CONVERSATION WITH THE KINGS 355
most stupid and the most cunning, and whoever to-day chaffereth with power !
We are not the first ; and yet have to represent them. Of this cheatery at last we have grown weary and disgusted.
We have gone out of the way of the rabble, those brawlers and blue-bottles of writing, the stench of shop- keepers, the wriggling of ambition, the evil breath. Ugh ! to live among the rabble !
Ugh ! to represent the first among the rabble ! Oh ! loathing ! loathing ! loathing ! What do we kings matter any longer ? "
"Thine old disease attacketh thee," said here the king on the left. " Loathing attacketh thee, my poor brother. But thou knowest well, somebody hearkeneth unto us."
Zarathustra, whose ears and eyes had opened with surprise at these speeches, rose from his hiding-place, stepped towards the kings and began thus :
" He who hearkeneth unto you, he who willingly hearkeneth unto you, ye kings, is called Zarathustra.
I am Zarathustra who once said : ' What do kings any longer matter ? ' Forgive me, I was happy when ye said unto each other : ' What do we kings matter ? '
But here is my kingdom and my dominion. I wonder what ye seek in my kingdom ? Perhaps ye have found on the way what / seek, namely the higher man."
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