4th Century BC: Diogenes was a philosopher best known for his highly eccentric behaviors. He was a contemporary — and rival — of Plato.
As a young man, he fled from his hometown in Northern Turkey after he and his father, a money printer, debased the local currency.
Both men were captured. His father died in prison. Diogenes escaped and lost everything.
He traveled to Delphi to consult an Oracle. Her advice led him to live a life devoid of money and social norms.
Diogenes became a stateless wanderer.
He stalked one of Socrates’ students, Antithenes, until he agreed to accept Diogenes as a pupil. He then copied Antithenes’ sardonic wit.
Diogenes had an epiphany. He grew angry and jealous of partiers but saw a mouse eating bread crumbs. If a mouse could be satisfied with little, why couldn’t he?
So began Diogenes’ ascetic life in which he remained a single, homeless, penniless wanderer.
He was often seen sleeping on city streets in a giant, empty, discarded wine cask. He wore rags for clothing, if he wore clothes at all.
He became so unkempt that people called him the Dog. He considered that a compliment. Diogenes loved dogs for their resilience, their ability to live happily with nothing, sleep, eat and shit anywhere. Dogs had no worries.
One day, he saw a boy drinking water with his hands. Diogenes then purposefully broke his own water cup. One less thing to own.
Diogenes’ philosophies were controversial. He believed that little in life was actually good. He had no desire to teach and avoided politics. He was the ultimate loner.
He had a propensity to do outrageous things to draw attention. He believed anything done in private should also be done in public. Like masturbation and urination. After a speech in which he railed against temptation, he squatted and took a crap.
He would often go out of his way to insult people. A man invited him to his mansion and told the guests not to spit in the house. Diogenes spit in his host’s face.
Many citizens regarded Diogenes as a harmless clown, a quasi-celebrity, and they were pleased to have an attraction in their midst.
Later, Diogenes was taken prisoner by pirates. Though enslaved, he asked others to not be so miserable, and he shared his meager rations with his fellow prisoners.
The pirates then sold Diogenes to a wealthy man in Corinth who made him tutor to his two sons. He spent the rest of his life in that city.
So famous was Diogenes the Cynic that Alexander the Great sought him out. The conqueror found the eccentric philosopher sitting on the ground on a sunny day. Diogenes did not rise to his feet to meet the man. Alexander stood over the philosopher and offered to grant him any wish. Diogenes said, Get out of my sunlight. Rather than getting angry, Alexander was impressed. They had several encounters over the years.
Alexander sent a note: Come visit me. Diogenes wrote back: You’re too powerful to need me and I’m too self-sufficient to need you.
Self-discipline meant everything to him.
Plato was a contemporary, but they were opposites who hated one another. Plato curried favor with the rich and powerful and was enamored of his own fame. Not Diogenes. He was incorruptible. Plato declared, ‘Man is a featherless biped.’ Diogenes threw a plucked chicken at him and said, ‘Here’s Plato’s man.’
Unlike Plato, Diogenes didn’t write down his philosophies. He lived them.
He survived to age 90, and statues were built in his memory.
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