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 cups on the table,” said 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 precedes 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’.ĭiogenes claimed to have gotten his morality from the dog, cynic in ancient Greek (Κύνες). Coming up to him, Plato said, “My good Diogenes, if you knew how to pay court to kings, you wouldn’t have to wash vegetables.” “And,” replied Diogenes, “If you knew how to wash vegetables, you wouldn’t have to pay court to kings.”
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Diogenes is supposed to have said: “If the slave can live without Diogenes, Diogenes can live without the slave.”ĭiogenes was knee deep in a stream washing vegetables. “And where,” asked Diogones, “do they keep the pictures of the sailors who prayed to Poseidon and drowned?” (I’ve also seen this story told of Diagoras of MIlos).Īt one point Diogenes had a slave, but the slave ran away. “Their pictures and stories are kept in the temple of Poseidon where everyone can see them,” the religious man added.
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A religious man tried to convince Diogones that Poseidon was the great god of the sea by telling him miracle stores about the sailors who prayed to Poseidon and were saved from drowning. A story is told about a philosopher of Ancient Greece, Diogenes of Synope.