Diogenes the Man
Upon finishing Thomas More's Utopia I found a small work called "Dedicatory Epistle by the Translator of the Utopia". It is a work of only about five pages that I find charming in its feigned self-deprication and supposed innocence. I also found it starts out with what may be the greatest anecdote about philosophers ever. And so, here is, exactly quoted, Ralph Robinson's version of Lucian's story of Diogenes the Cynic doing something useful for society. The original source is Lucian's "How to Write History," 3.
"Upon a time, when tidings came to the city of Corinth that King Philip, father to Alexander surnamed the Great, was coming thitherward with an army royal to lay seige to the city, the Corinthians, being forthwith stricken with great fear, began busily and earnestly to look about them and to fall to work of all hands, some to scour and trim up harness, some to carry stones, some to amend and build higher the walls, some to rampire and fortify the bulwarks and fortresses, some one thing and some another for the defending and strengthening of the city. The which busy labor and toil of theirs when Diogenes the philosopher saw, having no profitable business whereupon to set himself on work (neither any man required his labor and help as expedient for the commonwealth in that necessity) immediately girded about him his philosophical cload and began to roll and tumble up and down hither and thither upon the hillside that lieth adjoining to the city, his great barrel or tun, wherein he dwelled, for other dwelling-place would he have none. This seeing one of his friends, and not a little musing thereat, came to him. "And I pray thee, Diogenes," quoth he "why dost thou thus, or what meanest thou hereby?" "Forsooth, I am tumbling my tub so," quoth he, "because it were no reason that I only should be idle where so many be working."
You don't have to be completely fluent in sixteenth century English to see the point of this one. I now find myself suddenly interested in Lucian these days... not to mention philosophy.
"Upon a time, when tidings came to the city of Corinth that King Philip, father to Alexander surnamed the Great, was coming thitherward with an army royal to lay seige to the city, the Corinthians, being forthwith stricken with great fear, began busily and earnestly to look about them and to fall to work of all hands, some to scour and trim up harness, some to carry stones, some to amend and build higher the walls, some to rampire and fortify the bulwarks and fortresses, some one thing and some another for the defending and strengthening of the city. The which busy labor and toil of theirs when Diogenes the philosopher saw, having no profitable business whereupon to set himself on work (neither any man required his labor and help as expedient for the commonwealth in that necessity) immediately girded about him his philosophical cload and began to roll and tumble up and down hither and thither upon the hillside that lieth adjoining to the city, his great barrel or tun, wherein he dwelled, for other dwelling-place would he have none. This seeing one of his friends, and not a little musing thereat, came to him. "And I pray thee, Diogenes," quoth he "why dost thou thus, or what meanest thou hereby?" "Forsooth, I am tumbling my tub so," quoth he, "because it were no reason that I only should be idle where so many be working."
You don't have to be completely fluent in sixteenth century English to see the point of this one. I now find myself suddenly interested in Lucian these days... not to mention philosophy.
posted by Derek at 7:37 PM
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