Texte grec :
| [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.
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Traduction française :
| [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
raimentsuch things are of no usebut 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.
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