Sayings and Anecdotes: With Other Popular Moralists
Book by Diogenes of Sinope, Robin Hard (Translator)
So, if you’re a deep thinker like me, you’re going to want to read this book. Maybe even a few times over again, if you’re like me and re-read books. Sayings and Anecdotes: With Other Popular Moralists is a compilation of some of Diogenes’s beliefs and sayings. If you’re new to the world of philosophy and you don’t know who Diogenes is, you’re in for a world of fun. See, Diogenes was unlike any of the other philosophers you’ve ever heard of. He was best known for living with absolutely no possessions. No money, no clothes, nothing. All he had was a large barrel/urinal that he lived in. It’s even said that Diogenes used to have a bowl but when he saw a peasant boy drinking water by cupping his hands, Diogenes threw it out. Exclaiming,
“fool that I am. I’ve been carrying this superfluous baggage all this time.”
Diogenes by John William Waterhouse
Who is Diogenes exactly? He is said to have been the originator of the cynics, cynic meaning a philosophical sect that believed in rejecting the traditional societal way of life and current political standings. Believing in communal anarchism. Diogenes never officially wrote any of his beliefs down, opting for living them instead. Often defecating and masturbating in public, he was akin to living life like a dog. His goal in life was to bring humanity back to its “natural way of life.” Diogenes once said,
“I pissed on the man who called me a dog. Why was he so surprised?”
From what I have read about him, he seems to have concluded that items and possessions give him little to no satisfaction in life. This book is nothing short of a direct reflection of that. It has personally made me reconsider what I find of value to me or how I approach my life. See, like a dog, Diogenes didn’t care about the past or the future. He lived in the moment, living life only “according to nature.”
Alexander and Diogenes by Gaspare Dizian
There are many stories about Diogenes out there, his most famous one being his meeting with Alexander the Great. Alexander had heard of Diogenes’s philosophical beliefs and wanted to meet the man himself. So, one day when Diogenes was laying in a field sunbathing, Alexander approached him. He asked,
“if there were any favour he could do for him, he would do it.”
Alexander was the wealthiest, most influential man of his time. Everyone around him was envious of what he had, but not Diogenes. His response to his offer was,
“yes. By moving away. Since you are covering the sun.”
You might think, wow I doubt Alexander took a liking to this man. But, no. Alexander, seemed to be, in a way, moved by what Diogenes had said. Stating,
“if I wasn't Alexander, then I wish to be Diogenes.”
They were two extremes meeting each other. It’s almost strange how someone with such status could be so humbled by someone with so little. However, from my perspective, it must have been so refreshing to meet someone so unbothered by his status or wealth. I can see how Alexander might have also fantasized about what life could have been like for him if he wasn’t as important or influential as he was. I know it's strange to think that, but I can see how he might have also come to the same conclusion that Diogenes had. That items and possessions alone aren’t enough to give you the satisfaction in life that we all seek. It’s simply an illusion of a goal we think will create happiness. So, to think that two extreme opposites shared the same conclusion is certainly food for thought. This alone has certainly given me a perspective of life. Again, this is only one of many stories shared about Diogenes. I am only just scratching the surface of who he is, or what he stood for. Give this book a read or give this man a quick Google, and you’ll see what I mean.
Like I said earlier, he was unlike any philosopher you have ever heard of before. You see, to Diogenes living simply didn’t just mean rejecting luxury goods, it meant disregarding laws and societal conventions. He rejected metaphysical ideas, as to him they were a waste of time. Even butting heads with Plato himself over it. Although that's a story for another day, however, it is further proof that he is certainly a character worth reading about.
Don’t want to read the book, but want to hear more about Diogenes? Check out the links below!
Thoughts on getting robbed and how it relates to Diogenes’s philosophies