Kitap 1
2
Pass on a brief message to them to stop their foolish talk and their bickering about the universe, and making each other grow horns, Philosophers’ quibbles. Cf. Quintilian, I, 10, 5. For (1) vide Gellius, 18, 2, 8. “What you have not lost, you have; you have not lost horns; therefore you have horns.” For (2) cf. Philosophies for Sale 22, “Suppose that a crocodile seizes your child . . . but promises to give it back, if you tell the crocodile correctly what it intends to do with the child; what answer will you give?” and composing puzzles about crocodiles, See previous note. and teaching the human mind to ask such insoluble riddles.
2
But they say I’m an uneducated ignoramus to cast aspersions on their wisdom.
2
You tell them from me to go to the devil.
2
I’ll give this message too, Diogenes.
3
And take this message to the rich men from us, my dearest Pollux. “Why do you guard your gold, you senseless fools? Why do you punish yourselves, counting interest, and piling talents on talents, when you must come here shortly with no more than a penny?” The obol put in the mouth of a corpse as Charon’s fare.
3
They shall have this message too.
3
Yes, and say to the men who are handsome and strong like Megillus of Corinth and Damoxenus the wrestler, “Here with us are no golden locks or blue eyes or dark eyes, or rosy cheek, no well-strung sinews or sturdy shoulders—all with us, to quote the proverb, is one and the same dust, skulls bereft of good looks.”
3
Another easy message for me to give—to the handsome and strong.
4
And tell the poor, my Spartan friend, who are many, displeased with life and pitying themselves for their poverty, not to cry and moan; describe to them our equality here, telling them how they’ll see the rich on earth no better here than they are themselves. And tell your own Spartans off from me, if you will, for having become so slack.
4
Not a word to me about Spartans, Diogenes; I won’t tolerate that. But I’ll deliver your messages to all the others.
