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Nietzsche, Eternal Recurrence, and the Horror of Existence

Nietzsche, Eternal Recurrence, and the Horror of Existence Nietzsche, Eternal Recurrence, and the Horror of Existence PHILIP J. KAIN t the center of Nietzsche’s vision lies his concept of the “terror and horror Aof existence” (BT 3). As he puts it in The Birth of Tragedy: There is an ancient story that King Midas hunted in the forest a long time for the wise Silenus, the companion of Dionysus. . . . When Silenus at last fell into his hands, the king asked what was the best and most desirable of all things for man. Fixed and immovable, the demigod said not a word, till at last, urged by the king, he gave a shrill laugh and broke out into these words: "Oh, wretched ephemeral race, children of chance and misery, why do you compel me to tell you what it would be most expedient for you not to hear? What is best of all is utterly beyond your reach: not to be born, not to be, to be nothing. But the second best for you is—to die soon." (BT 3) Why is it best never to have been born? Because all we can expect as human beings is to suffer. Yet, still, this is not precisely http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The Journal of Nietzsche Studies Penn State University Press

Nietzsche, Eternal Recurrence, and the Horror of Existence

Kain, Philip J.,
The Journal of Nietzsche Studies , Volume 33 (1) – Jul 25, 2007
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Publisher
Penn State University Press
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 The Pennsylvania State University.
ISSN
1538-4594

Abstract

Nietzsche, Eternal Recurrence, and the Horror of Existence PHILIP J. KAIN t the center of Nietzsche’s vision lies his concept of the “terror and horror Aof existence” (BT 3). As he puts it in The Birth of Tragedy: There is an ancient story that King Midas hunted in the forest a long time for the wise Silenus, the companion of Dionysus. . . . When Silenus at last fell into his hands, the king asked what was the best and most desirable of all things for man. Fixed and immovable, the demigod said not a word, till at last, urged by the king, he gave a shrill laugh and broke out into these words: "Oh, wretched ephemeral race, children of chance and misery, why do you compel me to tell you what it would be most expedient for you not to hear? What is best of all is utterly beyond your reach: not to be born, not to be, to be nothing. But the second best for you is—to die soon." (BT 3) Why is it best never to have been born? Because all we can expect as human beings is to suffer. Yet, still, this is not precisely

Journal

The Journal of Nietzsche Studies – Penn State University Press

Published: Jul 25, 2007

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