Διογένης

Because Diogenes had a son in love¹ and because he was a harsh father, he did not condone his son’s brashness, but shutting him up and hindering his desire, he sharpened the passion all the more. And the vehemence of the evil was terrible, for the love flared up. Since the father stood in his way, the young man was impelled even more into his present disease. When [Diogenes] saw that the ill was battling back stubbornly, he came to Delphi↗ and in his vexation and distress asked if the boy would ever leave off being sick. And she [the Pythia] spoke as follows:² "the boy will cease from love when with lightness of youth he will have consumed his mind with the lovely passion of the Cyprian.³ Thus calm your pitiless anger and do not increase it by trying to prevent it,⁴ for you are acting against your intent. But if you arrive at composure, the magic (of love) will quickly be obliterated and he, being sobered, will cease from his shameful impulse." When he heard this, Diogenes calmed his passion and was filled with good hope, having worthy assurances of his son’s self-control; and thereby he became a better father, for he had become milder and gentler in nature. This, too, the tragic hero Haemon, Sophocles’ [character], demonstrated, when he was in love with Antigone and quarreled with his father Creon [Author, Myth]; for you see he likewise charged with a sword to his love and settled matters with his father in respect of the disease.⁵