Mar 03, 2017 you could refer to books that deal with cynic philosophy,considering diogenes is often touted as the father of the field. Nov 15, 2017 what did diogenes the cynic say was the difference between gods and men. It was characterized by an emotional detachment from the external world. It was by personal example rather than any coherent system of thought that diogenes conveyed the cynic philosophy.
But this is only a quirk of our distant temporal perspective, a. Mar 11, 2012 a shining example of the art of failure. The staff and cloak are mentioned as typical accoutrements, along with the knapsack. In fact, diogenes teacher antisthenes pupil of socrates founded the greek school of cynicism, and diogenes was and is the most notorious cynic. Diogenes laertius, lives of eminent philosophers, book vi. Diogenes the cynic, the mad genius philosopher of ancient greece. 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. Wikimedia commons has media related to cynic philosophers the cynic movement was a core part of the postsocratic ancient western philosophy.
I still think that diogenes was motivated by the shock value he elicited from the general public and establishment at the time. Ive also included some ancient verse about his student monimos of syracuse. His followers positioned themselves as watchdogs of morality. Having been invited to dinner, diogenes declined, saying that the last time he had gone his host had not shown proper gratitude. 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.
Here are some lines of ancient greek verse about diogenes of sinope, the founder of cynic philosophy. Diocles relates that he went into exile because his father was entrusted with the money of the state and adulterated the coin. 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. The teachings of diogenes cynic philosopher reddit. Compare for example diogenes response when asked why he was walking around in broad daylight with a lighted lamp. Sep 19, 20 sundays program is about diogenes the cynic. The word cynic comes from the greek word for dog kyon and diogenes is a name which means the man from god. Diogenes traveled from there to athens, where he took up a life of asceticism and became a notorious contrarian. 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. The most notorious cynic was diogenes of sinope, about whom many legends have accrued. The story of diogenes the cynical philosopher video.
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 was a native of sinope, son of hicesius, a banker. The most illustrious of the cynic philosophers, diogenes of sinope serves as the template for the cynic sage in antiquity. 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. He was born in sinope, an ionian colony on the black sea, in 412 or 404 bc and died at corinth in. What did diogenes the cynic say was the difference between. 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. From diogenes to julian penguin classics various, dobbin, robert, dobbin, robert on. 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. You could refer to books that deal with cynic philosophy,considering diogenes is often touted as the father of the field. 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.
They guaranteed happiness to their adherents through freedom of speech. 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. 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. The other greek philosophers how to be a cynic roger caldwell contemplates the life and thinking of diogenes the dog diogenes the cynic c. In this lecture we are going to investigate the life and ideas of diogenes the cynic. Diogenes the cynic was a greek philosopher who lived in the fourth century bc. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the cynic philosophers. National endowment for the humanities division of preservation and access provided support for entering this text. This is a list of cynic philosophers, ordered roughly by date. Sayings and anecdotes with other popular moralists diogenes the cynic translated by robin hard oxford worlds classics. 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 criteria for inclusion in this list is fairly mild. May 26, 20 the following is a transcript of this video. In another account of the conversation, alexander found the philosopher looking attentively at a pile of human bones. But eubulides in his book on diogenes says that diogenes himself did this and was forced. 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. 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. 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. For over eight hundred years, philosophersmen and womenwho called themselves cynics, literally dogs in their language, roamed the streets and byways of the hellenistic world, teaching strange ideas and practicing a bizarre way of life. Read the cynic philosophers online, read in mobile or kindle. Diogenes didnt adhere to the conventions of society, but rather followed his inner voice. I fawn on those who give me anything, i bark at those who refuse, and i set. The renowned philosopher, plato, supposedly described diogenes of sinope as a socrates gone mad and alexander the great according to. Diogenes laertius, lives of eminent philosophers, book i. When he came to athens he attached himself to antisthenes.
Julian himself attests to the large amount of letters he had to write in one of the letters which is likely to be genuine. Download the cynic philosophers ebook free in pdf and epub format. Diogenes has been credited with being a protoanarchist, in place of the state, was the state of being a cynic, king unto thyself. 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. Diogenes, archetype of the cynics, a greek philosophical sect that stressed stoic selfsufficiency and the rejection of luxury. Mejer, diogenes laertius and the transmission of greek philosophy, anrw 2. It was said of diogenes that throughout his life he searched with a lantern in the daylight for an honest man. Concerned more with action than with words, he left no writings. Coming up to him, plato said, my good diogenes, if you knew how to pay court to dionysius, you wouldnt have to wash vegetables. The story of how diogenes and antisthenes came together is an interesting one. What we know of his thought is what has been related to us by contempo.
Diogenes of sinope quotes author of diogenes the cynic. For this reason, he was given the epithet dog, from which the name cynic is derived. The powerful young conqueror, being solicitous of the old philosopher, asked what, if anything he could do for him. The image of a cynic that has come to us is that of a dog. Diogenes diogenes the cynicexcerpts from diogenes laertius. 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. This text was converted to electronic form by data entry and has been proofread to a low level of accuracy. 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. Why nietzsche was a cynic philosopher cynical reflections. 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. Robert dobbins introduction examines the public image of the cynics through the ages, as well as the. In my view the best book on this concept would be the penguins classics edition of the cynic philosophers.
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. Diogenes the cynic, the mad genius philosopher of ancient. Diogenes the cynic diogenes of sinope by ben best i have. Among them, the most important and distinctive was diogenes of sinope, who became the archetype of classical cynicism. 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. Diogenes was knee deep in a stream washing vegetables. 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. This acclaimed book by julian is available at in several formats for your ereader. Poverty does not consist in the want of money, i answere. 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. The story of diogenes the cynical philosopher dailymotion. When he was a young man, he and his father were exiled from their home of sinope for defacing currency. Quotes from the cynics english translations of quotes from the cynic philosophers.
But this is only a quirk of our distant temporal perspective, a trick of the historical light. 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. Diogenes the cynic a story is told about a philosopher of ancient greece, diogenes of synope. And, replied diogenes, if you knew how to wash vegetables, you wouldnt have to pay court to dionysius. Like the cynic menippus, nietzsche also mixed his literary style. Cynicism was a school of philosophy that was founded in athens by antisthenes 455366 bce, a student of socrates. Jan 29, 2012 compare for example diogenes response when asked why he was walking around in broad daylight with a lighted lamp. 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.
Her systematic and engaging presentation of the principles of ancient cynicism works to underline the. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. 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. In this collection of writings from diogenes to the roman emperor julian, the history and experiences of the cynic philosophers are explored. Diogenes relied on no one for his happiness and we can see this. To me, hes more like the ultimate ancient troll, amusing at times but mostly just an asshole. An interesting story is the one where the young alexander the great 356323 bc met diogenes, then a very old man. Below are some of his immensely profound philosophical teachings. 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. 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.