>>24633569
The Eleatics may be difficult to get because the entire idea that motion is impossible is pretty tough to grapple with and the idea that everything that has been exists simultaneously at once outside of time and change is pretty revolutionary- BUT Heraclitus on the other hand is straightforward in comparison to that and if you struggle with any of the fragments from On Nature then you’re just an idiot.

In general, the Ionian school is far easier to handle than the Eleatic school is. None of the Ionians should give you any problem.

>>24577250
One of my favorite anecdotes on Plato and Diogenes is that one day, Diogenes was being drenched in the rain and he wouldn’t come inside and the bystanders were kvetching how sad it was to see Diogenes wallowing around in rain and filth like that and Plato retorted that “if you want him to come inside and act normal then stop giving him attention. If you stopped giving him attention he wouldn’t have reason to be outside all day wallowing in filth.”

Another one was where Diogenes was preparing his food and he told Plato that if he knew a trade like making food then Plato wouldn’t have to kowtow to kings (Dionysus obviously) and Plato responded that if Diogenes knew metaphysics/ politics he wouldn’t have to make his own food basically btfoing the trades forever for all eternity