/lit/ - Literature

Alexander was a huge admirer of Diogenes and after he conquered the city he went to meet him. He found him in his barrel and told him: "I am Alexander. You can ask anything from me" to which he replied "You can step aside because you're blocking the sun".

When Diogenes was being sold as a slave, he listed his speciality as "ruling men." He subsequently pointed to Xeniades, a wealthy Corinthian and said, “Sell me to this man; he needs a master.” He was sold on the spot and became a tutor to Xeniades's sons.

When asked what he wanted done with his body after he died, he replied "throw me outside the city and let the animals feast on me". When they asked if he minded this, he said "not as long as you provide me with a stick to fight back the beasts". When he was then asked how he could use the stick since he isnt aware, he replied "If I am not aware, then why should i care what happens to me after I die".

Plato was discoursing on his theory of ideas and, pointing to the cups on the table before him, said while there are many cups in the world, there is only one `idea' of a cup, and this cupness precedes the existence of all particular cups. "I can see the cup on the table," interupted Diogenes, "but I can't see the `cupness'".

"That's because you have the eyes to see the cup," said Plato, "but", tapping his head with his forefinger, "you don't have the intellect with which to comprehend `cupness'. Diogenes walked up to the table, examined a cup and, looking inside, asked, "Is it empty?"

Plato nodded.

"Where is the `emptiness' which procedes this empty cup?" asked Diogenes.

Plato allowed himself a few moments to collect his thoughts, but Diogenes reached over and, tapping Plato's head with his finger, said "I think you will find here is the `emptiness'."