Diogenes short biography. Diogenes of Sinop - a shocking ancient Greek philosopher

"MY HOUSE - MY BARREL" (DIOGENES OF SINOPSKY)

Diogenes of Sinop is an ancient Greek cynic philosopher, a student of Antisthenes. He lived and worked around 400-325 BC. e. He was a very outstanding personality, during his lifetime he became the hero of numerous tales and anecdotes. His father was a government money changer, and Diogenes sometimes worked with his father. But soon they were expelled because they deceived and robbed the people.

Having settled in Athens, he became a student of Antisthenes, who, according to legend, first drove Diogenes away with a stick, but then nevertheless accepted him, seeing in the young man a deep desire to know life as it really is. Since then, he began to lead a very peculiar way of life.

Diogenes lived an interesting and unusual life, dying at a ripe old age. Not only about his life, but also about his death, there are many legends. Some say that he ate a raw octopus and fell ill with cholera, others that he died of old age, deliberately holding his breath. Still others say that Diogenes wanted to share the octopus among stray dogs, but they were so hungry that they bit him himself, and from this he died.

Dying, Diogenes gave the order not to bury his body, but to throw it into the prey of animals, or throw it into a ditch. But, of course, the grateful disciples did not dare to leave the mortal remains without burial - and buried Diogenes near the gate leading to Isthma. A pillar was placed on his grave, and on the pillar there was an image of a dog and a huge number of copper tablets on which words of gratitude and regret for his death were carved. It may seem strange that a stone dog was placed on the grave. The fact is that during his lifetime, Diogenes called himself a dog (the philosopher considered himself a cynic, and “kinos” is translated from ancient Greek as “dog”), arguing that he would lick the feet of kind people who gave him a piece of bread, and evil - mercilessly bite.

Diogenes composed many works, including "The Athenian People", "The State", "The Science of Morality", "On Wealth", "On Love", "Aristarchus", "On Death" and others. In addition, he wrote such tragedies as "Helen", "Fiestes", "Hercules", "Achilles", "Oedipus", "Medea" and others.

As mentioned earlier, Diogenes of Sinop had an extraordinary mind and practiced extreme asceticism, sometimes bordering on eccentric foolishness. He preached a healthy lifestyle. The simpler and poorer a person lived, refusing many of the benefits of civilization, the higher and more spiritual he looked in the eyes of Diogenes. He called himself a citizen of the world and, according to ancient legend, he lived in an ordinary clay barrel at the temple of the Mother of the Gods, deliberately depriving himself of numerous benefits.

Diogenes realized how to live when he accidentally turned his gaze to a mouse running past. She was free, did not need bedding, was not afraid of the dark, was content with simple food, which she obtained through labor and care, and did not seek to receive any kind of pleasure, which Diogenes considered superficial and imaginary, only hiding the real essence.

In his so-called dwelling - in a barrel - Diogenes slept, putting a cloak folded in half under him, which he then put on and wore. He always had a scrip in which he kept simple food. If he sometimes did not have to spend the night in a barrel, then any other place, be it a square or bare damp land, was equally suitable for Diogenes for eating, sleeping, and for lengthy conversations with casual listeners.

Diogenes urged everyone to harden their body, but was not limited to just one call, but showed by his own example how to harden. In the summer, he took off his clothes and lay on the hot sand for a long time, and in the winter he ran barefoot on the cold ground and hugged the snow-covered statues.

Diogenes treated all people without exception with contemptuous mockery - and said that sometimes it seems to him that a person is the most intelligent creature on earth. But when he met people on his way who boasted of wealth or fame, or deceived ordinary people for their own benefit, then people seemed to him much more stupid than the rest of God's creatures. He argued that in order to live properly, you must have at least a mind.

Diogenes, by nature, was a kind of cynic (it's easy to guess that the "cynic" is the "cynic" distorted by the Romans), sparing neither himself nor anyone else. He said that people are initially evil and insidious - and at any opportunity they strive to push someone who is walking into a ditch next to him, and the further, the better. But none of them even makes attempts to become kinder and better. He was surprised that people look into the distance, not noticing the simple and everyday things that happen very close. He was annoyed that they prayed to God for good health, while at the same time engaging in gluttony at numerous feasts.

The philosopher taught that people, if possible, take care of themselves, eat simple food and drink clean water, cut their hair short, did not wear jewelry and frilly clothes, walked barefoot as often as possible and were more silent, looking down. He considered people with eloquence to be idle talkers with a limited outlook.

Being a deep believer, Diogenes believed that everything that happens on earth is in the power of the gods. He considered the wise men to be chosen people close to the gods, their close friends, and since friends have everything in common, absolutely everything in the world belongs to the sages. He was sure that fate can be outwitted if courage and courage are shown in time. He opposed nature to law, and reason to human passions.

To those who were afraid of bad dreams, Diogenes said that it would be better if they were worried about what they do during the day, and not about stupid thoughts that come to mind at night. But no matter how cynically he treated people in general and himself in particular, the Athenians loved and revered Diogenes. And when one day a poor boy accidentally broke his house - a barrel, this boy was subjected to severe punishment, and Diogenes was given a new barrel.

Often he announced publicly that initially the gods gave people an easy and happy life, but they themselves spoiled and overshadowed it, gradually inventing various benefits for themselves. He considered greed to be the cause of all troubles - and he called old age, which catches a person in poverty, the saddest thing in life. Such a wonderful feeling as love, Diogenes called the work of idlers, and noble and good-natured people - likenesses of the gods. He considered human life to be evil, but not all life, but only bad.

He ridiculed fame, wealth and noble birth, calling it all the embellishments of vice. And the whole world considered the only true state. Diogenes said that wives should be common and, therefore, sons are also common. He denied legal marriage. He argued that everything exists in everything and through everything, that is, bread contains meat, vegetables contain bread; and in general, all bodies penetrate each other with the smallest particles through invisible pores.

Diogenes had many students and listeners, despite the fact that he was at least known as an unusual and extraordinary personality. They continued his work, thereby ensuring the development of the idea of asceticism in philosophy.

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Once the famous commander Alexander the Great passed through Athens and stopped to look at the local landmark - the philosopher Diogenes. Alexander approached the barrel in which the thinker lived and offered to do something for him. Diogenes replied, "Don't block the sun for me!"

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Diogenes of Sinop (c. 404 - c. 323 BC) - ancient Greek philosopher, student and follower of Antisthenes. The sphere of philosophical interests was the aspects of moral and ethical relations, interpreted by Diogenes of Sinop in the spirit of cynicism, and of an extremely rigorous persuasion. Due to the large number of conflicting descriptions and doxographies, the figure of Diogenes of Sinop appears today in an excessively transformed form. The works attributed to him that have survived to this day are most likely created by followers and belong to a later period; information about the existence of at least five Diogenes, relating to one historical period, has also been preserved.

All this greatly complicates the systematic organization of information about Diogenes of Sinop. Due to the widespread negative attitude towards the Cynics, the name of Diogenes of Sinop was often transferred from anecdotes and legends, in which it belonged to the ambivalent figure of the trickster-sage and integrated extensive fiction into the critical works of other philosophers (Aristotle, Diogenes Laertius, F. Seyer).

On the basis of anecdotes and parables, even a whole literary tradition of antiquity arose, embodied in the genres of apophthegms and chryas (Metroclus, Dio Chrysostom, and others). The most famous story is about Diogenes of Sinop, who in the afternoon with a lantern was looking for an honest man. (The same story was told about Aesop, Heraclitus, Democritus, Archilochus, etc.)

The main source of information about Diogenes of Sinop is the "Biographies and Opinions" of Diogenes Laertius. While asserting the lack of system of views and, in general, the absence of the teachings of Diogenes of Sinop, Diogenes Laertius nevertheless reports, referring to Sotion, about 14 works of Diogenes of Sinop, including both philosophical works ("On Virtue", "On Good", etc.), so and several tragedies.

Turning to the vast number of Cynic doxographies, one can come to the conclusion that there is a completely built-up system of views of Diogenes of Sinope. According to these testimonies, he, preaching an ascetic lifestyle, despised luxury, contenting himself with a tramp's dress, using a wine barrel for a dwelling, and in terms of expression he was often so straightforward and rude that he earned himself the names "Dog" and "crazy Socrates".

There is no doubt that Diogenes of Sinop. both in their conversations and in Everyday life often behaved like a marginal subject, shocking this or that audience not so much with the aim of insulting or humiliating it, but rather out of the need to pay attention to the foundations of society, religious norms, the institution of marriage, etc. He affirmed the primacy of virtue over the laws of society, rejected belief in gods established by religious institutions, considered civilization a false invention of demagogues.

He promoted the relativity of generally accepted norms of morality, the relativity of authorities not only among politicians, but also among philosophers. So, his relationship with Plato, whom he considered a talker (Diogenes Laertius), is well known. The statement about the deliberate exaggeration of his negative actions in relation to society in the subsequent tradition is quite legitimate. Therefore, the whole history of the life and work of this thinker appears as a myth created by many historians and philosophers. It is difficult to find unambiguous information even of a biographical nature. So, for example, according to the testimony of Demetrius of Phaler, the day of the death of Diogenes of Sinop coincides with the day of the death of Alexander the Great. Thanks to his originality, Diogenes of Sinop is one of the most prominent representatives antiquity, and the cynical paradigm set by him later had a serious influence on a wide variety of philosophical concepts.

There were many Diogenes in Greece, but the most famous of them was, of course, the philosopher Diogenes, who lived in the city of Sinope in one of his famous barrels.

He did not immediately reach such a philosophical life. At first, Diogenes met with the oracle and the soothsayer advised him: ""Do a reassessment of values!"" Diogenes understood this in the literal sense and began to mint coins. Busy with this unseemly business, he saw a mouse running across the floor. And Diogenes thought - here is a mouse, she does not care about what to drink, what to eat, what to wear, where to lie down. Looking at the mouse, Diogenes understood the meaning of life, got himself a staff and a bag and began to walk around the cities and towns of Greece, often visited Corinth and it was there that he settled in a large round clay barrel.

His belongings were small - in the bag were a bowl, a mug, a spoon. And when he saw how the shepherd boy leaned over to the stream and drinks from his palm, Diogenes threw away the mug. His bag became lighter and soon, noticing the invention of another boy - he poured lentil stew directly into his palm - Diogenes threw away the bowl.

“It is easy for a philosopher to get rich, but not interesting,” said the Greek sages and very often treated worldly well-being with undisguised contempt.

One of the seven wise men - Biant from Priene, along with other fellow countrymen, left his native city taken by the enemy. Everyone carried and dragged with him everything he could, and only one Biant went light, without any belongings.

"Hey philosopher! Where is your goodness? - laughing, they shouted after him: ""Have you really not made anything in your whole life?""

""I carry everything with me! "" - proudly answered Biant and the scoffers calmed down.

Living in a barrel, Diogenes hardened. He also tempered himself on purpose - in the summer he rode on the hot sand of the sun, and in the winter he hugged statues covered with snow. The philosopher generally liked to shock his countrymen, and perhaps that is why so many stories have been preserved about his antics. One of them even knew Gogol's Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov.

One day on a holiday, a barefoot man suddenly appears in the market square in a rough cloak over his naked body, with a beggar's bag, a thick stick and a lantern - he walks and shouts: "I'm looking for a man, I'm looking for a man !!""

The people come running, and Diogenes swings a stick at them: "" I called people, not slaves!""

After this incident, ill-wishers asked Diogenes: "Well, did you find a person?" To which Diogenes answered with a sad smile: "I found good children in Sparta, and good husbands- nowhere and not a single one.

Diogenes confused not only the simple Sinope and Corinthian people, but also his brother philosophers.

They say that once the divine Plato gave a lecture at his Academy and gave such a definition of man: "Man is an animal with two legs, without fluff and feathers" - and earned universal approval. The resourceful Diogenes, who did not like Plato and his philosophy, plucked the rooster and threw it into the audience with a cry: "Here is the Platonic man!"

Most likely this story is a joke. But it was obviously invented, focusing on the amazing ability of Diogenes to philosophize by the very action, the very way of life.

Diogenes lived until the time of Alexander the Great and often met with him. The stories about these meetings usually begin with the words: “Once Alexander drove up to Diogenes.” The question is, why would the great Alexander, at whose feet several conquered kingdoms lay, begin to drive up to the impoverished philosopher Diogenes?!

Maybe they always liked to talk about such meetings because a beggar philosopher, a prophet or a holy fool could and did tell the kings the truth right in the face.

So one day Alexander drove up to Diogenes and said:

I am Alexander - the great king!

And I am Diogenes the dog. Those who give me, I wag my tail, those who refuse, I bark, and others I bite.

Would you like to dine with me?

And then one day, when the mischievous boys took and broke his barrel, because it was made of baked clay, the wise city authorities decided that the children should be whipped so that it was disrespectful, and Diogenes should be given a new barrel. Therefore, in the philosophical museum there should be two barrels - one old and broken, and the other - new.

The legend says that Diogenes died on the same day as Alexander the Great. Alexander - at the age of thirty-three in distant and alien Babylon, Diogenes - at the eighty-ninth year of his life in his native Corinth in the city wasteland.

And among the few students there was a dispute - who should bury the philosopher. The case, as usual, was not without a fight. But their fathers and authorities came and buried Diogenes near the city gates. A column was erected over the grave, and on it was a dog carved from marble. Later, other compatriots honored Diogenes by erecting bronze monuments to him, one of which was inscribed:

"Time will age bronze, only Diogenes glory

Eternity will transcend itself and never die!"

Diogenes was born in the city of Sinop in 412 BC. died in 323 in the city of Corinth. Philosopher and great thinker Ancient Greece Diogenes was a student of Antisthenes, who founded the school. According to sources, Diogenes was the son of a money-changer-merchant. Once, going up to the oracle and asking him the question: “What is my calling in life, what should I do?”, He received a rather strange answer: “Reassessment of values.” Diogenes initially understood this as coinage, but when he was expelled, the philosopher realized his vocation.

Philosopher Diogenes of Sinop

When Diogenes of Sinop arrived in Athens, he found Antisthenes and stayed by his side. There is a story that Antisthenes tried to drive away a potential student by throwing a stick at him. To which Diogenes, putting his head under the blow, said:

"Beat, but you won't find a stick strong enough to drive me away until you say something."

Diogenes lived in an earthen vessel - a pithos, located underground. Oil, grain, wine, olives were usually stored in such vessels, and even people were buried. Information that he lived in a barrel is unreliable - the Greeks at that time did not make wooden barrels. The dwelling of Diogenes was not far from the Athenian Agora (a famous place in Athens with an area of 5 hectares). Once, the dwelling of Diogenes was broken by children, but the townspeople provided him with a new vessel.

Diogenes had someone to argue with, and, often, the object of his ridicule and the person whom Diogenes so zealously criticized was. For example, in response to Plato's saying that man is "a biped without feathers", Diogenes plucked a rooster and shouted that it was a man according to Plato. Plato also did not remain in debt and called Diogenes distraught. Diogenes, on the other hand, criticized Plato's philosophical concept of the essence of things, saying: "I see the cup, but I don't see the cup." When Plato noticed the meager lifestyle of Diogenes, he noticed, referring to himself: “When I was in slavery of Syracuse under the tyrant Dionysius, I didn’t even wash vegetables there myself,” to which Diogenes answered him: “I wouldn’t have fallen into slavery if I would wash them myself.

Diogenes constantly shocked those around him with his behavior. The image of Diogenes with a lantern lit in broad daylight and the phrase "I am looking for a man" became classics during his lifetime.

Also, Diogenes argued that musicians tune the strings on the lyre, but are not at odds with themselves and their own character. One day, Diogenes came out of the bath along the way he met acquaintances, and when asked if there were many people there, he answered - "It's full." A little later, I met more acquaintances and when asked if there were many people there, he shook his head and said that he had not seen people there.

Slavery of Diogenes of Sinop

Diogenes of Sinop was a participant in the battle of Chaeronea, (Cheronean battle), but suddenly became a prisoner of the Macedonians and was sold into slavery from the slave market. When asked what he can do, he replied: "To rule over people." The philosopher was bought by the wealthy Xeniad as a teacher and mentor to his children. Diogenes taught children to throw darts and ride horses, while simultaneously studying Greek poetry and history with them.

Asceticism of Diogenes of Sinop

Diogenes of Sinop spoke of the ideal of asceticism in his way of life and set as an example a mouse that did not strive for anything and was not afraid of anything, but lived, content with a minimum. If you go into the essence of asceticism, then its main meaning is precisely in gaining independence and striving for freedom.

Diogenes was a very extraordinary person, not to say "strange". For example, he has been seen walking barefoot in the snow. And when Attica, where he lived, was on the verge of war with Philip of Macedon, Diogenes rolled his pithos (clay barrel) back and forth. To the question: “Why are you doing this when everyone is preparing for war?”, He said that everyone is busy and he also needs something to do, and he rolls a barrel because he has nothing else.

Alexander the Great and Diogenes

great king and political figure Alexander the Great, upon arrival in Attica, decided to look at the famous thinker Diogenes, and waited for him to come to him, but Diogenes was in no hurry. Then Alexander the Great came to him himself and said:

"I am the great King, Alexander the Great"

And then he heard in response: “And I am the dog Diogenes.”

"And why are you called a dog?" the king asked.
“Whoever throws a piece, I wag, who doesn’t throw, I bark, who is an evil person, I bite,” the philosopher answered.
"Are you afraid of me?" Alexander the Great asked the next question.
"What are you?" - asked Diogenes, - "Evil or good?"
"Good," replied the king.
"And who is afraid of good?"

Realizing that Diogenes was really not so simple and very smart, despite all his outlandish habits, Alexander said:

"Ask me for whatever you want"

"Step back, you're blocking the sun for me," Diogenes said.

Interesting fact: Alexander the Great and Diogenes of Sinop died on the same day - June 10, 323 BC. uh

Diogenes of Sinop, quotes

"When extending your hand to your friends, do not clench your fingers into a fist."
“Poverty itself paves the way to philosophy; what philosophy tries
to convince in words, poverty forces to carry out in deeds.
“To the illiterate and unenlightened you teach the so-called graceful
arts, so that when you need it, you will have educated
People. Why don't you re-educate the bad ones, so that later you can use
use them when there is a need for honest people, just like you
in need of thugs, capturing a foreign city or camp?
“The slanderer is the most fierce of wild animals; flatterer is the most dangerous of
tame animals."
“Gratefulness ages the fastest.”
“Philosophy and medicine have made man the most intelligent of animals;
divination and astrology - the most insane; superstition and despotism
unfortunate."
“Those who keep animals must admit that they rather serve
animals than animals to them."
"Death is not evil, for there is no dishonor in it."
"Philosophy gives readiness for any turn of fate."
"I am a citizen of the world."

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A marble monument in the form of a dog was erected on his grave, with an epitaph:

Let copper grow old under the power of time - yet
Your glory will survive the ages, Diogenes:
You taught us how to live with what you have
You have shown us a path that is easier than ever.

Compositions

Diogenes Laertes nevertheless reports, referring to Sotion, about 14 works of Diogenes, among which are presented both philosophical works (“On Virtue”, “On Good”, etc.), and several tragedies. Turning, however, to a vast number of Cynic doxographies, one can come to the conclusion that Diogenes had a well-formed system of views.

Asceticism

Cases from the life of Diogenes
- Once, already an old man, Diogenes saw the boy drinking water from a handful, and in frustration threw his cup out of the bag, saying: "The boy surpassed me in the simplicity of life." He also threw away the bowl when he saw another boy who, having broken his bowl, was eating lentil stew from a piece of eaten bread.
- Diogenes begged for alms from the statues, "to accustom himself to failure."
- When Diogenes asked someone for a loan of money, he did not say “give me money”, but “give me money”.
- When Alexander the Great came to Attica, then, of course, he wanted to get acquainted with the famous "marginal", like many others. Plutarch says that Alexander waited a long time for Diogenes himself to come to him to pay his respects, but the philosopher calmly spent time at his place. Then Alexander himself decided to visit him. And, finding Diogenes in Krania (in a gymnasium not far from Corinth), when he was basking in the sun, he approached him and said: "I am the great Tsar Alexander." “And I,” answered Diogenes, “the dog Diogenes.” "And why are you called a dog?" “Whoever throws a piece - I wag, who doesn’t throw it - I bark, who is an evil person - I bite.” "Are you afraid of me?" Alexander asked. “And what are you,” Diogenes asked, “evil or good?” "Good," he said. "And who is afraid of good?" Finally, Alexander said: "Ask me for whatever you want." “Step back, you are blocking the sun for me,” Diogenes said and continued to warm himself. On the way back, in response to the jokes of his friends who made fun of the philosopher, Alexander allegedly even remarked: “If I were not Alexander, I would like to become Diogenes.” Ironically, Alexander died on the same day as Diogenes on June 10, 323 BC. e.
- When the Athenians were preparing for a war with Philip of Macedon and the city was in turmoil and excitement, Diogenes began to roll his clay barrel back and forth through the streets in which he lived. When asked why he was doing this, Diogenes replied: “Everyone is in trouble now, therefore it’s not good for me to mess around, and I roll pithos, because I have nothing else.”
- Diogenes said that grammarians study the disasters of Odysseus and do not know their own; musicians harmonize the strings on the lyre and cannot cope with their own temper; mathematicians follow the sun and moon, but do not see what is under their feet; orators teach to speak correctly and do not teach to act correctly; finally, misers scold money, but they themselves love it most of all.
- The lantern of Diogenes, with which he wandered in broad daylight through crowded places with the words “I am looking for a Man,” became a textbook example even in antiquity.
- Once, having washed, Diogenes left the bathhouse, and acquaintances who were just about to wash were walking towards him. "Diogenes," they asked in passing, "what's it like there, full of people?" "Enough," Diogenes nodded. Immediately he met other acquaintances who were also going to wash and also asked: “Hi, Diogenes, what, do many people wash?” "People - almost no one," Diogenes shook his head. Returning once from Olympia, when asked if there were many people there, he replied: “There are a lot of people, but very few people.” And once he went to the square and shouted: “Hey, people, people!”; but when the people came running, Diogenes attacked him with a stick, saying: "I called people, not scoundrels."
- Diogenes now and then engaged in masturbation in front of everyone; when the Athenians remarked about this, they say, “Diogenes, everything is clear, we have democracy and you can do whatever you want, but aren’t you going too far?”, he answered: “If only hunger could be appeased by rubbing the stomach.”
- When Plato gave a definition that had great success: “Man is an animal with two legs, devoid of feathers,” Diogenes plucked a rooster and brought it to school, declaring: “Here is the Platonic man!” To which Plato was forced to add to his definition "... and with flat nails."
- Once Diogenes came to a lecture to Anaximenes Lampsaksky, sat in the back rows, took a fish out of a bag and raised it over his head. First, one listener turned around and began to look at the fish, then another, then almost all of them. Anaximenes was indignant: “You ruined my lecture!” “But what is a lecture worth,” Diogenes said, “if some salty fish overturned your reasoning?”
- Diogenes, seeing how the slaves of Anaximenes of Lampsacus carried numerous possessions, asked to whom they belonged. When they answered him that Anaximenes, he was indignant: “And is he not ashamed, owning such property, not owning himself?”
- When asked what kind of wine he would like to drink, he replied: "Alien."
- One day, someone brought him to a luxurious dwelling and remarked: “You see how clean it is here, don’t spit somewhere, you’ll be fine.” Diogenes looked around and spat in his face, declaring: "But where to spit if there is no worse place."
- When someone was reading a long essay and an unwritten place at the end of the scroll already appeared, Diogenes exclaimed: “Be of good cheer, friends: the shore is visible!”.
- To the inscription of one newlywed who wrote on his house: “Zeus’s son, victorious Hercules, dwells here, so that evil does not enter!” Diogenes added: "First war, then alliance."
- Seeing an inept archer, Diogenes sat down near the target itself and explained: “This is so that it doesn’t hit me.”
- Once Diogenes begged for alms from a man with a bad temper. “Ladies, if you convince me,” he said. “If I could convince you,” said Diogenes, “I would convince you to hang yourself.”
- Someone reproached him with damaging the coin. “That was the time,” said Diogenes, “when I was what you are now; but what I am now, you will never become. Someone else reproached him with the same. Diogenes replied: “I used to urinate in my bed, but now I don’t urinate.”
- Seeing the son of a hetaera throwing stones into the crowd, Diogenes said: "Beware of hitting your father!".
- In a large crowd of people, where Diogenes was also, some young man involuntarily released gases, for which Diogenes hit him with a stick and said: “Listen, bastard, did you really not do anything to behave insolently in public, you began to show us your contempt for [majority] opinions?” .
- One day the philosopher Aristippus, who had made his fortune praising a tyrant, saw Diogenes washing lentils and said, "If you were praising a tyrant, you wouldn't have to eat lentils!" To which Diogenes objected: "If you learned to eat lentils, then you would not have to glorify the tyrant!"
- Once, when Antisthenes waved a stick at him, Diogenes, turning his head, said: "Beat, but you will not find such a strong stick to drive me away until you say something." Since then, he became a student of Antisthenes and, being an exile, led the simplest life.
Aphorisms
- Treat the nobles like fire; don't stand too close or too far away from them.
- When extending your hand to your friends, do not clench your fingers into a fist.
- Poverty itself paves the way to philosophy; what philosophy tries to convince in words, poverty forces to carry out in practice.
- You teach the so-called fine arts to the illiterate and unenlightened, so that you have educated people at hand when you need them. Why don't you re-educate the bad ones, so that you can use them later when you need honest people, just as you need thugs when you capture a foreign city or camp?
- The slanderer is the fiercest of wild beasts; the smoothie is the most dangerous of the tame animals.
- Gratitude ages the fastest.
- Philosophy and medicine have made man the most intelligent of animals; divination and astrology - the most insane; superstition and despotism are the most unfortunate.
- Those who keep animals must admit that they serve the animals rather than the animals.
- Death is not evil, for there is no dishonor in it.
- Philosophy gives readiness for any turn of fate.
- I am a citizen of the world.
Due to the large number of conflicting descriptions and doxographies, the figure of Diogenes today appears too ambiguous. The works attributed to Diogenes that have survived to this day are most likely created by followers and belong to a later time. Information has also been preserved about the existence of at least five Diogenes in one period. This greatly complicates the systematic organization of information about Diogenes of Sinop.

The name of Diogenes, from anecdotes and legends, in which it belonged to the ambivalent figure of the sage-buffoon and integrated extensive fiction, was often transferred to the critical works of other philosophers (Aristotle, Diogenes Laertius, etc.). On the basis of anecdotes and parables, a whole literary tradition of antiquity arose, embodied in the genres of apophthegms and hry (Diogenes Laertius, Metrocles of Maronea, Dio Chrysostom, etc.). The most famous story is how Diogenes searched for an [honest] person with a lantern during the day (the same story was told about Aesop, Heraclitus, Democritus, Archilochus, etc.).

The main source of information about Diogenes is the treatise "On the Life, Teachings and Sayings of Famous Philosophers" by Diogenes Laertius. Claiming in Diogenes of Sinop the unsystematic views and lack of teaching in general, Diogenes Laertius nevertheless reports, referring to Sotion, about 14 works of Diogenes, among which are presented as philosophical works (“On Virtue”, “On Good”, etc.), and several tragedies. Turning, however, to a vast number of Cynic doxographies, one can come to the conclusion that Diogenes had a well-formed system of views. According to these testimonies, he, preaching an ascetic lifestyle, despised luxury, contenting himself with the clothes of a tramp, using a wine barrel for housing, and in terms of expression he was often so straightforward and rude that he earned himself the names "Dog" and "crazy Socrates".

There is no doubt that in his conversations and everyday life, Diogenes often behaved like a marginal subject, shocking this or that audience not so much with the aim of insulting or humiliating it, but rather out of the need to pay attention to the foundations of society, religious norms, the institution of marriage, etc. e. Affirmed the primacy of virtue over the laws of society; rejected belief in gods established by religious institutions. He rejected civilization, in particular the state, considering it a deceitful invention of demagogues. He declared culture a violence against a human being and called for a person to return to a primitive state; preached the community of wives and children. He declared himself a citizen of the world; promoted the relativity of generally accepted norms of morality; the relativity of authorities not only among politicians, but also among philosophers. So, his relationship with Plato, whom he considered a talker, is well known. In general, Diogenes recognized only ascetic virtue based on the imitation of nature, finding in it the only goal of man.

In the later tradition, the negative actions of Diogenes in relation to society were, more than likely, deliberately exaggerated. Therefore, the whole history of the life and work of this thinker appears as a myth created by many historians and philosophers. It is difficult to find unambiguous information even of a biographical nature. Due to his originality, Diogenes is one of the most prominent representatives of antiquity, and the cynical paradigm set by him later had a serious impact on a wide variety of philosophical concepts.
Let copper grow old under the power of time - yet Your glory will survive the centuries, Diogenes: You taught us how to live, being content with what you have, You showed us the path, which is not easier.
exiled philosopher

It is believed that Diogenes began his "philosophical career" after he was expelled from his hometown for defacing a coin.

Laertius mentions that before turning to philosophy, Diogenes ran a chasing workshop, and his father was a money changer. The father tried to involve his son in the manufacture of counterfeit coins. Doubting Diogenes took a trip to Delphi to the oracle of Apollo, who gave advice to "make a reassessment", as a result of which Diogenes took part in his father's scam, was exposed with him, caught and expelled from his native city.

Another version says that after the exposure, Diogenes himself fled to Delphi, where, in response to the question of what he needs to do to become famous, he received advice from the oracle to “make a soul-searching.” After this, Diogenes set out on a wandering tour of Greece, c. 355-350 BC e. appeared in Athens, where he became a follower of Antisthenes.

Cases from the life of Diogenes
- Once, already an old man, Diogenes saw the boy drinking water from a handful, and in frustration threw his cup out of the bag, saying: "The boy surpassed me in the simplicity of life." He also threw away the bowl when he saw another boy who, having broken his bowl, was eating lentil stew from a piece of eaten bread.
- Diogenes begged for alms from the statues, "to accustom himself to failure."
- When Diogenes asked someone for a loan of money, he did not say “give me money”, but “give me money”.
- They say that when Alexander the Great came to Attica, he naturally wanted to get acquainted with the famous "marginal" like many others. He found Diogenes in Crania (in a gymnasium near Corinth) while he was basking in the sun. Alexander approached him and said: "I am the great Tsar Alexander." “And I,” answered Diogenes, “the dog Diogenes.” "And why are you called a dog?" “Whoever throws a piece - I wag, who doesn’t throw it - I bark, who is an evil person - I bite.” "Are you afraid of me?" Alexander asked. “And what are you,” Diogenes asked, “evil or good?” "Good," he said. "And who is afraid of good?" Finally, Alexander said: "Ask me for whatever you want." “Step back, you are blocking the sun for me,” Diogenes said and continued to warm himself. They say that Alexander allegedly even remarked: "If I were not Alexander, I would like to become Diogenes."
- When the Athenians were preparing for war with Philip of Macedon, and vanity and excitement reigned in the city, Diogenes began to roll his barrel in which he lived through the streets. When asked why he was doing this, Diogenes replied: "Everyone is busy with business, me too."
- Diogenes said that grammarians study the disasters of Odysseus and do not know their own; musicians harmonize the strings on the lyre and cannot cope with their own temper; mathematicians follow the sun and moon, but do not see what is under their feet; orators teach to speak correctly and do not teach to act correctly; finally, misers scold money, but they themselves love it most of all.
- The lantern of Diogenes, with which he wandered in broad daylight through crowded places with the words “I am looking for a person,” became a textbook example even in antiquity.
- Once, having washed, Diogenes left the bathhouse, and acquaintances who were just about to wash were walking towards him. "Diogenes," they asked in passing, "what's it like there, full of people?" "Enough," Diogenes nodded. Immediately he met other acquaintances who were also going to wash and also asked: “Hi, Diogenes, what, do many people wash?” "People - almost no one," Diogenes shook his head. Returning once from Olympia, when asked if there were many people there, he replied: “There are a lot of people, but very few people.” And once he went to the square and shouted: “Hey, people, people!”; but when the people came running, he attacked him with a stick, saying: "I called people, not scoundrels."
- Diogenes now and then engaged in masturbation in front of everyone; when the Athenians remarked about this, they say, “Diogenes, everything is clear, we have democracy and you can do whatever you want, but aren’t you going too far?”, he answered: “If only hunger could be appeased by rubbing the stomach.”
- When Plato gave a definition that had great success: “Man is an animal with two legs, devoid of feathers,” Diogenes plucked a rooster and brought it to school, declaring: “Here is the Platonic man!” To which Plato was forced to add to his definition "... and with flat nails."
- Once Diogenes came to a lecture to Anaximenes of Lampsacus, sat down in the back rows, took a fish out of a bag and raised it over his head. First, one listener turned around and began to look at the fish, then another, then almost all of them. Anaximenes was indignant: “You ruined my lecture!” “But what is a lecture worth,” said Diogenes, “if some salty fish overturned your reasoning?”
- When asked what kind of wine he would like to drink, he replied: "Alien."
- One day, someone brought him to a luxurious dwelling and remarked: “You see how clean it is here, don’t spit somewhere, you’ll be fine.” Diogenes looked around and spat in his face, declaring: "But where to spit if there is no worse place."
- When someone was reading a long essay and an unwritten place at the end of the scroll already appeared, Diogenes exclaimed: “Be of good cheer, friends: the shore is visible!”
- To the inscription of one newlywed who wrote on his house: “Zeus’s son, victorious Hercules, dwells here, so that evil does not enter!” Diogenes added: "First war, then alliance."
Aphorisms
- Treat the nobles like fire; don't stand too close or too far away from them.
- When extending your hand to your friends, do not clench your fingers into a fist.
- Poverty itself paves the way to philosophy; what philosophy tries to convince in words, poverty forces to carry out in practice.
- The slanderer is the fiercest of wild beasts; the smoothie is the most dangerous of the tame animals.
- Philosophy and medicine have made man the most intelligent of animals; divination and astrology - the most insane; superstition and despotism are the most unfortunate.
- Those who keep animals must admit that they serve the animals rather than the animals.
- Death is not evil, for there is no dishonor in it.
- Philosophy gives readiness for any turn of fate.
Literature
- "Anthology of Cynicism"; ed. I. M. Nakhova. Moscow: Nauka, 1984.
- Diogenes Laertes. "On the Life, Teachings and Sayings of Famous Philosophers". M.: Thought, 1986.
- Kisil V. Ya., Ribery V. V. Gallery of ancient philosophers; in 2 volumes. M., 2002. ISBN 5-8183-0414-0.
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