A man who has depths in his shame meets his destiny and his delicate decisions upon paths which few ever reach, and with regard to the existence of which his nearest and most intimate friends may be ignorant; his mortal danger conceals itself from their eyes, and equally so his regained security. Such a hidden nature, which instinctively employs speech for silence and concealment, and is inexhaustible in evasion of communication, DESIRES and insists that a mask of himself shall occupy his place in the hearts and heads of his friends; and supposing he does not desire it, his eyes will some day be opened to the fact that there is nevertheless a mask of him there—and that it is well to be so. Every profound spirit needs a mask; nay, more, around every profound spirit there continually grows a mask, owing to the constantly false, that is to say, SUPERFICIAL interpretation of every word he utters, every step he takes, every sign of life he manifests.
Beyond Good and Evil
Table of Contents
- PREFACE 9
- CHAPTER I. PREJUDICES OF PHILOSOPHERS 16
- CHAPTER II. THE FREE SPIRIT 70
- CHAPTER III. THE RELIGIOUS MOOD 118
- CHAPTER IV. APOPHTHEGMS AND INTERLUDES 159
- CHAPTER V. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF MORALS 185
- CHAPTER VI. WE SCHOLARS 235
- CHAPTER VII. OUR VIRTUES 280
- CHAPTER VIII. PEOPLES AND COUNTRIES 338
- CHAPTER IX. WHAT IS NOBLE? 393
- FROM THE HEIGHTS 467
- By F W Nietzsche 468
- Translated by L. A. Magnus 469