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November 22, 2007 · No Comment · Previous · Next  

Diogenes on the Folly of Feasting

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Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Bacchus (1597)

Luxurious foods and drinks… in no way produce freedom from harm and a healthy condition in the flesh. One must regard wealth beyond what is natural as of no more use than water to a container that is full to overflowing. Real value is generated not by theatres and baths and perfumes and ointments… but by natural science.

Diogenes of Oinoanda, The Epicurean Inscriptions of Oinoanda frag. 109 (ca. 120 CE)(M. F. Smith transl. 1993)

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November 2009

FINAL EDITION
Twilight of the American Newspaper
By Richard Rodriguez

THE INTELLIGENCE FACTORY
How America Makes Its Enemies Disappear
By Petra Bartosiewicz

PROSPEROUS FRIENDS
A story by Christine Schutt

Also: Frederick Seidel and Mark Kingwell

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