Love, chastity, woman and marriage

“Lust is sin,”—so say some who preach death—“let us go apart and beget no children!” “Giving birth is troublesome,”—say others—“why still give birth? One beareth only the unfortunate!” And they also are preachers of…

Those who call lust a sin and giving birth troublesome are counted among the preachers of death.

I love the forest. It is bad to live in cities: there, there are too many of the lustful. Is it not better to fall into the hands of a murderer, than into the dreams of a lustful woman? And just look at these men: their…

Zarathustra condemns lustful men and asks for innocence in the instincts rather than their slaughter.

Do I counsel you to slay your instincts? I counsel you to innocence in your instincts.

This sets the chapter's stance on chastity: innocence is the aim, not abstinence.

Do I counsel you to chastity? Chastity is a virtue with some, but with many almost a vice. These are continent, to be sure: but doggish lust looketh enviously out of all that they do. Even into the heights of their…

Chastity is a virtue for some but for many almost a vice, since lust persists in the continent.

And also this parable give I unto you: Not a few who meant to cast out their devil, went thereby into the swine themselves.

Forced chastity can drive a man into the very filth he tried to escape.

Do I speak of filthy things? That is not the worst thing for me to do. Not when the truth is filthy, but when it is shallow, doth the discerning one go unwillingly into its waters. Verily, there are chaste ones from…

Some are chaste by nature, gentle and cheerful, and treat chastity as a guest rather than a struggle.

Far too long hath there been a slave and a tyrant concealed in woman. On that account woman is not yet capable of friendship: she knoweth only love. In woman’s love there is injustice and blindness to all she doth not…

Woman's love is said to be unjust and blind, and woman is judged not yet capable of friendship.

“Why stealest thou along so furtively in the twilight, Zarathustra? And what hidest thou so carefully under thy mantle? Is it a treasure that hath been given thee? Or a child that hath been born thee? Or goest thou…

Frames the chapter's talk of woman as a 'little truth' Zarathustra carries and is pressed to speak.

Everything in woman is a riddle, and everything in woman hath one solution—it is called pregnancy.

The best-known formulation of the chapter's view of woman.

Everything in woman is a riddle, and everything in woman hath one solution—it is called pregnancy. Man is for woman a means: the purpose is always the child. But what is woman for man? Two different things wanteth the…

Zarathustra sets out the different ends of man and woman: the child for her, danger and diversion for him.

A plaything let woman be, pure and fine like the precious stone, illumined with the virtues of a world not yet come. Let the beam of a star shine in your love! Let your hope say: “May I bear the Superman!” In your love…

Love is to hold valour and honour: to love more than one is loved.

Whom hateth woman most?—Thus spake the iron to the loadstone: “I hate thee most, because thou attractest, but art too weak to draw unto thee.” The happiness of man is, “I will.” The happiness of woman is, “He will.”…

The sexes are contrasted: his happiness is 'I will', hers 'He will'; her soul is surface, his deep.

Then answered me the old woman: “Many fine things hath Zarathustra said, especially for those who are young enough for them. Strange! Zarathustra knoweth little about woman, and yet he is right about them! Doth this…

The old woman answers Zarathustra's speech with her own barbed saying about going to women.

“Thou goest to women? Do not forget thy whip!”—

The famous closing line on man and woman.

I have a question for thee alone, my brother: like a sounding-lead, cast I this question into thy soul, that I may know its depth. Thou art young, and desirest child and marriage. But I ask thee: Art thou a man ENTITLED…

Zarathustra tests the young man's wish for child and marriage, asking whether it springs from animal need, isolation or inner discord.

Marriage: so call I the will of the twain to create the one that is more than those who created it.

The central definition: marriage is two people's will to create one beyond themselves, with mutual reverence.

Let this be the significance and the truth of thy marriage. But that which the many-too-many call marriage, those superfluous ones—ah, what shall I call it? Ah, the poverty of soul in the twain! Ah, the filth of soul in…

Examples of ill-matched unions: a saint with a goose, a truth-seeker with a decked-up lie, a bride bought in a sack.

Your love to woman, and woman’s love to man—ah, would that it were sympathy for suffering and veiled deities! But generally two animals alight on one another. But even your best love is only an enraptured simile and a…

Love between man and woman should go beyond itself; only a marriage willed this way is called holy.

And false be every truth which hath not had laughter along with it!

Man is to be fit for war and woman for maternity, both fit for dancing.

Your marriage-arranging: see that it be not a bad ARRANGING! Ye have arranged too hastily: so there FOLLOWETH therefrom—marriage-breaking! And better marriage-breaking than marriage-bending, marriage-lying!—Thus spake a…

A small marriage as a trial for the great marriage, and a garden of marriage for propagating upwards.