Cynics (Ancient Philosophies)

297 Pages·2008·3.65 MB·English

by  William Desmond

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Author). Cynics. men, 2008. p (1). m/lib/dominicanu
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Desmond, Durham, G http://site.e
Cynics
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Author). Cynics. men, 2008. p i. m/lib/dominican
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Ancient Philosophies
This series provides fresh and engaging new introductions to the
major schools of philosophy of antiquity. Designed for students of
philosophy and classics, the books offer clear and rigorous presenta­
tion of core ideas and lay the foundation for a thorough understand­
ing of their subjects. Primary texts are handled in translation and the
readers are provided with useful glossaries, chronologies and guides
to the primary source material.
Published
Cynics Presocratics
William Desmond James Warren
Neoplatonism Stoicism
Pauliina Remes John Sellars
Forthcoming
Ancient Commentators of Plato Epicureanism
and Aristotle Tim O'Keefe
MUra Tuominen
Classical Is!amic Philosophy
Ancient Scepticism Deborah Black
Harald Thorsrud
Plato
Aristotle Andrew Mason
Vasilis Politis
Socrates
Confucianism Mark McPherran
Paul Goldin
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Author). Cynics. men, 2008. p ii. m/lib/dominican
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Cynics
WilliDaems mond
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Author). Cynics. men, 2008. p iii. m/lib/dominican
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Desmond, Durham, G http://site.e
© WiUiam Desmond, 2008
This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.
No reproduction without permission.
All rights reserved.
First published in 2006 by Acumen
Acumen Publishing Limited
Stocksfield Hall
Stocksfield
NE437TN
www.acumenpublishing.co.uk
ISBN: 978-1-84465-128-3 (hardcover)
ISBN: 978-1-84465-129-0 (paperback)
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Author). Cynics. men, 2008. p iv. m/lib/dominicanu Printed and bound by Biddles Ltd, King's Lynn.
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Contents
Acknowledgements vi
Introduction 1
I. Ancient Cynics and their times 9
2. Renunciation of custom 77
3. A life according to nature 132
Chance. fate. fortune and the self 162
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5. Anarchists. democrats, cosmopolitans, kings 184
6. Cynic legacies 209
Glossary of names 237
Glossary of Greek terms 242
Notes 245
Guide to further reading 262
Bibliography 274
Index 281
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Acknowledgements
For support which in sundry ways has contributed to this book, I
would like to thank the following: John Cleary, John Dillon, Vasilis
Politis, Santiago Sia, Andrew Smith, James Thorne, and all my col�
leagues at the Department of Ancient Classics at NUl Maynooth.
I am also grateful to the anonymous readers for Acumen, whose
suggestions have collectively been very helpful.
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Introduction
According to legend, Alexander the Great had heard reports of a par­
ticular philosopher who professed a strange sort of wisdom. Owning
little more than the clothes he wore, this man lived in the open in
cities such as Athens and Corinth. At night he might sleep on the
ground, or in porticoes or the entrances of temples, while during the
day he wandered about, passing remarks about the people he met
and the foolish things he saw them dOing. This philosopher was said
to have been exiled from his native city of Sin ope, far to the north on
the Black Sea, but he did not care, he said. His home was the whole
earth, and he could live anywhere he liked. He was happier than
kings, he said, and freer, more courageous, more just and better in
all ways. In fact, everyone should become an exile like him, he said.
and give up property, jobs, citizenship: everything. All these simply
tie people down and make them unhappy, as they work and save for
things that they do not need. If they lived like the birds or animals,
they would have everything they want and be like gods. Such things
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pg the philosopher used to say to everyone he met, sometimes with a
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5 to make his point. In any case, he was quite a show and although his
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CYNICS
him around as their teacher. Alexander himself had been taught
by the great Aristotle, who had been taught by Plato, and Plato in
turn by Socrates. Dut this Diogenes was said to be a "Socrates gone
mad", so eccentric was he. Throughout his life Alexander would
often show interest in the experience and wisdom of other peoples
and he may possibly have wondered whether Diogenes had insights
worth hearing. In any case, the story is that Alexander took the time
to visit Diogenes "the Dog': He found him lolling in the sun but
when the king generously offered him his choice of gifts, Diogenes
replied dismissively, "Stand out of my sun':
So goes the story at least and, regardless of its historical accuracy,
it does encapsulate many of the ideas of ancient Cynicism: elemental
good and wise simplicity trumps the passing vanities of kings. This
book will be about these ideas, the Cynics who lived them and the
various contexts in which they appear. But first we must backtrack,
and begin with the word itself. For although the word "cynic" derives
from ancient Greek, Cynics such as Diogenes were rather different
from their modern namesakes. When we think today of a "cynic",
it is usually of someone who has a low opinion of other human
beings. In the cynic's perspective, people are greedy, materialistic,
manipulativc and hypocritical. Thcy act only out of self-intcrest. If
they claim otherwise, and pretend to be acting out of love, honour,
patriotism, piety, a sense of right or of duty, or from any such idealis­
tic motive, then they are lying. For the modern cynic, politicians, for
example, are not "public servants" but unscrupulous individuals who
crave attention and power and, when they have them, use them to
benefit themselves and their allies. Moreover, for the modern cynic
there is no public good or universal standard of morality. There
is only my good, and therefore I can only act out of self-interest.
Such self-interest may involve a certain cunning manipulation of
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45 Machiavellianism is often associated with a ruthless sort of cynicism:
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INTRODUCTION
not good, and has no point. Thus, George Bernard Shaw's definition
of the pessimist could well apply to the cynic: "a man who thinks
everybody is as nasty as himself, and hates them for it". Some feel
that cynicism is pervasive in contemporary Western societies. bring�
ing with it a malaise and a damaging sense of futility.
Yet many of these negative associations should be put aside in
considering ancient Cynicism. The ancient Cynics could be many
things, but they were not ruthless Machiavellians or destructive
nihilists. They were often pessimistic about human motivation, and
they could satirize their own contemporaries mercilessly, exposing
the greedy self�interest that lurked beneath fine appearances. This
debunking type of satire is one common link between ancient and
modern varieties of cynicism. But while it is an aspect of ancient
Cynicism, it is not the only, or even the most important one. Far
from being pessimistic or nihilistic, ancient Cynics were astonish�
ingly optimistic regarding human nature. For them, ultimately,
human beings are good: very good. They may have been corrupted
by the bad customs and needless artificialities of "civilization", but all
this can be cured. A little satire, a little humbling, and lots of frugal�
ity, a simplification of one's life, a renunciation of all unnecessary
possessions and desires, a renewed living in the present moment,
and one will regain one's natural goodness and happiness. The best
of the Cynics tried to live these ideas themselves. They renounced
possessions and attachments, went about almost naked (with just
one worn cloak), wandering from city to city, living off the land and
trusting in good fortune, sleeping where they could, and preaching
in the streets to all and sundry that by having little one needs little
and can be as happy as a "king': Theirs was a philosophy of radical
individual freedom, but freedom won at the cost of a hard, ascetic
0 lifestyle and a shameless flouting of social conventions.
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pg It was asa result oft heir shameless, open�air lifestyle that Diogenes
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