65A. We are most dishonourable towards our God: he is not permitted to sin.
66
The tendency of a person to allow himself to be degraded, robbed, deceived, and exploited might be the diffidence of a God among men.
67
Love to one only is a barbarity, for it is exercised at the expense of all others. Love to God also!
68
“I did that,” says my memory. “I could not have done that,” says my pride, and remains inexorable. Eventually—the memory yields.
69
One has regarded life carelessly, if one has failed to see the hand that—kills with leniency.
70
If a man has character, he has also his typical experience, which always recurs.
71
The Sage as Astronomer—So long as thou feelest the stars as an “above thee,” thou lackest the eye of the discerning one.
72
It is not the strength, but the duration of great sentiments that makes great men.
73
He who attains his ideal, precisely thereby surpasses it.
73A. Many a peacock hides his tail from every eye—and calls it his pride.
74
A man of genius is unbearable, unless he possess at least two things besides: gratitude and purity.
75
The degree and nature of a man’s sensuality extends to the highest altitudes of his spirit.
76
Under peaceful conditions the militant man attacks himself.
77
With his principles a man seeks either to dominate, or justify, or honour, or reproach, or conceal his habits: two men with the same principles probably seek fundamentally different ends therewith.
78
He who despises himself, nevertheless esteems himself thereby, as a despiser.
79
A soul which knows that it is loved, but does not itself love, betrays its sediment: its dregs come up.
80
A thing that is explained ceases to concern us—What did the God mean who gave the advice, “Know thyself!” Did it perhaps imply “Cease to be concerned about thyself! become objective!”—And Socrates?—And the “scientific man”?
81
It is terrible to die of thirst at sea. Is it necessary that you should so salt your truth that it will no longer—quench thirst?
82
“Sympathy for all”—would be harshness and tyranny for thee, my good neighbour.
83
Instinct—When the house is on fire one forgets even the dinner—Yes, but one recovers it from among the ashes.
84
Woman learns how to hate in proportion as she—forgets how to charm.
85
The same emotions are in man and woman, but in different tempo, on that account man and woman never cease to misunderstand each other.
86
In the background of all their personal vanity, women themselves have still their impersonal scorn—for “woman.”
87
Fettered Heart, Free Spirit—When one firmly fetters one’s heart and keeps it prisoner, one can allow one’s spirit many liberties: I said this once before. But people do not believe it when I say so, unless they know it already.
88
One begins to distrust very clever persons when they become embarrassed.
89
Dreadful experiences raise the question whether he who experiences them is not something dreadful also.
90
Heavy, melancholy men turn lighter, and come temporarily to their surface, precisely by that which makes others heavy—by hatred and love.
91
So cold, so icy, that one burns one’s finger at the touch of him! Every hand that lays hold of him shrinks back!—And for that very reason many think him red-hot.
92
Who has not, at one time or another—sacrificed himself for the sake of his good name?
93
In affability there is no hatred of men, but precisely on that account a great deal too much contempt of men.
94
The maturity of man—that means, to have reacquired the seriousness that one had as a child at play.
95
To be ashamed of one’s immorality is a step on the ladder at the end of which one is ashamed also of one’s morality.
96
One should part from life as Ulysses parted from Nausicaa—blessing it rather than in love with it.
97
What? A great man? I always see merely the play-actor of his own ideal.
98
When one trains one’s conscience, it kisses one while it bites.
99
The Disappointed One Speaks—“I listened for the echo and I heard only praise.”
100
We all feign to ourselves that we are simpler than we are, we thus relax ourselves away from our fellows.
101
A discerning one might easily regard himself at present as the animalization of God.
102
Discovering reciprocal love should really disenchant the lover with regard to the beloved. “What! She is modest enough to love even you? Or stupid enough? Or—or—”
103
The Danger in Happiness—“Everything now turns out best for me, I now love every fate:—who would like to be my fate?”
104
Not their love of humanity, but the impotence of their love, prevents the Christians of today—burning us.
105
The pia fraus is still more repugnant to the taste (the “piety”) of the free spirit (the “pious man of knowledge”) than the impia fraus. Hence the profound lack of judgment, in comparison with the Church, characteristic of the type “free spirit”—as its non-freedom.
106
By means of music the very passions enjoy themselves.
107
A sign of strong character, when once the resolution has been taken, to shut the ear even to the best counterarguments. Occasionally, therefore, a will to stupidity.
108
There is no such thing as moral phenomena, but only a moral interpretation of phenomena.
109
The criminal is often enough not equal to his deed: he extenuates and maligns it.
110
The advocates of a criminal are seldom artists enough to turn the beautiful terribleness
