Diogenes Inspirational Quotes You Will Never Forget
Channel: Inspirational Quotes
Date: 02/11/2022

Diogenes was a Greek philosopher who is considered to be one of the founding fathers of cynicism. He is also known by the names Diogenes the Cynic and Diogenes of Sinope (philosophy). His birth took place in 412 or 404 BC at Sinope, an Ionian colony located on the Black Sea coast of Anatolia (Asia Minor), and his death took place in 323 BC in Corinth.

Diogenes was a figure who sparked much debate. He is said to have fled from Sinope or been exiled there due to allegations that he devalued the local currency. He was the son of the mintmaster of Sinope, and there is considerable disagreement as to whether or not he was the only person who devalued the Sinopian currency, whether or not his father was the one who did this, or whether or not both of them were responsible. After a quick departure from Sinope, he travelled to Athens, where he proceeded to critique a large number of the cultural practices that were prevalent in Athens during that time period.


He believed that virtue was better demonstrated in deed than in theory, therefore he based himself after Heracles's example and lived his life accordingly. He criticized the social standards and structures of what he perceived as a corrupt and complex society by living a straightforward lifestyle and behaving in an uncomplicated manner. It was said that he would sleep and eat wherever he pleased, in a manner that was very unconventional, and that he would subject himself to the elements in order to toughen himself up. Instead of declaring allegiance to a single location, he identified himself as a cosmopolitan and a citizen of the world. There are a number of stories that describe how he followed in Antisthenes' footsteps and became known as his "loyal hound."

Diogenes, looking for a trustworthy individual during the daytime hours, holding a lamp.
Diogenes made a virtue out of poverty, as depicted in the painting Diogenes Searching for an Honest Man (1640–1647) by Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, which is on display at the National Gallery of Art. He lived off of beggary and spent many nights in the marketplace sleeping in a huge ceramic jar (known as a pithos). He gained notoriety for his philosophical antics, such as walking around during the day with a lantern in his hand and claimed to be on the hunt for a "man" (often rendered in English as "looking for an honest man"). He attacked Plato, disagreed with his view of Socrates, and attempted to undermine the effectiveness of his lectures by, on occasion, bringing food into the room and eating it throughout the course of the discussion. When Alexander the Great came to Corinth in 336 BC, Diogenes made fun of him in front of the crowd and even directly to his face. This earned him a lot of notoriety.

Pirates kidnapped Diogenes, sold him into slavery, and brought him to Corinth, where he eventually made his home. There, he passed on his philosophy of cynicism to Crates, who in turn taught it to Zeno of Citium, who developed it into the school of stoicism, which is considered to be one of the most influential schools of Greek philosophy. Although none of Diogenes' writings have been preserved, there is some information about his life that may be gleaned from tales (chreia), most notably from the book Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers written by Diogenes Laertius and a few other sources.

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