The Cynic Ideal
Strip life down to nature, scorn convention, and be free — the radical self-sufficiency of the philosopher in the barrel.
The Cynic ideal is a life lived 'according to nature' through rigorous self-discipline (askēsis), rejecting wealth, status, and social convention in favor of total self-sufficiency and frank, often shameless, honesty. Its iconic figure is Diogenes of Sinope (4th century BCE), who reputedly lived in a jar and mocked Alexander the Great; the school traces back to Antisthenes, a follower of Socrates. Cynic toughness and the call to 'live according to nature' deeply shaped the Stoics who came after.
How it traveled
- CyropaediaAthens · -354applies
- Constitution of the LacedaimoniansAthens · -354explains
- Tusculanae DisputationesFormiae · -43explains
- DiscoursesNicopolis · 108explains
- Apophthegmata LaconicaChaeronea · 120explains
- LycurgusChaeronea · 120explains
- AlexanderChaeronea · 120explains
- Quaestiones ConvivalesChaeronea · 120explains
- Dialogi mortuorumSamosata · 180explains
- DemonaxSamosata · 180explains
- De Morte PeregriniSamosata · 180explains
- PiscatorSamosata · 180explains
- FugitiviSamosata · 180explains
- Vitarum auctioSamosata · 180explains
- Pyrrhoniae HypotyposesAlexandria · 210explains
- DeipnosophistaeNaucratis · 230explains
- Vitae philosophorum— · 240explains
- Duties of the HeartZaragoza (Saragossa) · 1080
- Epistulae—explains
- OrationesPrusaexplains
- Epistulae—explains
- Cynicus—explains
- To the Uneducated CynicsConstantinople (Istanbul)explains
- To the Cynic HeracleiosConstantinople (Istanbul)explains
- Quod Omnis Probus Liber Sit—explains
- Varia HistoriaRomeexplains
- Epistulae—explains
- Suidae lexicon—explains
- Historia RomanaRomeexplains
- DialexeisTyreexplains
Key passages(20)
וַיִּגַּשׁ יַעֲקֹב אֶל יִצְחָק וגו' הַקֹּל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב (בראשית כז, כב), הָא קוֹל דְּקָל חַכִּים וְיָדַיָּה דְּמַשְׁלַחִין מִיתִין. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הַקֹּל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב, אֵין יַעֲקֹב שׁוֹלֵט אֶלָּא בְּקו
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[ה] ר' אבא בר כהנא פתח מי האיש החכם ויבן את זאת ואשר דבר פי י"י אליו ויגידה על מה אבדה הארץ וג' (ירמיה ט:יא). תני ר' שמע' בן יוחי אם ראיתה עיירות נתלשות ממקומן בארץ ישר', דע שלא החזיקו בשכר סופרים ובש
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Vitae philosophorum · Diogenes Laertius
Vitae philosophorum · Diogenes Laertius
Vitae philosophorum · Diogenes Laertius
Vitae philosophorum · Diogenes Laertius
Epistulae · Diogenes Sinopensis Epistulae
Epistulae · Diogenes Sinopensis Epistulae
Epistulae · Diogenes Sinopensis Epistulae
Epistulae · Diogenes Sinopensis Epistulae
To the Cynic Heracleios · Julian, Emperor of Rome
To the Uneducated Cynics · Julian, Emperor of Rome
To the Uneducated Cynics · Julian, Emperor of Rome
To the Uneducated Cynics · Julian, Emperor of Rome