The Tragedy of Endless Ambition – A story of Diogenes and Alexander “the Great.”
A Segment from the book – How to Cope With a Brutal World By Anubhav Srivastava
Once, in the ancient world where empires rose and fell under the shadow of mighty rulers, there lived a man who cared nothing for wealth, power, or fame. This man was Diogenes, a man who had forsaken all worldly possessions, literally choosing to live on the streets.
His only companions were his thoughts, his wisdom, and a loyal dog who sat by his side. Diogenes owned little—just a lamp to warm him at night and relied on the Sun during the day.
One day, as Diogenes lay sunbathing by the side of a dusty road, his peace was interrupted by the arrival of a grand entourage. Banners fluttered in the wind, and soldiers clad in shining armor marched in formation, announcing the arrival of none other than Alexander the Great, the young king who had set out to conquer the world.
Alexander had heard tales of Diogenes, the man who lived as if the world belonged to him, though he possessed nothing. Curious to meet such a man, Alexander approached Diogenes, expecting to impress him with his grandeur. But instead, he received a look of indifference.
“Who are you?” asked Diogenes.
“Do you not know who I am?” Alexander asked, his voice filled with authority.
Diogenes laughed and said to his dog “Look at this foolish man, he does not even know who he is!”
Alexander, not accustomed to such indifference, tried to engage the philosopher. “I am Alexander the Great. I have conquered lands far and wide. Surely, you have heard of me.”
Diogenes finally looked up, his gaze piercing yet calm. He turned to his dog and said, “Listen to this foolish man. He calls himself ‘the Great’—a sure sign of his deep inferiority. Only those who feel small inside feel the need to make themselves appear grand.”
Taken aback by the sharpness of Diogenes’ words, Alexander pressed on, hiding his discomfort behind a smile. “I have come to meet you, Diogenes, because I have heard many stories of your wisdom. I am about to conquer the world, and I wished to see you before I do.”
Diogenes smirked, a mix of amusement and pity in his eyes. “Well! You’ve seen me now. Now, don’t waste anymore of your time. But tell me, Alexander, have you ever considered what you will do after you’ve conquered the world?”
Alexander hesitated, the question catching him off guard. “I haven’t really thought about it. I suppose I will rest. I will finally relax.”
The philosopher chuckled, turning once more to his dog. “Did you hear that? This man is mad! He thinks he must conquer the world to find rest, while I lie here in the sun, resting without conquering anything.”
Alexander felt a pang of shame. Diogenes’ words rang with truth, a truth so simple yet so profound that it unsettled the conqueror. “I feel foolish before you, Diogenes. Tell me, is there anything I can do for you? I control vast lands and command great armies. Name it, and it shall be yours.”
Diogenes looked at Alexander with a steady gaze, the kind that seemed to see through the layers of power and wealth that encased the young king. “Really? Then do just one thing for me: move a little to the side. You’re blocking the sun.”
Alexander, who could have given Diogenes the world, was left speechless by the simplicity of the request. He stepped aside, and Diogenes closed his eyes, returning to his sunbath as if nothing had happened.
As Alexander turned to leave, Diogenes called out to him, ”Alexander! Just remember two things, as a gift from Diogenes”
“First, no one has ever truly conquered the world. There’s always something left unbeaten, because the world has too many dimensions, too many layers. In a life as short as ours, it’s impossible to conquer it all. That’s why every person who has set out to conquer the world has died feeling absolutely frustrated in the end.”
“And second, you will never return home. Ambition is a cruel master—it always whispers, ‘Just a little more,’ and before you know it, your entire life has slipped through your fingers.”
“Remember these two pieces of advice. These words are my gifts to you, gifts to a conqueror, from a nobody.”
Alexander left, haunted by Diogenes’ words. Throughout his conquests, as he marched through foreign lands and fought countless battles, he could never shake the image of the philosopher lying peacefully in the sun, needing nothing, wanting nothing.
Diogenes’ words echoed in Alexander’s mind until the day he died. He never returned home, as Diogenes had predicted.
The conqueror, who had set out to rule the world, never found the peace that Diogenes had known all along.
Imagine, you see a dream when sleeping, where you worked very hard, became rich, famous, and basically became mega successful. Then all of a sudden, you woke up and you realize all of this hard work in the dream was worth nothing. Shocked? Disappointed? Now imagine you do the same in your real life, work extremely hard for several years and somehow do manage to become mega rich, famous and super successful. Ironically, in the end, you will realize that even this “real life” of yours was ultimately no different from that dream.
From the Book – How to Cope With a Brutal World by Anubhav Srivastava.
Download Full Book for Free at https://archive.org/details/how-to-cope-with-a-brutal-world-by-anubhav-srivastava/
For enquiries, email anubhav101@gmail.com
