Diogenes was a Greek philosopher and was viewed at the time as the 'true descendant of Socrates' from those who objected to Plato and his theory of forms. Diogenes is the father of Cynicism. He famously lived in a large ceramic jar and advocated simple ways of living, or asceticism, in order to purify himself of the constraints of the material world, which Socrates himself was also of this mind set. He once saw a poverty stricken young man eating out of his own hands and Diogenes smashed his own eating bowl and began to do the same. His most famous and comical interaction was with Alexander the Great who was in awe of the great Diogenes and Diogenes asked him to get out his way as he was blocking the sun.
This interaction was a play on Plato's cave and simile of the sun, which prescribes a social order where the strong and mighty kings or rulers are closest to the sun and the light of wisdom, but Diogenes is clearly the superior mind here and all the ruler is doing, is getting in the way. Diogenes also said to Alexander that he cannot distinguish the bones of Alexander's father, Philip II, from those of a slave. Diogenes was a man of humility.
He is also recorded in texts to have walked through a market place in the day time with a lit lantern seeking for a honest man, which again is a stab at Plato's cave and simile of the sun, Diogenes cynical view of humanity plays out in comedy and satire.