When Alexander the Great Met Diogenes — And Got Humiliated!

Diogenes the Cynic meets Alexander the Great. Photo: GR Archive

The ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes, known arsenic the begetter of Cynicism, has go celebrated for his galore absorbing interactions, peculiarly with celebrated Greek person Alexander the Great.

Diogenes the Cynic (also known arsenic Diogenes of Sinope) lived against the norms of past Athens. He slept successful an tremendous ceramic pot, rejecting each comforts and luxuries, and adjacent begged connected the streets, which was precise uncommon astatine the time.

In wide daylight, helium would locomotion the streets portion holding a lantern, telling radical that helium was looking for 1 honorable man. He aboriginal claimed that helium ne'er recovered one.

Ancient Greek philosopher rejected societal norms

Born successful Sinope, the Ionian metropolis on the Black Sea successful 412 oregon 404 BC, helium is considered 1 of the founders of Cynic philosophy, on with Antisthenes and Crates.

The connection “cynic” (in Greek kynikos, oregon κυνικός, meaning “dog-like”), derives from the connection κύων, oregon kynos, meaning ‘dog’ and was utilized to picture the dog-like behaviour of Diogenes, who lived successful the streets, sometimes eating earthy nutrient and performing his earthy bodily functions successful nationalist overmuch similar a dog.

Despite his eccentricities, Diogenes was a sage philosopher. His observations astir life, politics, and nine were amazingly spot-on though they were often expressed successful violative language.

Diogenes by Jean Leon Gerome. Credit: Public Domain

Diogenes famously cared small astir the opinions of others and did not attraction if the idiosyncratic lasting earlier him was a king oregon a slave; he would dainty everyone the same—poorly.

When his unusual manner and omniscient beliefs became known crossed Greece, radical from astir the past satellite traveled to conscionable the philosopher successful person, either retired of respect oregon curiosity.

Alexander the Great meets Diogenes

Alexander the Great, the famed Greek person who dispersed Hellenism crossed the world, was an admirer of Diogenes. A student of past philosopher and idiosyncratic Aristotle, Alexander had a large respect for omniscient men similar Diogenes, truthful helium decided to conscionable the philosopher for himself.

He traveled to Corinth, wherever Diogenes was surviving astatine the time. Based connected the accounts of Plutarch, the 2 men exchanged lone a fewer words. Alexander came upon Diogenes arsenic the philosopher was basking successful the greeting sunlight.

Thrilled to conscionable the celebrated thinker, Alexander asked if determination was immoderate favour helium mightiness bash for him. To that, Diogenes replied:

“Move a small to the right; you are blocking my sun.”

Alexander past declared, “If I were not Alexander, past I should privation to beryllium Diogenes.”   This celebrated anecdote is known crossed the world.

Alexander III, the “Basileus of Macedon”, the “Hegemon of the Hellenic League”, the “Shahanshah” of Persia, the “Pharaoh” of Egypt and the “Lord of Asia”—better known arsenic Alexander the Great—was 1 of the astir important figures successful quality history.

Born successful Pella, successful modern-day Central Macedonia successful bluish Greece successful 356 B.C., helium was the lad of Philip II, the King of Macedon and his wife, Olympias. However, Alexander was nary royal place-holder. He became renowned astatine a precise aboriginal property some for his subject and governmental capabilities.

Alexander, whose sanction successful Greek (Alexandros) means “defender of men,” knew arsenic the lad of a king that his destiny was predetermined, putting him astatine the forefront of history.