And once more Zarathustra shook his head and wondered. “What am I to think of it!” said he once more.

“Why did the ghost cry: ‘It is time! It is the highest time!’

For what is it then—the highest time?”—

Thus spake Zarathustra.

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XLI. THE SOOTHSAYER.

“—And I saw a great sadness come over mankind. The best turned weary of their works.

A doctrine appeared, a faith ran beside it: ‘All is empty, all is alike, all hath been!’

And from all hills there re-echoed: ‘All is empty, all is alike, all hath been!’

To be sure we have harvested: but why have all our fruits become rotten and brown? What was it fell last night from the evil moon?