November 20, 2008
Diogenes the Cynic
In the spirit of my liberal education, I present you with some snippets about Diogenes the Cynic:
When Diogenes noticed a prostitute’s son throwing rocks at crowd, Diogenes said to him “Careful, son. Don’t hit your father.”
…
When Lysias the druggist asked him if he believed in the gods,” How can I help believing in them,” said he, “when I see a god-forsaken wretch like you?”
…
After being reproached for masturbating in the marketplace he would say “If only it was as easy to banish hunger by rubbing the belly as it is to masturbate.”
and, one of my favorites:
A philosopher named Aristippus, who had quite willingly sucked up to Dionysus and won himself a spot at his court, saw Diogenes cooking lentils for a meal. “If you would only learn to compliment Dionysus, you wouldn’t have to live on lentils.”
Diogenes replied, “But if you would only learn to live on lentils, you wouldn’t have to flatter Dionysus.”
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