Discourses · Character

Diogenes

The Cynic who spoke to Alexander, to pirates, and to the man who bought him with the same unshakable confidence—proof that practiced speech makes a free man.

supporting

Also known as Philosophers Diogenes, Diogenes 581, Diogenes 535

First appearance: i of the things which are in our power and not in our power

See Diogenes in i of the things which are in our power and not in our power Book page

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Diogenes appears alongside Socrates as one of Epictetus's two great examples of men whose confidence came from practice, not theory. He talked to Alexander, to pirates, and to the person who purchased him as a slave, and in each case he was the one who remained free. Epictetus uses him to expose the gap between students who can argue and men who can actually stand their ground, making Diogenes a measuring stick for whether philosophy has been absorbed or merely memorized.

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See Diogenes in i of the things which are in our power and not in our power

Character Web

34 connections

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Relationship types

Friendship
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Character groups

Philosophers and rulers
Protagonist
Tyrants and tragic kings

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

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Relationships

Socrates
friendship · positive
Demonax
friendship · positive
Demonax
friendship · positive
Socrates
friendship · positive
Socrates
friendship · positive

Socrates
Diogenes and Socrates are portrayed as philosophical allies, with Diogenes often invoking Socrates as a model of virtue and wisdom.
Demonax
Demonax and Diogenes share a bond of Cynic philosophy, with Demonax admiring Diogenes' radical simplicity and wit.
Demonax
Demonax and Diogenes share a bond of Cynic philosophy, with Demonax admiring Diogenes' radical simplicity and wit.
Socrates
Diogenes and Socrates are portrayed as philosophical allies, with Diogenes often invoking Socrates as a model of virtue and wisdom.
Socrates
Diogenes and Socrates are portrayed as philosophical allies, with Diogenes often invoking Socrates as a model of virtue and wisdom.

Relationship notes

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See Diogenes in i of the things which are in our power and not in our power

In the story

Diogenes appears across 16 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

How We Should Struggle with Circumstances
Presented as the ideal scout who reported that death, pain, and poverty are not evils, proving it by his own courage, tranquillity, and freedom.
Book II
Mentioned for his practical wisdom in recommending himself through his character rather than letters, and for his confidence in speaking to tyrants.
To Those Who Recommend Persons to Philosophers
Quoted for his remark that a man's character is self-evident to a skilled philosopher, needing no letters of recommendation.
XIII: On Anxiety (Solicitude)
Cited as a model of confident speaking before Alexander, pirates, and his buyer.
XVI: That We Do Not Strive to Use Our Opinions About Good and Evil
Mentioned as an example of a philosopher who did not weep or grieve over external losses.
XIX: Against Those Who Embrace Philosophical Opinions Only in Words
Cited as an authority on ethics, but Epictetus stresses that quoting him is not the same as living his teachings.
Book III
Invoked as the ideal Cynic, demonstrating that a life without possessions can still be free and happy.
In What a Man Ought to Be Exercised Who Has Made Proficiency; and That We Neglect the Chief Things
Pointed out a sophist by stretching out his middle finger, demonstrating that a man is shown by his principles, not by his finger.
Against Those Who Readily Come to the Profession of Sophists
Cited as one whom God advised to occupy the office of royalty and reproof.
About Cynism
Cited as a spy of good and evil, and as an exemplar of the Cynic who gloried in his circumstances.
XXIV: That We Ought Not to Be Moved by a Desire of Those Things Which Are Not in Our Power
Used as a model of freedom and affection for mankind, who was made free by Antisthenes and lived without attachment to place.
To Those Who Fear Want
Mentioned as a model of simple living and philosophical integrity.
About Freedom
Presented as the model of a truly free man, who had cast off all handles of slavery and treated nothing as his own.
On Freedom from Fear
Mentioned alongside Socrates as a philosopher whose approval would be a true measure of character.
To a Person Who Had Been Changed to a Character of Shamelessness
Mentioned alongside Socrates as a figure of virtuous simplicity that the person no longer admires.
XI: About Purity (Cleanliness)
Mentioned alongside Socrates as a philosopher who showed through his body that he lacked nothing and lived happily despite hardship.

Chapter companion notes

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See Diogenes in i of the things which are in our power and not in our power