Diogenes the Wise Man

by James Baldwin

　　

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At Cor-inth, in Greece, there lived a very wise man whose name wasDi-og´e-nes. Men came from all parts of the land to see him and hearhim talk.But wise as he was, he had some very queer ways. He did not believethat any man ought to have more things than he re-al-ly needed; and hesaid that no man needed much. And so he did not live in a house, butslept in a tub or barrel, which he rolled about from place to place.He spent his days sitting in the sun, and saying wise things to thosewho were around him.At noon one day, Di-og-e-nes was seen walking through the streets witha lighted lantern, and looking all around as if in search ofsomething."Why do you carry a lantern when the sun is shining?" some one said."I am looking for an honest man," answered Diogenes.When Alexander the Great went to Cor-inth, all the fore-most men inthe city came out to see him and to praise him. But Diogenes did notcome; and he was the only man for whose o-pin-ions Alexander cared.And so, since the wise man would not come to see the king, the kingwent to see the wise man. He found Diogenes in an out-of-the-wayplace, lying on the ground by his tub. He was en-joy-ing the heat andthe light of the sun.When he saw the king and a great many people coming, he sat up andlooked at Alexander. Alexander greeted him and said,--"Diogenes, I have heard a great deal about your wisdom. Is thereanything that I can do for you?""Yes," said Diogenes. "You can stand a little on one side, so as notto keep the sunshine from me."This answer was so dif-fer-ent from what he expected, that the kingwas much sur-prised. But it did not make him angry; it only made himadmire the strange man all the more. When he turned to ride back, hesaid to his officers,--"Say what you will; if I were not Alexander, I would like to beDiogenes."

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