ἱστορίαι Historiai
D.L. 6.42-44 Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Volume II (Books VI-X), Diogenes Laertius; served verbatim
When Lysias the druggist asked him if he believed in the gods, " How can I help believing in them," said he, " when I see a god-forsaken wretch like you ? " Others give this retort to Theodorus. , Seeing some one perform religious purification, he said, " Unhappy man, don't you know that you can no more get rid of errors of conduct by sprinklings than you can of mistakes in grammar ? " He would rebuke men in general with regard to their prayers, declaring that they asked for those things which seemed to them to be good, not for such as are truly good. As for those who were excited over their dreams he would say that they cared nothing for what they did in their waking hours, but kept their curiosity for the visions called up in their sleep. At Olympia, when the herald proclaimed Dioxippus to be victor over the men, Diogenes protested, " Nay, he is victorious over slaves, I over men." Still he was loved by the Athenians. At all events, when a youngster broke up his tub, they I gave the boy a flogging and presented Diogenes with another. Dionysius the Stoic says that after Chaeronea he was seized and dragged off to Philip, and being asked who he was, replied, " A spy upon your insatiable greed." For this he was admired and set free. Alexander having on one occasion sent a letter to Antipater at Athens by a certain Athlios, Diogenes, who was present, said : Graceless son of graceless sire to graceless wight by graceless squire. Perdiccas having threatened to put him to death unless he came to him, " That's nothing wonderful," quoth he, " for a beetle or a tarantula would

The Greek stands ready in the workroom; the English is served. Both faces will read together.

← D.L. 6.40-42 contents D.L. 6.44-46 →

Filed here — the addresses this episode attests; counted by the house’s first pass
Diogenes — a candidate entry Theodorus — a candidate entry

Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Volume II (Books VI-X), Diogenes Laertius — translated by R. D. Hicks, 1925
Apparatus shelf — Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, vol. II (R. D. Hicks translation, Loeb L185) · R. D. Hicks, Loeb Classical Library, London: William Heinemann / New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, MCMXXV (1925)
license: public-domain (US: published 1925, pre-1930 — the MCMXXV title page verified from the scan itself; only the English rectos are served, Hicks's translation)