In Gethsemane. – The most grievous thing the thinker can say to the artists is: ‘What, could ye not watch with me one hour?’
CHATGPT
In this passage, Friedrich Nietzsche alludes to the biblical story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Before Jesus's crucifixion, he went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray and took three of his disciples—Peter, James, and John—with him. Jesus felt deeply troubled and distressed about the impending events, and he asked his disciples to stay awake and keep watch while he prayed. However, each time he returned to them, he found them asleep. This led Jesus to say, "Could you not watch with me one hour?" expressing his disappointment and desire for companionship in his moment of deep sorrow and vulnerability.
Using this imagery, Nietzsche presents a metaphorical situation between the thinker and the artists. Here's the breakdown:
1. **The Thinker's Solitude**: Much like Jesus in Gethsemane, the thinker may face profound existential, philosophical, or intellectual challenges that create feelings of isolation and distress. The thinker seeks understanding and companionship in these moments.
2. **Artists' Inability to Relate**: Nietzsche suggests that artists, despite their expressive abilities, might sometimes lack the depth or stamina to fully engage with the profound challenges faced by the thinker. They may not be able to "stay awake" or remain present during the thinker's deepest contemplative moments.
3. **Gap Between Thought and Art**: There's an implied tension between deep, rigorous thought and artistic expression. While artists might beautifully and movingly capture the human experience, they might not always grasp or engage with the profound philosophical struggles that thinkers grapple with.
In essence, Nietzsche is commenting on the potential disconnect between deep intellectual contemplation and artistic expression, highlighting the loneliness or isolation thinkers might feel, even in the company of artists.
