You ask me how I became a madman

You ask me how I became a madman. It happened thus: One day, longbefore many gods were born, I woke from a deep sleep and found allmy masks were stolen,--the seven masks I have fashioned and worn inseven lives,--I ran maskless through the crowded streets shouting,"Thieves, thieves, the cursed thieves."

Men and women laughed at me and some ran to their houses in fearof me.

And when I reached the market place, a youth standing on a house-topcried, "He is a madman." I looked up to behold him; the sun kissedmy own naked face for the first time. For the first time the sunkissed my own naked face and my soul was inflamed with love forthe sun, and I wanted my masks no more. And as if in a trance Icried, "Blessed, blessed are the thieves who stole my masks."

Thus I became a madman.

And I have found both freedom and safety in my madness; thefreedom of loneliness and the safety from being understood, forthose who understand us enslave something in us.

But let me not be too proud of my safety. Even a Thief in a jailis safe from another thief.