Persian literature in Western culture its narrative. Nietzsche, a radical opposer of Greek Metaphysical thought, was the author of the book "Thus Spoke Zarathustra", referring to the ancient Persian prophet Zoroaster, as the prophet of his philosophy. Nietzsche held very high interest and respect for Persians. For example, where he speaks about the Persian notion of history and "cyclical Eternal Time", he writes: "I must pay tribute to Zarathustra, a Persian, for Persians were the first who thought of history in its full entirety." and further adds: ""It was much more fortunate if Persians became masters (Herr) of the Greeks, than the very Romans." But
Thus Spoke Zarathustra onwards. The critic Harold Bloom, writing in "" (1994), criticized "Thus Spoke Zarathustra", calling the book "a gorgeous disaster" and "unreadable". Other commentators have suggested that Nietzsche's style is intentionally ironic for much of the book. This irony relates to an internal conflict of Nietzsche's: he hated religious leaders but perceived himself as at least somewhat akin to one. The first English translation of "Zarathustra" was published in 1896 by Alexander Tille. Thomas Common published a translation in 1909 which was based on Alexander Tille's earlier attempt. Common wrote in the style of Shakespeare or the King James Version of