53 - Beware of the Philosopher: the Cynics

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In this episode we unleash the most outrageous ancient philosophers, Diogenes and the Cynics, and their quest to “deface the currency” by exposing the hypocrisy of Greek society.

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Themes:

Further Reading

• R. Bracht Branham and M.-O. Goulet-Cazé, The Cynics (London: 1996).

• W. Desmond, Cynics (Stocksfield: 2008).

• D.R. Dudley, A History of Cynicism from Diogenes to the Sixth Century AD (London: 1937).

• G. Giannantoni, Socratis et Socraticorum Reliquiae, vol.2 (Naples: 1900). [Collection of fragments and testimonies about the early Cynics.]
 

Comments

Ron on 1 February 2012

Cynics

Hi Peter,

I wonder if you could suggest a collection of fragments and testimonies about the Greek or Roman Cynics in English. I'd like to read their own writings or their contemporaries' writings about them if possible. I'd be interested to read either Greek or Latin fragments but I am afriad I can't read these languages directly.

Regards,

Ron

In reply to by Ron

Peter Adamson on 1 February 2012

Cynics in English

Hi Ron,

Unfortunately as far as I know that doesn't exist, though I may be wrong -- there are such volumes in French and German. Probably you're best off getting either the English version of Diogenes Laertius who is the source for much of the Cynic information anyway (D.L. is available online in English translation here). Failing that a book like Desmond's includes most of the well-known fragments in translation along the way.

Best,

Peter

In reply to by Peter Adamson

Aron T on 6 December 2012

Diogenes Laertius

You can download an ePub version of DL here

Jerry on 11 July 2014

Hunger and Overeating

Who was it that said something along the lines of "the discomfort of overeating is worse than being hungry"? Diogenes of Sinope?
Also, if you have the correct saying please let me know.

Thank you!

In reply to by Jerry

Peter Adamson on 12 July 2014

Overeating

It sounds more like Epicurus, though off the top of my head I couldn't give you an exact quote. As I discuss in episode 56 though he talks about avoiding pleasures that are counterproductive from a hedonist perspective in the long run - overeating would certainly be an example.

In reply to by Jerry

morgan on 24 January 2015

But the pleasure of

But the pleasure of overeating is better than the pleasure of hunger.

morgan on 24 January 2015

Best podcast yet...

OMG, Socrates gone wild!!! It's spring break, all year long, and Diogenes is in top form. Wow, hard to top this one.

In reply to by morgan

Peter Adamson on 24 January 2015

Cynics

Yes, this is also one of my favorite ever episodes. Though I have to admit that I can't take much credit - I basically just had to stitch together anecdotes about Diogenes!

In reply to by Peter Adamson

Julian on 21 October 2017

Diogenes

Peter,

This is a bit of a stupid question and it might be too late to ask, but I'm wondering, did Diogenes litteraly bark at passerbyes or is this just a figure of speech. All accounts I've read so far us the word "bark" but I can't figure out if that's just taking the metaphor of Diogenes the dog further or if that's litteraly true. Thanks.

In reply to by Julian

Peter Adamson on 22 October 2017

Barking

I believe it is only a metaphor: he "barked" in the sense of saying nasty and critical things to them. At least I don't know of any reported anecdote where he literally barks, though there is one where he tries to eat raw meat in the manner of an actual dog.

Matěj Cepl on 23 January 2018

Just a nitpick ... love of money quotation is not from Gospels

It is silly, but this is supposed to be a science so pedantry matters. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” is not in Gospels, but in the Paul’s letter to Timothy (1Ti 6:10).

Steve on 31 January 2020

Crates on lust

I know this is a family podcast, but you can you say something about what Crates had in mind in saying that if all else fails, you can put an end to lust 'with a rope'?

In reply to by Steve

Peter Adamson on 31 January 2020

"with a rope"

Oh, nothing too salacious: he meant you can hang yourself.

In reply to by Peter Adamson

Steve on 1 February 2020

Thanks. I'll keep his advice

Thanks. I'll keep his advice in mind.

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