What is the greatest thing ye can experience? It is the hour of great contempt. The hour in which even your happiness becometh loathsome unto you, and so also your reason and virtue.

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

It was a subtle refinement of God to learn Greek when he wished to write a book – and that he did not learn it better.

Good prose is written only face to face with poetry.

The lack of closeness among friends is a fault that cannot be reprimanded without becoming incurable.

Today I love myself as I love my god: who could charge me with a sin today? I know only sins against my god; but who knows my god?

With regard to philosophical metaphysics, I always see increasing numbers who have attained to the negative goal, but as yet few who climb a few rungs backwards; one ought to look out, perhaps, over the last steps of the ladder, but not try to stand upon them.