Excerpts on The Will to Power

from various books by Friedrich Nietzsche

THE GAY SCIENCE (1882)
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13.
On the doctrine of the feeling of power. Benefiting and hurting others are ways of exercising one's power
upon othersthat is all one desires in such cases! One hurts those whom one wants to feel one's power; for pain
is a much more efficient means to that end than pleasure:pain always raises the uestion a!out its origin while
pleasure is inclined to stop with itself without loo"ing !ac". #e benefit and show !ene$olence to those who are
already dependent on us in some way %which means that they are used to thin"ing of us as causes&; we want to
increase their power !ecause in that way we increase ours' or we want to show them how ad$antageous it is to
!e in our powerthat way they will !ecome more satisfied with their condition and more hostile to and willing
to fight against the enemies of our power. #hether !enefiting or hurting others in$ol$es sacrifices for us does
not affect the ultimate $alue of our actions; e$en if we offer our li$es' as martyrs do for their church' this is a
sacrifice that is offered for our desire for power or for the purpose of preser$ing our feeling of power. (hose
who feel )* possess (ruth)how many possessions would they not a!andon in order to sa$e this feeling! #hat
would they not throw o$er!oard to stay )on top)which means' above the others who lac" )the (ruth)!
[omissions]
56.
The craving for suffering. #hen * thin" of the cra$ing to do something' which continually tic"les and spurs
those millions of young +uropeans who cannot endure their !oredom and themsel$es'then * reali,e that they
must ha$e a cra$ing to suffer and to find in their suffering a pro!a!le reason for action' for deeds. -eediness is
needed!
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163.
After a great victory. #hat is !est a!out a great $ictory is that it li!erates the $ictor from the fear of defeat.
)#hy not !e defeated some time' too.)he says to himself: )-ow * am rich enough for that.)
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268.
What makes one heroic. /oing out to meet at the same time one's highest suffering and one's highest hope.
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341.
0
)#hat' if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: '(his
life as you now li$e it and ha$e li$ed it' you will ha$e to li$e once more and innumera!le times more' ... #ould
you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spo"e thus. Or ha$e you once
experienced a tremendous moment when you would ha$e answered him: '1ou are a god and ne$er ha$e * heard
anything more di$ine.')
THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA (1883)
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3.
When Zarathustra arrived at the nearest town which adoineth the forest! he found many people assembled in the market"place# for it
had been announced that a rope"dancer would $ive a performance% &nd Zarathustra spake thus unto the people'
( teach you the )uperman% *an is somethin$ that is to be surpassed% What have ye done to surpass man+
&ll bein$s hitherto have created somethin$ beyond themselves' and ye want to be the ebb of that $reat tide! and would rather $o back
to the beast than surpass man+
What is the ape to man+ & lau$hin$"stock! a thin$ of shame% &nd ust the same shall man be to the )uperman' a lau$hin$"stock! a
thin$ of shame%
,e have made your way from the worm to man! and much within you is still worm% -nce were ye apes! and even yet man is more of
an ape than any of the apes%
Even the wisest amon$ you is only a disharmony and hybrid of plant and phantom% .ut do ( bid you become phantoms or plants+
/o! ( teach you the )uperman0
The )uperman is the meanin$ of the earth%
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4.
Zarathustra! however! looked at the people and wondered% Then he spake thus'
*an is a rope stretched between the animal and the )uperman3a rope over an abyss%
& dan$erous crossin$! a dan$erous wayfarin$! a dan$erous lookin$"back! a dan$erous tremblin$ and haltin$%
What is $reat in man is that he is a brid$e and not a $oal'
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1. T!" T!o#s$n% $n% &n" Go$'s
*&N, lands saw Zarathustra! and many peoples' thus he discovered the $ood and bad of many peoples% No $reater power did
Zarathustra find on earth than $ood and bad%
No people could live without first valuin$# if a people will maintain itself! however! it must not value as its nei$hbor valueth%
*uch that passed for $ood with one people was re$arded with scorn and contempt by another' thus ( found it% *uch found ( here
called bad! which was there decked with purple honors%
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Never did the one nei$hbor understand the other' ever did his soul marvel at his nei$hbor4s delusion and wickedness%
& table of excellencies han$eth over every people% /o0 it is the table of their triumphs# lo0 it is the voice of their Will to Power%
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22. T!" ("s)o*in+ ,i-)#"
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When your heart overfloweth broad and full like the river! a blessin$ and a dan$er to the lowlanders' there is the ori$in of your virtue%
When ye are exalted above praise and blame! and your will would command all thin$s! as a lovin$ one4s will' there is the ori$in of
your virtue%
When ye despise pleasant thin$s! and the effeminate couch! and cannot couch far enou$h from the effeminate' there is the ori$in of
your virtue%
When ye are willers of one will! and when that chan$e of every need is needful to you' there is the ori$in of your virtue%
5erily! a new $ood and evil is it0 5erily! a new deep murmurin$! and the voice of a new fountain0
Power is it! this new virtue# a rulin$ thou$ht is it! and around it a subtle soul' a $olden sun! with the serpent of knowled$e around it%
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24. In )!" H$../ Is'"s
6ould ye create a 7od+3Then! ( pray you! be silent about all $ods0 .ut ye could well create the )uperman%
Not perhaps ye yourselves! my brethren0 .ut into fathers and forefathers of the )uperman could ye transform yourselves' and let that
be your best creatin$03
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20. T!" T$-$n)#'$s
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ye preachers of e8uality0 Tarantulas are ye unto me! and secretly reven$eful ones0
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With these preachers of e8uality will ( not be mixed up and confounded% For thus speaketh ustice unto me' 9*en are not e8ual%:
&nd neither shall they become so0 What would be my love to the )uperman! if ( spake otherwise+
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34. S"'12S#-.$ssin+
9W(// to Truth: do ye call it! ye wisest ones! that which impelleth you and maketh you ardent+
Will for the thinkableness of all bein$' thus do ( call your will0
&ll bein$ would ye make thinkable' for ye doubt with $ood reason whether it be already thinkable%
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.ut it shall accommodate and bend itself to you0 )o willeth your will% )mooth shall it become and subect to the spirit! as its mirror
and reflection%
That is your entire will! ye wisest ones! as a Will to Power#
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The i$norant! to be sure! the people3they are like a river on which a boat floateth alon$' and in the boat sit the estimates of value!
solemn and dis$uised%
,our will and your valuations have ye put on the river of becomin$# it betrayeth unto me an old Will to Power! what is believed by the
people as $ood and evil%
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(t is not the river that is your dan$er and the end of your $ood and evil! ye wisest ones' but that Will itself! the Will to Power3the
unexhausted! procreatin$ life"will%
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Wherever ( found a livin$ thin$! there found ( Will to Power# and even in the will of the servant found ( the will to be master%
That to the stron$er the weaker shall serve3thereto persuadeth he his will who would be master over a still weaker one% That deli$ht
alone he is unwillin$ to fore$o%
&nd as the lesser surrendereth himself to the $reater that he may have deli$ht and power over the least of all! so doth even the
$reatest surrender himself! and staketh3life! for the sake of power%
(t is the surrender of the $reatest to run risk and dan$er! and play dice for death%
&nd where there is sacrifice and service and love"$lances! there also is the will to be master% .y by"ways doth the weaker then slink
into the fortress! and into the heart of the mi$htier one3and there stealeth power%
&nd this secret spake /ife herself unto me% 9.ehold!: said she! 9( am that which must ever surpass itself%
To be sure! ye call it will to procreation! or impulse towards a $oal! towards the hi$her! remoter! more manifold' but all that is one
and the same secret%
;ather would ( succumb than disown this one thin$# and verily! where there is succumbin$ and leaf"fallin$! lo! there doth /ife
sacrifice itself3for power0
That ( have to be stru$$le! and becomin$! and purpose! and cross"purpose3ah! he who divineth my will! divineth well also on what
crooked paths it hath to tread0
Whatever ( create! and however much ( love it!3soon must ( be adverse to it! and to my love' so willeth my will%
&nd even thou! discernin$ one! art only a path and footstep of my will' verily! my Will to Power walketh even on the feet of thy Will to
Truth0
<e certainly did not hit the truth who shot at it the formula' 9Will to existence:' that will3doth not exist0
For what is not! cannot will# that! however! which is in existence3how could it still strive for existence0
-nly where there is life! is there also will' not! however! Will to /ife! but3so teach ( thee3Will to Power0
*uch is reckoned hi$her than life itself by the livin$ one# but out of the very reckonin$ speaketh3the Will to Power0=3
Thus did /ife once teach me' and thereby! ye wisest ones! do ( solve you the riddle of your hearts%
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43. 3$n'/ P-#%"n4"
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5erily! there is still a future even for evil0 &nd the warmest south is still undiscovered by man%
<ow many thin$s are now called the worst wickedness! which are only twelve feet broad and three months lon$0 )ome day! however!
will $reater dra$ons come into the world%
For that the )uperman may not lack his dra$on! the super"dra$on that is worthy of him! there must still much warm sun $low on
moist vir$in forests0
-ut of your wild cats must ti$ers have evolved! and out of your poison"toads! crocodiles' for the $ood hunter shall have a $ood hunt0
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5. T!" Con6$'"s4"n)
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9Eternally he returneth! the man of whom thou art weary! the small man=3so yawned my sadness! and dra$$ed its foot and could
not $o to sleep%
& cavern! became the human earth to me# its breast caved in# everythin$ livin$ became to me human dust and bones and molderin$
past%
*y si$hin$ sat on all human $raves! and could no lon$er arise' my si$hin$ and 8uestionin$ croaked and choked! and $nawed and
na$$ed day and ni$ht'
3 9&h! man returneth eternally0 The small man returneth eternally0:
Naked had ( once seen both of them! the $reatest man and the smallest man' all too like one another3all too human! even the
$reatest man0
&ll too small! even the $reatest man03that was my dis$ust at man0 &nd the eternal return also of the smallest man03that was my
dis$ust at all existence0
53. T!" Hi+!"- 3$n
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The most careful ask today' 9<ow is man to be maintained+: Zarathustra however asketh! as the first and only one' 9<ow is man to
be surpassed+:
The )uperman! ( have at heart# that is the first and only thin$ to me3and not man' not the nei$hbor! not the poorest! not the
sorriest! not the best%3
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That asketh and asketh and never tireth' 9<ow is man to maintain himself best! lon$est! most pleasantly+: Thereby3are they the
masters of today%
These masters of today3surpass them! - my brethren3these petty people' they are the )uperman4s $reatest dan$er0
)urpass! ye hi$her men! the petty virtues! the petty policy! the sand"$rain considerateness! the ant"hill trumpery! the pitiable
comfortableness! the 9happiness of the $reatest number=30
&nd rather despair than submit yourselves% &nd verily! ( love you! because ye know not today how to live! ye hi$her men0 For thus do
ye live3best0
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5
9*an is evil=3so said to me for consolation! all the wisest ones% &h! if only it be still true today0 For the evil is man4s best force%
9*an must become better and eviler=3so do ( teach% The evilest is necessary for the )uperman4s best%
(t may have been well for the preacher of the petty people to suffer and be burdened by men4s sin% (! however! reoice in $reat sin as
my $reat consolation%3
)uch thin$s! however! are not said for lon$ ears% Every word! also! is not suited for every mouth% These are fine far"away thin$s' at
them sheep4s claws shall not $rasp0
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>o not will anythin$ beyond your power' there is a bad falseness in those who will beyond their power%
Especially when they will $reat thin$s0 For they awaken distrust in $reat thin$s! these subtle false"coiners and sta$e"layers'3
?ntil at last they are false towards themselves! s8uint"eyed! whited cankers! $lossed over with stron$ words! parade virtues and
brilliant false deeds%
Take $ood care there! ye hi$her men0 For nothin$ is more precious to me! and rarer! than honesty%
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THE ANTICHRIST (1888)
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What is $ood+3Whatever au$ments the feelin$ of power! the will to power! power itself! in man%
What is evil+3Whatever sprin$s from weakness%
What is happiness+3The feelin$ that power increases3that resistance is overcome%
Not contentment! but more power# not peace at any price! but war# not virtue! but efficiency @virtue in the ;enaissance sense! virtu,
virtue free of moral acidA%
The weak and the botched shall perish' first principle of our charity% &nd one should help them to it%
What is more harmful than any vice+3Practical sympathy for the botched and the weak36hristianity%%%
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