Transcript Unit 4
Diogenes and Alexander
Gilbert Highet
Diogenes and Alexander
Unit 4
W
arming up
B ackground
T
ext Analysis
R einforcement
Diogenes and Alexander
Unit 4
Questions/Activities
Check-on Preview
Objectives
Warming up
Warming up
Questions/Activities
1. 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?
2. 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?
3. 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?
Warming up
Check-on Preview
Define the following words and phrases:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
a mischievous pebble (para. 1) elaborate (para. 4) by design (para. 6) restrained (para. 12) chivalrous (para. 12)
Warming up
Check-on Preview
Paraphrase:
1.
2.
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
Objectives
1. Content:
• differences and similarities between Diogenes and Alexander • Cynicism and its present significance • philosophy
vs
. power
2. 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.
Diogenes and Alexander
Diogenes
Unit 4
Background
Alexander
Background
Diogenes
1. Who was Diogenes? • A beggar • A philosopher • A missionary
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
Background
Diogenes
1. 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
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?
Background
Alexander
Alexander the Great’s Empire
Background
Alexander
Alexander the Great’s Empire
Diogenes and Alexander
Unit 4
Text Analysis
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
Shelter
Diogenes: the beggar (paras. 1-3)
Diogenes: a free man Other people: half-men Furniture Dress cask, a storage jar made of earthenware none a house (big, with many rooms) beds, chairs, etc. (elaborate) clothes (expensive) Food blanket (half-naked) bits of food begged from others, drinking from his hollowed hands elaborate Possessions Nature of the life none a life by choice, out of principle → natural, healthy, independent horses, servants, bank accounts (anxious) a life as slaves of their possessions → artificial, anxious, loss of virtue
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
•
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
1.
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
•
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:
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
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
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
• • •
1.
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
2.
Diogenes: ways of teaching (para. 6) He carried a lighted lamp in broad daylight and inspected the face of everyone he met.
“When you are all so busy, I feel I ought to do something!”
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.
• took command of the League of Greek States • commander-in-chief of a new expedition against old, rich, corrupt Asia
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
The Dramatic Encounter (paras. 14-17)
The differences and similarities between the two historical characters.
1. Differences 2. Similarities
“Stand to one side. You’re blocking the sunlight.”
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
Differences Physical appearance Identification Status Possessions & Power Mission Diogenes
lying on the bare earth, shoeless, bearded, half-naked, like a beggar, a dog
Alexander
handsome face, fiery glance, strong body, purple and gold cloak, air of destiny philosopher, missionary low, treated with contempt and disapproval none, rejecting possession or power “restamp the currency”: to call people back to the simple and natural life—true value great monarch, conqueror high, treated with respect, greeted with a bow and acclamation land and absolute power bring people of the whole world to the light of civilization
Text Analysis
Character Analysis
Similarities
1. Both were great thinkers.
2. Both had a sense of mission.
3. Both were “citizens of the world,” admiring the heroic figure of Hercules, who labored for mankind.
4. Both were free.
Text Analysis
Structure
1 Paras. 1-10 2 Paras. 11-13 Diogenes (life, philosophy, mission, ways of teaching) Alexander (a philosopher king with an inquiring, noble mind) 3 Paras. 14-17 their dramatic encounter
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Paraphrase 1. 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.
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.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions 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.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions 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.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions • • 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.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions 4. No one needs beds and chairs and such furniture: the animals • • 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.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions 5. …he spent much of his life in…Corinth, mocking and satirizing • 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.
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions
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?
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part I: Words & Expressions 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.
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, by 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?
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 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
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part III: Words & Expressions 1. 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) 2. 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
Text Analysis
Detailed Analysis
Part III: Words & Expressions 3. The Macedonian officers, after deciding that Diogenes was 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
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
Diogenes and Alexander
Unit 4
Reinforcement
Reinforcement
Writing Techniques
1. Comparison & Contrast
→
• 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
Reinforcement
Writing Techniques
• • He was one,
but not Not so
the other. (para.1) 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)
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)
Reinforcement
Discussion
1. 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? 2. Does Cynicism have any relevance to today’s realities?
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。
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。
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。