The Cynic Sought Freedom

The Cynics made frequent use of the word ασκησισ, from which is derived our word asceticism. "The original meaning of the word ασκειν, as used by Homer, was to 'work' or 'fashion' raw materials. Thus he speaks of 'working' wool (ησκειν ειρια, G 388) and of 'worked' yarn (νημα ασκητον, D 134). From this was derived a secondary meaning, to work upon oneself, that is, to 'practice' or 'exercise' and especially to 'train'. Now from the days of Hesiod, it had been taught in Greece that virtue could be attained only in labor. While he also uses the word in other senses, he says in one passage that 'more are good from training (ασκησισ) than from nature' (Frag. 242). Similarly Protagoras says that 'one should receive education from nature and training' (Frag. 3) (J. W. Swain, The Hellenic origins of Christian asceticism, p. 47).

D. L. says of Diogenes, "In summer he used to roll in it (his πίθος) over hot sand, while in winter he used to embrace statues covered with snow, using every means to inuring himself to hardship" (6, 23). He is also said to have walked on snow barefoot (D. L. 6, 34). "He even attempted to eat meat raw, but could not manage to digest it" (D. L. 6, 34). "He (Diogenes) once begged alms of a statue, and when asked why he did so, replied, 'To get practice in being refused'" (D. L. 6, 49; 11th Letter of Diogenes). "The man from Sinope went to houses of ill-fame and insulted and wrangled with the inmates. What did he seek? To learn to bear insults calmly, meeting them with insults" (Gregory Nazianzen, Carmina Moralia 494-496; cf. D. L. 6, 90). These stories indicate that the practices described were merely a hardening process, intended as a preparation for the Cynic way of life; they differed from the ascetic practices of the Christian eremites, which were regarded as meritorious in themselves and a preparation for a future life. The Christian sought purity, while the Cynic sought freedom. The practices ascribed to Diogenes do not seem to have been followed by later Cynics; with them the word ασκησισ seems to refer merely to following or practicing the Cynic form of life. Training is discussed by Epictetus (Arrian 3, 12) and by D. L. (6,70).

Image: Gregory of Nazianzus
Fresco from Chora Museum, Istanbul, Turkey
Photo by Unknown, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons