--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I ascended, I ascended, I dreamt, I…" description: "\"“I ascended, I ascended, I dreamt, I thought,—but everything oppressed me. A sick one did I resemble, whom bad torture wearieth, and a worse dream reaw..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/friedrich-nietzsche-15_courage_i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought_1334156.jpg" --- # I ascended, I ascended, I dreamt, I thought,—but… ![“I ascended, I ascended, I dreamt, I thought,—but everything oppressed me. A sick one did I resemble, whom bad torture wearieth, and a worse dream reawakeneth out of his first sleep.— But there is something in me which I call courage: it hath hitherto slain for me every dejection. This courage at…” quote by Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/friedrich-nietzsche-15_courage_i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought_1334156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/friedrich-nietzsche-15_courage_i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought_1334156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/friedrich-nietzsche-15_courage_i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought_1334156.jpg) > ““I ascended, I ascended, I dreamt, I thought,—but everything oppressed me. A sick one did I resemble, whom bad torture wearieth, and a worse dream reawakeneth out of his first sleep.— But there is something in me which I call courage: it hath hitherto slain for me every dejection. This courage at last bade me stand still and say: "Dwarf! Thou! Or I!"— For courage is the best slayer,—courage which attacketh: for in every attack there is sound of triumph. Man, however, is the most courageous animal: thereby hath he overcome every animal. With sound of triumph hath he overcome every pain; human pain, however, is the sorest pain. Courage slayeth also giddiness at abysses: and where doth man not stand at abysses! Is not seeing itself—seeing abysses? Courage is the best slayer: courage slayeth also fellow-suffering. Fellow-suffering, however, is the deepest abyss: as deeply as man looketh into life, so deeply also doth he look into suffering. Courage, however, is the best slayer, courage which attacketh: it slayeth even death itself; for it saith: "Was that life? Well! Once more!”” [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. Courage repeatedly the force that defeats despair, pain, and even death, allowing humanity to confront and transcend suffering. **In simple terms:** Courage conquers fear and suffering. Key Takeaway Embrace courage to overcome obstacles. Themes courage humanity overcoming existential resilience Mood determined reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational motivational When to use this quote - personal crisis - war - grief - mental health challenges Key Concepts existentialism will to power nihilism Questions to Reflect On - How does courage change your perception of pain? - Can courage be cultivated in daily life? A Different Perspective Courage may not eliminate the source of suffering, only the reaction to it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abysses Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abysses-courage-4486353/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Slayeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-slayeth-4486355/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Existentialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existentialism/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nietzsche/) [Ontology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ontology/) [Pain Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-courage-1348836/) [Slayer Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slayer-courage-4486354/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-courage-4486356/) ## Related quotes > [Courage is the best slayer - courage which attacketh, for in every attack there is the sound of triumph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/courage-is-the-best-slayer-courage-which-attacketh-for-in-every/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [No matter what the storm clouds bring, you can face your pain with courage and hope. For two thousand years ago-six hours, one Friday-Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/no-matter-what-the-storm-clouds-bring-you-can-face-your-pain-with/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“I can confidently say that stories of pain and courage almost always include two things: praying and cussing. Sometimes at the exact same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-can-confidently-say-that-stories-of-pain-and-courage-almost-always/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I’m not proud of my lack of courage.” His eyes went wide. “Are you kidding me? Your courage was—and is—astonishing. It would’ve been so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-force/i-m-not-proud-of-my-lack-of-courage-his-eyes-went-wide-are-you/) [Marie Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-force/) > [Neither the true nor the false roots are always real; sometimes they are imaginary; that is, while we can always imagine as many roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/neither-the-true-nor-the-false-roots-are-always-real-sometimes-they/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Calculus works by making visible the infinitesimally small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-devlin/calculus-works-by-making-visible-the-infinitesimally-small/) [Keith Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-devlin/) > [The enormous usefulness of mathematics in the natural sciences is something bordering on the mysterious and there is no rational explanation of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-wigner/the-enormous-usefulness-of-mathematics-in-the-natural-sciences-is/) [Eugene Wigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-wigner/) > [“In humans (and humans alone), sexuality is embodied in desire--in the primordial desire for life-as-relation. That the sex drive serves the vital desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christos-yannaras/in-humans-and-humans-alone-sexuality-is-embodied-in-desire-in-the/) [Christos Yannaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christos-yannaras/) > [“Being and not being are not two different realities, but two different aspects of the same reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/being-and-not-being-are-not-two-different-realities-but-two-different/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [ “To be more precise... death is \[contrary to\] God, and if death is natural, if it is the ultimate truth about life and about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/to-be-more-precise-death-is-contrary-to-god-and-if-death-is-natural/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [“In my mind, I could sense their roots under the soil, creeping in helical tangles of ever-increasing complexity outward and in all directions—out beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashim-shanker/in-my-mind-i-could-sense-their-roots-under-the-soil-creeping-in/) [Ashim Shanker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashim-shanker/) > [“One of my principal theses is that in every case the nature of a being (contingent as well as essential nature) can, in principle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-scheler/one-of-my-principal-theses-is-that-in-every-case-the-nature-of-a/) [Max Scheler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-scheler/) > [ALGEBRA is a general Method of Computation by certain Signs and Symbols which have been contrived for this Purpose, and found convenient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-maclaurin/algebra-is-a-general-method-of-computation-by-certain-signs-and/) [Colin Maclaurin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-maclaurin/) > [I survive. I survived it all then and I'll survive the rest of it. Without your help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-morris/i-survive-i-survived-it-all-then-and-i-ll-survive-the-rest-of-it/) [Janet Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-morris/) > [“This has nothing to do with realism (even if it explains also realism). A completely real world can be constructed, in which asses fly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/this-has-nothing-to-do-with-realism-even-if-it-explains-also-realism/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## 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 Courage quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) [James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/) [Kristen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-armstrong/) > [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) [Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I ascended, I ascended, I dreamt, I thought,—but everything oppressed me. A sick one did I resemble, whom bad torture wearieth, and a worse dream reawakeneth out of his first sleep.— But there is something in me which I call courage: it hath hitherto slain for me every dejection. This courage at last bade me stand still and say: \"Dwarf! Thou! Or I!\"— For courage is the best slayer,—courage which attacketh: for in every attack there is sound of triumph. Man, however, is the most courageous animal: thereby hath he overcome every animal. With sound of triumph hath he overcome every pain; human pain, however, is the sorest pain. Courage slayeth also giddiness at abysses: and where doth man not stand at abysses! Is not seeing itself—seeing abysses? Courage is the best slayer: courage slayeth also fellow-suffering. Fellow-suffering, however, is the deepest abyss: as deeply as man looketh into life, so deeply also doth he look into suffering. Courage, however, is the best slayer, courage which attacketh: it slayeth even death itself; for it saith: \"Was that life? Well! Once more!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Friedrich Nietzsche" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought-but-everything-oppressed-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Courage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought-but-everything-oppressed-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/friedrich-nietzsche-15_courage_i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought_1334156.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/friedrich-nietzsche-15_courage_i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought_1334156.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/friedrich-nietzsche-15_courage_i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought_1334156.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I ascended, I ascended, I dreamt, I thought,—but everything oppressed me. A sick one did I resemble, whom…” — Friedrich Nietzsche", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Friedrich Nietzsche", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I ascended, I ascended, I dreamt,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought-but-everything-oppressed-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-ascended-i-ascended-i-dreamt-i-thought-but-everything-oppressed-me/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```