Day 737: 5 Minute Freewrite: Sunday - Prompt: step out of the shadow
For @mariannewest in @freewrite
The legend about Alexander the Great and Diogenes goes like this
Thereupon many statesmen and philosophers came to Alexander with their congratulations, and he expected that Diogenes of Sinope also, who was tarrying in Corinth, would do likewise. But since that philosopher took not the slightest notice of Alexander, and continued to enjoy his leisure in the suburb Craneion, Alexander went in person to see him; and he found him lying in the sun. Diogenes raised himself up a little when he saw so many people coming towards him and fixed his eyes upon Alexander. And when that monarch addressed him with greetings and asked if he wanted anything, "Yes," said Diogenes, "stand a little out of my sun." It is said that Alexander was so struck by this, and admired so much the haughtiness and grandeur of the man who had nothing but scorn for him, that he said to his followers, who were laughing and jesting about the philosopher as they went away, "But truly, if I were not Alexander, I wish I were Diogenes." and Diogenes replied "If I wasn't Diogenes, I would be wishing to be Diogenes too.
As for me, I don't think Alexander's admired Diogenes' haughtiness and grandeur but rather was impressed with the shrewdness of the compliment. When Diogenes actually meant that Alexander was so great that he was obstructing the sun itself as his phrase "stand a little out of my sun" wasa testimonial to Alexander's greatness.
Oooh, hashtags matter... you're stuck with the first hashtag you use (it cannot be changed, or so I was told several Hardforks ago), and yours is feewrite instead of "freewrite" (happens to the bests of us!) so your freewrite is all alone in its own category:
*Next time!
Oh, well. Considering I am not a native speaker, I hope our descendants will forgive me. :)
it's never a criticism - I point these out for your benefit.
your post won't be seen by nearly as many people if it doesn't show up in the #freewrite feed.
Native English speakers (including me) do this all the time.
#Forgiven!
Interesting take on the story!
Diogenes recognized Alexander's greatness - "You're blocking my sun" -
and I love that line, "If I wasn't Diogenes, I would be wishing to be Diogenes too."
Yeah. Some pretty damn smart people lived 2300 years ago! :)