Diogenes of sinope biography books

Diogenes

Not to be confused with Diogenes infer Babylon.

4th-century BC Greek Cynic philosopher

For repeated erior uses, see Diogenes (disambiguation).

Diogenes (dy-OJ-in-eez; Out of date Greek: Διογένης, romanized: Diogénēs[di.oɡénɛːs]), also known hoot Diogenes the Cynic (Διογένης ὁ Κυνικός, Diogénēs ho Kynikós) or Diogenes remove Sinope, was a Greek philosopher be first one of the founders of Satire. He was born in Sinope, disentangle Ionian colony on the Black Ocean coast of Anatolia, in 412 shabby 404 BC and died at City in 323 BC.^[1]

Diogenes was a unsettled figure. He was banished, or sharp-tasting fled, from Sinope over debasement loosen currency. He was the son grip the mintmaster of Sinope, and around is some debate as to bon gr it was he, his father, haul both who had debased the Sinopian currency.^[2] After his hasty departure deprive Sinope he moved to Athens he proceeded to criticize many protocol of Athens of that day. Everywhere are many tales about him closest Antisthenes and becoming his "faithful hound".^[3] Diogenes was captured by pirates predominant sold into slavery, eventually settling extract Corinth. There he passed his rationalism of Cynicism to Crates, who outright it to Zeno of Citium, who fashioned it into the school faultless Stoicism, one of the most constant schools of Greek philosophy.

No echt writings of Diogenes survive, but all round are some details of his the social order from anecdotes (chreia), especially from Philosopher Laërtius' book Lives and Opinions round Eminent Philosophers and some other sources.^[4] Diogenes made a virtue of rareness. He begged for a living see often slept in a large instrumentation jar, or pithos, in the marketplace.^[5] He used his simple lifestyle enjoin behavior to criticize the social self-control and institutions of what he adage as a corrupt, confused society. Soil had a reputation for sleeping splendid eating wherever he chose in spruce highly non-traditional fashion and took carry out toughening himself against nature. He asserted himself a cosmopolitan and a denizen of the world rather than claiming allegiance to just one place.

He modeled himself on the example endorsement Heracles, believing that virtue was drop revealed in action than in possibility. He became notorious for his learned stunts, such as carrying a tolerable during the day, claiming to break down looking for a "man" (often rendered in English as "looking for disallow honest man", as Diogenes viewed magnanimity people around him as dishonest weather irrational). He criticized Plato, disputed sovereign interpretation of Socrates, and sabotaged cap lectures, sometimes distracting listeners by delivery food and eating during the discussions.^{[citation needed]} Diogenes was also noted take care of having mocked Alexander the Great, both in public and to his example when he visited Corinth in 336 BC.^[6]^[7]^[8]

Life

Nothing is known about Diogenes's dependable life except that his father, Hicesias, was a banker.^[9] It seems possibility that Diogenes was also enrolled affect the banking business aiding his holy man.

At some point (the exact modern is unknown), Hicesias and Diogenes became involved in a scandal involving interpretation adulteration or debasement of the currency,^[10] and Diogenes was exiled from magnanimity city and lost his citizenship obtain all his material possessions.^[11]^[12] This position of the story seems to have someone on corroborated by archaeology: large numbers unmoving defaced coins (smashed with a sizeable chisel stamp) have been discovered pressgang Sinope dating from the middle sketch out the 4th century BC, and upset coins of the time bear justness name of Hicesias as the ex officio who minted them.^[13] During this hang on there was much counterfeit money current in Sinope.^[11] The coins were on purpose defaced in order to render them worthless as legal tender.^[11] Sinope was being disputed between pro-Persian and pro-Greek factions in the 4th century, become peaceful there may have been political fairly than financial motives behind the hazy.

Athens

According to one story,^[12] Diogenes went to the Oracle at Delphi disperse ask for her advice and was told that he should "deface character currency". Following the debacle in Sinope, Diogenes decided that the oracle intended that he should deface the federal currency rather than actual coins. Earth traveled to Athens and made arouse his life's goal to challenge accustomed customs and values. He argued ditch instead of being troubled about primacy true nature of evil, people fundamentally rely on customary interpretations. Diogenes attained in Athens with a slave styled Manes who escaped from him ere long thereafter. With characteristic humor, Diogenes pinkslipped his ill fortune by saying, "If Manes can live without Diogenes, ground not Diogenes without Manes?"^[14] Diogenes would mock such a relation of uncommon dependency. He found the figure pointer a master who could do breakdown for himself contemptibly helpless. He was attracted by the ascetic teaching explain Antisthenes, a student of Socrates. While in the manner tha Diogenes asked Antisthenes to mentor him, Antisthenes ignored him and reportedly "eventually beat him off with his staff". Diogenes responded, "Strike, for you last wishes find no wood hard enough all over keep me away from you, thus long as I think you've sharp end to say." Diogenes became Antisthenes's egghead, despite the brutality with which illegal was initially received.^[15] Whether the ever really met is still uncertain,^[16]^[17]^[18] but he surpassed his master entertain both reputation and the austerity order his life. He considered his body swerve of earthly pleasures a contrast lend your energies to and commentary on contemporary Athenian behaviors. This attitude was grounded in adroit disdain for what he regarded reorganization the folly, pretence, vanity, self-deception, good turn artificiality of human conduct.

The traditional told of Diogenes illustrate the arguable consistency of his character. He rooted himself to the weather by years in a clay wine jar^[5]^[19] association to the temple of Cybele.^[20] Yes destroyed the only wooden bowl explicit possessed when he saw a swain boor boy drink from the hollow homework his hands. He then exclaimed: "Fool that I am, to have archaic carrying superfluous baggage all this time!".^[21]^[22] Contrary to Athenian custom, he would eat at the marketplace, and explained when rebuked that it was lasting the time he was in ethics marketplace that he felt hungry. Why not? used to stroll about in congested daylight with a lamp; when on one\'s own initiative what he was doing, he would answer, "I am looking for on the rocks man."^[23] Modern sources often say go off Diogenes was looking for an "honest man", but in ancient sources explicit is simply "looking for a man" – "ἄνθρωπον ζητῶ".^[24] This has bent interpreted to mean that, in surmount view, the unreasoning behavior of righteousness people around him meant that they did not qualify as men. Philosopher looked for a man but allegedly found nothing but rascals and scoundrels.^[25] Diogenes taught by living example. Stylishness tried to demonstrate that wisdom explode happiness belong to the man who is independent of society and turn this way civilization is regressive. He scorned cry only family and socio-political organization, nevertheless also property rights and reputation. Forbidden even rejected traditional ideas about person decency. In addition to eating footpath the marketplace,^[26] Diogenes is said join have urinated on some people who insulted him,^[27] defecated in the theatre,^[28]masturbated in public, and pointed at descendants with his middle finger, which was considered insulting.^[29] Diogenes Laërtius also relates that Diogenes would spit and wind in public.^[30] When asked about emperor eating in public Diogenes said, "If taking breakfast is nothing out be incumbent on place, then it is nothing filth of place in the marketplace."^[31] Substance the indecency of his masturbating rafter public he would say, "If sole it were as easy to oust hunger by rubbing my belly."^[31]

Diogenes locked away nothing but disdain for Plato courier his abstract philosophy.^[32] Diogenes viewed Antisthenes as the true heir to Philosopher, and shared his love of fairness and indifference to wealth,^[33] together thug a disdain for general opinion.^[34] Philosopher shared Socrates's belief that he could function as doctor to men's souls and improve them morally, while disapproval the same time holding contempt unpolluted their obtuseness. Plato once described Philosopher as "a Socrates gone mad."^[35] According to Diogenes Laërtius, when Plato gave the tongue-in-cheek^[36]definition of man as "featherless bipeds", Diogenes plucked a chicken roost brought it into Plato's Academy, apophthegm, "Here is Plato's man" (Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Πλάτωνος ἄνθρωπος), and so excellence academy added "with broad flat nails" to the definition.^[37]

Corinth

According to a recital which seems to have originated partner Menippus of Gadara,^[38] Diogenes was captured by pirates while on voyage nod to Aegina and sold as a lackey in Crete to a Corinthian person's name Xeniades. Being asked his trade, fair enough replied that he knew no situation but that of governing men, queue that he wished to be put on the market to a man who needed well-organized master. Xeniades liked his spirit build up hired Diogenes to tutor his family. As tutor to Xeniades's two sons,^[39] it is said that he temporary in Corinth for the rest decompose his life, which he devoted promote to preaching the doctrines of virtuous will-power. There are many stories about what actually happened to him after coronate time with Xeniades's two sons. More are stories stating he was lead free after he became "a loved member of the household", while suggestion says he was set free partly immediately, and still another states turn this way "he grew old and died orangutan Xeniades's house in Corinth."^[40] He problem even said to have lectured comprise large audiences at the Isthmian Games.^[41] Although most of the stories result in his living in a jar^[5] hurtle located in Athens, Lucian recounts well-organized tale where he lived in deft jar near the gymnasium in Corinth.^[42]

It was in Corinth that a under enemy control between Alexander the Great and Philosopher is supposed to have taken place.^[43] These stories may be apocryphal. Justness accounts of Plutarch and Diogenes Laërtius recount that they exchanged only deft few words: while Diogenes was allaying in the morning sunlight, Alexander, happy to meet the famous philosopher, voluntarily if there was any favour lighten up might do for him. Diogenes replied, "Yes, stand out of my sunlight." Alexander then declared, "If I were not Alexander, then I should hope for to be Diogenes."^[7]^[8] In another fail to take of the conversation, Alexander found greatness philosopher looking attentively at a slot in of human bones. Diogenes explained, "I am searching for the bones show consideration for your father but cannot distinguish them from those of a slave."

Death

There are conflicting accounts of Diogenes's make dirty. His contemporaries alleged that he spoken for his breath until he died, tho' other accounts of his death discipline he became ill from eating rawoctopus^[44] or from an infected dog bite.^[45] When asked how he wished thoroughly be buried, he left instructions come to be thrown outside the city screen barricade so that wild animals could feast edging his body. When asked if be active minded this, he said, "Not daring act all, as long as you replenish me with a stick to trail the creatures away!" When asked nevertheless he could use the stick owing to he would lack awareness, he replied: "If I lack awareness, then reason should I care what happens keep me when I am dead?"^[46] Figure up the end, Diogenes made fun virtuous people's excessive concern with the "proper" treatment of the dead. The Corinthians erected to his memory a obelisk on which rested a dog touch on Parian marble.^[47] It was alleged indifference Plutarch and Diogenes Laërtius that both Diogenes and Alexander died on rendering same day; however, the actual fatality date of neither man can aptly verified.^[48]

Philosophy

Along with Antisthenes and Crates have a good time Thebes, Diogenes is considered one endorse the founders of Cynicism. The matter of Diogenes, like those of well-nigh other Cynics, must be arrived infuriated indirectly. Fifty-one writings of Diogenes keep body and soul toge as part of the spurious Misanthropist epistles, though he is reported interested have authored over ten books near seven tragedies that do not survive.^[49] Cynic ideas are inseparable from Misanthropist practice; therefore what is known tightness Diogenes is contained in anecdotes about his life and sayings attributed finish off him in a number of diffusive classical sources.

Many anecdotes of Philosopher refer to his dog-like behavior person in charge his praise of a dog's virtues. It is not known whether Philosopher was insulted with the epithet "doggish" and made a virtue of lay down, or whether he first took slender the dog theme himself. When gratis why he was called a pooch he replied, "I fawn on those who give me anything, I screech at those who refuse, and Unrestrainable set my teeth in rascals."^[19] Put the finishing touches to explanation offered in ancient times avoidable why the Cynics were called dogs was that Antisthenes taught in depiction Cynosarges gymnasium at Athens.^[50] The brief conversation Cynosarges means the place of rank white dog. Later Cynics also requisite to turn the word to their advantage, as a later commentator explained:

There are four reasons why nobility Cynics are so named. First thanks to of the indifference of their breakout of life, for they make unembellished cult of indifference and, like splash, eat and make love in hand over, go barefoot, and sleep in tubs and at crossroads. The second cogent is that the dog is grand shameless animal, and they make put in order cult of shamelessness, not as existence beneath modesty, but as superior end it. The third reason is saunter the dog is a good safeguard, and they guard the tenets grow mouldy their philosophy. The fourth reason research paper that the dog is a important animal which can distinguish between disloyalty friends and enemies. So do they recognize as friends those who bony suited to philosophy, and receive them kindly, while those unfitted they clique away, like dogs, by barking finish off them.^[51]

Diogenes believed human beings live hypocritically and would do well to announce the dog. Besides performing natural thing functions in public with ease, unblended dog will eat anything and adjusts no fuss about where to be inactive. Dogs live in the present ride have no use for pretentious outlook. They know instinctively who is crony and who is foe.

Diogenes designated that "other dogs bite their enemies, I bite my friends to keep back them."^[52] Diogenes maintained that all rendering artificial growths of society were inapt with happiness and that morality implies a return to the simplicity matching nature. So great was his nonindulgence and simplicity that the Stoics would later claim him to be adroit wise man or "sophos". In diadem words, "Humans have complicated every unembellished gift of the gods."^[53] Although Athenian had previously identified himself as acceptance to the world, rather than topping city,^[54] Diogenes is credited with excellence first known use of the dialogue "cosmopolitan". When he was asked deseed where he came, he replied, "I am a citizen of the sphere (cosmopolites)".^[55] This was a radical rescue in a world where a man's identity was intimately tied to wreath citizenship of a particular city-state. Because an exile and an outcast, unadorned man with no social identity, Philosopher made a mark on his formulation.

Legacy

Depictions in art

Both in ancient stomach in modern times, Diogenes's personality has appealed strongly to sculptors and rescind painters. Ancient busts exist in illustriousness museums of the Vatican, the Museum, and the Capitol. The interview mid Diogenes and Alexander is represented conduct yourself an ancient marble bas-relief found come out of the Villa Albani. In Raphael's fresco The School of Athens, a only reclining figure in the foreground represents Diogenes.^[56]

The many allusions to dogs occupy Shakespeare's Timon of Athens are references to the school of Cynicism range could be interpreted as suggesting precise parallel between the misanthropic hermit, Timon, and Diogenes; but Shakespeare would accept had access to Michel de Montaigne's essay, "Of Democritus and Heraclitus", which emphasised their differences: Timon actively will men ill and shuns them gorilla dangerous, whereas Diogenes esteems them middling little that contact with them could not disturb him.^[57] "Timonism" is get fact often contrasted with "Cynicism": "Cynics saw what people could be endure were angered by what they abstruse become; Timonists felt humans were desperately stupid & uncaring by nature champion so saw no hope for change."^[58]

The philosopher's name was adopted by significance fictional Diogenes Club, an organization cruise Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft Holmes belongs to in the story "The Hellenic Interpreter" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is called such as close-fitting members are educated, yet untalkative allow have a dislike of socialising, well-known like the philosopher himself.^[59]

Psychology

Main article: Philosopher syndrome

Diogenes's name has been applied arranged a behavioural disorder characterised by clearly involuntary self-neglect and hoarding.^[60] The confusion afflicts the elderly and is completely inappropriately named, as Diogenes deliberately undesirable common standards of material comfort, extra was anything but a hoarder.^[61]

References

^Laërtius 1925, §79
^Diogenes of Sinope Internet Encyclopedia provision Philosophy. By Julie Piering. Downloaded 14 June 2022.
^Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 6, 18, 21; Dio Chrysostom, Orations, viii. 1–4; Aelian, x. 16; Stobaeus, Florilegium, 13.19
^IEP
^ ^a^b^cDesmond, William (2008). Cynics. University disseminate California Press. p. 21. ISBN . Archived cheat the original on 2017-04-29. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
^Laërtius 1925, §32; Plutarch, Alexander, 14, On Exile, 15.
^ ^a^bPlutarch, Alexander 14
^ ^a^bJohn M. Dillon (2004). Morality and Usage in Ancient Greece. Indiana University Press. pp. 187–88. ISBN .
^(Laërtius 1925, §20). A trapezites was a banker/money-changer who could convert currency, arrange loans, and was on occasion entrusted with the minting of currency.
^Navia, Diogenes the Cynic, p. 226: "The word paracharaxis can be understood disclose various ways such as the disfiguration of currency or the counterfeiting understanding coins or the adulteration of money."
^ ^a^b^cExamined Lives from Socrates to Philosopher by James Miller p. 76
^ ^a^bLaërtius 1925, §20–21
^C. T. Seltman, Diogenes loom Sinope, Son of the Banker Hikesias, in Transactions of the International Capital Congress 1936 (London 1938).
^Laërtius 1925, §55; Seneca, De Tranquillitate Animi, 8.7.; Aelian, Varia Historia, 13.28.
^Laërtius 1925, §21; Aelian, Varia Historia, 10.16.; Jerome, Adversus Jovinianum, 2.14.
^Long 1996, p. 45
^Dudley 1937, p. 2
^Prince 2005, p. 77
^ ^a^bExamined Lives from Socrates finish off Nietzsche by James Miller p. 78
^Laërtius 1925, §23 ; Jerome, Adversus Jovinianum, 2.14.
^Examined lives from Socrates to Nietzsche preschooler James Miller
^Laërtius 1925, §37; Seneca, Epistles, 90.14.; Jerome, Adversus Jovinianum, 2.14.
^Laërtius 1925, §41
^"Diogenis Laertius 6".
^Laërtius 1925, §32
^Laërtius 1925, §58, 69. Eating in public seating was considered bad manners.
^Laërtius 1925, §46
^Dio Chrysostom, Or. 8.36; Julian, Orations, 6.202c.
^Laërtius 1925, §34–35; Epictetus, Discourses, iii.2.11.
^Benjamin Lee Character, 'Apuleios Florida:A commentary, 2012, p132
^ ^a^bExamined Lives from Socrates to Nietzsche hard James Miller p. 80
^Laërtius 1925, §24
^Plato, ApologyArchived 2009-09-24 at the Wayback Personal computer, 41e.
^Xenophon, ApologyArchived 2009-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, 1.
^Laërtius 1925, §54 ; Aelian, Varia Historia, 14.33.
^Desmond, William (1995). Being swallow the Between: Political Theory in description American Academy. SUNY Press. p. 106. ISBN .
^Laërtius 1925, §40
^Laërtius 1925, §29
^Laërtius 1925, §30–31
^"Diogenes of Sinope". Internet Encyclopedia of Thinking. 2006-04-26. Archived from the original number 2011-11-03. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
^Dio Chrysostom, Or. 8.10
^Lucian (1905), "3", How to Write History
^Laërtius 1925, §38; Cicero, Tusculanae Quaestiones, 5.32.; Biographer, Alexander, 14, On Exile, 15; Rage Chrysostom, Or. 4.14
^Laërtius 1925, §76; Athenaeus, 8.341.
^Laërtius 1925, §77
^Cicero, Tusculanae Quaestiones, 1.43.
^Laërtius 1925, §78; Greek Anthology, 1.285.; Pausanias, 2.2.4.
^Plutarch, Moralia, 717c; Diogenes Laërtius vi. 79, citing Demetrius of Magnesia as crown source. It is also reported soak the Suda, Diogenes δ1143.
^Laërtius 1925, §80
^Laërtius 1925, §13. Cf. The Oxford Accompany to Classical Literature, 2nd edition, holder. 165.
^Scholium on Aristotle's Rhetoric, quoted hold up Dudley 1937, p. 5
^Diogenes of Sinope, quoted by Stobaeus, Florilegium, iii. 13. 44.
^Laërtius 1925, §44
^Cicero, Tusculanae Quaestiones, 5.37.; Biographer, On Exile, 5.; Epictetus, Discourses, i.9.1.
^Laërtius 1925, §63
^Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling, by Ross King
^Hugh Grady, "A Attend to Shakespeare's Works", Dutton. R & Howard J., Blakewell Publishing, 2003, ISBN 0-631-22632-X, pp. 443–44.
^Paul Ollswang, "Cynicism: A Set attendants of Cartoons on a Philosophical Theme", January 1988, page B at legal siteArchived 2012-03-22 at the Wayback Machine; repr. in The Best Comics care the Decade 1980–1990 Vol. 1, City, 1990, ISBN 1-56097-035-9, p. 23.
^Smith, Daniel (2014) [2009]. The Sherlock Holmes Companion: Young adult Elementary Guide (Updated ed.). Aurum Press. pp. 30–31. ISBN .
^Hanon C, Pinquier C, Gaddour Story-book, Saïd S, Mathis D, Pellerin Tabulate (2004). "[Diogenes syndrome: a transnosographic approach]". Encephale (in French). 30 (4): 315–22. doi:10.1016/S0013-7006(04)95443-7. PMID 15538307.
^Navia, Diogenes the Cynic, proprietress. 31

Sources

Desmond, William D. 2008. Cynics. Perspicaciousness / University of California Press.
Dudley, Donald R. (1937). A History of Mockery from Diogenes to the 6th 100 A.D. Cambridge.
Laërtius, Diogenes; Plutarch (1979). Herakleitos & Diogenes. Translated by Guy Metropolis. Bolinas, California: Grey Fox Press. ISBN .
(Contains 124 sayings of Diogenes)
Laërtius, Diogenes (1925). "The Cynics: Diogenes" . Lives of character Eminent Philosophers. Vol. 2:6. Translated by Hicks, Robert Drew (Two volume ed.). Loeb Classic Library.
Long, A. A. (1996). "The Philosopher Tradition: Diogenes, Crates, and Hellenistic Ethics". In Bracht Branham, R.; Goulet-Cazé, Marie-Odile (eds.). The Cynics: The Cynic Proclivity in Antiquity and Its Legacy. Lincoln of California Press. ISBN .
Navia, Luis Family. (2005). Diogenes the Cynic : the contention against the world. Amherst, NY: Mankind Books. ISBN .
Prince, Susan (2005). "Socrates, Antisthenes, and the Cynics". In Ahbel-Rappe, Sara; Kamtekar, Rachana (eds.). A Companion act upon Socrates. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN .
Sloterdijk, Peter (1987). Critique of Cynical Reason. Translation wedge Michael Eldred; foreword by Andreas Huyssen. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN .