Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 3.djvu/73

 DIOGENES 43 then used by the Athenians, in the case of those who were condemned for capi- tal crimes. According to Diogenes Laertius, Socrates was twice married, but of the two wives he has given him, we know nothing except of the famous Xantippe, by whom he had a son named Tamprocles ; Xantippe rendered herself celebrated by her ill-humor, and by the exercise which she afforded to the patience of Socrates. He had married her, he said, from a persuasion that if he were able to bear with her bad temper, there could be nothing which he might not support. He died in the first year of the 95th Olympiad, aged seventy. DIOGENES From the French of FENELON (412-323 B.C.) D' DIOGENES the Cynic, son of Ice- sius a banker, was born about the gist Olympiad, in Sinope, a city of Paphlagonia. He was ac- cused of having forged money, in concert with his father. Icesius was arrested, and died in prison. Alarmed at the fate of his father, Diogenes fled to Athens. When he had arrived at that city, he in- quired for Antisthenes ; but the latter, having resolved never to take a scholar, repulsed him and beat him off with his stick. Di- ogenes was by no means discour- aged by this treatment. " Strike fear not," said he to him, bow- ing his head ; " you shall never find a stick hard enough to make me run off, so long as you continue to speak." Overcome by the importunity of Diogenes, Antisthenes yielded, and permitted him to become his scholar. Banished from his native country and without any resource, Diogenes was reduced to great indigence. He perceived one day, a mouse running briskly up and down, without any fear of being surprised by the approach of night, without any anxiety about a lodging-place, and even without thinking of food. This reconciled him to his misery. He resolved to live at his ease, without constraint,