Table of Contents

Abbreviations Introduction 1. Ancient Cynics and their times 2. Renunciation of custom 3. A life according to nature 4. Chance, fate, fortune and the self 5. Anarchists, democrats, cosmopolitans, kings 6. Cynic legacies Notes Glossary of names Glossary of terms Guide to further reading Bibliography Index

About the Author

William Desmond is a Lecturer in the Department of Ancient Classics at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

Reviews

"Another fine addition to Acumen's excellent Ancient Philosophies series ... an ideal entry-level text to this particular branch of Greek philosophy." - Yearbook of the Irish Philosophical Society "Desmond's Cynics succeeds in making the key ideas accessible and intelligible to the introductory reader. Desmond's knowledge of and fluency in the literature of ancient Cynicism is unquestionable. The book is a treasure trove of information on the various ways the Cynics and the idea of Cynicism have appeared in history and literature from antiquity to contemporary times." - Bryn Mawr Classical Review "A clear and readily accessible introduction to Cynicism." - Margarethe Billerbeck, University of Fribourg