Character Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche
““When your heart flows broad and full like a river, a blessing and a danger to those living near: there is the origin of your virtue. When you are above praise and blame, and your will wants to command all things, like a lover's will: there is the origin of your virtue. When you despise the agreeable and the soft bed and cannot bed yourself far enough from the soft: there is the origin of your virtue. When you will with a single will and you call this cessation of all need "necessity": there is the origin of your virtue. Verily, a new good and evil is she. Verily, a new deep murmur and the voice of a new well! Power is she, this new virtue; a dominant thought is she, and around her a wise soul: a golden sun, and around it the serpent of knowledge.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Part III, 1883
The passage describes how true virtue arises from inner depth, self‑command, and a profound, solitary will that transcends ordinary values, creating a new source of power and insight.
In simple terms: Virtue comes from deep inner will and self‑mastery.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate inner discipline beyond external praise.
Themes
self‑mastery
inner depth
transcendence
power
wisdom
Mood
reflective
introspective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal meditation
- creative work
- leadership decisions
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
Will to power
philosophical dualism
existential authenticity
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance inner mastery with social responsibility?
- What risks arise from seeking virtue solely through personal will?
A Different Perspective
Such deep self‑command can isolate you from community and empathy.
