Diogenes Quotes

I have nothing to ask but that you would remove to the other side, that you may not, by intercepting the sunshine, take from me what you cannot give.

A friend is one soul abiding in two bodies.

The Sun visits cesspools without being defiled.

It is the privilege of the gods to want nothing, and of godlike men to want little.

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

The art of being a slave is to rule one's master.

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.

It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours.

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

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.

Why not whip the teacher when the pupil misbehaves?

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

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.

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

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

All things are in common among friends.

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

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

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.

I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.

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

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

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

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

The sacrifice of Diogenes to all the gods.

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.

Let us not unlearn what we have already learned

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

It takes a wise man to discover a wise man.

We have complicated every simple gift of the gods.

The great thieves lead away the little thief.

Nothing can be produced out of nothing.

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