DIUJÂNOS KALBI [DIOGENES THE CYNIC].

Historians assert that Diujânos was one of the wisest men of his age, and that he had made great progress in absti­nence, piety, and solitude. His independence was so great, that he spurned the world with everything therein, and was partial to no fixed abode, but spent the night wherever it overtook him, and ate whatever food he could get hold of when hunger pressed him. He dressed in woollen garments, and never changed them nor his manner of living till his dying day. Once the king happened to pass near the locality where he was, and, perceiving Diujânos, halted and asked him questions; but as the philosopher neither rose nor performed the salutation due to a king, the latter became angry, and said:

K. O Diujânos, thou imaginest that thou art independent of me, but such is not the case.

D. In need of what stands the servant of my servant?

K. Who is the slave of thy slave?’

D. Thyself! because I am master of my passions, and thou art the slave of thine.

K. I shall present thee with whatever property or riches thou likest.

D. Why should I accept anything from a man who is poorer than myself?

K. In this state of destitution?

D. As I am more contented with my poverty than thou with thy riches, I am of course more wealthy than thyself.

The following are some of his sayings: ‘If you see a dog leaving his master to follow you, drive him away with heavy stones from you, because some day he would leave you also to follow another.’ He addressed a youth, whose countenance was adorned with beauty and his mind with politeness, in the following strain: ‘My son, thou hast embellished thy face with the excellencies of thy mind!’ Being asked concerning things proper for eating and drink­ing, he replied: ‘Any things which may be obtained and are fit for hungry persons.’ To the question, how friends are to be defined, he replied: ‘One soul in different bodies.’ Being questioned why he hated all men, he answered: ‘I hate bad persons on account of their wickedness, and those who are good because they do not persecute the bad ones.’ When asked why people call him Kalbi [Cynic], he replied: ‘Because I boldly speak the truth to the face of fools; because I shout at ignorant persons, and do not flatter wise ones.’ Some of his friends asked: ‘How would it be if you had a house for your comfort?’ But he replied: ‘My comfort consists in not possessing a house.’ When Eskandar conquered the birthplace of Diujânos, he went to see him; but perceiving the philosopher to be poor, he kicked him with his foot, saying: ‘Arise! I have taken thy town.’ He replied: ‘To conquer cities is the habit of kings, but to kick of donkeys.’ Perceiving two men who had for a long time lived in friendship with each other, he made inquiries, and being told that they were ‘friends,’ he said: ‘Tell me the truth, for the one is rich, and the other poor.’ One day he stood up in a high place, and exclaimed in a loud voice: ‘O men!’ And when a crowd assembled around him, he said: ‘I called men, and not you.’ One day he waited upon Eskandar, and hearing a poet recite a panegyric of the king, he went aside and began to chew a piece of bread which he had with him. Someone asked: ‘Preferrest thou to eat rather than to hear the eulogy of the king?’ He replied: ‘It is better to eat than to listen to falsehoods.’ One day Eskandar dis­tributed gold and silver to his courtiers, in the presence of Diujânos, to whom he likewise offered a share; but the philosopher would not accept it, whereon the king exclaimed angrily: ‘A dog must be kept famished and despicable to insure his obedience.’ He replied: ‘Yes, but in a place where others are in need of bread.’ Let it not remain unknown that the king here mentioned is not Eskandar who was the son of Filqûs [Philip].

Being asked why he did not fight against the enemies of religion, he replied: ‘Of all the goods possessed by men, I have life only; and if I jeopardize that, what will be left to me?’ When people blamed him for not marrying, he replied: ‘It is more easy for me to suppress lust, than to encounter the hardships of supporting a family.’ One day Eskandar asked his courtiers by what means eternal reward could be gained, and Diujânos answered: ‘By good acts easy to you, but utterly impossible to your subjects.’ Once he passed near a custom-house, and being asked whether he had anything in his bag, he replied affirma­tively; but when the official examined it and found nothing, he asked: ‘Where is the thing thou hast men­tioned?’ the philosopher pointed to his breast, saying: ‘My treasury-chest is here, of which no thief nor custom-house officer can rob me.’