THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA A Book for All and None

Zarathustra is my brothers most personal work; it is the history of his most individual experiences of his friendships ideals raptures bitterest disappointments and sorrows. Above it all however there soars transfiguring it the image of his greatest hopes and remotest aims. My brother had the figure of Zarathustra in his mind from his very earliest youth: he once told me that even as a child he had dreamt of him. At different periods in his life he would call this haunter of his dreams by different names; but in the end he declares in a note on the subject I had to do a PERSIAN the honour of identifying him with this creature of my fancy. Persians were the first to take a broad and comprehensive view of history. Every series of evolutions according to them was presided over by a prophet; and every prophet had his Hazar -his dynasty of a thousand years.