--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here the spirit becomes a lion who would…" description: "\"Here the spirit becomes a lion who would conquer his freedom and be master… Who is the great dragon whom the spirit will no longer call lord and go? ‘T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/friedrich-nietzsche-15_conquer_here-the-spirit-becomes-a-lion-who-would_1652891.jpg" --- # Here the spirit becomes a lion who would conquer his… ![“Here the spirit becomes a lion who would conquer his freedom and be master… Who is the great dragon whom the spirit will no longer call lord and go? ‘Thou shalt’ is the name of the great dragon. But the spirit of the lion says, ‘I will.” quote by Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/friedrich-nietzsche-15_conquer_here-the-spirit-becomes-a-lion-who-would_1652891.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/friedrich-nietzsche-15_conquer_here-the-spirit-becomes-a-lion-who-would_1652891.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/friedrich-nietzsche-15_conquer_here-the-spirit-becomes-a-lion-who-would_1652891.jpg) > “Here the spirit becomes a lion who would conquer his freedom and be master… Who is the great dragon whom the spirit will no longer call lord and go? ‘Thou shalt’ is the name of the great dragon. But the spirit of the lion says, ‘I will.” [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The spirit seeks to break free from oppressive authority, symbolized by a dragon, and claims its own power like a lion. **In simple terms:** Freedom is claimed by overcoming domination. Key Takeaway Embrace personal sovereignty. Themes freedom authority self‑mastery Mood defiant empowering Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - overcoming oppression - leadership - self‑discipline Key Concepts Nietzschean philosophy symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What authority do you need to challenge? - How can you embody the lion’s courage? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex social power dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dragons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dragons/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Lion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lion/) [Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lions/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [“Here he seeks out his last master: he wants to fight him and his last god; for ultimate victory he wants to fight with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/here-he-seeks-out-his-last-master-he-wants-to-fight-him-and-his-last/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“But in the loneliest desert happens the second metamorphosis: here the spirit becomes a lion; he will seize his freedom and be master in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/but-in-the-loneliest-desert-happens-the-second-metamorphosis-here-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Yeah, I call my warrior spirit the lion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-manuwa/yeah-i-call-my-warrior-spirit-the-lion/) [Jimi Manuwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-manuwa/) > [“Ye gods, it was so much better when there were just four of us up against that bloody great dragon, Vimes thought as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/ye-gods-it-was-so-much-better-when-there-were-just-four-of-us-up/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I remember nothing about it except a philological fact. My mother said nothing about the dragon, but pointed out that one could not say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-remember-nothing-about-it-except-a-philological-fact-my-mother-said/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [To the good warrior soundeth "thou shalt" pleasanter than "I will." And all that is dear unto you, ye shall first have it commanded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/to-the-good-warrior-soundeth-thou-shalt-pleasanter-than-i-will-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Higher than "thou shalt" stands "I will" (the heroes), and higher than "I will" stands "I am" (the Greek gods).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/higher-than-thou-shalt-stands-i-will-the-heroes-and-higher-than-i/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“She had no time for sleep, with the weight of the world upon her shoulders. And she feared to dream. Sleep is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/she-had-no-time-for-sleep-with-the-weight-of-the-world-upon-her/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Men are so charmed with valor that they have pleased themselves with being called lions, leopards, eagles and dragons, from the animals contemporary with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/men-are-so-charmed-with-valor-that-they-have-pleased-themselves-with/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“You Westerosi are all the same. You sew some beast upon a scrap of silk, and suddenly you are all lions, or dragons, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-westerosi-are-all-the-same-you-sew-some-beast-upon-a-scrap-of/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [There are many Green Dragons in this world of wayside inns, even as there are many White Harts, Red Lions, Silent Women and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-hudson/there-are-many-green-dragons-in-this-world-of-wayside-inns-even-as/) [William Henry Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-hudson/) > [He who fights too long against dragons becomes a dragon himself; and if you gaze too long into the abyss, the abyss will gaze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-who-fights-too-long-against-dragons-becomes-a-dragon-himself-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [We don't need lists of rights and wrongs, tables of do's and don'ts: we need books, time, and silence. Thou shalt not is soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/we-don-t-need-lists-of-rights-and-wrongs-tables-of-do-s-and-don-ts-we/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [And the lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make thy bones: and thou shalt be like a spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/and-the-lord-shall-guide-thee-continually-and-satisfy-thy-soul-in/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [Why has no religion this command before all others: Thou shalt work?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berthold-auerbach/why-has-no-religion-this-command-before-all-others-thou-shalt-work/) [Berthold Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berthold-auerbach/) ## More by Friedrich Nietzsche > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“79. A soul which knows that it is loved, but does not itself love, betrays its sediment: its dregs come up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/79-a-soul-which-knows-that-it-is-loved-but-does-not-itself-love/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [We deceive ourselves when giving respect to the person for whom we have surrendered ourselves, when we respectively expect them to be as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/we-deceive-ourselves-when-giving-respect-to-the-person-for-whom-we/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The great periods of our life occur when we gain the courage to rechristen what is bad about us as what is best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-great-periods-of-our-life-occur-when-we-gain-the-courage-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“What is life? Life - that is: continually shedding something that wants to die. Life - that is: being cruel and inexorable against everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/what-is-life-life-that-is-continually-shedding-something-that-wants/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It is thus only this personal feeling of misery that we get rid of by acts of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-thus-only-this-personal-feeling-of-misery-that-we-get-rid-of-by/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“he does not wear a twitching, mobile, human face, but rather a mask, as it were, with its features in dignified equilibrium; he does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-does-not-wear-a-twitching-mobile-human-face-but-rather-a-mask-as/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Chastity is a virtue with some, but with many it is almost a vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/chastity-is-a-virtue-with-some-but-with-many-it-is-almost-a-vice/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The earth is like the breasts of a woman: useful as well as pleasing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-earth-is-like-the-breasts-of-a-woman-useful-as-well-as-pleasing/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Of all that is written I love only what a man has written in his own blood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/of-all-that-is-written-i-love-only-what-a-man-has-written-in-his-own/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [No shepherd and one herd! Everybody wants the same, everybody is the same: whoever feels different goes voluntarily into a madhouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/no-shepherd-and-one-herd-everybody-wants-the-same-everybody-is-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Pain makes hens and poets cackle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/pain-makes-hens-and-poets-cackle/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Explore all 3,486 Friedrich Nietzsche quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More Conquer quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Man will not always stay on Earth; the pursuit of light and space will lead him to penetrate the bounds of the atmosphere, timidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konstantin-tsiolkovsky/man-will-not-always-stay-on-earth-the-pursuit-of-light-and-space-will/) [Konstantin Tsiolkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konstantin-tsiolkovsky/) > [It is not enough to dream of the Impossible Love - it is necessary to conquer it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-enough-to-dream-of-the-impossible-love-it-is-necessary-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I'm ready to conquer anything thrown at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-pritchard/i-m-ready-to-conquer-anything-thrown-at-me/) [A. J. Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-pritchard/) > [“They had been dreamers. Her father always said that this was why they had been easy to conquer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-rutkoski/they-had-been-dreamers-her-father-always-said-that-this-was-why-they/) [Marie Rutkoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-rutkoski/) > [The moment you conquer one fear is the minute you conquer many fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/the-moment-you-conquer-one-fear-is-the-minute-you-conquer-many-fears/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [“In quixotically trying to conquer death doctors all too frequently do no good for their patients’ “ease” but at the same time they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kevorkian/in-quixotically-trying-to-conquer-death-doctors-all-too-frequently-do/) [Jack Kevorkian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kevorkian/) > [Yet hold it more humane, more heav'nly, first, By winning words to conquer willing hearts, And make persuasion do the work of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/yet-hold-it-more-humane-more-heav-nly-first-by-winning-words-to/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [At the time when this famous historical battle was fought in Kosovo, the people were looking at the stars, expecting aid from them. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/at-the-time-when-this-famous-historical-battle-was-fought-in-kosovo/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [I can conquer the world with one hand, as long as you are holding the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-smith/i-can-conquer-the-world-with-one-hand-as-long-as-you-are-holding-the/) [Megan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-smith/) > [ To conquer \[our enemies\] we must dare, and dare again, and dare for ever; and thus will France be saved ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-danton/to-conquer-our-enemies-we-must-dare-and-dare-again-and-dare-for-ever/) [Georges Danton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-danton/) > [I consider that the Golden Rule requires that if I like a program I must share it with other people who like it. Software…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/i-consider-that-the-golden-rule-requires-that-if-i-like-a-program-i/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) Browse all 1,557 Conquer quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Here the spirit becomes a lion who would conquer his freedom and be master… Who is the great dragon whom the spirit will no longer call lord and go? ‘Thou shalt’ is the name of the great dragon. 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