I cultivate the music of the soul:
The harmony and order of its parts,
The form and cadence of its highest goal,
Its inner mysteries and finer arts.
Philosophy's essential tasks are three:
To get myself in tune with wisdom's form,
Ingrain within my soul its melody,
And bring to mind the notes I must perform.
These three muses — Song, Practice, Memory —
Together fuse my body and my soul;
By bringing forth my full humanity,
They fix my faults and make my spirit whole.
(cf. The Case of Wagner, §1; Twilight of the Idols, "Maxims and Arrows", §33)
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