Anecdotes of the Cynics

by Robert F. Dobbin (Translator)

'It's you who are the dogs...'

What makes us happy? For over 800 years the Cynic philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome argued that the answer lay in a simple, self-sufficient life.

One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Classics, History, Literature, Historical

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[muthuvel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In today's world cynical person could be described as full of pessimistic motives and has understanding of world as merely misanthropic.

I had doubts that whether the ancient philosophers associated with the similar name had anything to do with it. Those ancient philosophers, too, believed in the worst of human nature and impulses and so they wouldn't and couldn't believe in anything other than emulating the cycle of survival least disturbing the natural order. They who do not find comfort in any kind of social constructs. They believed its natural for women to mate with men, and the resulting children would the children of that particular mass. They disowned properties, luxury, grooming.


There are lots of interesting bits of mentions by other philosophers, kings, historians and some fabricated stories to grasp the essence of the values they stood for or, perhaps, the values they thrown into the sea.

As for the book, it includes discontinuous brief anecdotes of only five cynics such as Lucian (125-180 CE), Diogenes(410-323 BCE), Crates (365-285 BCE) and Hipparchia(350-300 BCE), and Bion (325-250 BCE).

Personally, I felt that understanding and relating with the contends of this book better, one may require knowing on similar philosophies like Epicureanism, Platonism and Stoicism on the top layer level.

This very brief book would help one find whether (s)he feels relevant with the philosophy. If yes, there's a better coherent work compiled as 'The Cynic Philosophers' by Penguin Classics.

The book insufficiently helped me understand that 'Cynicism with capital C' somehow evolved or devolved in the medieval, modern times to 'cynical' characteristics. Probably the bigger book would help understand the philosophy's evolution better.

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

2.5 Stars

Only three more Little Black Classics to go.

Anecdotes of the Cynics contains just what it promised on the cover, but for me it was a little an odd collection. There is one longer piece, which was best, complemented with a lot of very short anecdotes from different authors who try to showcase the cynic way of life. This might be good for a first introduction, but ultimately I was missing something here.

~Little Black Classics #124~

[Anete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man bija pilnīgi cits priekšstats par divām lietām: anekdotes un ciniķi (kiniķi?). Bet tā interesanti palasīties.

"If your wife is ugly you'll be swearing, if she's pretty you'll be sharing."

[Mark Rizk Farag · Rating 3 out of 5]

A succinct set of Anecdotes pertaining to the Cynic philosophers of Ancient Greece, as relevant today as they were back then. The Cynics were a wildly countercultural, extreme, colourful (if a little smelly), rambunctious group of Philosophers. They held that the only way to true happiness and self fulfillment, was to gained by radically accepting nature (the way things are) and to work towards virtue. Now I know that doesn't sound very extreme, in doing so, they essentially rejected all material gains, fame, status, bodily desires and even possessions they saw as superfluous (there is a story included in the text regarding the noteworthy philosopher Diogenes, who upon watching a man drink with his hands - angrily threw away his water bottle 😂).

This was by no means an armchair philosophy. The Cynics could be recognised by their cloaks, long hair, unkept beards (for the men), staffs and the fact that many of them slept outside and berated at passers by.

Of course, this makes for very interesting reading, which Is very far removed from the aloof, conceptual and dry philosophy found elsewhere.. My favourite excerpts are of course, related to Diogenes and his rivalry with Plato (whether real or imagined). He is an objectively hilarious and countercultural figure, whose antics are both enlightening and humorous. Here see some of my favourite excerpts:

*

* For seeing a ploughman taking a drink from his cupped hands, Diogenes addressed his mug, ‘Why was I lugging you around with me all this time?’

* 'On one occasion, when he was scolded for eating in public, he said, ‘But it was precisely while in public that I grew hungry.’ Some people also ascribe this anecdote to him. They say that Plato saw him scraping vegetables. Approaching him, he told him in a confidential tone of voice that he wouldn’t have to submit to such work if he would just join Dionysius’ entourage. To which Diogenes, likewise under his breath, said that he, Plato, would not have to be part of Dionysius’ entourage if he weren’t too proud to scrape vegetables.'

*' Plato defined Man as a featherless biped. The definition was generally well received. But Diogenes refuted it by plucking a chicken, bringing it by Plato’s Academy, throwing it over the wall while yelling, ‘Here’s your man for you, Plato!’

Other things that were interesting about this book include descriptions of a cynic female philosopher (exceedingly rare, historically valuable and of course, even more countercultural than other things included in the text), and references to Greek Mythology (Atlanta, Theseus and Hercules are referenced).

The Cynics themselves of course, did not write their own treatises, and as such all the information in this text comprises of the writing of others regarding the Cynics. You can even find the exhortations of St John Chrysostom in here.

[Finlay Whitton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Occasionally I want to shave my head and live in a cave and this book made me want to do that

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another small book with big ideas. I'd never heard of Diogenes but now I'll go looking for more of his story. This is very much one for the soul searchers; those looking for inspiration for becoming a better person. I wasn't really expecting it to resonate so much as it did. Well worth the hour or so it will take to digest.

[Hazelina Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I feel that I learnt so much after reading it. This was such a great first introduction to Diogenes for me. I think that it is definitely going to be one of my favourite books I’ve read this year and one of my favourite philosophy books of all time. Anon is brilliant and this book was incredibly eye opening. I hope to practice the ideologies described by Anon in my life and on future endeavours.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny collection of anecdotes and quotes from some of Ancient Greece’s Cynics.

Including quotes from Diogenes as well as moments of his life, this a a humorous look at an interesting way of thinking in Ancient Greece. What makes some of these anecdotes all the more interesting, is that many of them would not be out of place in a modern conversation!

[Erin Estes · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read this as research for a character in my book im writing and let me just give you a quote to sum it up

Being once asked who suffers most from anxiety, he replied, 'Whoever is most ambitious to succeed.' Asked if it was wise to marry, he answered, 'If your wife is ugly you'll be swearing, if she's pretty you'll be sharing.'

i’d give it a read, especially if youre feeling like running away and living on bartering alone

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real eclectic mix about the Cynic philosophers. The pleasure of this was being able to learn about their habits, atitudes, dress and some truly bizarre habits.

With this little 62 page book you can learn a great deal more for £1 than a book for £20.

[Printed Pages and Coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. Very quick read, worth the time!

[Ahsiisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book aligns with my general thoughts on how life should be lived except the cynics took it to the extremes because I see no issue in simplicity but they literally chose to live in poverty.... erm. ok.

Aside from that I find the book remains more relevant today than in the past with our culture of mass consumption for the sake of appearances even though a lot of these "pleasures" in life are deeply rooted in vanity and perceived importance (from yourself and others).

fav lines!

"Then nothing is missing from my life, because nothing in it fails to satisfy my needs"
"Instead of a simple life you choose to fill it with unnecessary complication. Because all this expensive stuff which is supposedly so conducive to happiness which you hold so dear costs a lot in terms of pain and aggravation"

[L.E.]

I honestly kept imagining a conversation between Diogenes and Oscar Wilde

[Chad Crase · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a great collection of stories from the Cynic school of philosophers. Cynics were mainly about living a simple life free from material desire and in this regard has some parallels with Buddhism and probably early Christianity as well. It's hard to say how much of this is apocryphal - Diogenes' exploits especially appear always to be shrouded in doubt. His roaming the streets of Athens with a lantern claiming to be searching for a (true/honest) man really resonates and has inspired many works of art. There are other Cynics, but Diogenes is the one that I find the most interesting and this short book is worth reading just to learn more about him.

It's a shame that there isn't more written works from the Cynics, as many of their beliefs are relevant in modern society. For Diogenes at least, creating a vast canon of written work clearly was not as important as actually living his philosophy. He could probably be described as anti-academic and anti-establishment - strata certainly represented by Plato. What I wouldn't give to be there in a Plato lecture with Diogenes loudly eating and interrupting; Plato's reaction would be priceless.

[Lone Wong · Rating 3 out of 5]

And now a general assembly of the Greek was held at Corinth, where a vote was passed to mount an expedition against the Persian Empire. Alexander was named commander. Many statesmen and philosophers came and congratulated him. He had hoped to find Diogenes among them since the philosopher happened to be in note of him and continued to spend his days in the suburbs of Craneum. So Alexander personally called on the man, and kind him lounging in the sun. Diogenes stirred a bit when he saw this entourage approach, and turned his gaze in their direction. The prince hailed him, and offered him anything within his power to bestow. ‘Get out of the way of the sun,’ the other replied. Such pride and nobility, evinced by his evident nonchalance, is said to have made a great impression on Alexander. His attendants just laughed as they wandered off, but for his own part Alexander was heard to say, ‘Truthfully, if I were not Alexander, I would choose to be Diogenes.’

A book full of wisdom and doctrine of Ancient Cynic philosophy from the founder of Cynicism by Diogenes to the modern cynicism Bion.

[Stephanie Youssef · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading little books of big ideas: they're easy to digest, thought-provoking, and interesting AF. I can't wait to fill my Internet browsing history and library card with more Cynic philosophers.

[Radhika Gunawardena · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, this was reminiscent of reading the teachings of Lord Buddha, but in fancy English.

[Galatea · Rating 4 out of 5]

shitposting in Ancient Greece?? It's more likely than you think

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of brief stories and sayings from famous Cynic philosophers – notably, Diogenes of Sinope, Crates of Thebes, Hipparchia, and Bion. It opens with the longest piece, a dialogue [allegedly] by Lucian the Cynic advocating the Cynic’s minimalist approach to life. [Cynics were ascetics who shunned customs and cultural conventions and thus often ran afoul of the conservative societal base / rubbed people the wrong way.] The dialogue uses Socratic method, but also contains prolonged exposition. [Not like the Platonic dialogues in which Socrates tends to ask brief questions and attempts to demand brief answers – granted not always successfully.] However, most of the pieces are just a paragraph or two brief excerpts.

Most of the entries report on what various Cynics said or did, though there are a few that are biased commentaries of non-Cynics about these “dog philosophers” – e.g. there is a Catholic tract denouncing the Cynics while talking up Paul. [It reads as though the early Christian church (which was teaching Jesus’s ideas, including: in part, the virtues of poverty, of simplicity, and of a lack of deference to the world of men) might have been concerned about being outcompeted.]

There’s not a tremendous amount that remains of direct Cynic teachings, and so a book like this is a way to get a taste of the highlights. Just as Buddha found that extreme forms of ascetism didn’t yield the optimal result, Cynicism lost ground to the upstart school Stoicism, which borrowed some Cynic ideas while jettisoning the most extreme aspects of the philosophy.

One can find these stories in old public domain sources such as Diogenes Laertius’ (no relation) “Lives of the Eminent Philosophers,” but this is a good way to get the condensed version without too much extraneous information.

[JK · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cynics were a group of philosophers who believed in simplicity, in the vice associated with luxury, in nature, and in maintaining the natural order.

I felt Penguin have done well in putting this one together. The opening exchange allows us to understand the doctrines of the Cynics using a debate between two men arguing for each side. The one seeped in luxury simply cannot understand why anyone would shun such comforts, whilst the Cynic disagrees, and puts forth his simple case well. We only need what we need.

Following on, Penguin showcases passages and anecdotes describing the way of life of a few of the Cynics. It’s enlightening, profound, and a little barbaric.

I did enjoy this for its style and its message. In the time of Covid-19, where it seems as though it’s every man for themselves when it comes to bread, eggs, and toilet roll, it’s a worthwhile reminder to keep it simple and take only what you need.

[this is not tasneem · Rating 4 out of 5]

a short, easy, and delightful read. makes you rethink your desires and ‘necessities’.
——————

‘My prayer is that my feet be just like hooves, as Chiron's were said to be; that I need bedclothes no more than do lions, expensive food no more than dogs. Let the whole world be bed large enough for me, let me call the universe my home; and may I always prefer the food that's easiest to acquire. May I never need gold or silver; and I wish the same for my friends, since greed for money is the source of society's wars, plots, murders and divisions. And behind it is the unceasing lust for more. So let such desires keep their distance.

I hope never to hanker after more than others, but instead be granted the capacity to do with less.’

[JimmiD · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice way to reconnect with Greek literature.

What my ratings mean:
5 – I felt this book was an exemplar in its genre/field. That does not mean I agree with everything it says (or the moral of the story). It is likely to be a book that will change my thinking about a topic.
4 – A very impressive book for its genre/field. It probably didn’t change me or my thinking though.
3 – An enjoyable way to spend the time reading it.
2 – This was a pain to read. There was probably something wrong in the way it was written/how I read it.
1 – Life’s too short and/or I’m not smart enough to get the point of this book.

[Jakub · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth Penguin Little Black Classic I've read and so far the weakest one. It's short even for a Little Black Classic: most of the pages in this book aren't even half-covered with text, since the quotations on them are so short.

The first 13 pages in this book are filled with a dialogue between a Cynic and a critic of cynicism. The rest of the book (about 40 pages) is filled with quotations from different sources about Diogenes, Crates, Hipparchia and Bion.

Some of the quotes in this book are great, but overall, this was a fairly forgettable experience.

[Shabrina Haq · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a very light read. I enjoyed reading Lucian's "The Cynic" in the first part of the book because there's a lot to highlight regarding the philosophy that aligns with or is most agreeable to me. Diogenes is interesting, but I wouldn't take the word of a man who thinks that sharing wives among men is considered consensual sex. The rest though, made me realize that I'm not among those who believe in the cynic way of life.
But as I read it, I enjoyed the process of understanding a bit of how life was at that time of age. And why being a cynic philosopher is quite a noble thing to be.

[R.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very quick read featuring some interesting anecdotes as per its title, but I expected it will offer a bit more than that. Some additional notes and feedback about the philosophers, their stories and the historical circumstances would put things more in context. That said, the chronology at the end of the book was useful and afterall, this might wet one's appetite to research more on the subject.

[Stephen Theaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

"You import your pleasures from the ends of the earth, always prizing what's exotic over what's regional, what's expensive over what's cheap, what's hard to get over what's near to hand. In short, instead of a simple life you choose to fill it with unnecessary complication. Because all this expensive stuff which is supposedly so conducive to happiness and which you hold so dear costs a lot in terms of pain and aggravation."

Could have been written today!

[Matías Godoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

En la homilía de la primera carta a los Corintos, cuenta Johaness Chrysostomus que Diógenes usaba harapos y vivía en un barril, en el que se escondía a llorar cuando los ricos lo trataban mal. Pero al final los ricos siempre caían en cuenta que la vida sencilla de Diógenes era mucho más genuina que la de ellos, que se distraían con facilidad por juguetes y otros lujos. Entonces iban todos al barril de Diógenes y le regalaban una torta de jamón.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short compilation of stories and quotations from those who practiced the Cynic philosophy. Goes over Diogenes, Crates, Hipparchia and Bion. It's purely translation and quotation, so there's not much to say about the writing, but I like the subject matter and I thought it was a decent introduction to their ideas and a good selection of funny tales.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting beliefs of shedding almost all and keeping only necessities with oneself. Understandable, but obviously not applicable in this day and age—not in the same way, at least. Searching for one's soul doesn't require one to barely even have the minimum; one just has to look deep within, not necessarily throw everything and everyone away.

[Georges Alexandre · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice small anthology, the majority extracted from Diogenes Laertius who, since the Cynics haven't left any writings, managed to compile a few anecdotes. I appreciated the fact that there were other extractions, even though most of it is anecdotal (as the title very accurately specifies) and can see small variations from one author to the other.
Enjoyable read