Diogenes and Alexander
Gilbert Highet
Diogenes and Alexander
Unit 4
W arming up
B ackground
T ext Analysis
R einforcement
Diogenes and Alexander
Unit 4
Questions/Activities
Check-on Preview
Objectives
Warming up
Warming up
Questions/Activities
1. What does the author tell us about Diogenes? Who was he?
What was his philosophy? What did he think was the problem
with people? How did he intend to help them? What were the
key values he promoted? How, in his opinion, could we find
true happiness?
2. What does the author tell us about Alexander? What did this
king have in common with Diogenes, the beggar? Why was
Alexander considered a man of destiny?
3. How would you contrast the two characters? Why did
Alexander decide to visit Diogenes? What did Diogenes really
mean when he said that Alexander was blocking the sunlight?
Warming up
Check-on Preview
Define the following words and phrases:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
a mischievous pebble (para. 1)
elaborate (para. 4)
by design (para. 6)
restrained (para. 12)
chivalrous (para. 12)
Warming up
Check-on Preview
Paraphrase:
1.
Live without conventions, which are artificial and false;
escape complexities and extravagances: only so can you
live a free life. (para. 4)
2.
His life’s aim was clear to him: it was “to restamp the
currency”: to take the clean metal of human life, to erase
the old false conventional markings, and to imprint it with
its true values. (para. 5)
Warming up
Objectives
1. Content:
• differences and similarities between Diogenes and
Alexander
• Cynicism and its present significance
• philosophy vs. power
2. Writing: comparison and contrast
• Diogenes—Alexander
• Diogenes—other beggars/hermits/philosophers
• Alexander—other Macedonians (officers & officials)
Here, the alternating comparison/contrast (subject by
subject) is used.
Diogenes and Alexander
Diogenes
Background
Alexander
Unit 4
Background
Diogenes
1. Who was Diogenes?
• A beggar
• A philosopher
• A missionary
2. Doctrine: Cynicism
the doctrine that scorned worldly needs
and pleasures and held that virtue was the
key to the only good
http://www.iep.utm.edu/d/diogsino.htm
Background
Diogenes
1. Cynicism in modern sense:
the belief of a cynic, who maintains that people are all
motivated by selfishness, that no one will help others for
good and sincere reasons
2. What are the major tenets (principles) of Cynicism? Do you
find any expressions of these principles in the text?
•
•
•
•
self-sufficiency
shamelessness
outspokenness
perfection of virtue
Background
Alexander
• Macedonian King: son of Philip
• The Thinker: student of Aristotle
• The Conqueror: Greece, Asia, Egypt
– Why do you think he wanted to bring so
many regions under his rule?
Background
Alexander
Alexander the Great’s Empire
Background
Alexander
Alexander the Great’s Empire
Diogenes and Alexander
Unit 4
Character
Analysis
Structure
Detailed
Analysis
Text
Analysis
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
 Diogenes: the beggar (paras. 1-3)
Diogenes: a free man
Other people: half-men
Shelter
cask, a storage jar made of
earthenware
a house (big, with many
rooms)
Furniture
none
beds, chairs, etc. (elaborate)
Dress
blanket (half-naked)
clothes (expensive)
Food
bits of food begged from
others, drinking from his
hollowed hands
elaborate
none
horses, servants, bank
accounts (anxious)
Possessions
Nature of
the life
a life by choice, out of
principle → natural, healthy,
independent
a life as slaves of their
possessions → artificial, anxious,
loss of virtue
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
 Diogenes: the beggar (paras. 1-3)
There are contrasts within the broad contrast.
•
How did Diogenes contrast with ordinary
homeless people?
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
 Diogenes: the philosopher (para. 4)
1.
“A Socrates gone mad”:
repositioning of convention below nature and reason
2.
Three key principles:
•
•
•
living in accord with nature
total disregard of convention
independence (freedom) being the only true, lasting good
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
 Diogenes: the missionary (para. 5)
1.
Comparison with ordinary hermits
•
Similarities:
Both grew tired of human society with its complications and
wanted to live simply.
•
Differences:
hermits
Diogenes
went away to live simply—
on a small farm, in a quiet
village or a cave
had a sense of mission, deliberately chose
to live in the busy streets in Athens or
Corinth, in order to convert people
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
 Diogenes: the missionary (para. 5)
2.
What was his mission?
•
“to restamp the currency”
•
call people back to the natural way of life—true life
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
 Diogenes: ways of teaching (para. 6)
1.
How did Diogenes differ from other philosophers of his
time?
•
Plato:
taught his private pupils in his Academy, which he founded as
one of the earliest centers of advanced learning in the world.
•
Aristotle:
taught his own private pupils by the use of laboratory,
instruments, and specimens.
•
Diogenes:
taught all those who would care to listen by his own example
or by taking people around him for examples.
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
 Diogenes: ways of teaching (para. 6)
2.
He carried a lighted lamp in broad
daylight and inspected the face
of everyone he met.
“When you are all
so busy, I feel I
ought to do
something!”
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
 Alexander: citizen of the world (paras. 11-13)
1. King: different from other Macedonians
• drinking?
• women?
• fighting?
2. Thinker: Aristotle’s pupil, he learned
• culture
• philosophy
• principles of scientific research
3. Conqueror
• took command of the League of Greek States
• commander-in-chief of a new expedition against old, rich,
corrupt Asia
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
Text Analysis

Character Analysis
The Dramatic Encounter (paras. 14-17)
The differences and similarities between
the two historical characters.
1. Differences
2. Similarities
“Stand to one side.
You’re blocking
the sunlight.”
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
Differences
Diogenes
Alexander
Physical
appearance
lying on the bare earth,
shoeless, bearded, half-naked,
like a beggar, a dog
handsome face, fiery glance,
strong body, purple and gold
cloak, air of destiny
Identification
philosopher, missionary
Status
low, treated with contempt
and disapproval
great monarch, conqueror
high, treated with respect,
greeted with a bow and
acclamation
Possessions &
Power
none, rejecting possession or
power
land and absolute power
Mission
“restamp the currency”: to call
people back to the simple and
natural life—true value
bring people of the whole
world to the light of
civilization
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
Similarities
1. Both were great thinkers.
2. Both had a sense of mission.
3. Both were “citizens of the world,” admiring the heroic
figure of Hercules, who labored for mankind.
4. Both were free.
Text Analysis
1
Structure
2
3
Paras. 1-10
Paras. 11-13
Paras. 14-17
Diogenes (life,
philosophy,
mission,
ways of
teaching)
Alexander (a
philosopher
king with an
inquiring,
noble mind)
their dramatic
encounter
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Paraphrase
1. Sometimes they threw bits of food, and got scant thanks;
sometimes a mischievous pebble, and got a shower of stones
and abuse. (para. 1)
Sometimes people would throw bits of food to him, but he
hardly thanked them at all. Sometimes they would throw a
pebble at him for fun, but get a shower of stones and a stream of
abuse in return.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Paraphrase
2. His life’s aim was clear to him: it was “to restamp the
currency”: to take the clean metal of human life, to erase the old
false conventional markings, and to imprint it with its true
values. (para. 5)
His purpose in life was clear to him: it was “to reprint the
coins.” Human life can be taken as the clean coins which are
imprinted with false markings. He was to remove the false
markings and print the true values on it. In other words, his aim
in life was to call on people to reject the false, conventional way
of life and return to the simple and natural life.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions
1. Having no work to go to and no family to provide ____,
for he
was free. (para. 1)
 provide for: give sb the things that they need to live, such as
food, clothing
 Translation
• 他要供养他年迈的父母以及两个正在上学的妹妹。
He has to provide for his aged parents and two sister who
are still at school.
• 道路被切断，无法给部队提供给养。
The road was cut off and supplies could not be provided
for the troops.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions
filled up with shoppers and merchants
2. As the market place _____
strolled through it for an
and slaves and foreigners, he had ________
hour or two. (para. 1)
 Cf. wander, roam, ramble, stroll
 Translation
• 中间还有两个小时，因此她逛了一趟商业中心。
There were still two hours to go, so she strolled through the
shopping mall.
• 漫步海边，感觉太好了。
It’s wonderful to take a stroll along the seaside.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions
elaborately
3. He thought everybody lived far too __________,
expensively, anxiously. What good is a house? (para. 2)
 Translation
• 彼得制定了一个非常详尽的计划来筹措资金。
Peter worked out an elaborate scheme for raising the fund.
• 他们为局长准备了一桌精美的饭菜，结果被狠狠批评了
一顿。
They prepared a very elaborate meal for the bureau head
only to be severely criticized.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions
4. No one needs beds and chairs and such furniture: the animals
live healthy lives and sleep on the ground. All we require,
______________
since nature did not dress us properly, is one garment to keep
us warm, and some shelter from rain and wind. (para. 2)
 Translation
• 这名警察死时很年轻，但他的一生过得很有意义。
The policeman died young, but he lived a meaningful life.
• 作为一个探险者，他的一生充满了冒险。
As an explorer, he lived an adventurous life.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions
5. …he spent much of his life in…Corinth, mocking and satirizing
converting one of them. (para. 2)
its people, and occasionally ________
 convert: to make sb change from one religion or belief to
another
Ann has converted to Islam recently.
Marxist literature converted him into a staunch revolutionary.
 Cf.
• to make sth change from one form, system to a different one
This is part of the process of converting iron into steel.
•
to change from one object into another
I can’t see how this plastic sheet converts into a tent.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions
inhabit such a thing. But he was the
6. He was not the first to ______
by choice, out
of principle. (para. 3)
first who ever did so ___
_____
 inhabit
Some of the rare species inhabit the area.
 by choice
She took the job in the West by choice.
 out of
Just out of curiosity, why did you take that job?
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions
possess him. He is their slave. In order to procure a
7. They _______
quantity of false, perishable goods he has sold the only true,
lasting good, his own independence. (para. 4)
 Cf.
• What possessed him to say a stupid thing like that?
• She seemed possessed. Nobody could talk her out of it.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions
8. Therefore, he chose to live in Athens or Corinth, where
travelers from all over the Mediterranean world constantly
came and went. And, by design, he publicly behaved in
such ways as to show people what real life was. (para. 6)
 Translation
• 世界是有意缔造的呢，还是偶然形成的呢？
Was the world made by design or did it come into existence
by chance?
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part II: Words & Expressions
1. The little square began to fill with people—page boys,
soldiers…they all gradually formed a circle around
over as a sober man looks at a
Diogenes. He looked them _____,
crowd of tottering drunks, and shook his head. (para. 11)
 look over: (here) examine, scrutinize
 More examples with “over”: think over, talk over, read over,
go over
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part III: Words & Expressions
iery glance, his strong body,
1. With his handsome face, his f____
estiny
his purple and gold cloak, and his air of d_______,
he moved
through the parting crowd toward the Dog’s k______.
(para.
ennel
14)
agged
2. Looking at the poor broken cask, the single r______
garment, and the rough figure lying on the ground, he said:
“Is there anything I can do for you, Diogenes?” (para. 15)
 more examples: beloved wife, blessed morning, a wicked
man, my aged parents, a rugged coastline
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part III: Words & Expressions
3. The Macedonian officers, after deciding that Diogenes was
worth the trouble of kicking, were starting to ______
guffaw
not _____
and nudge one another. (para. 17)
 Cf. worth, worthwhile, worthy
• a worthwhile cause/discussion/job
• High prices in the UK make it worthwhile for buyers to look
abroad.
• be worthy of attention/consideration/mention
• A number of the findings are worthy of note.
• a worthy champion/winner/son
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part III: Words & Expressions
 Cf. grin, guffaw, titter, chuckle, giggle
•
•
•
•
•
grin: to make a wide smile
guffaw: to laugh loudly
titter: to laugh in a suppressed way
chuckle: to laugh softly in a low tone
giggle: to laugh quietly in a silly, childish, uncontrolled way
Diogenes and Alexander
Unit 4
Writing
Techniques
Reinforcement
Translation
Discussion
Reinforcement
Writing Techniques
1. Comparison & Contrast →examples
• use transitional words or expressions to make comparison and
achieve unity: not so (para. 5), the other…but for… (para. 6)
• use transitional paragraph to achieve coherence
2. Parallelism
• achieve increased strength, sounding more powerful, more
effective, e.g. para. 14
3. Euphemism
• e.g. done his business, natural acts
Reinforcement
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Writing Techniques
He was one, but not the other. (para.1)
Not so Diogenes. (para. 5)
But for Diogenes, … (para.6)
…Alexander was far older and wiser than his years. (para. 12)
Like all Macedonians he loved… (para. 12)
…he was a magnificent commander, but he was not merely a
military automaton. (para.12)
Only Diogenes, although he lived in Corinth, did not visit the
new monarch. (para.13)
Diogenes merely sat up…Diogenes said nothing. (para. 14)
He understood Cynicism as the others could not. (para. 17)
Like Diogenes, he admired… (para. 17)
…who labored to help mankind while all others toiled…
(para.17)
Reinforcement
Writing Techniques
4. Transferred Epithet
• a figure of speech that carries the modifier across and puts it on
to another word which is not normally modified by it, so as to
stress the emotions or feelings
• e.g. a mischievous pebble (para. 1) (It is Diogenes, not the
pebble, that is mischievous.); amazed silence (para. 17) (It is the
crowd, not the silence, that is amazed.)
5. Analogy
• e.g. drawing a parallel between “change the values” and
“restamp the currency” (para. 5)
Reinforcement
Discussion
1. If you think of yourself as a person with a mission, a mission
to serve the people, would you rather be Diogenes with his
philosophy or Alexander with his power?
2. Does Cynicism have any relevance to today’s realities?
Reinforcement
Translation
1. possess
• 他被逮捕并被指控拥有攻击性武器。
• 我不知道他着了什么魔，在那条繁忙的街道上把车子开得那
么快。
• 他挥着刀子又喊又叫，像是着了魔。
2. form
• 不同的国家有不同的政体，对此我们应当予以更多的理解。
• 这些人排成一行，把货物从大车上传递到船上。
• 援助可以以多种形式进行，如个人服务或现金等。
Reinforcement
Translation
3. roll
• 司机摇下车窗和警察说话。
• 展览结束后，这些油画被人从画框中取下来，卷起来以
收藏。
• 船摇动得厉害，我们感到头晕。
4. appoint
• 他被任命为销售部经理。
• 指派一个律师到这个岗位还是有道理的。
• 已任命一个委员会来调查这些投诉。
Reinforcement
Translation
5. account
•
•
•
•
•
他在会上向我们简单地描述了那天发生的情况。
我们在任何情况下都不能忘记我们的“根”。
现在乡镇企业总产值已快占全市总产值一半以上了。
他得向主席说明他是如何支配公司的资金的。
坏天气不足以用来解释今年庄稼为何欠收。