Lesson 10 Diogenes and Alexander Gilbert Highet Contents Part One: Warm-up Part Two: Background Information Part Three: Text Appreciation Part Four:

Lesson 10

Diogenes and AlexanderDiogenes and Alexander

Gilbert Highet

Contents

Part One: Warm-up

Part Two: Background Information

Part Three: Text Appreciation

Part Four: Language Study

Part Five: Extension

Lesson 10 – Diogenes and Alexander

Bookkeeper

D.J.

Baker

Cop

Bus-girl

Smokey the Bear

Part One Warm-Part One Warm-UpUpDo you know?Do you know?

What is the meaning of each of the following words?

记账员

唱片音乐的播音员

面包师

警察

餐厅打杂的女工

森林警备人员

B T L EW To be continued on the next page.


Tom, Dick and Harry

Mr. Right

Peeping Tom

Do you know?Do you know?

一般人白马王子

登徒子

B T L EW To be continued on the next page.


What did dogs symbolize in the ancient world?

They were symbols of shamelessness.

Do you know?Do you know?

B T L EW The end of Do you know.


I. Author

II. Diogenes

III.Cynicism

IV. Alexander the Great

V. Aristotle & Plato

VI. Hercules

Part Two Background Part Two Background InformationInformation

Gilbert Highet (1906—1978) was US “educator, author, and critic”. “He is noted for popularizing intellectual topics; wrote ‘Anatomy of Satire,’ 1962.”


I.I. Author Author

The end of Author.

Diogenes: (412 B.C. — 324 B.C.), Greek philosopher who founded the Cynic school of philosophy, stressing self-control and the pursuit of virtue. He was the son of Hicesias, who was exiled from his home town of Sinope, allegedly for defacing its debased currency. Thereafter, he lived in streets of Corinth and Athens where he is said to have lived in a barrel. He became the prototype of Cynicism.


II.II. DiogenesDiogenes

To be continued on the next page.

Diogenes has been described as a Socrates gone mad. Like Socrates, he saw himself encouraging men to examine their own behaviour, and to live a virtuous life. By this, he meant a life of total self sufficiency free from social restraint, and distracting desires.

Living life according to nature was interpreted by Diogenes to mean a back to the basic existence. Virtue lay in requiring the bare minimum for existence. He lived the life of a true ascetic.






comparison: DIOGENES AND ALEXANDER

The end of Diogenes.

During his lifetime, Diogenes encountered the most powerful of individuals and treated them with scorn. They in turn responded with admiration. When Alexander announced: "I am Alexander, the great king." Diogenes replied: "I am Diogenes the dog", using his nickname to show his contempt for the titles others valued. Alexander is quoted as saying that had he not been Alexander, he would have liked to have been Diogenes.

Find out the similarities

and differences.

Find out the similarities

and differences.


III.III. CynicismCynicism

Origin of cynicism

Cynicism derives its name from the Greek word for Dog. Aristotle refers to Diogenes as "The Dog" and Diogenes had no problem with the nickname. Cynicism was not a school of philosophy, but rather an erratic succession of individuals which began with the philosopher Antisthenes. Cynicism emphasized moral self-mastery, rejection of government, property, marriage and religion. However, Diogenes was not above stealing, claiming all things are the property of the wise.



III.III. CynicismCynicism

Cynicism: A philosophy, first expounded by Diogenes, that encourages indifference to social convention and material comforts in order to concentrate on self-knowledge. The aim of the Cynic was to become self-determining, hence free, by living in accordance with nature.


What is cynicism?

Alexander III was the King of Macedonia (336—323BC) and conqueror of Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, Babylonia, and Persia. His reign marked the beginning of the Hellenistic Age.

Alexander's conquests and the administrative needs of his Greek-speaking successors promoted the spread of the Greek language and Greek culture across the eastern Mediterranean and into Mesopotamia.


IV.IV. Alexander the Alexander the GreatGreat

The end of Alexander the Great.


V. V. Plato & Plato & AristotleAristotle


Plato (427?—347 B.C.?) was a Greek philosopher, a follower of Socrates. He founded the Academy (386 B.C.), where he taught and wrote for much of the rest of his life. Plato presented his ideas in the form of dramatic dialogues, as in The Republic.




Quotations from Plato

Either death is a state of nothingness and utter unconsciousness, or, as men say, there is a change or migration of the soul from this world to another… Now if death be of such nature, I say that to die is to gain; for eternity is then only a single night.

He who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition youth and age are equally a burden.

The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life.




Aristotle (385—323 B.C.) was the greatest of heathen philosophers. A pupil of Plato, the tutor of Alexander the Great, and the author of works on logic, ethics, metaphysics, natural sciences, politics, and poetics, he profoundly influenced Western thought. In his philosophical system, theory follows empirical observation, and logic, based on the syllogism, is the essential method of rational inquiry.



The end of Plato & Aristotle.

His father was court physician to the King of Macedonia. From the age of 17 to 37 he remained as pupil of Plato and was distinguished among those who gathered for instruction. The relations between the renowned teacher and his illustrious pupil have formed the subject of various legends. There were divergencies of opinion between the master, who took his stand on sublime, idealistic principles, and the scholar, who, even at that time, showed a preference for the investigation of the facts and laws of the physical world.

Lesson 4 - Wisdom of Bear Wood

VI.VI. Hercules Hercules

Hercules was the son of Zeus and Alcmene, a hero of extraordinary strength who won immortality by performing 12 labors demanded by Hera.

The end of Hercules.

Text Text AppreciatioAppreciationn


I. Text Analysis

II. Writing Devices1. Diction2. Contrast3. Analogy4. Transferred Epithet

III. Sentence Paraphrase


Plot of the story

Setting of the story

Protagonists of the story

Writing techniques of the story

Theme of the story

I.I. Text AnalysisText AnalysisHave you

got the key elements in the essay?

For reference


Plot: description of two legendary figures, Diogenes the beggar and Alexander the Conqueror, and their encounter

Setting: in a little square in Corinth, Greece

Protagonists: Diogenes and Alexander

Writing techniques: go to Writing devices

Theme of the story: go to the next page

I.I. Text AnalysisText Analysis

For reference.




Men should live a free life, a life free from the dependencies introduced by culture, society, civilization and opinion. Men are free when they stop toiling and sweating only for themselves. Great men are free and they are few in number.

Theme of the storyThe theme is summed up at the very end.


http://gallery.euroweb.hu/art/c/crayer/alexande.jpg

Part 1 (paras. 1—9) about:

Part 2 (paras. ) about:

Part 3 (para. ) about:

Part 4 (paras. ) about:



Structure of the text

10—11

12

13—17

Portrait : Diogenes the beggar

Diogenes’ response (as compared to the other people’s ) to the coming visit of Alexander

Portrait: Alexander the Conqueror

Alexander’s call on Diogenes



II.II. Writing Writing DevicesDevices

Diction

1. Negative words

2. Complimentary words

3. Lexical repetition

4. Formal and informal words

5. Synonym

6. Antonym

7. Polysyndeton



Diction

Complimentary words

… toward women, he was nobly restrained and chivalrous.

Complimentary words are used to describe Alexander’s greatness.

More examples


Only twenty, Alexander was far older and wiser than his years.



Diction

Lexical Repetition

Sometimes they threw bits of food, and got scant thanks; sometimes a mischievous pebble, and got a shower of stones and abuse.


They would throw sharp questions at him and get sharper answers.

Root repetition for emphasis

Lexical repetition: repeating words in different positions in a sentence or

paragraph

Intermittent repetition, in which words repeated are separated from each other by syntactic

elements of varying length



Diction

Formal & informal words

So he had one blanket—to dress him in the daytime and cover him at night—and he slept in a cask.

The end of Formal &Informal words.

He was not the first to inhabit such a thing.

Formal word

Mixed use of formal with

informal words creates stylistic effect, stressing

the contrast.

Informal word

Please find more examples

in the text.



Diction

Synonyms

stone pebble

mad lunatic

live inhabit

house hut shelter kennel

barrel cask jar

Clothes garment cloak

get procure


General words

Specific words

In what way does the author

choose to use these synonyms?



Diction

Antonyms

The end of Antonym.

perishable everlastingrough handsome

drunk sober … …

Opposite words

emphasizingcontrast

Please find more examples

in the text.



Diction

Polysyndeton

No one needs beds and chairs and such furniture.

He was welcomed and honored and flattered.


As the market place filled up with shoppers and merchants and slaves and foreigners,

he had strolled through it for an hour or two.

Stress each detail

Polysyndeton: repetition of

conjunctions in close succession,

which has a cumulative effect


II. Writing II. Writing devicesdevices

Contrast


The use of as, while, like, whereas to

show contrast. Like Diogenes, he admired the heroic figure of

Hercules, who labored to help mankind while all others toiled and sweated only for themselves.

He understood Cynicism as the others could not.

When a king approaches, all rise in respect. Diogenes merely sat up on one elbow. When a

monarch enters a place, all greet him with a bow or an acclamation. Diogenes said nothing.

conventional conduct

Diogenes’ conduct



Appearance manner

Diogenes

like a dog scratching, doing business in public etc

Alexander

youthful,handsome, strong body, purple and gold cloak, with an air of destiny

Nobly restrained and chivalrous

Contrast: Diogenes and Alexander

old, beggarly living on bare earth, shoeless, half-naked, with single ragged garment


Contrast: Contrast is to set in opposition two

objects of like nature to show their

different qualities and compare their

superiorities.



attitude behaviour

Diogenes

Lying on the ground when visited by the king… …

ALexander

… … Air of destinyGenerous, kind

Kindly greeting… …

Contrast: Diogenes & ALexander

free and self-sufficient austere & naturalistic indifferent to power Bold, composed, frank … …

Scan the text and list out the related information.



II.II. Writing Writing DevicesDevicesContrast: Diogenes & ordinary people

ordinary Diogenes People

A mischievous pebble A shower of stones and abuse Bits of food


Scant thanks


II.II. Writing Writing DevicesDevicesContrast: Diogenes & ordinary people



Living elaborately, expensively, and anxiously in a house (furniture, clothes, horses, servants, bank accounts)

Living in a earthenware jar, shoeless, half-naked

Rich, lazy, corrupt, profit-happy, stirring, drilling, rebuilding

Sober, taking his cask and rolling it up and down



Contrast: Diogenes & ordinary people



Crowding to congratulate, seek employment, rise in respect, bowing, acclaiming, tittering…

Lying in the sunlight, contented, happy, sitting up on one elbow, remaining silent…



Contrast: Diogenes & beggars

Diogenes

Beggars


Inhabiting in a discarded earthen storage jar by his own choice, out of principle

Sleeping in a cask because they could not afford to live in a house



Contrast: Diogenes & hermits

Diogenes

hermits


Retreating to persuade or convert others to his own doctrine

Living in a cask on the street

Retreating to live simply because they grew tired of human society with its complications

Living on a small farm, in a quiet village, or in a hermit’s cave



Contrast: Diogenes & other philosophers

The end of Contrast.

Diogenes Talking to or teaching those who ever cared to listen to, or admired him

A crowd of ordinary people could serve as laboratory, specimens, lecture halls and pupils.

Other famous philosophers

Teaching their own private pupils

Private pupils were taught in lecture halls etc.



AnalogyAnalogy chiefly used for the purpose of persuasion

The end of Analogy.

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 va

lues.

Analogy developed through parallel similarities



… sometimes a mischievous pebble…

Transferred epithet: an adjective transferred from the noun it should modify to another to which it does not belong

Transferred epithet

“Mischievous” modifying the person who threw a pebble

The end of transferred epithet.

There was an amazed silence.

“Amazed” describing the people who were amazed


III.III. Sentence Sentence Paraphrase Paraphrase 11

He had opened his eyes…, done his business like a

dog at the roadside, … eaten them squatting

on the ground, and washed them down with a

few handfuls of water scooped from the

spring. (1)

“-ful” is used as a noun suffix.

lifted out as if with a ladle

had answered nature’s call like a dog

go to 2



But he was the first who ever did so by choice,

out of principle. (3)

Based on a principle

But he was the first to do so because he wanted to.

go to 8

More examples



III.III. Sentence Sentence Paraphrase Paraphrase

back to 7

I opened the box out of curiosity.

She began to learn to cook out of interest, not out of necessity.

He paid a visit out of respect.



Live without conventions, which are

artificial and false; escape complexities and

extravagances: only so can you live a free

life. (4)

Only when you live without artificial and false

conventions and avoid complex lives can you

live a free life.go to 9

Inverted order

More examples



III.III. Sentence Sentence ParaphraseParaphrase

back to 8

Only in this way can we learn English well.

Only if all their conditions are met will the strikers go back to work.



In order to procure a quantity of false,

perishable goods he has sold the only true,

lasting good, his own independence. (4)

People get only some false and easily spoiled material goods at the cost of their own everlasting independence.

Antonyms to show contrastantonyms

go to 10

Root repetition



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. (5)

Diogenes and his father were once convicted for defacing the coins.

Life is like a metal marked with false and conventional values. His life task is to remove those false markings and imprint a true value on it.

go to 11


III.III. SeSentence ntence Paraphrase Paraphrase 1212

Diogenes took his old cask and began to roll it up and down. “When you are all so busy,” he said, “ I feel I ought to do something!” (9)

When the Corinthians were busy preparing for the coming war, Diogenes rolled his cask up and down to ridicule their silly behavior.

The end of Sentence Paraphrase.

Sharp contrast between Diogenes and the Corinthian people attitudes and behavior


I. Word Study

II. Phrases and Expressions

III.Grammar

Part Four Language Part Four Language StudyStudy

B T L EW


I.I. Word StudyWord StudyWord list:

1. acclaim

2. content

3. convert

4. corrupt

5. creed

6. convention

7. discard

8. doctrine

9. elaborate

10. elegant

11. emulate

12. erase

13. expedition

14. extravagance

15. fiery

16. flatter

B T L EW


I.I. Word StudyWord Study

1. acclaim

v. to praise enthusiastically and often publicly n. enthusiastic applause Examples:

Penicillin was acclaimed as the most

important discovery during the 1940's.

He was acclaimed as the winner.

B T L EW

acclamatoryacclamationSynonym

applausepraise hail

Word formation



2. content

a. a. satisfied b. willing v. to make satisfied n. a. something contained b. subject matter of a written work c. substantive or meaningful part d. proportion of a specified substance

B T L EW

Word formation

contentedcontentmentdiscontented

be content to dobe content withcontent oneself withto one’s heart content

Collocation




Examples:

She was content to step down after four

years as chief executive.

She is content with very little.

He contented himself with one piece of cake.

The brain is hungry not for method but for

content.

B T L EW



3. convert

v. a. to adapt to a new or different purpose b. to persuade to adopt a religion, or belief c. to exchange for sth. of equal value

Examples:

That building has been converted into a school.

We converted to Islam several years ago.

I want to convert some RMB into US dollars.

Word formation

B T L EW

convert toconvert into

conversion convertibleCollocation



4. corrupt

a. a. marked by immorality and perversion b. dishonest v. a. to ruin morally b. to taint; contaminate c. to cause to become rotten; spoil

Examples:

We find him a corrupt judge.

The businessman was sent to prison for

trying to corrupt a tax official with money.

B T L EW

Synonyms

rottendishonestdeprave debase



5. creed n. a system of beliefs, principles, or laws

Examples:

Discrimination should be banned on the

basis of race or creed.

He had an architectural creed that

demanded simple lines.

B T L EW



6. convention

n. all habits or traditions

Examples:

It is the convention for men to wear suits on formal occasions.

By convention, north is at the top of most maps.

B T L EW

Word formation

Synonyms

conveneconventionalunconventional

customhabitstradition



v. to throw away; reject

Example: She bundled up the clothes she would

discard.

7. discard

B T L EW

Synonyms

rejectabandondesert


I.I. Word StudyWord Study8. doctrine

n. rule or principle

Example:

They strongly opposed the Monroe

Doctrine.

B T L EW

creed

belief

synonyms



9. elaborate

v. to work out with care and detail a. intricate and rich in detail

Examples:

elaborate plan

elaborate furniture

elaborate security precaution

B T L EW


I.I. Word StudyWord Study10. elegant

a. exhibiting refined, tasteful beauty of manner, form, or style

Examples:

elegant woman

elegant clothes

B T L EW

Synonyms

polishedrefinedgraceful

Word formation

elegance



11. emulate

v. to strive to equal or excel, especially through imitation

Synonyms

Example:

You must work hard to emulate your

brother's success.

B T L EW

rivalimitatecopyfollow



12. erase

v. to wipe out or rub out

Examples:

erase an equation from the blackboard

erase all thoughts of failure from his mind

erase a file from the disc

erase the video cassette

B T L EW

removecanceldelete

Synonyms



13. expedition

n. a journey undertaken by a group of people with a definite objective

Examples:

a scientific expedition to the South Pole

The builders promised to expedite the

repairs.

expedite v. to speed up the progress of; facilitate

B T L EW



14. extravagance

n. luxury

Example:

Salmon trout is an unnecessary extravagance.

B T L EW

Synonym

luxury



fiery hair a fiery sunset fiery cheeks a fiery boil a fiery temper a fiery denunciation

15. fiery

火红的头发火红的夕阳发红的脸蛋红肿的水疱暴躁的脾气激烈的控诉

B T L EW

a. flaming, growing, passionate like fire



v. a. to compliment excessively and often insincerely

b. portray favorably

Examples:What really flatters a man is that you think him worth flattering.The photograph flatters its subject.

16. flatter

B T L EW

Synonym

complimentpraise


List:

1. a (large) corps of

2. by design

3. provide for

4. seek out

5. toil and sweat

II.II. Phrases and Phrases and ExpressionsExpressions

B T L EW


a body of persons acting together or associated under common direction

Example:A corps of technicians is/are accompanying the band on their tour.

1. a (large) corps of


Similar phrases:

a crowd of a large quantity of

B T L EW


on purpose, deliberately, intentionally

Example:

Did you phone me on my birthday by accident or by design?

2. by design


B T L EW


a. to take measures in preparation b. to supply means of subsistence

Examples:

We should provide for the common defense of the states.

She provides for her family by working in a hospital.

3. provide for


B T L EW



4. seek out

to look for something and find it

Example:

After the meeting he sought out the person who had spoken about the plan.

B T L EW


to work very hard for a long time

Example:

The laborers toiled and sweated during the hot summer.

5. toil and sweat


B T L EW


IV.IV. GrammarGrammarInversionInversion

Definition: reversal of the normal order of words, typically for rhetorical effect but also found in the regular formation of questions

Example:There is a pen on the table.Here comes the bus.I like swimming and so does my sister.Only in this way can you solve the problem.Were I you, I would refuse.Try as I could, I could not pass the exam.

To be continued on the next page.B T L EW

Part Five Text ExtensionPart Five Text Extension

Topics for debating:

– Simple life brings happiness.

– The only thing people are interested in nowadays is earning more money.

Documents

Lesson 10 Diogenes and Alexander Gilbert Highet Contents Part One: Warm-up Part Two: Background Information Part Three: Text Appreciation Part Four: