Dio Chrysostom, Orations 65.7

ἀδικώτατά μοι δοκοῦσιν ἐγκαλεῖν οἱ πολλοὶ τῇ τύχῃ. νῦν μὲν γὰρ αὐτὴν αἰτιῶνται, φάσκοντες ἄπιστον εἶναι καὶ μηδὲν βέβαιον. εἰ δ’ ἀεὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς παρέμενεν, οὐκ ἔστιν ὅπως οὐχὶ τῷ παντὶ μείζονος καὶ δικαιοτέρας ἐτύγχανεν ἂν κατηγορίας.

I think the accusations that most people bring against Fortune are most unjust. For, as things are, they find fault with her, saying that she is untrustworthy and not steadfast. But if she were always to remain with the same people, she would definitely meet with an altogether greater and more just accusation.

Dio Chrysostom, Letters 3

Εὐσεβιῳ.

παρόντα σε βλέπειν οἴομαι ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς ἐντυγχάνων αἷς ἐπιστέλλεις, ὥστ’ εἰ γράφοις μοι συνεχέστερον ἥκιστ’ ἂν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀπουσίᾳ δυσχεραίνοιμι.

To Eusebius.

I think that I can see you here with me when I read the letters you send; so if you were to write to me more frequently I would be least upset at your absence.

Dio Chrysostom, Oration 6.13

Diogenes of Sinope, the original Cynic philosopher, laments humans’ stupidity when compared to the animals.

κατεγέλα δὲ τῶν, ὁπότε διψῷεν, τὰς μὲν κρήνας παρερχομένων, ζητούντων δὲ πάντως ὁπόθεν ὠνήσονται Χῖον ἢ Λέσβιον, καὶ πολὺ ἔφασκεν ἀφρονεστέρους εἶναι τῶν βοσκημάτων· ἐκεῖνα γὰρ οὐδέποτε διψῶντα κρήνην οὐδὲ ῥεῦμα καθαρὸν παρελθεῖν οὐδὲ πεινῶντα ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἁπαλωτάτων φύλλων καὶ πόας τῆς ἱκανῆς τρέφειν.

He derided those men who, being thirsty, would walk past springs and search high and low for somewhere where they could buy Chian or Lesbian wine. He said they were much more foolish than cattle, as those animals never pass by a spring or a clear stream when they are thirsty, and when they are hungry do not shun the tender leaves and the grass which is enough to give them nourishment.

Dio Chrysostom, Orations 9.1

An appropriate passage for the opening of the Commonwealth Games? The philosopher Diogenes visits the Isthmian games to observe human nature.

Ἰσθμίων ὄντων κατέβη Διογένης εἰς τὸν Ἰσθμιόν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἐν Κορίνθῳ διατρίβων. παρετύγχανε δὲ ταῖς πανηγύρεσιν οὐχ ὧνπερ οἱ πολλοὶ ἕνεκα, βουλόμενοι θεάσασθαι τοὺς ἀθλητὰς καὶ ἵνα ἐμπλησθῶσιν, ἀλλ’ ἐπισκοπῶν οἶμαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ τὴν ἄνοιαν αὐτῶν. ᾔδει γὰρ ὅτι φανερώτατοί εἰσιν ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς καὶ ταῖς πανηγύρεσιν· ἐν δὲ πολέμῳ καὶ στρατοπέδῳ λανθάνουσι μᾶλλον διὰ τὸ κινδυνεύειν καὶ φοβεῖσθαι.

When the Isthmian Games were taking place, Diogenes went down to the Isthmus (seemingly when he was staying in Corinth). But he attended the gatherings not for the same reason as most people, who want to watch the athletes and to fill themselves with food, but so that he could observe people, I think, and their folly. For he knew that people are at their most open at festivals and gatherings, but in war and in camp they are less easily observed because of the danger and fear.