[4,60] ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγεν ὁ Διογένης, παρ´ οὐδὲν μὲν ἡγούμενος, εἰ καί τι πείσεται, πλὴν σαφῶς γε εἰδὼς ὅτι οὐδὲν ἔσοιτο. ἠπίστατο γὰρ τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον δοῦλον ὄντα τῆς δόξης καὶ οὐδέποτ´ ἂν ἁμαρτόντα (61) περὶ ἐκείνην. ἔφη οὖν αὐτὸν μηδὲ τὸ σημεῖον τὸ βασιλικὸν ἔχειν. καὶ ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος θαυμάσας, Οὐκ ἄρτι ἔλεγες, ἔφη, ὅτι οὐδὲν δεῖ σημείων τῷ βασιλεῖ; Ναὶ μὰ Δί´, εἶπε, τῶν γε ἔξωθεν, οἷον τιάρας καὶ πορφύρας· τούτων γὰρ οὐδέν ἐστιν ὄφελος· τὸ δὲ (62) ἐκ τῆς φύσεως αὐτῷ δεῖ προσεῖναι πάντων μάλιστα. Καὶ τί τοῦτό ἐστιν, ἔφη ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος; Ὃ καὶ τῶν μελιττῶν, ἦ δ´ ὅς, τῷ βασιλεῖ πρόσεστιν. ἢ οὐκ ἀκήκοας ὅτι ἐστὶ βασιλεὺς ἐν ταῖς μελίτταις φύσει γιγνόμενος, οὐκ ἐκ γένους τοῦτο ἔχων, ὥσπερ ὑμεῖς φατε, ἀφ´ Ἡρακλέους ὄντες; Τί οὖν τοῦτό ἐστιν, εἶπεν ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος, (63) τὸ σημεῖον; Οὐκ ἀκήκοας, εἶπε, τῶν γεωργῶν ὅτι μόνη ἐκείνη ἡ μέλιττα ἄνευ κέντρου ἐστίν, ὡς οὐδὲν αὐτῇ δέον ὅπλου πρὸς οὐδένα; οὐδεμία γὰρ αὐτῇ τῶν ἄλλων μελιττῶν ἀμφισβητήσει περὶ τῆς βασιλείας οὐδὲ μαχήσεται τοῦτο ἐχούσῃ. σὺ δέ μοι δοκεῖς οὐ (64) μόνον περιπατεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθεύδειν ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις. Οὐκ οἶσθα, ἔφη, ὅτι φοβουμένου ἐστὶν ἀνθρώπου ὅπλα ἔχειν; φοβούμενος δὲ οὐδέποτ´ ἂν οὐδεὶς γένοιτο βασιλεύς, οὐ μᾶλλον ἢ δοῦλος. ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος ὀλίγου ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς ἀφῆκε τὸ δοράτιον.

[4,60] Thus spoke Diogenes, counting it as nothing that he might be chastised, yet quite convinced that nothing would happen. For he knew that Alexander was a slave of glory and would never make a bad move where it was at stake. So he went on to tell the king that he did not even possess the badge of royalty. And Alexander said in amazement,"Did you not just declare that the king needs no badges ? " "No indeed," he replied ; "I grant that he has no need of outward badges such as tiaras and purple raiment—such things are of no use—but the badge which nature gives is absolutely indispensable." "And what badge is that ? " said Alexander. "It is the badge of the bees," he replied, "that the king wears. Have you not heard that there is a king among the bees, made so by nature, who does not hold office by virtue of what you people who trace your descent from Heracles call inheritance ? " "What is this badge ? " inquired Alexander. "Have you not heard farmers say," asked the other, "that this is the only bee that has no sting, since he requires no weapon against anyone ? For no other bee will challenge his right to be king or fight him when he has this badge. I have an idea, however, that you not only go about fully armed but even sleep that way. Do you not know," he continued, "that it is a sign of fear in a man for him to carry arms ? And no man who is afraid would ever have a chance to become king any more than a slave would." At these words Alexander came near hurling his spear.