Key Arguments

• He came 'by many different paths and ways' and 'not on one ladder alone' to his vantage points.
• He 'only with reluctance' asked the way; instead he questioned and tried the ways themselves.
• One must also learn how to answer questioning—implying dialogical rigour.
• He avows his standard as 'my taste' and refuses to be ashamed of it; it is neither 'good' nor 'bad' in the inherited moral sense.
• He answers seekers: 'This– is just my way:– where is yours?' and declares 'the way– does not exist!'—repudiating universal paths.

Source Quotes

With rope-ladders I learned to climb up to many a window, with nimble legs I clambered up tall masts: to sit atop tall masts of understanding seemed no small bliss to me– – to flicker like small flames on tall masts: a small light, to be sure, and yet a great consolation for sea-driven sailors and castaways! By many different paths and ways have I come to my truth; not on one ladder alone have I climbed to the heights from which my eye roams into my distances. And only with reluctance did I ever ask the way– that always went against my taste!

By many different paths and ways have I come to my truth; not on one ladder alone have I climbed to the heights from which my eye roams into my distances. And only with reluctance did I ever ask the way– that always went against my taste! Rather I would question and try out the ways themselves. A trying and questioning was all my going: and verily, one must also how to answer such questioning!

Rather I would question and try out the ways themselves. A trying and questioning was all my going: and verily, one must also how to answer such questioning! But this– is my taste: – not good, not bad, but taste, about which I am no longer secretive or ashamed. ‘This– is just way:– where is yours?’

A trying and questioning was all my going: and verily, one must also how to answer such questioning! But this– is my taste: – not good, not bad, but taste, about which I am no longer secretive or ashamed. ‘This– is just way:– where is yours?’

But this– is my taste: – not good, not bad, but taste, about which I am no longer secretive or ashamed. ‘This– is just way:– where is yours?’ Thus I answered those who asked of me ‘the way’. For way– does not exist! Thus spoke Zarathustra.

Key Concepts

• By many different paths and ways have I come to my truth; not on one ladder alone have I climbed to the heights from which my eye roams into my distances.
• And only with reluctance did I ever ask the way– that always went against my taste! Rather I would question and try out the ways themselves.
• A trying and questioning was all my going: and verily, one must also how to answer such questioning! But this– is my taste:
• – not good, not bad, but taste, about which I am no longer secretive or ashamed.
• ‘This– is just way:– where is yours?’ Thus I answered those who asked of me ‘the way’. For way– does not exist!

Context

Culmination of the passage; Zarathustra discloses his method (experimental, plural paths) and norm (taste), rejecting universality of 'the way.'

Perspectives

Nietzsche

Approves pluralism of paths and experimental method; 'taste' as rank-physiology replaces moral good/evil; denies a single Way, consistent with perspectivism.

Zarathustra

I will not be a lawgiver of the one path; I show my way as an example and ask others to find theirs by trial, taste, and ascent.