Chapter 63
The Disillusioned Kings
1.Ere Zarathustra had been an hour on his way in the mountains and forests, he saw all at once a strange procession. Right on the path which he was about to descend came two kings walking, bedecked with crowns and purple girdles, and variegated like flamingoes: they drove before them a laden ass. “What do these kings want in my domain?” said Zarathustra in astonishment to his heart, and hid himself hastily behind a thicket. When however the kings approached to him, he said half-aloud, like one speaking only to himself: “Strange! Strange! How doth this harmonise? Two kings…
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Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Two kings do I see—and only one ass!"
Context: When Zarathustra first sees the strange procession of two kings leading a donkey
This witty observation points out the absurdity of having multiple rulers when there's clearly a hierarchy problem. It suggests that maybe there should be one real leader instead of two pretenders.
In Today's Words:
Interesting, two people at the top of the power structure and only one person actually doing any real work between them. This is not a leadership team. This is two people sharing a title while one overworked, underappreciated subordinate carries everything they cannot or will not carry themselves.
"Better, verily, to live among anchorites and goatherds, than with our gilded, false, over-rouged populace—though it call itself ‘good society."
Context: When explaining why they've left their kingdom and are wandering in the mountains
This reveals how even those in power can become disgusted with the artificial, fake nature of high society. They prefer honest, simple people to the corrupt elite.
In Today's Words:
I would genuinely rather spend my time with working people who are honest and direct than with the wealthy and well-connected crowd that pretends to have values while being hollow underneath. The person who works with their hands and says what they mean is worth ten of those gilded frauds.
"We ARE NOT the first men—and have nevertheless to STAND FOR them: of this imposture have we at last become weary and disgusted."
Context: When admitting their inadequacy as leaders and the imposture they are forced to maintain
This is a moment of brutal honesty about how power often goes to people who are not actually the best qualified. They are forced to pretend to be worthy when they know they are not.
In Today's Words:
We are not the best or most capable people for the roles we occupy, and yet we are required to represent ourselves as though we are. Every day we perform authority we have not earned, pretending to lead people who deserve real leadership, not just someone who inherited the title.
"For a sword thirsteth to drink blood, and sparkleth with desire.”— —When the kings thus discoursed and talked eagerly of the happiness of their fathers, there came upon Zarathustra no little desire to mock at their eagerness: for evidently they were very peaceable kings whom he saw before him, kings with old and refined features."
Context: Pivotal line from the closing movement of the chapter
This line captures a turn in the argument that the opening half does not yet name.
In Today's Words:
The idea is not abstract decoration: it names a choice you can recognize in your own work, relationships, or conscience when old rules stop fitting and you must decide what you will affirm next without borrowing someone else's verdict. Name the pattern before you react.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
The kings represent inherited class position divorced from actual merit or capability
Development
Deepens from earlier critiques of social hierarchy to show how even those at the top can be victims of the system
In Your Life:
You might feel trapped in a role others expect you to play based on your background rather than your actual abilities.
Identity
In This Chapter
The kings struggle between their performed royal identity and their awareness of their inadequacy
Development
Continues the theme of authentic self versus social mask, showing how power positions can trap identity
In Your Life:
You might find yourself performing a version of yourself that others expect rather than being who you actually are.
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Society demands the kings play their roles even though everyone knows the performance is hollow
Development
Builds on earlier themes by showing how collective delusion maintains dysfunctional systems
In Your Life:
You might participate in workplace or family dynamics that everyone knows are broken but nobody wants to address.
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
The kings show self-awareness about their limitations but seem unable to transcend their positions
Development
Contrasts with Zarathustra's journey by showing awareness without transformation
In Your Life:
You might recognize your own patterns and limitations but feel stuck in circumstances that prevent change.
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
The relationship between the kings and their subjects is based on mutual deception rather than genuine respect
Development
Introduces the idea that power relationships can corrupt both sides of the dynamic
In Your Life:
You might find that relationships based on roles or expectations feel hollow compared to those based on genuine connection.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
Why are these kings wandering around with a donkey instead of ruling their kingdoms?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
They are disgusted with the corruption and fakeness of their own courts and are searching for a genuinely worthy person to lead. They have abandoned their thrones to find the higher man.
- 2
What does it mean when the kings say they are not truly the first men but have to pretend they are?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
It forces them to live as frauds, performing authority they know is hollow. Over time this breeds cynicism about the institutions they represent and profound disgust with themselves.
- 3
When have you been in a role where you had to act more confident or capable than you actually felt? How did that gap between position and ability affect you?
application • mediumOne way to read it
The gap between what a role demands and what you actually possess creates a constant drain of energy spent on performance rather than genuine work. Most people recognize this tension immediately.
- 4
The kings prefer honest peasants to gilded, false nobility. How do you identify genuine competence and character in people around you when titles and appearances are misleading?
application • deepOne way to read it
Real competence shows up in how someone handles difficulty, admits mistakes, and treats people without power. Titles can be inherited or assigned, but actual capability proves itself over time.
- 5
Zarathustra says the greatest misfortune is when those in power are not also the best people. Do you agree, and what are the consequences when authority and merit are separated?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
When people in charge are not actually the most capable, everyone around them must compensate and cover for them. Trust erodes, work suffers, and the whole system becomes organized around protecting the fiction.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Authority Landscape
Think about the different areas of your life where you hold some kind of authority or where others look to you for leadership - at work, in your family, in your community. For each area, honestly assess whether your authority comes from actual competence or from other factors like seniority, tradition, or just being the only one willing to do the job. Then identify one area where someone else might actually be more qualified but lacks the official position.
Consider:
- •Authority based on competence feels different than authority based on position - notice the difference in how confident you feel
- •Sometimes the most qualified person is the newest or youngest, which creates awkward dynamics
- •Consider whether you're enabling someone else's hollow authority by not speaking up about better alternatives
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you had to work under someone who clearly wasn't qualified for their position. How did you navigate that situation, and what would you do differently now?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 64: The Conscientious Scholar
As Zarathustra continues his mountain journey, lost in thought about these complex questions of leadership and worth, he accidentally steps on someone in the forest. The encounter turns violent before taking an unexpected turn, introducing another character who will challenge Zarathustra's understanding of human nature.
