DiogenesandAlexanderLyingonthebareearth,shoeless,bearded,half-naked,helookedlikeabeggaroralunatic.Hewasone,butnottheother.Hehadopenedhiseyeswiththesunatdawn,scratched,donehisbusinesslikeadogattheroadside,washedatthepublicfountain,beggedapieceofbreakfastbreadandafewolives,eatenthemsquattingontheground,andwashedthemdownwithafewhandfulsofwaterscoopedfromthespring.(Longagohehadownedaroughwoodencup,buthethrewitawaywhenhesawaboydrinkingoutofhishollowedhands.)Havingnoworktogotoandnofamilytoprovidefor,hewasfree.Asthemarketplacefilledupwithshoppersandmerchantsandslavesandforeigners,hehadstrolledthroughitforanhourortwo.Everybodyknewhim,orknewofhim.Theywouldthrowsharpquestionsathimandgetsharperanswers.Sometimestheythrewbitsoffood,andgotscantthanks;sometimesamischievouspebble,andgotashowerofstonesandabuse.Theywerenotquitesurewhetherhewasmadornot.Heknewtheyweremad,eachinadifferentway;theyamusedhim.Nowhewasbackathishome.Itwasnotahouse,notevenasquatter'shut.Hethoughteverybodylivedfartooelaborately,expensively,anxiously.Whatgoodisahouse?Nooneneedsprivacy;naturalactsarenotshameful;wealldothesamethings,andneednothidethem.Nooneneedsbedsandchairsandsuchfurniture:theanimalslivehealthylivesandsleepontheground.Allwerequire,sincenaturedidnotdressusproperly,isonegarmenttokeepuswarm,andsomeshelterfromrainandwind.Sohehadoneblanket—todresshiminthedaytimeandcoverhimatnight—andhesleptinacask.HisnamewasDiogenes.HewasthefounderofthecreedcalledCynicism(doggishness);hespentmuchofhislifeintherich,lazy,corruptGreekcityofCorinth,mockingandsatirizingitspeople,andoccasionallyconvertingoneofthem.Hishomewasnotabarrelmadeofwood;tooexpensive.Itwasastoragejarmadeofearthenware,nodoubtdiscardedbecauseabreakhadmadeituseless.Hewasnotthefirsttoinhabitsuchathing.Buthewasthefirstwhoeverdidsobychoice,outofprinciple.Diogeneswasnotalunatic.Hewasaphilosopherwhowroteplaysandpoemsandessaysexpoundinghisdoctrine;hetalkedtothosewhocaredtolisten;hehadpupilswhoadmiredhim.Buthetaughtchieflybyexample.Allshouldlivenaturally,hesaid,forwhatisnaturalisnormalandcannotpossiblybeevilorshameful.Livewithoutconventions,whichareartificialandfalse;escapecomplexitiesandextravagances:onlysocanyouliveafreelife.Therichmanbelieveshepossesseshisbighousewithitsmanyroomsanditselaboratefurniture,hisexpensiveclothes,hishorsesandservantsandhisbankaccounts.Hedoesnot.Hedependsonthem,heworriesaboutthem,hespendsmostofhislife'senergylookingafterthem;thethoughtoflosingthemmakeshimsickwithanxiety.Theypossesshim.Heistheirslave.Inordertoprocureaquantityoffalse,perishablegoodshehassoldtheonlytrue,lastinggood,hisownindependence.Therehavebeenmanymenwhogrewtiredofhumansocietywithitscomplications,andwentawaytolivesimply—inasmallfarm,inaquietvillage,orinahermit'scave.NotsoDiogenes.Hewasamissionary.Hislife'saimwascleartohim:itwas"torestampthecurrency":totakethecleanmetalofhumanlife,toerasetheoldfalseconventionalmarkings,andtoimprintitwithitstruevalues.TheothergreatphilosophersofthefourthcenturyB.C.,suchasPlatoandAristotle,taughtmainlytheirownprivatepupils.ButforDiogenes,laboratoryandspecimensandlecturehallsandpupilswerealltobefoundinacrowdofordinarypeople.Therefore,hechosetoliveinAthensorCorinth,wheretravelersfromallovertheMediterraneanworldconstantlycameandwent.And,bydesign,hepubliclybehavedinsuchwaysastoshowpeoplewhatreallifewas.Hethoughtmostpeoplewereonlyhalf-alive...
