Diogenes the Cynic

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Theseus
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Diogenes the Cynic

Post by Theseus »

I know most of you know of the famous meeting of Diogenes and Alexander. Alexander had called upon him and when he offered Diogenes any favor he replied with "Yes, you can stand a little to one side and not keep the sun off me", but I have come across a little information about the philosopher that I hadn't known and thought I'd share.

Diogenes was known as Diogenes the Cynic. The school of which he was the principal exponent took it's name from the gymnasium called Cynosarges where its members were accustomed to meet.
The essence of their philosphy was to reduce the things of the flesh to the barest necessities so as to leave the mind as free as possible. Diogenes is reported to have lived for a time in a tub, outside the city walls.
There is a Neo-Attic marble relief which depicts him and Alexander as described by Plutarch. (has anyone heard of this relief?) They Cynic sits in the mouth of a huge clay jar or pithos-many of these jars were large enough to accomodatea man-and on top of it as an allusion to the occupant, is carved a dog. The genitive form kynos of the word for dog suggests cynic, and probably the marble dog set over the philosophers tomb at Corinth was a punning reference to his sect.

I wasn't aware that Diogenes tomb location was known. Does anyone know anything else about Diogenes?
I long for wealth, but to win it by wrongful means I have no desire. Justice, though slow, is sure.
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Re: Diogenes the Cynic

Post by marcus »

Theseus wrote:The genitive form kynos of the word for dog suggests cynic, and probably the marble dog set over the philosophers tomb at Corinth was a punning reference to his sect.

I wasn't aware that Diogenes tomb location was known. Does anyone know anything else about Diogenes?
It might not be known now, of course. Perhaps this information comes from Pausanias' Guide to Greece? It's the sort of thing that he would say ... ("Below the Acrocorinth in the tomb of Diogenes, which has a marble dog ... blah blah").

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Re: Diogenes the Cynic

Post by Theseus »

marcus wrote:
Theseus wrote:The genitive form kynos of the word for dog suggests cynic, and probably the marble dog set over the philosophers tomb at Corinth was a punning reference to his sect.

I wasn't aware that Diogenes tomb location was known. Does anyone know anything else about Diogenes?
It might not be known now, of course. Perhaps this information comes from Pausanias' Guide to Greece? It's the sort of thing that he would say ... ("Below the Acrocorinth in the tomb of Diogenes, which has a marble dog ... blah blah").

ATB
Thank you for replying Marcus. I found this on the back of a picture I bought of Alexander and the battle of Issus. I just noticed that there was this article on the back of the picture and found it very interesting. I know it's from 1944, possibly from an issue of National Geographic so I am not sure where they got the information from.
I have not heard that the location of Diogenes tomb was known and was curious if anyone else knew anything regarding this. I may have to do some research into this now that it has my attention. :lol:
I long for wealth, but to win it by wrongful means I have no desire. Justice, though slow, is sure.
"Solon Fragment 13" poem
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Post by karen »

There is a beautiful portrayal of Diogenes by the Victorian painter John William Waterhouse -- hi-res reproduction here.
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Post by amyntoros »

marcus wrote: Perhaps this information comes from Pausanias' Guide to Greece? It's the sort of thing that he would say ... ("Below the Acrocorinth in the tomb of Diogenes, which has a marble dog ... blah blah").
You're right about Pausanias (2.4 on Corinth) but he gives no details of the tomb.
There are memorials along the road up to Corinth; Diogenes of Sinope, whom Greeks call 'the Dog' is buried by the gate.
I wonder if the Neo-Attic sculpture stood on Diogenes' actual tomb given that it would have been made much later? Perhaps it was discovered during excavations in the 19th century because a Google search brought up several references in books of that period. One by Percy Gardner in 1896 – Sculptured tombs of Hellas – has this to say:
An epitaph, which may have been written beneath the sculptured dog, on the tomb of Diogenes the Cynic , runs thus: "Lies he here, who dwelt in an earthen cask? Aye truly; but now that he is dead, he has the stars for his home."
Gardner's use of the word "may" is interesting. Maybe they found a sculptured dog and an epitaph inscription in separate locations?

Theseus, there are quite a few entertaining quotes of Diogenes to be found, although one always wonders how many of them are apocryphal – the translator of my Pausanias notes that Diogenes became "legendary" immediately upon his death. Here are some of my favorites from Diogenes Laertius chapter on t'other Diogenes. :)
6.2.44 Alexander having on one occasion sent a letter to Antipater at Athens by a certain Athlios, Diogenes, who was present, said:

Graceless son of graceless sire to graceless wight by graceless squire.

Perdiccas having threatened to put him to death unless he came to him, "That's nothing wonderful," quoth he, "for a beetle or a tarantula would do the same." Instead of that he would have expected the threat to be that Perdiccas would be quite happy to do without his company.


6.2.45 When someone was extolling the good fortune of Callisthenes and saying what splendour he shared in the suite of Alexander, "Not so," said Diogenes, "but rather ill fortune; for he breakfasts and dines when Alexander thinks fit."


6.2.57 When Craterus wanted to come and visit him, "No," he replied, "I would rather live on a few grains of salt at Athens than enjoy sumptuous fare at Craterus's table."


6.2.60 Alexander once came and stood opposite him and said, "I am Alexander the great king." "And I," said he, "am Diogenes the Cynic." Being asked what he had done to be called a hound, he said, "I fawn on those who give me anything, I yelp at those who refuse, and I set my teeth in rascals."


6.2.63 The mistress of kings he designated queens; for, said he, they make the kings do their bidding. When the Athenians gave Alexander the title of Dionysus, he said, "Me too you might make Sarapis."


6.2.66 Being reproached with accepting a cloak from Antipater, he replied:

The gods choice gifts are nowise to be spurned.


6.2.68 Being asked whether death was an evil thing, he replied, "How can it be evil, when in its presence we are not afraid of it?" When Alexander stood opposite him and asked, "Are you not afraid of me?" "Why, what are you?" said he, "a good thing or a bad?" Upon Alexander replying "A good thing," "Who then," said Diogenes, "is afraid of the good?"


6.2.79 Demetrius in his work On Men of the Same Name asserts that on the same day on which Alexander died in Babylon Diogenes died in Corinth. He was an old man in the 113th Olympiad.
And here's another one of my favorites from Lucian:
Lucian. Volume VI. How to Write History. Chapter 3. As I saw and heard all this, friend, I was reminded of the story of the man of Sinope. When Philip was said to be already on the march, all the Corinthians were astir and busy, preparing weapons, bringing up stones, underpinning the wall, shoring up a battlement and doing various other useful jobs. Diogenes saw this, and as he had nothing to do – nobody made any use of him – he belted up his philosopher's cloak and very busily by himself rolled the crock in which, as it happens, he was living up and down Cornel Hill. When one of his friends asked: "Why are you doing that, Diogenes?" he replied: "I’m rolling the crock so as not to be thought the one idle man in the midst of all these workers."
There's lots more to be found various sources (including Athenaeus' Deipnosophists and Plutarch's Moralia) but I've only ever transcribed anything that references Alexander or his period. Although I'm tempted, I have a feeling that if I started a file on everything to be found about Diogenes I might be kept busy for quite a while.

Oh, and by the way, despite his lifestyle, Diogenes had a mistress – the courtesan Lais of Hyccara who was also the mistress of Aristippus and of Demosthenes! :lol:

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Amyntoros

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Theseus
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Post by Theseus »

Amyntoros, thank you so much for the quotes and other information! I found myself laughing at some of Diogenes quotes. This man had no fear did he? He did not care what "title" people held he seemed to treat everyone the same. It's very interesting that Diogenes died the same day as Alexander if that in deed is the truth.

I have read some things of other philosophers but Diogenes seemed to be very blunt and to the point without care of hurting feelings or offending. It's refreshing. :)
I long for wealth, but to win it by wrongful means I have no desire. Justice, though slow, is sure.
"Solon Fragment 13" poem
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