The Lucian of Samosata Project

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====== Diogenes of Sinope | Plutarch, Life of Timoleon 15 ======

<blockquote>Now, Plato did not live to see Dionysius when he was in Corinth, but he was already dead; **Diogenes of Sinope**, however, on meeting him for the first time, said: "How little though deservest, Dionysius, thus to live!" Upon this, Dionysius stopped and said: "It is good of thee, O **Diogenes**, to sympathize with me in my misfortunes." "How is that?" said **Diogenes**; "Dost thou suppose that I am sympathizing with thee? Nay, I am indignant that such a slave as thou, and one so worthy to have grown old and died in the tyrant's estate, just as thy father did, should be living here with us in mirth and luxury." Wherefore, when I compare with these words the mournful utterances of Philistus about the daughters of Leptines, how from the great blessings of the tyranny they fell to a lowly life, they seem the lamentations of a woman who pines for her alabaster caskets and purple gowns and golden trinkets.
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Source: Plutarch Lives. Revised/translated by A. H. Clough. Revised from Dryden's version. Also known as “Parallel Lives”, written in Greek ~100 AD. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. 1859. </blockquote>