Stolen – gleefully and gratefully – from David Quinn’s blog.<\/p>\n
TEACHINGS OF DIOGENES<\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n (c. <\/font><\/p>\n Diogenes was a very playful <\/p>\n ***<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n “Why is it, Diogenes, that pupils leave you to go to other teachers, but “Because,” replied Diogenes, “one can make eunuchs out of men, but no one can <\/font> ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> In winter Diogenes walked barefoot in the snow. In summer he rolled in the “But aren’t you overdoing it a little?” a disciple asked.<\/p>\n “Of course,” replied Diogenes, “I am like a teacher of choruses who has to <\/font> ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> A student of philosophy, eager to display his powers of argument, approached <\/font> ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> A disciple asked Diogenes, “What is the main reason for “So as not to deceive oneself.” <\/p>\n <\/font> ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> When someone once asked Diogenes why he often laughed by himself, he said, <\/font> ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> Plato considered Diogenes’ stray-dog behaviour unbecoming to one calling <\/font> ***<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n Plato was discoursing on his theory of ideas and, pointing to the cups on the “I can see the cup on the table,” interupted Diogenes, “but I can’t see the “That’s because you have the eyes to see the cup,” said Plato, “but”, tapping Diogenes walked up to the table, examined a cup and, looking inside, asked, Plato nodded.<\/p>\n “Where is the `emptiness’ which procedes this empty cup?” asked Diogenes.<\/p>\n Plato allowed himself a few moments to collect his thoughts, but Diogenes <\/font> ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> Diogenes was knee deep in a stream washing vegetables. Coming up to him, “And,” replied Diogenes, “If you knew how to wash vegetables, you wouldn’t <\/font> ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> Diogenes was once asked what he thought of Socrates. “A madman,” he replied. \n<\/p>\n Later, Plato was asked what he thought of Diogenes. “A Socrates gone mad,” he Diogenes ridiculed Plato for being long-winded.<\/p>\n <\/font> ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> Some strangers to Athens once asked Diogenes if he would point out to them <\/font> ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> Diogenes was once invited to dinner by a wealthy man. During the evening, one ***<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Often when he was begging, Diogenes would be spat on by the people who passed <\/font><\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n Diogenes stood outside a brothel, shouting, “A beautiful whore is like <\/font><\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n Diogenes was asked why he always begged. “To teach people,” replied Diogenes. <\/font><\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n Diogenes was once asked why he took money from people. “To show them how they <\/font><\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n Diogenes was asked, “Tell me, to what do you attribute your great poverty?”<\/p>\n “Hard work,” he replied.<\/p>\n “And what advice can you offer the rich?”<\/p>\n “Avoid all the good things in life.”<\/p>\n “Why?”<\/p>\n “Because money costs too much. A rich man is far poorer than a poor man.”<\/p>\n “How can that be?”<\/p>\n “Because poverty is the only thing money can’t buy.”<\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n Whenever people complimented Diogenes, he would slap himself hard across the <\/font><\/p>\n ***<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n A famous athlete was making his triumphal entry into the city after another “Look at our bave victor,” remarked Diogenes, “taken captive by every girl he <\/font><\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n On one bright, clear day, Diogenes was walking up and down the market place, <\/font><\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n “It’s my fate to steal,” pleaded the man who had been caught red-handed by “Then it is also your fate to be beaten,” said Diogenes, hitting him across <\/font><\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> Diogenes was strolling through the market place. Suddenly, he called out in Immediately, they came running from all directions: young fops with flowers He looked at them searchingly one by one and with a sad shrug turned to walk ***<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The city was under seige. Everyone was busy fortifying the walls – some were <\/font><\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font> In the midst of serious discourse in the Craneum, Diogenes realised no one ***<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A heckler in the crowd shouted out, “My mind is not made like that, I can’t “Why do you bother to live,” Diogenes retorted, “if you can’t be bothered to <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Very few of Diogenes’ disciples had the physical and mental stamina to become <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Someone once asked, “Tell me Diogenes, what does a wise man look like?” <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Diogenes was gathering figs and had just filled his bag when a stranger came By way of answer, Diogenes sank his teeth into the fig he was holding. Agog, the man stood there marvelling while Diogenes <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Passing a stream, Diogenes saw a boy drinking out of <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A young man contemplating marriage sought advice from Diogenes. “Should I “Marriage is too soon for a young man”<\/p>\n “Would you have me wait then until I am old.”<\/p>\n “Oh no, Marriage is far too late for an old man.”<\/p>\n “What am I to do then? I love the girl.”<\/p>\n “Love is a luxury no one can afford. It is for those who have nothing better “What should we be doing then?”<\/p>\n “To seek freedom. But it is not possible to be free if you have a wife and “But having a wife and family is so agreeable.”<\/p>\n “Then you see the problem, young man. Freedom would not be so difficult to “You mean to be free is to be alone?”<\/p>\n “We come into the world alone and we die alone. Why, in life, should we be “To live, then, is terrible.”<\/p>\n “No, not to live, but to live in chains.”<\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Asked about his worst nightmare, Diogenes said, “Waking to find myself living <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once Diogenes was going into the theatre just as everybody was coming out. <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Diogenes was walking backwards across the Agora, affecting a studied “And what’s more,” he asked, “can you change your way of living as easily as <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/b><\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n Diogenes was asked, “What is the difference between life and death?<\/font><\/p>\n “No difference.”<\/font><\/p>\n “Well then, why do you remain in this life?”<\/font><\/p>\n “Because there is no difference.”<\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Stolen – gleefully and gratefully – from David Quinn’s blog. TEACHINGS OF DIOGENES (c. 412- c. 323 B.C ) Diogenes was a very playful philosopher who liked to use great wit when challenging the values and beliefs of his fellow citizens in ancient Athens. He lived in great poverty, probably begging and stealing his food, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/peacefulhippo.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/peacefulhippo.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/peacefulhippo.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peacefulhippo.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peacefulhippo.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=614"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/peacefulhippo.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/peacefulhippo.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peacefulhippo.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peacefulhippo.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n412- c. 323 B.C )<\/p>\n
\nphilosopher who liked to use great wit when challenging the values and beliefs
\nof his fellow citizens in ancient Athens. He lived in great
\npoverty, probably begging and stealing his food, and steadfastly disdained all
\nforms of luxury. It was because of his determination to follow his
\nown dictates and not adhere to the conventions of society that he was given the
\nepithet “dog,” from which the name “cynic” is derived. Here are some of
\nhis wittiest and most profound teachings. <\/font><\/p>\n
\nrarely do they leave them to come to you?” <\/p>\n
\nmake a man out of eunuchs”.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nhot sand. He did this to harden himself against discomfort. <\/p>\n
\nsing louder than the rest in order they may get the right note.”<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nDiogenes, introduced himself and said, “If it pleases you, sir, let me prove to
\nyou that there is no such thing as motion.” Whereupon Diogenes immediately
\ngot up and left.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nwearing a cynics robe and the begging bowl?”<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n“For that very reason.”<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nhimself a philosopher. “You really do live up to your name” he said to him
\ndisapprovingly one day. “By the Gods, you are right for once Plato,” replied
\nDiogenes, and then baring his teeth, he added, “But at least I’ve sunk my teeth
\ninto philosophy.”<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\ntable before him, said while there are many cups in the world, there is only one
\n`idea’ of a cup, and this cupness precedes the existence of all particular cups.\n<\/p>\n
\n`cupness'”.<\/p>\n
\nhis head with his forefinger, “you don’t have the intellect with which to
\ncomprehend `cupness’.”<\/p>\n
\n“Is it empty?”<\/p>\n
\nreached over and, tapping Plato’s head with his finger, said “I think you will
\nfind here is the `emptiness’.”<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nPlato said, “My good Diogenes, if you knew how to pay court to kings, you
\nwouldn’t have to wash vegetables.”<\/p>\n
\nhave to pay court to kings.”<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nreplied.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nthe great philosopher [meaning Plato]. Diogenes looked around and then led them
\nto the most deserted part of the city and, gesturing to the empty air as one
\nwould in formal introduction, said, “May I present to you the great philosopher
\nPlato.”<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/font><\/p>\n
\nof the guests became so outraged by Diogenes’ general behaviour that he began to
\nthrow bones at him, calling him a “dog.” Whereupon Diogenes got <\/font>
\n <\/font>up,
\nwent to the guest, cocked up his leg and urinated on him.<\/font><\/p>\n
\nhim. Diogenes would ignore this and simply wipe his face with his sleeve. When
\nridiculed for his passive behaviour, Diogenes said, “Since men endure being
\nwetted by the sea in order to net a mere herring, should I not endure being
\nsprinkled to net my dinner?”<\/p>\n
\npoisoned honey! A beautiful whore is like poisoned honey! A beautiful whore . .
\n. “. Men entering the house threw him a coin or two to shut him up.
\nEventually Diogenes had collected enough money and he too went into the brothel.<\/p>\n
\n“Oh yes, and what do you teach?” people would ask him scornfully.
\n“Generosity”, he replied.<\/p>\n
\nought to spend their money,” he replied.<\/p>\n
\nface and in self-reproach would cry, “Shame! I must have done something terribly
\nwicked!”<\/p>\n
\nsuccessful games. As he was carried along, he was unable to tear his eyes away
\nfrom the many beautiful women among the onlookers.<\/p>\n
\nsees.”<\/p>\n
\nholding a lighted lantern high in front of him and peering around as if
\nsearching for something. When people gaped and asked him what he was doing, he
\nreplied, “I am looking for an honest man.”<\/p>\n
\nDiogenes.<\/p>\n
\nthe head with his staff.<\/p>\n
\n<\/font><\/p>\n
\ndespair, “Men! Men! Men! . . . “<\/font><\/p>\n
\nin their hair; lusty young boys, scantily dressed, hanging off the arms of older
\nmen; freemen, their slaves beside them burdened down with groceries, their
\ncheeks bulging with small change; merchants who had left their shops in answer
\nto Diogenes’ call.<\/font><\/p>\n
\naway. “I called for men<\/i>,”
\nhe said in disgust.<\/font><\/p>\n
\ncarrying stones, others were patching the walls, yet others were building
\nbattlements. Diogenes, not wanting to appear idle while everyone around him was
\nworking so frantically, diligently rolled his barrel back and forth along the
\nbattlements. The city fell.<\/p>\n
\n<\/font><\/p>\n
\nwas listening. So he instead began to whistle and dance about to attract<\/font>
\n<\/font>attention. Immediately, people
\nflocked round him. Diogenes stopped and said, “You idiots, you are not
\ninterested to stop and pay attention to wisdom, yet you rush up to observe a
\nfoolish display.”<\/font><\/p>\n
\nbe bothered with philosophy.”<\/p>\n
\nlive properly?”<\/p>\n
\ncynics. One in particular left the circle, but not before entreating Diogenes to
\ngive him one of his books. “You really are a silly fellow,” said Diogenes.
\n“Surely you wouldn’t have painted figs instead of real ones. And yet you pass
\nover the genuine practice of wisdom and would be satisfied with what is merely
\nwritten.”<\/p>\n
\nAt once, Diogenes straightened himself up and stroked his beard.<\/p>\n
\nalong the road. “I wouldn’t touch this fruit! A man hung himself from the tree
\njust the other day,” warned the man, obviously believing the tree to be cursed.<\/p>\n
\nSucking, as one would suck venom from a wound, he proclaimed, “Thus I purify the
\ntree.”<\/p>\n
\nwalked off.<\/p>\n
\nhis hands. “A child has beaten me in simplicity,” he said, throwing away his
\ncup.<\/p>\n
\nmarry?”<\/p>\n
\nto do.”<\/p>\n
\nchildren.”<\/p>\n
\nattain were prison not so sweet.”<\/p>\n
\nany less alone?”<\/p>\n
\nin a palace and everyone else in barrels.”.<\/p>\n
\nWhen asked why he did this, he answered, “Opposition has been my manner. It is
\nwhat I have been doing all my life.”<\/p>\n
\nindifference to all who laughed at him. Finally, when he had collected a large
\nfollowing he stopped and announced, “You are laughing at me walking just a
\nlittle distance backwards while you all lead your entire lives arse-about.”<\/p>\n
\nthis?” Whereupon, he turned on his heel and walked off in normal fashion.<\/p>\n
\n<\/font><\/p>\n
\n<\/font><\/p>\n