Diogenes of Sinope was a Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Cynic philosophy. Also known as Diogenes the Cynic (Ancient Greek: Διογένης ὁ Κυνικός, Diogenēs ho Kunikos), he was born in Sinope (modern-day Sinop, Turkey), an Ionian colony on the Black Sea,[1] in 412 or 404 BC and died at Corinth in 323 BC.[2] Diogenes of Sinope was a controversial figure. His father minted coins for a living, and when Diogenes took to debasement of currency, he was banished from Sinope.[1] After being exiled, he moved to Athens and criticized many cultural conventions of the city. Diogenes modelled himself on the example of Heracles. He believed that virtue was better revealed in action than in theory. He used his simple lifestyle and behaviour to criticize the social values and institutions of what he saw as a corrupt or at least confused society. *He became notorious for his philosophical stunts such as carrying a lamp in the daytime, claiming to be looking for an honest man. *When scolded for masturbating in public, he said "I wish it were as easy to banish hunger by rubbing my belly." Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 46, 69 Variant: If only it were as easy to banish hunger by rubbing the belly as it is to masturbate. *When some one reminded him that the people of Sinope had sentenced him to exile, he said, "And I sentenced them to stay at home." Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 49 Diogenes of Sinope - Wikipedia
