ON WAR AND WARRIORS

ON WAR AND WARRIORS

WE DO NOT WANT to be spared by our best enemies, nor by those either whom we love thoroughly. So let me tell you the truth!

My brothers in war!6 I love you thoroughly,7 I am and I was of your kind. And I am also your best enemy. So let me tell you the truth!

I know of the hatred and envy of your hearts. You are not great enough not to know hatred and envy. Then be great enough not to be ashamed of them!

And if you cannot be saints of knowledge, at least be its warriors. They are the companions and forerunners of such sainthood.

I see many soldiers: would that I saw many warriors! One calls what they wear a “uniform”: would that what it conceals were not uniform!

You should have eyes ever seeking for an enemy—for your enemy. And some of you hate at first sight.

You shall seek your enemy, you shall wage your war, and for the sake of your thoughts! And if your thoughts are vanquished, then your honesty should still find triumph in that!

You shall love peace as a means to new wars-and the short peace more than the long one.

To you I advise not work but battle. To you I advise not peace but victory. Let your work be a battle, let your peace be a victory!

One can be silent and sit still only when one has arrow and bow: otherwise one chatters and quarrels. Let your peace be a victory!

You say it is the good cause that hallows even war? I say to you: it is the good war that hallows any cause.

War and courage have done more great things than love of the neighbor. Not your pity but your courage has so far saved the unfortunate.

“What is good?” you ask. To be brave is good. Let the little girls say: “To be good is what is both pretty and touching.”

They call you heartless: but you have a heart, and I love you for being ashamed to show it. You are ashamed of your flow, while others are ashamed of their ebb.

You are ugly? Well then, my brothers, wrap the sublime about you, the mantle of the ugly!

And when your soul becomes great, then it becomes playful, and in your sublimity there is malice. I know you.

In malice the prankster and the weakling meet. But they misunderstand one another. I know you.

You may have only enemies whom you can hate, not enemies you despise. You must be proud of your enemy: then the successes of your enemy are your successes too.

Recalcitrance-that is the nobility of slaves. Let your nobility be obedience. Let your commanding itself be obeying!

To the good warrior “thou shalt” sounds more pleasant than “I will.” And all that is dear to you, you shall first have it commanded to you.

Let your love of life be love of your highest hope: and let your highest hope be the highest thought of life!

Your highest thought, however, you should receive as a commandment from me—and it is: man is something that shall be overcome.

So live your life of obedience and of war! What matters long life! What warrior wants to be spared!

I do not spare you, I love you thoroughly, my brothers in war!—

Thus spoke Zarathustra.