Where you are, there must always be dregs at hand, and much that is spongy, hollow, and compressed: it wants to have freedom.
'Freedom' you all roar most eagerly: but I have unlearned the belief in 'great events,' when there is much roaring and smoke about them.
And believe me, friend Hullabaloo! The greatest events- are not our noisiest, but our still hours.
Not around the inventors of new noise, but around the inventors of new values, does the world revolve; inaudibly it revolves.
And just own to it! Little had ever taken place when your noise and smoke passed away. What, if a city did become a mummy, and a statue lay in the mud!
And this do I say also to the o'erthrowers of statues: It is certainly the greatest folly to throw salt into the sea, and statues into the mud.
In the mud of your contempt lay the statue: but it is just its law, that out of contempt, its life and living beauty grow again!
With diviner features does it now arise, seducing by its suffering; and verily! it will yet thank you for o'erthrowing it, you subverters!
This counsel, however, do I counsel to kings and churches, and to all that is weak with age or virtue- let yourselves be o'erthrown! That you may again come to life, and that virtue- may come to you!-"
Thus spoke I before the fire-dog: then did he interrupt me sullenly, and asked: "Church? What is that?"
"Church?" answered I, "that is a kind of state, and indeed the most mendacious. But remain quiet, you dissembling dog! you surely know your own species best!
Like yourself the state is a dissembling dog; like you does
