Diogenes of Sinope Quotes
Diogenes Of Sinope Quotes: 33 Quotes Uncovering Unconventional & Thought-Provoking Wisdom

Explore Diogenes' wit & wisdom through famous quotes. From clever remarks on wine to insightful observations on life, his philosophy offers a glimpse into an unconventional & thought-provoking perspective. Be inspired by his unapologetic and unconventional approach to life.

Diogenes of Sinope was a Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Cynicism. Born in Sinope in the 5th century BC, he relocated to Athens after being banished for debasement of currency. Diogenes criticized many conventions of Athenian society, following Antisthenes and becoming his loyal follower. Despite being captured by pirates and sold into slavery, he settled in Corinth where he passed on his philosophy to Crates, who taught it to Zeno of Citium, shaping it into Stoicism.

Known for his simple lifestyle and behavior, Diogenes embraced poverty and often slept in a large jar in the marketplace. He used his unconventional actions as a critique of what he saw as a corrupt society. Rejecting traditional norms, Diogenes declared himself a citizen of the world and sought virtue through action rather than theory. His philosophical stunts, such as carrying a lamp during the day in search of an honest person, further exemplified his unique approach. Notably, Diogenes openly mocked Alexander the Great and disputed Plato's interpretation of Socrates during his lifetime.

✵ 404 BC – 322 BC

Diogenes of Sinope photo

Diogenes of Sinope: 33 quotes58 likes

Famous Diogenes of Sinope Quotes

“To the question what wine he found pleasant to drink, he replied, "That for which other people pay."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 54
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“Being asked where in Greece he saw good men, he replied, "'Good men nowhere, but good boys at Sparta."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 27
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“The noblest people are those despising wealth, learning, pleasure and life; esteeming above them poverty, ignorance, hardship and death.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Stobaeus, iv. 29a. 19
Quoted by Stobaeus

“Plato had defined Man as an animal, biped and featherless, and was applauded. Diogenes plucked a fowl and brought it into the lecture-room with the words, "Behold Plato's man!"”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 40
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Stobaeus, iii. 3. 51
Quoted by Stobaeus

“When people laughed at him because he walked backward beneath the portico, he said to them: "Aren't you ashamed, you who walk backward along the whole path of existence, and blame me for walking backward along the path of the promenade?"”

Diogenes of Sinope

Stobaeus, iii. 4. 83
Quoted by Stobaeus

Diogenes of Sinope Quotes

“When some one reminded him that the people of Sinope had sentenced him to exile, he said, "And I sentenced them to stay at home."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 49
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“He once begged alms of a statue, and, when asked why he did so, replied, "To get practice in being refused."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 49
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“When Alexander the Great addressed him with greetings, and asked if he wanted anything, Diogenes replied "Yes, stand a little out of my sunshine."”

Diogenes of Sinope

From Plutarch, Alexander, 14. Cf. Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 38, Cicero, Tusculan Disputations, v. 32
Quoted by Plutarch

“To one who asked what was the proper time for lunch, he said, "If a rich man, when you will; if a poor man, when you can."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 40
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“One day, observing a child drinking out of his hands, he cast away the cup from his wallet with the words, "A child has beaten me in plainness of living."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 37
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“He was breakfasting in the marketplace, and the bystanders gathered round him with cries of "dog." "It is you who are dogs," cried he, "when you stand round and watch me at my breakfast."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 61
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“On reaching Athens he fell in with Antisthenes. Being repulsed by him, because he never welcomed pupils, by sheer persistence Diogenes wore him out. Once when he stretched out his staff against him, the pupil offered his head with the words, “Strike, for you will find no wood hard enough to keep me away from you, so long as I think you've something to say."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 21,
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“Poverty is a virtue which one can teach oneself.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Stobaeus, iv. 32a. 19
Quoted by Stobaeus

“Once he saw the officials of a temple leading away some one who had stolen a bowl belonging to the treasurers, and said, "The great thieves are leading away the little thief."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 45
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“He lit a lamp in broad daylight and said, as he went about, "I am looking for a human."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 41. This line is frequently translated as "I am looking for an honest man."
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“If you are to be kept right, you must possess either good friends or red-hot enemies. The one will warn you, the other will expose you.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Plutarch, Moralia, 74C
Quoted by Plutarch

“No man is hurt but by himself.”

Diogenes of Sinope

“When some one boasted that at the Pythian games he had vanquished men, Diogenes replied, "Nay, I defeat men, you defeat slaves."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 33, 43
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“Aristotle dines when it seems good to King Philip, but Diogenes when he himself pleases.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Plutarch, On Exile, 12 (Moralia, 604D)
Quoted by Plutarch

“Perdiccas threatened to put him to death unless he came to him, "That's nothing wonderful," Diogenes said, "for a beetle or a tarantula would do the same."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 44
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“Diogenes the cynic, seeing one of the so-called freedmen pluming himself, while many heartily congratulated him, marveled at the absence of reason and discernment. “A man might as well,” he said, “proclaim that one of his servants became a grammarian, a geometrician, or musician, when he has no idea whatever of the art.” For as the proclamation cannot make them men of knowledge, so neither can it make them free.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Philo, Every Good Man is Free, F. Colson, trans. (1941), 157
Quoted by Philo

“Virtue cannot dwell with wealth either in a city or in a house.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Stobaeus, iv. 31c. 88
Quoted by Stobaeus

“When the slave auctioneer asked in what he was proficient, he replied, "In ruling people."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 74
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“He was going into a theatre, meeting face to face those who were coming out, and being asked why, "This," he said, "is what I practise doing all my life."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 64
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“He was seized and dragged off to King Philip, and being asked who he was, replied, "A spy upon your insatiable greed."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 43. Cf. Plutarch, Moralia, 70CD.
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“Self-taught poverty is a help toward philosophy, for the things which philosophy attempts to teach by reasoning, poverty forces us to practice.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Stobaeus, iv. 32a. 11
Quoted by Stobaeus

“Thieves and fighters do not come from eaters of barley-bread; but informers and tyrants come from meat-eaters.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Porphyry, On Abstinence from Killing Animals https://books.google.it/books?id=B5ojAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA0 as translated by Gillian Clark (2000), 1, 47, 3 <br class="br">Quoted by Porphyry

“To Xeniades, who had purchased Diogenes at the slave market, he said, "Come, see that you obey orders."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 36
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“Boasting, like gilded armour, is very different inside from outside.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Stobaeus, iii. 22. 40
Quoted by Stobaeus

“Other dogs bite only their enemies, whereas I bite also my friends in order to save them.”

Diogenes of Sinope

Stobaeus, iii. 13. 44
Quoted by Stobaeus

“Asked where he came from, he said, "I am a citizen of the world."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 63
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

“When scolded for masturbating in public, he said "I wish it were as easy to banish hunger by rubbing my belly."”

Diogenes of Sinope

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 46, 69
As quoted in Encarta Book of Quotations (2000) edited by Bill Swainson, p. 274
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius
Variant: If only it were as easy to banish hunger by rubbing the belly as it is to masturbate.

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