The Lives and Opinions of Eminent PhilosophersDiogenes Laertius
Philosophy
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers
Diogenes Laertius
Philosophers, Ancient -- Biography; Philosophy, Ancient
On one occasion he was eating his dinner in the market-place, and the
bystanders kept constantly calling out “Dog;” but he said, “It is you
who are the dogs, who stand around me while I am at dinner.” When two
effeminate fellows were getting out of his way, he said, “Do not be
afraid, a dog does not eat beetroot.” Being once asked about a debauched
boy, as to what country he came from, he said, “He is a Tegean.”[72]
Seeing an unskilful wrestler professing to heal a man he said, “What
are you about, are you in hopes now to overthrow those who formerly
conquered you?” On one occasion he saw the son of a courtesan throwing
a stone at a crowd, and said to him, “Take care, lest you hit your
father.” When a boy showed him a sword that he had received from one to
whom he had done some discreditable service, he told him, “The sword is
a good sword, but the handle is infamous.” And when some people were
praising a man who had given him something, he said to them, “And do not
you praise me who was worthy to receive it?” He was asked by some one
to give him back his cloak; but he replied, “If you gave it me, it is
mine; and if you only lent it me, I am using it.” A supposititious son
(ὑποβολιμαῖος) of somebody once said to him, that he had gold in his
cloak; “No doubt,” said he, “that is the very reason why I sleep with
it under my head (ὑποβεβλημένος).” When he was asked what advantage he
had derived from philosophy, he replied, “If no other, at least this,
that I am prepared for every kind of fortune.” The question was put to
him what countryman he was, and he replied, “A Citizen of the world.”
Some men were sacrificing to the Gods to prevail on them to send them
sons, and he said, “And do you not sacrifice to procure sons of a
particular character?” Once he was asking the president of a society for
a contribution,[73] and said to him:—
“Spoil all the rest, but keep your hands from Hector.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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