Several of the embellished versions of the anecdote do not name either one or both of the protagonists, and some indeed substitute Socrates for Diogenes. Versions upon versions of the anecdote exist, with the origins of most appearing to be, either directly or indirectly, in the account of the meeting given by Plutarch, whose actual historicity has also been questioned. The literature and artwork influenced by this story are extensive. Although this account is dubious (since neither man's date of death can be conclusively verified), the anecdote, and the relationship between the two people, has been the subject of many literary and artistic works over the centuries, from the writings of Diogenes Laërtius to David Pinski's 1930 dramatic reconstruction of the encounter, Aleḳsander un Dyogenes including writings from the Middle Ages, several works of Henry Fielding, and possibly even Shakespeare's King Lear along the way. Plutarch and Diogenes Laërtius report that Alexander and Diogenes died on the same day, in 323 BC.

The most popular relate it as evidence of Diogenes' disregard for authority, wealth, and decorum. The meeting of Diogenes of Sinope and Alexander the Great is one of the most discussed anecdotes from philosophical history. In return, Plato described Diogenes of Sinope as 'a Socrates gone mad.Anecdote in Greek philosophical history Alexander visits Diogenes in Corinth - Diogenes asks him to stand out of his sun (engraving) As Laërtius recounts, Diogenes publicly denounced the works of elder philosophical rivals, including students of Socrates such as Euclides - 'bilious,' in the words of Diogenes - and even Plato. Proclaiming that 'a child has beaten me in plainness of living,' Diogenes then discards one of his few possessions, a drinking cup, realizing that true asceticism meant living without one.ĭiogenes also developed a reputation for having a sharp tongue, and he scorned other schools of philosophy as strongly as he embraced his own form of cynicism. In one famous anecdote recounted by Laërtius, Diogenes witnesses a young child scooping handfuls of drinking water from a fountain. Diogenes gave away the vast majority of his possessions, keeping only that which was truly necessary. In some accounts, it is reported that Hicesius was imprisoned and died as a result of his son's actions.Īs noted by the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Diogenes inherited from Antisthenes a lifelong practice of asceticism - namely, he endeavored to live as simply and frugally as possible, even if that meant going against societal convention in the process.

The truth of the matter is still debated, however, as Laërtius claims that other chroniclers accused Diogenes himself of the adulteration - presumably, a synonym for forgery. Per Laërtius, Diogenes and his family left Sinope after Hicesius 'adulterated' the coinage of the state - i.e., mixed the precious metal of the coins with lower-grade metals, thus devaluing them - that had been entrusted to Hicesius, who was a banker. However, a certain calamity meant that Diogenes, Hicesius, and the rest of Diogenes' family were forced into exile, after which Diogenes gravitated toward Athens, which would become his home and the cradle of his legend. His father, Hicesius, was a banker in the city, and it seems that Diogenes was due to live a privileged life in Sinopean society. According to Diogenes Laërtius, the future philosopher came from a wealthy family in Sinope, a Greek colony and city in what is now modern-day Turkey.

Diogenes laertius vs diogenes of sinope