Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 3.djvu/74

 44 STATESMEN AND SAGES and to dispense with everything which was not absolutely necessary for the pres- ervation of life. He doubled his cloak, that by rolling himself up in it, it might serve the purposes both of a bed and of a coverlet. His movables consisted of a bag, a jug, and a staff ; and wherever he went he always carried his furniture along with him. His stick, however, he used only when he went to the country, or on some emergency. Persons really lame were, he said, neither the deaf nor the blind, but those who had no bag. He always went barefoot, nor did he wear sandals even when the ground was covered with snow. He endeavored also to accustom himself to eat raw flesh, but this was a point of perfection to which he never could arrive. He entreated a person of his acquaintance to afford him some little hole in his lodging, 10 which he might occasionally retire. But as he was dilatory in giving him a posi- tive answer he took possession of an earthen tub, which he always carried about with him, and which was the only house he ever had. In the heat of summer when the fields were scorched by the sun, he used to roll among the burning sands, and in winter to embrace statues covered with snow, that he might accus- tom himself to endure without pain the inclemencies of heat and cold. He treated everyone with contempt. He accused Plato and his scholars 01 dissipation, and of the crime of loving good cheer. All the orators he styled "the slaves of the people." Crowns were, he said, as brittle marks of glory as bubbles of water, which burst in the formation ; that theatrical represen- tations were the wonder of fools only. In a word, nothing escaped his satiric humor. He ate, he spoke, he slept, without discrimination, wherever chance placed him. Pointing to Jupiter's porticos on one occasion, he exclaimed : " How ex- cellent a dining-room the Athenians have built for me there ! " He frequently said : " When I consider the rulers, the physicians, and the philosophers whom the world contains, I am tempted to think man considerably elevated by his wisdom above the brutes ; but when, on the other hand, I behold augurs, interpreters of dreams, and people who can be inflated with pride on ac- count of their riches or honors, I cannot help thinking him the most foolish of all animals." When taking a walk one day, he observed a child drinking from the hollow of his hand. He felt greatly affronted at the sight. " What ! " exclaimed Dio- genes, " do children know better than I do with what things a man ought to be contented ? " Upon which he took his jug out of his bag, and instantly broke it, as a superfluous movable. The province in philosophy to which Diogenes attached himself, was that of morals. He did not, however, entirely neglect the other sciences. He was pos- sessed of lively parts, and easily anticipated objections. As he was one day discoursing on a very serious and important subject everyone passed by without giving himself the least concern about what Dio- genes was saying. Upon this, he began to sing. The people crowded about him. He immediately seized the opportunity of giving them a severe reprimand