Key Arguments

• He recalls the soothsayer's attempt to seduce him to his 'ultimate sin', linked to the cry of need of the superior humans.
• He recognizes pity and suffering as distractions from his work and as residues of weakness.
• The arrival of the lion and the recognition of his ripeness provide the counter-sign to pity, authorizing his turn away.

Source Quotes

‘It was that I sat yesterday morning; and here the soothsayer came up to me, and here I first heard the cry that I heard even now, the great cry of need. ‘Oh you superior humans, it was of need that the old soothsayer prophesied yesterday morning– ‘– to your need he wanted to tempt and seduce me: “O Zarathustra,” he said to me, “I come to seduce you to your ultimate sin.” ‘To my ultimate sin?’ cried Zarathustra and laughed angrily at his own words: was it that was saved up for me as my ultimate sin?’ – And once more Zarathustra sank into himself and sat down on the large rock again and meditated.

‘Oh you superior humans, it was of need that the old soothsayer prophesied yesterday morning– ‘– to your need he wanted to tempt and seduce me: “O Zarathustra,” he said to me, “I come to seduce you to your ultimate sin.” ‘To my ultimate sin?’ cried Zarathustra and laughed angrily at his own words: was it that was saved up for me as my ultimate sin?’ – And once more Zarathustra sank into himself and sat down on the large rock again and meditated. Suddenly he sprang up– ‘ !’ he cried out, and his visage was transformed into bronze.

‘To my ultimate sin?’ cried Zarathustra and laughed angrily at his own words: was it that was saved up for me as my ultimate sin?’ – And once more Zarathustra sank into himself and sat down on the large rock again and meditated. Suddenly he sprang up– ‘ !’ he cried out, and his visage was transformed into bronze. ‘Well then! – has had its time! ‘My suffering and my pitying– what does that matter!

‘Well then! – has had its time! ‘My suffering and my pitying– what does that matter! Am I striving then for I am striving for my ‘Well then! The lion came, my children are near, Zarathustra has ripened, my hour has come:– ‘This is morning, day is beginning: ’— Thus spoke Zarathustra and left his cave, glowing and strong, like a morning sun coming out of dark mountains.

Key Concepts

• – to your need he wanted to tempt and seduce me: “O Zarathustra,” he said to me, “I come to seduce you to your ultimate sin.”
• ‘To my ultimate sin?’ cried Zarathustra and laughed angrily at his own words:
• ‘ !’ he cried out, and his visage was transformed into bronze. ‘Well then! – has had its time!
• ‘My suffering and my pitying– what does that matter! Am I striving then for I am striving for my

Context

Remembering the prior day’s encounter with the soothsayer and the cry of need, he rejects the path of pity as his 'ultimate sin' and reaffirms his mission.

Perspectives

Nietzsche

Anti-pity stance: pity as decadence and seduction that diverts creators from their task; strength refuses the morality of compassion as ultimate virtue.

Zarathustra

No more: pity is not my law. I turn from the cry of need to my work, my yes, my noon-task.