Fourth and Last Part · LXVIII. The Voluntary Beggar

Zarathustra sees through the severity

Thus spake the peaceful one, and puffed himself and perspired with his words: so that the kine wondered anew. Zarathustra, however, kept looking into his face with a smile, all the time the man talked so severely—and shook silently his head.

“Thou doest violence to thyself, thou Preacher-on-the-Mount, when thou usest such severe words. For such severity neither thy mouth nor thine eye have been given thee.

Nor, methinketh, hath thy stomach either: unto IT all such rage and hatred and foaming-over is repugnant. Thy stomach wanteth softer things: thou art not a butcher.

Rather seemest thou to me a plant-eater and a root-man. Perhaps thou grindest corn. Certainly, however, thou art averse to fleshly joys, and thou lovest honey.”

“Thou hast divined me well,” answered the voluntary beggar, with lightened heart. “I love honey, I also grind corn; for I have sought out what tasteth sweetly and maketh pure breath:

—Also what requireth a long time, a day’s-work and a mouth’s-work for gentle idlers and sluggards.

Furthest, to be sure, have those kine carried it: they have devised ruminating and lying in the sun. They also abstain from all heavy thoughts which inflate the heart.”

Zarathustra smiles and tells the beggar that such rage does not suit his mouth, eye or stomach. The beggar admits he loves honey and grinding corn, and praises the cows for ruminating, lying in the sun and avoiding heavy thoughts.

Sickness, convalescence and the great disgustThe beggar's severity is shown to be forced; his gentle nature seeks sweet food and rest after disgust.
Fidelity to the earth and the bodyZarathustra reads the beggar's character from his stomach and diet, a plant-eater who loves honey.

Commentary on this chapter

What the critics said

Anthony M. Ludovici, Notes on Thus Spake Zarathustra (1909)

Voluntary beggar: Buddha and purified ChristAnthony M. Ludovici · Notes on Thus Spake Zarathustra, 1909interpretation

Ludovici identifies the voluntary beggar with the ideal Buddhist, a decadent religion whose values come from the higher rather than the lower classes, and sees in him Nietzsche's purified portrait of Christ, stripped of the spiteful traits added by apologists.