Historical Anecdote of the Day

Alexander and Diogenes

Alexander’s  encounter with the Cynic philosopher Diogenes at Corinth. Cynics believed that it was right to live “according to nature”, showing contempt not only for wealth and social position but even for the common conveniences of daily life. Diogenes eschewed all possessions and lived, at least for a time, in a pithos (large storage jar), eating and drinking with his hands and performing all bodily functions in public. A sharper contrast between the ascetic and the all-powerful and wealthy king would be harder to imagine, and the encounter clearly “had to happen”. According to the account of Plutarch, Alexander asked Diogenes to request a favour from him, to which Diogenes replied: “You can step out of my sunlight”. Alexander was impressed. “If I were not Alexander,” he said, “I should wish to be Diogenes.” Whether such an exchange in fact took place has been questioned, (only Plutarch and the Greek historical novel, Alexander Romance, tell the story), but if the two did meet, it is very probable that Diogenes took a suitably disdainful attitude.

From Alexander the Great