Diogenes the cynic diogenes of sinope by ben best i have. Diogenes of sinope by ben best i have long been inspired by the apocryphal story that diogenes of sinope went about ancient greece vainly searching for an honest man. But this is only a quirk of our distant temporal perspective, a. In this lecture we investigate the life and ideas of diogenes the cynic, one of of the founders and most famous member of the philosophical movement known as cynicism. It was by personal example rather than any coherent system of thought that diogenes conveyed the cynic philosophy. And, replied diogenes, if you knew how to wash vegetables, you wouldnt have to pay court to dionysius. They guaranteed happiness to their adherents through freedom of speech. The story of how diogenes and antisthenes came together is an interesting one.
This acclaimed book by julian is available at in several formats for your ereader. From around 500 bc, the cynic philosophers sought to cure humanity of greed and vice, guaranteeing happiness through freedom of speech, poverty, selfsufficiency and physical hardiness. I still think that diogenes was motivated by the shock value he elicited from the general public and establishment at the time. Like the cynic menippus, nietzsche also mixed his literary style. Having been invited to dinner, diogenes declined, saying that the last time he had gone his host had not shown proper gratitude. An interesting story is the one where the young alexander the great 356323 bc met diogenes, then a very old man. You could refer to books that deal with cynic philosophy,considering diogenes is often touted as the father of the field. Diogenes of sinope quotes author of diogenes the cynic. A religious man tried to convince diogones that poseidon was the great god of the sea by telling him miracle stores about the sailors who prayed to poseidon and were saved from drowning. In this collection of writings from diogenes to the roman emperor julian, the history and experiences of the cynic philosophers are explored. The renowned philosopher, plato, supposedly described diogenes of sinope as a socrates gone mad and alexander the great according to plutarch honored the man by saying, if i were not. Diogenes laertius, lives of eminent philosophers, book i.
Diogenes has been credited with being a protoanarchist, in place of the state, was the state of being a cynic, king unto thyself. In this lecture we are going to investigate the life and ideas of diogenes the cynic. Nov 15, 2017 what did diogenes the cynic say was the difference between gods and men. An alleged student of antisthenes, diogenes maintains his teachers asceticism and emphasis on ethics, but brings to these philosophical positions a dynamism and sense of humor unrivaled in the history of philosophy. The teachings of diogenes cynic philosopher reddit. Poverty does not consist in the want of money, i answere. The most notorious cynic was diogenes of sinope, about whom many legends have accrued. Julian himself attests to the large amount of letters he had to write in one of the letters which is likely to be genuine. In another account of the conversation, alexander found the philosopher looking attentively at a pile of human bones. Oct 12, 2015 diogenes has been credited with being a protoanarchist, in place of the state, was the state of being a cynic, king unto thyself. This is a list of cynic philosophers, ordered roughly by date.
The powerful young conqueror, being solicitous of the old philosopher, asked what, if anything he could do for him. He was born in sinope, an ionian colony on the black sea, in 412 or 404 bc and died at corinth in. Ive also included some ancient verse about his student monimos of syracuse. The word cynic comes from the greek word for dog kyon and diogenes is a name which means the man from god. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the cynic philosophers. Read the cynic philosophers online, read in mobile or kindle. Here are some lines of ancient greek verse about diogenes of sinope, the founder of cynic philosophy. Diogenes didnt adhere to the conventions of society, but rather followed his inner voice. Diogenes traveled from there to athens, where he took up a life of asceticism and became a notorious contrarian. Jan 29, 2012 compare for example diogenes response when asked why he was walking around in broad daylight with a lighted lamp. Coming up to him, plato said, my good diogenes, if you knew how to pay court to dionysius, you wouldnt have to wash vegetables.
Since there is no authenticated historical documentation about him i will relate some of the tradition about his life more from the point of view of intrinsic interest than. But this is only a quirk of our distant temporal perspective, a trick of the historical light. Diogenes in the salon, louisa shea follows the trajectory of what she calls philosophical cynicism, which names the appropriation of diogenes the cynic, from the eighteenth century onward, as a model for. What did diogenes the cynic say was the difference between gods and men. The only selection of the sayings and anecdotes of diogenes, the ancient greek philosopher whose biting wit and bizarre behaviour has passed down to the present day in european literature and art. Why nietzsche was a cynic philosopher cynical reflections. Mar 03, 2017 you could refer to books that deal with cynic philosophy,considering diogenes is often touted as the father of the field. The criteria for inclusion in this list is fairly mild. From diogenes to julian penguin classics various, dobbin, robert, dobbin, robert on. Diogenes followed the example of the trainers of choruses in setting the note a little high to ensure the rest would hit the right note. Among them, the most important and distinctive was diogenes of sinope, who became the archetype of classical cynicism. Diogenes the cynic excerpts from diogenes laertius, eminent philosophers, 3rd century ce he used to say that education was for the young sobriety, for the old comfort, for the poor riches, and for the rich an ornament.
His followers positioned themselves as watchdogs of morality. Quotes from the cynics english translations of quotes from the cynic philosophers. Diogenes the cynic bc, c412323 diogenes was chief among the school known as the cynics, though possibly not representative of it diogenes carried the principles of the sect to an extreme of asceticism. Diogenes relied on no one for his happiness and we can see this. Diogenes and plato had several runins, which have sort of been passed down through the ages so who knows how much of it is real. Cynic, member of a greek philosophical sect that flourished from the 4th century bce to well into the common era, distinguished as much for its unconventional way of life as for its rejection of traditional social and political arrangements, professing instead a cosmopolitan utopia and communal. Mar 11, 2012 a shining example of the art of failure. Sayings and anecdotes with other popular moralists diogenes the cynic translated by robin hard oxford worlds classics.
It was characterized by an emotional detachment from the external world. Diogenes, archetype of the cynics, a greek philosophical sect that stressed stoic selfsufficiency and the rejection of luxury. Cynic, member of a greek philosophical sect that flourished from the 4th century bce to well into the common era, distinguished as much for its unconventional way of life as for its rejection of traditional social and political arrangements, professing instead. Julian s religious agenda gave him even more work than the average emperor as he sought to instruct his newlystyled pagan priests and he had to deal with discontent christian leaders and communities.
The staff and cloak are mentioned as typical accoutrements, along with the knapsack. Diogenes of sinope internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Her systematic and engaging presentation of the principles of ancient cynicism works to underline the. The other greek philosophers how to be a cynic roger caldwell contemplates the life and thinking of diogenes the dog diogenes the cynic c. Dec 06, 2012 in this fascinating and completely new collection of cynic writing through the centuries, from diogenes and hipparchia, to lucian and the roman emperor julian, the history and experiences of the cynic philosophers are explored to the full. May 04, 2017 during the late 5th century bce, one of the most bizarre men to have ever lived was born in the greekcolonized city of sinope, located on the coast of the black sea in modern turkey. Diocles relates that he went into exile because his father was entrusted with the money of the state and adulterated the coin. For this reason, he was given the epithet dog, from which the name cynic is derived. Concerned more with action than with words, he left no writings. Diogenes was knee deep in a stream washing vegetables. Cynicism was a school of philosophy that was founded in athens by antisthenes 455366 bce, a student of socrates.
Wikimedia commons has media related to cynic philosophers the cynic movement was a core part of the postsocratic ancient western philosophy. Compare for example diogenes response when asked why he was walking around in broad daylight with a lighted lamp. May 26, 20 in this lecture we investigate the life and ideas of diogenes the cynic, one of of the founders and most famous member of the philosophical movement known as cynicism. It was said of diogenes that throughout his life he searched with a lantern in the daylight for an honest man. This text was converted to electronic form by data entry and has been proofread to a low level of accuracy. Diogenes the cynic a story is told about a philosopher of ancient greece, diogenes of synope.
National endowment for the humanities division of preservation and access provided support for entering this text. Diogenes laertius, lives of eminent philosophers, book vi. Robert dobbins introduction examines the public image of the cynics through the ages, as well as the. In fact, diogenes teacher antisthenes pupil of socrates founded the greek school of cynicism, and diogenes was and is the most notorious cynic. When he came to athens he attached himself to antisthenes. Mejer, diogenes laertius and the transmission of greek philosophy, anrw 2. Download the cynic philosophers ebook free in pdf and epub format. Diogenes was a native of sinope, son of hicesius, a banker. When he was a young man, he and his father were exiled from their home of sinope for defacing currency. The cynics, stoics and sceptics from our historical vantage point it can seem as though socrates, plato and aristotle were the only serious philosophers alive and at large in ancient greece. Im looking for an honest man, with nietzsches aphorism, i looked for great human beings, but all i ever found were the apes of their ideals. This unique anthology draws together the writings on and by various cynic philosophers, from founding figures antisthenes and diogenes of sinope to hipparchia, one of the few female philosophers in antiquity, and fourthcentury roman emperor julian the apostate. Diogenes the cynic, the mad genius philosopher of ancient. It is said that when the noted philosophers of plato s academy stated that the best definition of a human being is a featherless biped, diogenes rushed into their midst waiving a plucked chicken.
Julians religious agenda gave him even more work than the average emperor as he sought to instruct his newlystyled pagan priests and he had to deal with discontent christian leaders and communities. Diogenes was born about 4 bce and died in 323 bce, the same year, and, at least according to legend, the same day as alexander the great, who had an unrequited admiration for diogenes. He is credited by some with originating the cynic way of life, but he himself acknowledges an indebtedness to antisthenes, by whose numerous writings he was probably influenced. The image of a cynic that has come to us is that of a dog. Shea places diogenes at the very heart of the enlightenment, contextualizing and illuminating the references to him and to his sect that appear in the work of dalembert, diderot, wieland, rousseau condemned as a false cynic by voltaire, and sade, among others. What did diogenes the cynic say was the difference between. What we know of his thought is what has been related to us by contempo. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The renowned philosopher, plato, supposedly described diogenes of sinope as a socrates gone mad and alexander the great according to. Sep 19, 20 sundays program is about diogenes the cynic. Diogenes the cynic was a greek philosopher who lived in the fourth century bc.
In this fascinating and completely new collection of cynic writing through the centuries, from diogenes and hipparchia, to lucian and the roman emperor julian, the history and experiences of the cynic philosophers are explored to the full. May 26, 20 the following is a transcript of this video. The story of diogenes the cynical philosopher video. But eubulides in his book on diogenes says that diogenes himself did this and was forced. To me, hes more like the ultimate ancient troll, amusing at times but mostly just an asshole. The most illustrious of the cynic philosophers, diogenes of sinope serves as the template for the cynic sage in antiquity. I fawn on those who give me anything, i bark at those who refuse, and i set. Alexander then declared, if i were not alexander, then i should wish to be diogenes, to which diogenes replied, if i were not diogenes, i should also wish to be diogenes. Below are some of his immensely profound philosophical teachings. Diogenes the cynic, the mad genius philosopher of ancient greece.