Diogenes Quotes & Sayings

There is a false love that will make you something you are not. — Diogenes

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

He has the most who is most content with the least. — Diogenes

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

What I like to drink most is wine that belongs to others. — Diogenes

Antisthenes used to say that envious people were devoured by their own disposition, just as iron is by rust. Envy of others comes from comparing what they have with what the envious person has, rather than the envious person realising they have more than what they could have and certainly more than some others and being grateful. It is really just an inability to get a correct perspective on their lives. — Diogenes

Those who have virtue always in their mouths, and neglect it in practice, are like a harp, which emits a sound pleasing to others, while itself is insensible of the music. — Diogenes

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

I like best the wine drunk at the cost of others. — Diogenes

Boasting, like gilded armour, is very different inside from outside. — Diogenes

If only it was as easy to banish hunger by rubbing the belly as it is to masturbate. — Diogenes

As a matter of self-preservation, a man needs good friends or ardent enemies, for the former instruct him and the latter take him to task. — Diogenes

The great thieves lead away the little thief. — Diogenes

The chief good is the suspension of the judgment [especially negative judgement], which tranquillity of mind follows like its shadow. — Diogenes

Aristotle was once asked what those who tell lies gain by it. Said he - That when they speak truth they are not believed. — Diogenes

Virtue cannot dwell with wealth either in a city or in a house. — Diogenes

When I look upon seamen, men of science and philosophers, man is the wisest of all beings; when I look upon priests and prophets nothing is as contemptible as man. — Diogenes

I am called a dog because I fawn on those who give me anything, I yelp at those who refuse, and I set my teeth in rascals. — Diogenes

Man is the most intelligent of the animals - and the most silly. — Diogenes

To arrive at perfection, a man should have very sincere friends or inveterate enemies; because he would be made sensible of his good or ill conduct, either by the censures of the one or the admonitions of the other. — Diogenes

Education gives sobriety to the young, comfort to the old, riches to the poor and is an ornament to the rich. — Diogenes

All things are in common among friends. — Diogenes

To become self-educated you should condemn yourself for all those things that you would criticize others. — Diogenes

Asked where he came from, he said, I am a citizen of the world . — Diogenes

Ability in man is an apt good, if it be applied to good ends. — Diogenes

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

If I lack awareness, then why should I care what happens to me when I am dead? — Diogenes

The Sun visits cesspools without being defiled. — Diogenes

I threw my cup away when I saw a child drinking from his hands at the trough. — Diogenes

There is only a finger's difference between a wise man and a fool. — Diogenes

Being asked where in Greece he saw good men , he replied, 'Good men nowhere, but good boys at Sparta. — Diogenes

When the slave auctioneer asked in what he was proficient, he replied, In ruling people . — Diogenes

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

You will become a teacher of yourself when for the same things that you blame others, you also blame yourself. — Diogenes

I pissed on the man who called me a dog. Why was he so surprised? — Diogenes

Calumny is only the noise of madmen. — Diogenes

I do not know whether there are gods, but there ought to be. — Diogenes

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

The question was put to him, what hope is; and his answer was, "The dream of a waking man." — Diogenes

The vine bears three kinds of grapes: the first of pleasure, the second of intoxication, the third of disgust. — Diogenes

The sun, too, shines into cesspools and is not polluted. — Diogenes

When two friends part they should lock up each other's secrets and exchange keys. The truly noble mind has no resentments. — Diogenes

Young men not ought to marry yet, and old men never ought to marry at all. — Diogenes

We come into the world alone and we die alone. Why, in life, should we be any less alone? — Diogenes

Protagoras asserted that there are two sides to every question, exactly opposite to each other. — Diogenes

I am looking for a human. — Diogenes

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

Solon used to say that speech was the image of actions; ... that laws were like cobwebs, - for that if any trifling or powerless thing fell into them, they held it fast; while if it were something weightier, it broke through them and was off. — Diogenes

To the question what wine he found pleasant to drink, he replied, That for which other people pay. — Diogenes

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

The sacrifice of Diogenes to all the gods. — Diogenes

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

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

It was a favorite expression of Theophrastus that time was the most valuable thing that a man could spend. — Diogenes

On being asked by someone how he could become famous, Diogenes responded: 'By worrying as little as possible about fame — Diogenes

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

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

Wise kings generally have wise counselors; and he must be a wise man himself who is capable of distinguishing one. — Diogenes

Fools! You think of "god" as a sentient being. God is the word used to represent a force. This force created nothing, it just helps things along. It does not answer prayers, although it may make you think of a way to solve a problem. It has the power to influence you, but not decide for you. — Diogenes

We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less. — Diogenes

Modesty is the color of virtue. — Diogenes

When asked what was the proper time for supper: If you are a rich man, whenever you please; and if you are a poor man, whenever you can. — Diogenes

A friend is one soul abiding in two bodies. — Diogenes

Chilo advised, "not to speak evil of the dead." — Diogenes

If your cloak was a gift, I appreciate it; if it was a loan, I'm not through with it yet. — Diogenes

In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face. — Diogenes

Democritus says, "But we know nothing really; for truth lies deep down." — Diogenes

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

No man is hurt but by himself ... Literally by how he interprets what happens to him. If he focusses on how it could have been better, he will be hurt. If he focusses on how it could have been worse, he will be happy. The same is true for women too. — Diogenes

Why not whip the teacher when the pupil misbehaves? — Diogenes

Nothing can be produced out of nothing. — Diogenes

Wise leaders generally have wise counselors because it takes a wise person themselves to distinguish them. — Diogenes

People who talk well but do nothing are like musical intruments; the sound is all they have to offer. — Diogenes

The mob is the mother of tyrants. — Diogenes

Most men are within a finger's breadth of being mad. — Diogenes

Love comes with hunger. — Diogenes

The sun too penetrates into privies, but is not polluted by them. — Diogenes

The health and vigor necessary for the practice of what is good, depend equally on both mind and body. — Diogenes

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

As houses well stored with provisions are likely to be full of mice, so the bodies of those that eat much are full of diseases. — Diogenes

Let us not unlearn what we have already learned — Diogenes

We have complicated every simple gift of the gods. — Diogenes

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, Here is Plato's man. — Diogenes

I am looking for an honest man. — Diogenes

Even if I am but a pretender to wisdom, that in itself is philosophy. — Diogenes

Lust is a strong tower of mischief, and hath in it many defenders, as neediness, anger, paleness, discord, love, and longing. — Diogenes

I am Diogenes the Dog. I nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy and bite scoundrels. — Diogenes