The Death of Marcus Aurelius

The Death of Marcus Aurelius

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Wisdom from the Early Cynics, Diogenes 13


There Xeniades once asked Diogenes how he wished to be buried. 

To which he replied, "On my face." 

"Why?" inquired the other. 

"Because," said he, "after a little time down will be converted into up." 

This because the Macedonians had now got the supremacy, that is, had risen high from a humble position. 

Someone took him into a magnificent house and warned him not to expectorate, whereupon having cleared his throat he discharged the phlegm into the man's face, being unable, he said, to find a meaner receptacle. Others father this upon Aristippus. 

One day Diogenes shouted out for men, and when people collected, hit out at them with his stick, saying, "It was men I called for, not scoundrels." This is told by Hecato in the first book of his Anecdotes

Alexander is reported to have said, "Had I not been Alexander, I should have liked to be Diogenes." 

—Diogenes Laërtius, 6.32 



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