The Lives and Opinions of Eminent PhilosophersDiogenes Laertius
Philosophy
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers
Diogenes Laertius
Philosophers, Ancient -- Biography; Philosophy, Ancient
It was a saying of his that he took money from his acquaintances not in
order to use it himself, but to make them aware in what they ought to
spend their money. On one occasion, being reproached for having employed
a hired advocate in a cause that he had depending: “Why not,” said he;
“when I have a dinner, I hire a cook.” Once he was compelled by Dionysius
to repeat some philosophical sentiment; “It is an absurdity,” said he,
“for you to learn of me how to speak, and yet to teach me when I ought
to speak:” and as Dionysius was offended at this, he placed him at the
lowest end of the table; on which Aristippus said, “You wish to make
this place more respectable.” A man was one day boasting of his skill
as a diver; “Are you not ashamed,” said Aristippus, “to pride yourself
on your performance of the duty of a dolphin?” On one occasion he was
asked in what respect a wise man is superior to one who is not wise; and
his answer was, “Send them both naked among strangers, and you will find
out.” A man was boasting of being able to drink a great deal without
being drunk; and he said, “A mule can do the very same thing.” When a
man reproached him for living with a mistress, he said, “Does it make
any difference whether one takes a house in which many others have lived
before one, or one where no one has ever lived?” and his reprover said,
“No.” “Well does it make any difference whether one sails in a ship which
ten thousand people have sailed before one, or whether one sails in
one in which no one has ever embarked?” “By no means,” said the other.
“Just in the same way,” said he, “it makes no difference whether one
lives with a woman with whom numbers have lived, or with one with whom
no one has lived.” When a person once blamed him for taking money from
his pupils, after having been himself a pupil of Socrates: “To be sure
I do,” he replied, “for Socrates too, when some friends sent their corn
and wine, accepted a little, and sent the rest back; for he had the chief
men of the Athenians for his purveyors. But I have only Eutychides, whom
I have bought with money.” And he used to live with Lais the courtesan,
as Sotion tells us in the Second Book of his Successions. Accordingly,
when some one reproached him on her account, he made answer, “I possess
her, but I am not possessed by her; since the best thing is to possess
pleasures without being their slave, not to be devoid of pleasures.” When
some one blamed him for the expense he was at about his food, he said,
“Would you not have bought those things yourself if they had cost three
obols?” And when the other admitted that he would, “Then,” said he, “it
is not that I am fond of pleasure, but that you are fond of money.” On
one occasion, when Simus, the steward of Dionysius, was showing him a
magnificent house, paved with marble (but Simus was a Phrygian, and a
great toper), he hawked up a quantity of saliva and spit in his face;
and when Simus was indignant at this, he said, “I could not find a more
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