the dog
Preserved but no longer current.
Diogenes (412-323 B.C.). When Alexander went to see him the young King of Macedonia introduced himself with these words: "I am Alexander, surnamed the Great," to which the philosopher replied: 4*And I am Diogenes, surnamed the Dog." The Athenians raised to his memory a pillar of Parian marble, surmounted by a dog. (See CYNIC.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “the dog” mean?
Diogenes (412-323 B.C.). When Alexander went to see him the young King of Macedonia introduced himself with these words: "I am Alexander, surnamed the Great," to which the philosopher replied: 4*And I am Diogenes, surnamed the Dog." The Athenians raised to his memory a pillar of Parian marble, surmounted by a dog. (See CYNIC.
Is “the dog” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.