Diogenes of Sinope
Diogenes of Sinope was a philosopher in ancient Greece. A Cynic, specifically, and eschewed much of the creature comforts in favor of an aesthetic life. And he did and said some of the damnedest things.
Diogenes was once invited to dinner by a wealthy man. During the evening, one of the guests became so outraged by Diogenes’ general behaviour that he began to throw bones at him, calling him a “dog.” Whereupon Diogenes got up, went to the guest, cocked up his leg and urinated on him.
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Diogenes stood outside a brothel, shouting, “A beautiful whore is like poisoned honey! A beautiful whore is like poisoned honey! A beautiful whore . . . “. Men entering the house threw him a coin or two to shut him up. Eventually Diogenes had collected enough money and he too went into the brothel.
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On one bright, clear day, Diogenes was walking up and down the market place, holding a lighted lantern high in front of him and peering around as if searching for something. When people gaped and asked him what he was doing, he replied, “I am looking for an honest man.”
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When asked what was the right age for marriage, Diogenes replied: “For a young man, not yet; for an old man, not at all.”
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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.”
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When Diogenes noticed a prostitute’s son throwing rocks at crowd, Diogenes said to him “Careful, son. Don’t hit your father.”
Diogenes also knew Alexander the Great and Plato, and was supposedly present when Socrates left this mortal coil. If you’re interested in a full treatment of his life I recommend reading Diogenes Laertius, the “man with the same first name”.
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:09 am
I am intrigued by the post and the story, which is why it pains me so to say that the “mortal coil” is not something that you leave; it’s something you shuffle off, as if to say it’s a (sometimes oppressive) weight that is lifted when you die. I do wonder if it’s a bad sign that the main thing I’ve learned in my time at school is how to be a word prick.
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:03 pm
Diogenes has always been one of my favorite Greeks. I think he’d have been a riot to hang out with.