DIOGENES - THE ANSWERS

<BODY> <CENTER><FONT SIZE=5><B><FONT SIZE=6>DIOGENES</FONT><BR> THE CYNIC</B></FONT></CENTER><P> <FONT SIZE=4><B>All is Revealed</B></FONT><P> <TABLE ALIGN=Left BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=1> <TR> <TD><IMG ALIGN=Left SRC="0804a.jpg" WIDTH="180" HEIGHT="212" ALT="LAUGHING CYNIC"></TD> </TR> </TABLE> Living life according to nature was interpreted by Diogenes to mean a back to the basics existence. Virtue lay in requiring the bare minimum for existence. <A HREF="../03/03f01.html" TARGET="_top">Socrates</A> had encouraged simplicity of living, but Diogenes lived the life of a true <A HREF="../t03/g004.html" TARGET="_top">ascetic</A>. The image of the <A HREF="../t03/g007.html" TARGET="_top">Cynic</A> is of one who lives a life of total self sufficiency and laughs in the face of adversity is extreme, almost a caricature. In a sense, the Cynic placed himself above others by acting as a public conscience and ridiculing all social convention.<P> Clearly regarded by the Athenians as an extreme eccentric, Diogenes responded by using his stinging wit to great advantage. Satirical diatribe became the hallmark of the Cynic. "They may laugh at me", he said, "but they do not laugh me down." The image of the "Laughing Cynic" became popular through the centuries.<BR clear=left> <BR clear=left><BR> <HR width=100%> <A HREF="http://www.creatorix.com.au"><IMG SRC="../creatorix.gif" WIDTH="85" HEIGHT="40" BORDER="0" ALT="Creatorix" align=right></A> </BODY>