases_ the workman.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1168

The constipated bowels betray themselves, one may wager on it, just as the atmosphere of the room, the ceiling of the room, the smallness of the room, betray themselves.—These were my feelings as I was closing a straightforward, learned book, thankful, very thankful, but also relieved....

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 739

_From Experience._—A person often does not know how rich he is, until he learns from experience what rich men even play the thief on him.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 945

If you adherents of this religion actually have the same sentiments towards yourselves which you have towards your fellows, if you are unwilling to endure your own suffering even for an hour, and continually forestall all possible misfortune, if you regard suffering and pain generally as evil, as detestable, as deserving of annihilation, and as blots on existence, well, you have then, besides your religion of compassion, yet another religion in your heart (and this is perhaps the mother of the former)—_the religion of smug ease_.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 367

I want to use the least ambiguous word,—_virtuous stupidity_ is needed, imperturbable conductors of the _slow_ spirits are needed, in order that the faithful of the great collective belief may remain with one another and dance their dance further: it is a necessity of the first importance that here enjoins and demands.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1194

In the same way I interpreted for myself German music as the expression of a Dionysian power in the German soul: I thought I heard in it the earthquake by means of which a primeval force that had been imprisoned for ages was finally finding vent—indifferent as to whether all that usually calls itself culture was thereby made to totter. It is obvious that I then misunderstood what constitutes the veritable character both of philosophical pessimism and of German music,—namely, their _Romanticism_.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1240

He may parade it as his _virtue_; there is no doubt whatever that weakness makes people gentle, alas, so gentle, so just, so inoffensive, so "humane"!—The "religion of pity," to which people would like to persuade us—yes, we know sufficiently well the hysterical little men and women who need this religion at present as a cloak and adornment! We are no humanitarians; we should not dare to speak of our "love of mankind"; for that, a person of our stamp is not enough of an actor!

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 83

Around my neck, on chain of hair, The timepiece hangs—a sign of care. For me the starry course is o'er, No sun and shadow as before, No cockcrow summons at the door, For nature tells the time no more! Too many clocks her voice have drowned, And droning law has dulled her sound.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 111

Life _should_ be loved, _for_ ...! Man _should_ benefit himself and his neighbour, _for_ ...! And whatever all these _shoulds_ and _fors_ imply, and may imply in future!

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 32

Finally, (that the most essential may not remain unsaid), one comes back out of such abysses, out of such severe sickness, and out of the sickness of strong suspicion—_new-born_, with the skin cast; more sensitive, more wicked, with a finer taste for joy, with a more delicate tongue for all good things, with a merrier disposition, with a second and more dangerous innocence in joy; more childish at the same time, and a hundred times more refined than ever before.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 1142

_The Problem of the Actor._—The problem of the actor has disquieted me the longest; I was uncertain (and am sometimes so still) whether one could not get at the dangerous conception of "artist"—a conception hitherto treated with unpardonable leniency—from this point of view.

The Joyful Wisdom (La Gaya Scienza), passage 221

It seems to me that, on this occasion, the God of dreams wanted to make merry over my habits,—it is my habit to commence the day by arranging it properly, to make it endurable _for myself_, and it is possible that I may often have done this too formally, and too much like a prince.