Legend has it that the youthful Alexander the Great one day went to visit the philosopher Diogenes about whom he had heard such strange stories. He came upon the philosopher while the latter was relaxing in the beautiful sunshine.
Alexander: I am Alexander the Great.
Diogenes: I am Diogenes, the dog.
Alexander: The dog?
Diogenes: I nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy, and bite louts.
Alexander: What can I do for you?
Diogenes: Stand out of my light. (p. 30)
While Alexander wanted to show his benevolence and generosity to the thinker, the latter showed that he knew only too well the nature of worldly temptations. But rather than to theorize and to get entrapped into the addictive sphere of theoretical knowledge, Diogenes “showed” his argument in verbal gesture: “get out of my sun.” By means of this pantomimic demonstration Diogenes shows more effectively than theoretical discourse might do how the philosopher frees himself from the politician. He was the first person who was free enough to be able to put the mighty Alexander in his place. Diogenes’ answers not only ignored the desire of power but also the overwhelming power of desire (Sloterdijk, 1983, p. 265). And so, this humble and wretched philosopher showed himself more powerful and autonomous than the feared ruler Alexander who went all the way to the borders of India to satisfy his need for power. Did Alexander recognize the sense of superiority of the moral life of the cynic? History has it that Alexander once said: “if I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes” (Herakleitos and Diogenes, 1979, p. 36). Diogenes and Alexander the Great died on the same day, a fact to which people have attached superstitious significance.
Selected Readings:
Herakleitos and Diogenes. (1979). Herakleitos & Diogenes. (Translated from the Greek by Guy Davenport.) San Francisco, CA: Grey Fox Press.