XXX. The Famous Wise Ones

The people have ye served and the people’s superstition—NOT the truth!—all ye famous wise ones! And just on that account did they pay you reverence. And on that account also did they tolerate your unbelief, because it…

Zarathustra tells the famous wise ones they have served the people, who tolerated their unbelief as a harmless pleasantry while hunting the free spirit like a wolf. He calls them stiff-necked asses, advocates of the people.

And now, ye famous wise ones, I would have you finally throw off entirely the skin of the lion! The skin of the beast of prey, the speckled skin, and the dishevelled locks of the investigator, the searcher, and the…

He bids them throw off the lion's skin and defines the conscientious as one who goes into the God-forsaken wilderness. The wise ones in the cities, by contrast, pull the people's carts like asses.

And often have they been good servants and worthy of their hire. For thus saith virtue: “If thou must be a servant, seek him unto whom thy service is most useful! The spirit and virtue of thy master shall advance by…

Zarathustra grants that they have been worthy servants and have advanced together with the people. They nevertheless remain the people to him, with blind eyes.

Spirit is life which itself cutteth into life: by its own torture doth it increase its own knowledge,—did ye know that before?

Zarathustra defines spirit as life that cuts into life and increases its knowledge by its own torture.

And the spirit’s happiness is this: to be anointed and consecrated with tears as a sacrificial victim,—did ye know that before? And the blindness of the blind one, and his seeking and groping, shall yet testify to the…

In a series of 'did ye know that before?' questions, Zarathustra describes spirit as sacrifice, anvil, pride and icy depth. He says the scholars know only its sparks, are not eagles, and have made wisdom an almshouse for bad poets.

Respectable do ye there stand, and stiff, and with straight backs, ye famous wise ones!—no strong wind or will impelleth you. Have ye ne’er seen a sail crossing the sea, rounded and inflated, and trembling with the…

The wise ones stand respectable and stiff, moved by no strong wind. Zarathustra's 'wild wisdom' crosses the sea like a sail trembling with the wind, and he asks how they could go with him.