Diogenes and the King

Diogenes said, "Thank you. I am a man who cannot be made a slave, for the simple reason that every responsibility I take on myself. .."

“Diogenes lived naked, and he was a strong man. Four people who were hijacking people and selling them as slaves in the market thought, “This is a great catch, and this man can bring us a lot of money. We have sold many slaves, but none of them were so strong, so beautiful, and so young. We can get as high a price as we demand; and there is going to be a great competition in the marketplace when we put this man on the pedestal for sale. But,” they thought, “Four are not enough to catch him. He alone could kill us all.”

Diogenes heard what they were saying about him. He was sitting by the side of the river, just enjoying the cool breeze of the evening, underneath a tree; and behind the tree those four were planning what to do. He said, “Don’t be worried. Come here! You need not worry that I will kill you, I never kill anything. And you need not worry that I will fight, resist you — no. I don’t fight anybody, I don’t resist anything. You want to sell me as a slave?”

Embarrassed, afraid, those four people said, “That’s what we were thinking. We are poor… if you are willing.”

He said, “Of course I am. If I can help you in your poverty in some way, it is beautiful.”
So they brought out chains. He said, “Throw them in the river; you need not chain me. I will walk ahead of you. I don’t believe in escaping from anything. In fact, I am getting excited about the idea of being sold, standing on a high pedestal, and hundreds of people trying to get me. I am excited about this auction — I am coming!”

These four people became a little more afraid: this man is not only strong and beautiful, he seems to be mad also; he could be dangerous. But now there was no way for them to escape. Diogenes said, “If you try to escape, you will be risking your own life. Just follow me, all four of you. Put me on the pedestal in the market.”

Unwillingly, they followed him. They wanted to take him, but he went ahead of them! He told those people, “Don’t be afraid, and don’t try to escape. You have given me a great idea, I am grateful to you. This is my responsibility; I am going to the marketplace. You put me up for auction.

“What type of man was this?” they wondered. But there was no way to back out now, so they followed him. And when he was put on a high pedestal so that everybody could see, there was almost silence, pin-drop silence. People had never seen such a proportionate body, so beautiful — as if made of steel, so strong.

Before the auctioneer said anything, Diogenes declared, “Listen people! Here is a master to be sold to any slave, because these four poor people need money. So start the auction, but remember, you are purchasing a master.”

A king purchased him. Of course, he could do it — more and more money he offered at the auction. Many people were interested but finally a sum, larger than any that had ever been heard of before, was given to those four people. Diogenes said to them, “Are you happy now? You can leave now, and I will go with this slave.”

On the way to the palace as they were riding in the chariot, the king said to Diogenes, “Are you crazy or something? You think yourself a master? I am a king, and you think me a slave?”

Diogenes said, “Yes, and I am not crazy, but you are crazy. I can prove it right now.” At the back of the chariot was the queen. Diogenes said, “Your queen is already interested in me, she is finished with you. It is dangerous to purchase a master.”

The king was shocked. Of course, he was nothing in comparison to Diogenes. The king took out his sword and asked his queen, “What he is saying, is it true? If you say the truth, your life will be saved — that is my promise. But if you say an untruth, and I find it out later on, I will behead you.”

Fearful, afraid, still the queen said, “It is true. Before him, you are nothing. I am enchanted, allured; the man has some magic. You are just a poor guy compared to him. This is the truth.”

Of course, the king stopped the chariot and told Diogenes, “Get out of the chariot. I set you free; I don’t want to take such risks in my palace.”

Diogenes said, “Thank you. I am a man who cannot be made a slave, for the simple reason that every responsibility I take on myself. I have not left those four people feeling guilty — they did not bring me there, I came of my own accord. They must be feeling obliged. And it is your chariot, if you want me to get out, that is perfectly good. I am not accustomed to chariots at all, my legs are strong enough. I am a naked man; a golden chariot does not fit with me.”

THE STONE AND THE FLOWER

"The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.(Proverbs 30:17 N.I.V)

Most parents labor in obscurity because invisibility of effort is simply an unrewarding condition of parental life. In fact, because they are frequently ignored, discounted, tolerated, criticized, resented, and resisted especially by their adolescents, parents often feel treated as people to put up with, not care-givers who are sacrificing self-interest on a daily basis to help their son or daughter grow.

Teachers and other caregivers are similarly unappreciated.

One struggling mother tired of her daughter asking whether she could not be dressed more fashionably, told her the parable of the Stone and the Flower.

 

 

THE STONE AND THE FLOWER

“You have hardened”, said the flower, bending her petals downward toward the half stone at her roots. “These rains should have softened you, made you more fertile and receptive to the seeds of the fields; but no. You have accumulated minerals and have become more silent and full of calcium. Why do you stay here? Why do you resist the brook that gives us water?”

The stone said nothing.

A number of clouds passed by, the sun set and the night arrived with an immense bronze-colored freckled moon with acne scars upon her worn face and in this manner reflected down upon the silent stone which still had not fallen asleep. The flower, by now, had tucked-in her petals and slept profoundly, and at this time the stone began to answer:

“I stay here because your roots have made me yours. I stay here because it is no longer about my feeling the earth rather because I have become part of that which functions as a support of your stem which resists the wind and the rain. Everything changes, my sweet flower”, said the stone, “but I stay here because love is that microscopic space between your feet and my salted skin. You would only be able to feel it if destiny were ever to separate the two of us.”

The moon followed the fade of the stars. Dawn gave a yawn as the sun began to burn its horizon on the lower lip of the mouth of a new day. The flower awoke and extended her beautiful petals. “Good morning”, she said, “I dreamt that you were singing to me. How foolish of me, don’t you think?”

As for you, remember to appreciate your parents, teachers and all your caregivers and tell them:

“THANKS FOR ALL THE ACTS OF CARE, GREAT AND MOSTLY SMALL, THAT YOU MADE TO HELP ME GROW.”

WHAT THEY WILL SAY ABOUT YOU

"As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well used brings happy death." – Leonardo da Vinci, (1452 - 1519).

As a boy, Peter overheard a conversation between his father and a wise man.
“Careful with your work”, said the wise man. “Think of what future generations will say about you.”
“So what?” replied his father, “When I die, everything shall end, and it will not matter what they say.”
Peter never forgot that conversation. His whole life, he made an effort to do good, to help people and go about his work with enthusiasm. He became well-known for his concern for others. When he died, he left behind a great number of things which improved the quality of life in his town.
On his tombstone, he had the following epitaph engraved:
“A LIFE WHICH ENDS WITH DEATH, IS A LIFE NOT WELL SPENT.”