Gilbert Highet

1. Diogenes and Alexander Gilbert Highet

2. Diogenes and Alexander Unit 4 W arming up R einforcement T ext Analysis B ackground

3. Diogenes and Alexander Unit 4 Questions/Activities Warming up Check-on Preview Objectives

4. Warming up Questions/Activities What does the author tell us about Diogenes? Who was he? What was his philosophy? What did he think was the problem with people? How did he intend to help them? What were the key values he promoted? How, in his opinion, could we find true happiness? What does the author tell us about Alexander? What did this king have in common with Diogenes, the beggar? Why was Alexander considered a man of destiny? How would you contrast the two characters? Why did Alexander decide to visit Diogenes? What did Diogenes really mean when he said that Alexander was blocking the sunlight?

5. Define the following words and phrases: a mischievous pebble (para. 1) elaborate (para. 4) by design (para. 6) restrained (para. 12) chivalrous (para. 12) Warming up Check-on Preview

6. Paraphrase: Live without conventions, which are artificial and false; escape complexities and extravagances: only so can you live a free life. (para. 4) His life’s aim was clear to him: it was “to restamp the currency”: to take the clean metal of human life, to erase the old false conventional markings, and to imprint it with its true values. (para. 5) Warming up Check-on Preview

7. Warming up Objectives • 1. Content: • differences and similarities between Diogenes and Alexander • Cynicism and its present significance • philosophy vs. power • Writing: comparison and contrast • Diogenes—Alexander • Diogenes—other beggars/hermits/philosophers • Alexander—other Macedonians (officers & officials) • Here, the alternating comparison/contrast (subject by • subject) is used.

8. Diogenes and Alexander Unit 4 Diogenes Background Alexander

9. Background Diogenes 1. Who was Diogenes? • A beggar • A philosopher • A missionary • Doctrine: Cynicism the doctrine that scorned worldly needs and pleasures and held that virtue was the key to the only good http://www.iep.utm.edu/d/diogsino.htm

10. Background Diogenes • Cynicism in modern sense: the belief of a cynic, who maintains that people are all motivated by selfishness, that no one will help others for good and sincere reasons 2. What are the major tenets (principles) of Cynicism? Do you find any expressions of these principles in the text? • self-sufficiency • shamelessness • outspokenness • perfection of virtue

11. Background Alexander • Macedonian King: son of Philip • The Thinker: student of Aristotle • The Conqueror: Greece, Asia, Egypt • Why do you think he wanted to bring so many regions under his rule?

12. Background Alexander Alexander the Great’s Empire

13. Background Alexander Alexander the Great’s Empire

14. Diogenes and Alexander Character Analysis Structure Unit 4 Text Analysis Detailed Analysis

15. Diogenes: the beggar (paras. 1-3) Text Analysis Character Analysis cask, a storage jar made of earthenware a house (big, with many rooms) none beds, chairs, etc. (elaborate) blanket (half-naked) clothes (expensive) bits of food begged from others, drinking from his hollowed hands elaborate horses, servants, bank accounts (anxious) none a life by choice, out of principle → natural, healthy, independent a life as slaves of their possessions → artificial, anxious, loss of virtue

16. Diogenes: the beggar (paras. 1-3) There are contrasts within the broad contrast. How did Diogenes contrast with ordinary homeless people? Text Analysis Character Analysis

17. Diogenes: the philosopher (para. 4) “A Socrates gone mad”: repositioning of convention below nature and reason 2. Three key principles: living in accord with nature total disregard of convention independence (freedom) being the only true, lasting good Text Analysis Character Analysis

18. Diogenes: the missionary (para. 5) 1. Comparison with ordinary hermits Similarities: Both grew tired of human society with its complications and wanted to live simply. Differences: Text Analysis Character Analysis hermits went away to live simply—on a small farm, in a quiet village or a cave Diogenes had a sense of mission, deliberately chose to live in the busy streets in Athens or Corinth, in order to convert people

19. Diogenes: the missionary (para. 5) 2. What was his mission? “to restamp the currency” call people back to the natural way of life—true life Text Analysis Character Analysis

20. Diogenes: ways of teaching (para. 6) How did Diogenes differ from other philosophers of his time? Plato: taught his private pupils in his Academy, which he founded as one of the earliest centers of advanced learning in the world. Aristotle: taught his own private pupils by the use of laboratory, instruments, and specimens. Diogenes: taught all those who would care to listen by his own example or by taking people around him for examples. Text Analysis Character Analysis

21. Diogenes: ways of teaching (para. 6) He carried a lighted lamp in broad daylight and inspected the face of everyone he met. Text Analysis Character Analysis “When you are all so busy, I feel I ought to do something!”

22. Text Analysis Character Analysis • Alexander: citizen of the world (paras. 11-13) 1. King: different from other Macedonians • drinking? • women? • fighting? 2. Thinker: Aristotle’s pupil, he learned • culture • philosophy • principles of scientific research 3. Conqueror • took command of the League of Greek States • commander-in-chief of a new expedition against old, rich, corrupt Asia

23. Text Analysis Character Analysis

24. Text Analysis Character Analysis • The Dramatic Encounter (paras. 14-17) The differences and similarities between the two historical characters. • Differences • Similarities “Stand to one side. You’re blocking the sunlight.”

25. Text Analysis Character Analysis Differences lying on the bare earth, shoeless, bearded, half-naked, like a beggar, a dog handsome face, fiery glance, strong body, purple and gold cloak, air of destiny philosopher, missionary great monarch, conqueror high, treated with respect, greeted with a bow and acclamation low, treated with contempt and disapproval none, rejecting possession or power land and absolute power “restamp the currency”: to call people back to the simple and natural life—true value bring people of the whole world to the light of civilization

26. Text Analysis Character Analysis Similarities Both were great thinkers. Both had a sense of mission. Both were “citizens of the world,” admiring the heroic figure of Hercules, who labored for mankind. Both were free.

27. Text Analysis Structure 1 2 3 Paras. 14-17 their dramatic encounter Paras. 1-10 Diogenes (life, philosophy, mission, ways of teaching) Paras. 11-13 Alexander (a philosopher king with an inquiring, noble mind)

28. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part I: Paraphrase Sometimes they threw bits of food, and got scant thanks; sometimes a mischievous pebble, and got a shower of stones and abuse. (para. 1) Sometimes people would throw bits of food to him, but he hardly thanked them at all. Sometimes they would throw a pebble at him for fun, but get a shower of stones and a stream of abuse in return.

29. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part I: Paraphrase 2. His life’s aim was clear to him: it was “to restamp the currency”: to take the clean metal of human life, to erase the old false conventional markings, and to imprint it with its true values. (para. 5) His purpose in life was clear to him: it was “to reprint the coins.” Human life can be taken as the clean coins which are imprinted with false markings. He was to remove the false markings and print the true values on it. In other words, his aim in life was to call on people to reject the false, conventional way of life and return to the simple and natural life.

30. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part I: Words & Expressions • Having no work to go to and no family to provide ____, he was free. (para. 1) • provide for:give sb the things that they need to live, such as food, clothing • Translation • 他要供养他年迈的父母以及两个正在上学的妹妹。 He has to provide for his aged parents and two sister who are still at school. • 道路被切断，无法给部队提供给养。 The road was cut off and supplies could not be provided for the troops. for

31. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part I: Words & Expressions 2. As the market place _____ up with shoppers and merchants and slaves and foreigners, he had ________ through it for an hour or two. (para. 1) • Cf. wander, roam, ramble, stroll • Translation • 中间还有两个小时，因此她逛了一趟商业中心。 • There were still two hours to go, so she strolled through the • shopping mall. • 漫步海边，感觉太好了。 • It’s wonderful to take a stroll along the seaside. filled strolled

32. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part I: Words & Expressions 3. He thought everybody lived far too __________, expensively, anxiously. What good is a house? (para. 2) • Translation • 彼得制定了一个非常详尽的计划来筹措资金。 • Peter worked out an elaborate scheme for raising the fund. • 他们为局长准备了一桌精美的饭菜，结果被狠狠批评了一顿。 • They prepared a very elaborate meal for the bureau head only to be severely criticized. elaborately

33. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part I: Words & Expressions 4. No one needs beds and chairs and such furniture: the animals ______________ and sleep on the ground. All we require, since nature did not dress us properly, is one garment to keep us warm, and some shelter from rain and wind. (para. 2) • Translation • 这名警察死时很年轻，但他的一生过得很有意义。 The policeman died young, but he lived a meaningful life. • 作为一个探险者，他的一生充满了冒险。 As an explorer, he lived an adventurous life. live healthy lives

34. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part I: Words & Expressions • …he spent much of his life in…Corinth, mocking and satirizing its people, and occasionally ________ one of them. (para. 2) • convert: to make sb change from one religion or belief to another • Ann has converted to Islam recently. • Marxist literature converted him into a staunch revolutionary. • Cf. • to make sth change from one form, system to a different one • This is part of the process of converting iron into steel. • to change from one object into another • I can’t see how this plastic sheet converts into a tent. converting

35. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part I: Words & Expressions 6. He was not the first to ______ such a thing. But he was the first who ever did so ___ choice, _____ principle. (para. 3) • inhabit • Some of the rare species inhabit the area. • by choice She took the job in the West by choice. • out of • Just out of curiosity, why did you take that job? inhabit by out of

36. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part I: Words & Expressions possess 7. They _______ him. He is their slave. In order to procure a quantity of false, perishable goods he has sold the only true, lasting good, his own independence. (para. 4) • Cf. • What possessed him to say a stupid thing like that? • She seemed possessed. Nobody could talk her out of it.

37. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part I: Words & Expressions 8. Therefore, he chose to live in Athens or Corinth, where travelers from all over the Mediterranean world constantly came and went. And, design, he publicly behaved in such ways as to show people what real life was. (para. 6) • Translation • 世界是有意缔造的呢，还是偶然形成的呢？ Was the world made by design or did it come into existence by chance? by

38. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part II: Words & Expressions 1. The little square began to fill with people—page boys, soldiers…they all gradually formed a circle around Diogenes. He looked them _____, as a sober man looks at a crowd of tottering drunks, and shook his head. (para. 11) • look over: (here) examine, scrutinize • More examples with “over”: think over, talk over, read over, go over over

39. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part III: Words & Expressions • With his handsome face, his f____ glance, his strong body, his purple and gold cloak, and his air of d_______, he moved through the parting crowd toward the Dog’s k______. (para. 14) • Looking at the poor broken cask, the single r______ garment, and the rough figure lying on the ground, he said: “Is there anything I can do for you, Diogenes?” (para. 15) • more examples:beloved wife, blessed morning, a wicked man, my aged parents, a rugged coastline iery estiny ennel agged

40. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part III: Words & Expressions 3. The Macedonian officers, after deciding that Diogenes was not _____ the trouble of kicking, were starting to ______ and nudge one another. (para. 17) • Cf. worth, worthwhile, worthy • a worthwhile cause/discussion/job • High prices in the UK make it worthwhile for buyers to look abroad. • be worthy of attention/consideration/mention • A number of the findings are worthy of note. • a worthy champion/winner/son worth guffaw

41. Text Analysis Detailed Analysis Part III: Words & Expressions • Cf. grin, guffaw, titter, chuckle, giggle • grin: to make a wide smile • guffaw: to laugh loudly • titter: to laugh in a suppressed way • chuckle: to laugh softly in a low tone • giggle: to laugh quietly in a silly, childish, uncontrolled way

42. Diogenes and Alexander Unit 4 Writing Techniques Reinforcement Translation Discussion

43. Reinforcement Writing Techniques • Comparison & Contrast →examples • use transitional words or expressions to make comparison and achieve unity: not so (para. 5), the other…but for… (para. 6) • use transitional paragraph to achieve coherence 2. Parallelism • achieve increased strength, sounding more powerful, more effective, e.g. para. 14 3. Euphemism • e.g. done his business, natural acts

44. Reinforcement Writing Techniques • He was one, but notthe other. (para.1) • Not so Diogenes. (para. 5) • But for Diogenes, … (para.6) • …Alexander was far older and wiser than his years. (para. 12) • Like all Macedonians he loved… (para. 12) • …he was a magnificent commander, but he was not merely a military automaton. (para.12) • Only Diogenes, although he lived in Corinth, did not visit the new monarch. (para.13) • Diogenes merely sat up…Diogenes said nothing. (para. 14) • He understood Cynicism as the others could not. (para. 17) • Like Diogenes, he admired… (para. 17) • …who labored to help mankind while all others toiled… (para.17)

45. Reinforcement Writing Techniques 4. Transferred Epithet • a figure of speech that carries the modifier across and puts it on to another word which is not normally modified by it, so as to stress the emotions or feelings • e.g. a mischievous pebble (para. 1) (It is Diogenes, not the pebble, that is mischievous.); amazed silence (para. 17) (It is the crowd, not the silence, that is amazed.) 5. Analogy • e.g. drawing a parallel between “change the values” and “restamp the currency” (para. 5)

46. Reinforcement Discussion If you think of yourself as a person with a mission, a mission to serve the people, would you rather be Diogenes with his philosophy or Alexander with his power? Does Cynicism have any relevance to today’s realities?

47. Reinforcement Translation 1. possess • 他被逮捕并被指控拥有攻击性武器。 • 我不知道他着了什么魔，在那条繁忙的街道上把车子开得那么快。 • 他挥着刀子又喊又叫，像是着了魔。 2. form • 不同的国家有不同的政体，对此我们应当予以更多的理解。 • 这些人排成一行，把货物从大车上传递到船上。 • 援助可以以多种形式进行，如个人服务或现金等。

48. Reinforcement Translation 3. roll • 司机摇下车窗和警察说话。 • 展览结束后，这些油画被人从画框中取下来，卷起来以收藏。 • 船摇动得厉害，我们感到头晕。 4. appoint • 他被任命为销售部经理。 • 指派一个律师到这个岗位还是有道理的。 • 已任命一个委员会来调查这些投诉。

49. Reinforcement Translation 5. account • 他在会上向我们简单地描述了那天发生的情况。 • 我们在任何情况下都不能忘记我们的“根”。 • 现在乡镇企业总产值已快占全市总产值一半以上了。 • 他得向主席说明他是如何支配公司的资金的。 • 坏天气不足以用来解释今年庄稼为何欠收。