An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 941 words)
lee, my friend, into thy solitude! I see thee deafened with the noise
of the great men, and stung all over with the stings of the little ones.
Admirably do forest and rock know how to be silent with thee. Resemble
again the tree which thou lovest, the broad-branched one—silently and
attentively it o’erhangeth the sea.
Where solitude endeth, there beginneth the market-place; and where the
market-place beginneth, there beginneth also the noise of the great
actors, and the buzzing of the poison-flies.
In the world even the best things are worthless without those who
represent them: those representers, the people call great men.
Little do the people understand what is great—that is to say, the
creating agency. But they have a taste for all representers and actors
of great things.
Around the devisers of new values revolveth the world:—invisibly it
revolveth. But around the actors revolve the people and the glory: such
is the course of things.
Spirit, hath the actor, but little conscience of the spirit. He
believeth always in that wherewith he maketh believe most strongly—in
HIMSELF!
To-morrow he hath a new belief, and the day after, one still newer. Sharp
perceptions hath he, like the people, and changeable humours.
To upset—that meaneth with him to prove. To drive mad—that meaneth
with him to convince. And blood is counted by him as the best of all
arguments.
A truth which only glideth into fine ears, he calleth falsehood and
trumpery. Verily, he believeth only in Gods that make a great noise in
the world!
Full of clattering buffoons is the market-place,—and the people glory
in their great men! These are for them the masters of the hour.
But the hour presseth them; so they press thee. And also from thee
they want Yea or Nay. Alas! thou wouldst set thy chair betwixt For and
Against?
On account of those absolute and impatient ones, be not jealous, thou
lover of truth! Never yet did truth cling to the arm of an absolute one.
On account of those abrupt ones, return into thy security: only in the
market-place is one assailed by Yea? or Nay?
Slow is the experience of all deep fountains: long have they to wait
until they know WHAT hath fallen into their depths.
Away from the market-place and from fame taketh place all that is great:
away from the market-place and from fame have ever dwelt the devisers of
new values.
Flee, my friend, into thy solitude: I see thee stung all over by the
poisonous flies. Flee thither, where a rough, strong breeze bloweth!
Flee into thy solitude! Thou hast lived too closely to the small and the
pitiable. Flee from their invisible vengeance! Towards thee they have
nothing but vengeance.
Raise no longer an arm against them! Innumerable are they, and it is not
thy lot to be a fly-flap.
Innumerable are the small and pitiable ones; and of many a proud
structure, rain-drops and weeds have been the ruin.
Thou art not stone; but already hast thou become hollow by the numerous
drops. Thou wilt yet break and burst by the numerous drops.
Exhausted I see thee, by poisonous flies; bleeding I see thee, and torn
at a hundred spots; and thy pride will not even upbraid.
Blood they would have from thee in all innocence; blood their bloodless
souls crave for—and they sting, therefore, in all innocence.
But thou, profound one, thou sufferest too profoundly even from small
wounds; and ere thou hadst recovered, the same poison-worm crawled over
thy hand.
Too proud art thou to kill these sweet-tooths. But take care lest it be
thy fate to suffer all their poisonous injustice!
They buzz around thee also with their praise: obtrusiveness, is their
praise. They want to be close to thy skin and thy blood.
They flatter thee, as one flattereth a God or devil; they whimper before
thee, as before a God or devil. What doth it come to! Flatterers are
they, and whimperers, and nothing more.
Often, also, do they show themselves to thee as amiable ones. But that
hath ever been the prudence of the cowardly. Yea! the cowardly are wise!
They think much about thee with their circumscribed souls—thou art
always suspected by them! Whatever is much thought about is at last
thought suspicious.
They punish thee for all thy virtues. They pardon thee in their inmost
hearts only—for thine errors.
Because thou art gentle and of upright character, thou sayest:
“Blameless are they for their small existence.” But their circumscribed
souls think: “Blamable is all great existence.”
Even when thou art gentle towards them, they still feel themselves
despised by thee; and they repay thy beneficence with secret
maleficence.
Thy silent pride is always counter to their taste; they rejoice if once
thou be humble enough to be frivolous.
What we recognise in a man, we also irritate in him. Therefore be on
your guard against the small ones!
In thy presence they feel themselves small, and their baseness gleameth
and gloweth against thee in invisible vengeance.
Sawest thou not how often they became dumb when thou approachedst them,
and how their energy left them like the smoke of an extinguishing fire?
Yea, my friend, the bad conscience art thou of thy neighbours; for they
are unworthy of thee. Therefore they hate thee, and would fain suck thy
blood.
Thy neighbours will always be poisonous flies; what is great in
thee—that itself must make them more poisonous, and always more
fly-like.
Flee, my friend, into thy solitude—and thither, where a rough strong
breeze bloweth. It is not thy lot to be a fly-flap.—
Thus spake Zarathustra.
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
People unconsciously sabotage others' growth to avoid confronting their own stagnation.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to distinguish between people offering genuine concern versus those unconsciously sabotaging your growth to protect their own comfort.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone's 'helpful advice' makes you feel drained rather than supported—that's often the buzz of a poisonous fly.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Flee, my friend, into thy solitude! I see thee deafened with the noise of the great men, and stung all over with the stings of the little ones."
Context: Opening advice to someone being worn down by constant social pressure and criticism
This establishes the central problem: creative people get attacked from both sides—big egos demanding attention and small minds picking them apart. The solution isn't to fight back but to strategically withdraw and protect your energy.
In Today's Words:
Get away from all these people draining your energy—both the attention-seekers and the nitpickers are wearing you down.
"Where solitude endeth, there beginneth the market-place; and where the market-place beginneth, there beginneth also the noise of the great actors, and the buzzing of the poison-flies."
Context: Explaining why creative people need to withdraw from social spaces
This draws a clear line between spaces for deep thinking and spaces for performance. The marketplace represents anywhere you have to constantly explain yourself or compete for attention rather than actually create.
In Today's Words:
As soon as you're around other people, it becomes about performing and dealing with drama instead of actually getting work done.
"Little do the people understand what is great—that is to say, the creating agency. But they have a taste for all representers and actors of great things."
Context: Explaining why society rewards performers over creators
This reveals a harsh truth about human nature: most people can't recognize real creativity when they see it, but they're drawn to anyone who can perform or explain it entertainingly. It's why teachers often get more credit than researchers.
In Today's Words:
People don't appreciate the person who actually comes up with new ideas, but they love whoever can package and sell those ideas with style.
"Around the devisers of new values revolveth the world:—invisibly it revolveth. But around the actors revolve the people and the glory: such is the course of things."
Context: Describing how real change happens behind the scenes while fake change gets attention
This explains why truly important work often goes unrecognized while flashy performances get all the credit. Real creators work invisibly, changing the world through their ideas, while actors get the fame for representing those ideas.
In Today's Words:
The people who actually change the world work quietly in the background, while the people who just talk about change get all the fame and credit.
Thematic Threads
Class Mobility
In This Chapter
The 'poisonous flies' represent the social pressure that keeps people in their assigned class positions
Development
Building on earlier themes of self-creation, now showing the external obstacles to transformation
In Your Life:
You might face this when pursuing education or career advancement that your social circle sees as 'above your station.'
Authentic vs Performed Identity
In This Chapter
Zarathustra contrasts genuine creators who work in solitude with 'actors' who perform greatness for applause
Development
Deepens the theme of authentic self-creation by showing how external validation corrupts the process
In Your Life:
You might catch yourself changing your goals based on what gets praise rather than what truly matters to you.
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
The marketplace represents society's demand that you constantly explain and justify your choices
Development
Expands on conformity pressure by showing how society demands immediate answers to complex personal decisions
In Your Life:
You might feel exhausted by constantly having to defend your life choices to family, friends, or coworkers.
Solitude as Strength
In This Chapter
Zarathustra advocates strategic retreat from social noise to protect creative development
Development
Introduces solitude as a necessary tool for growth, not just personal preference
In Your Life:
You might need to limit social media or family gatherings during periods of major life changes to maintain focus.
Energy Management
In This Chapter
The chapter shows how dealing with critics and energy vampires drains the resources needed for actual creation
Development
New theme focusing on the practical aspects of protecting mental and emotional energy
In Your Life:
You might notice certain people leave you feeling depleted while others energize your goals and dreams.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Who are the 'poisonous flies' in Zarathustra's warning, and what do they actually do to people trying to create something meaningful?
analysis • surface - 2
Why do these 'flies' buzz around creators and innovators? What's driving their behavior if it's not pure malice?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about someone you know who started improving themselves—going back to school, starting a business, getting healthy. What kind of reactions did they get from people close to them?
application • medium - 4
Zarathustra suggests retreating to solitude rather than fighting every 'fly.' When would this strategy work in real life, and when might you need a different approach?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter reveal about why people resist change in others, even when that change could benefit everyone?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Flies
Think of a goal you're working toward or a change you want to make in your life. Write down the names of 5-7 people who would likely have opinions about this goal. Next to each name, predict their specific reaction—what would they say or do? Finally, categorize each person as either a 'supporter,' a 'neutral observer,' or a 'fly.' This isn't about judging people harshly; it's about realistic preparation.
Consider:
- •Some 'flies' genuinely believe they're helping you avoid disappointment
- •The people closest to you might have the strongest reactions because your change affects them most
- •Your biggest supporters might not be who you expect
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone's 'helpful' advice or constant questions made you doubt a decision you felt good about. What was really happening in that interaction, and how would you handle it differently now?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 13: On Chastity and Hidden Desires
Zarathustra heads into the forest, declaring his love for nature over city life. But what he discovers about the lustful inhabitants of cities—and what this reveals about human nature—will challenge everything we think we know about civilization versus wilderness.
