--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The art of being a slave is to rule one's…" description: "\"The art of being a slave is to rule one's master.\" — Diogenes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/diogenes-4214_art_the-art-of-being-a-slave-is-to-rule-one_1511375.png" --- # The art of being a slave is to rule one's master. ![“The art of being a slave is to rule one's master.” quote by Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/diogenes-4214_art_the-art-of-being-a-slave-is-to-rule-one_1511375.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/diogenes-4214_art_the-art-of-being-a-slave-is-to-rule-one_1511375.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/diogenes-4214_art_the-art-of-being-a-slave-is-to-rule-one_1511375.png) > “The art of being a slave is to rule one's master.” [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True freedom comes from mastering oneself, turning servitude into self‑rule **In simple terms:** Being a slave to yourself gives power over your master Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑discipline for autonomy Themes freedom self‑mastery philosophy Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal development - leadership - ethical living Key Concepts autonomy inner control paradoxical empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑rule differ from oppression? - Can mastery become another form of bondage? A Different Perspective Self‑control can be restrictive ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-slave-2762099/) [Master](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/master/) [Rule Master](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-master-3483717/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Slave Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave-rule-1018417/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) ## Related quotes > [You have to follow the old rule for a while. In fact, once you master the old rule, you are then the master-and masters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/you-have-to-follow-the-old-rule-for-a-while-in-fact-once-you-master/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Do not be a slave to a rule of life that rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/do-not-be-a-slave-to-a-rule-of-life-that-rules/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Thou art a slave, whom fortune's tender arm With favour never clasp'd; but bred a dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-art-a-slave-whom-fortune-s-tender-arm-with-favour-never-clasp-d/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Art should never be a slave to commerce, but for all working artists that's exactly what it must be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitl-n-r-kiernan/art-should-never-be-a-slave-to-commerce-but-for-all-working-artists/) [Caitlín R. Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitl-n-r-kiernan/) > [“Conquer thyself, till thou hast done this, thou art but a slave; for it is almost as well to be subjected to another's appetite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/conquer-thyself-till-thou-hast-done-this-thou-art-but-a-slave-for-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nobody is masterless, even ronin enslaved by his sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/nobody-is-masterless-even-ronin-enslaved-by-his-sword/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [I think it is the easiest mentality for a human being to be either colonized or to colonize. The structure of either the slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-oswald/i-think-it-is-the-easiest-mentality-for-a-human-being-to-be-either/) [Alice Oswald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-oswald/) > [Unquestionably, it is the duty of every master to watch over the religious and moral culture of his slaves, and to give them every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-b-taney/unquestionably-it-is-the-duty-of-every-master-to-watch-over-the/) [Roger B. Taney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-b-taney/) > [Neither should men study war with a view to the enslavement of those who do not deserve to be enslaved; but first of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/neither-should-men-study-war-with-a-view-to-the-enslavement-of-those/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“The master doesn’t need to chain his slaves; their needs will chain them to him. You can end slavery by the stroke of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/the-master-doesn-t-need-to-chain-his-slaves-their-needs-will-chain/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [Man preys on man; and you mourn for the idle tapestry that decorated a gothic pillar, and the dronish bell that summoned the fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/man-preys-on-man-and-you-mourn-for-the-idle-tapestry-that-decorated-a/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [“Being a slave is to have nothing but still having something left to lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lalita-tedemy/being-a-slave-is-to-have-nothing-but-still-having-something-left-to/) [Lalita Tedemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lalita-tedemy/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [My favorite Founding Fathers, Christians like John Adams, were absolutely appalled by slavery, and did not own slaves. I think we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-favorite-founding-fathers-christians-like-john-adams-were/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## More by Diogenes > [Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/dogs-and-philosophers-do-the-greatest-good-and-get-the-fewest-rewards/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Perdiccas threatened to put him to death unless he came to him, "That's nothing wonderful," Diogenes said, "for a beetle or a tarantula would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/perdiccas-threatened-to-put-him-to-death-unless-he-came-to-him-that-s/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [If only it was as easy to banish hunger by rubbing the belly as it is to masturbate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/if-only-it-was-as-easy-to-banish-hunger-by-rubbing-the-belly-as-it-is/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [He has the most who is most content with the least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/he-has-the-most-who-is-most-content-with-the-least/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/in-a-rich-man-s-house-there-is-no-place-to-spit-but-his-face/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Chilo advised, "not to speak evil of the dead."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/chilo-advised-not-to-speak-evil-of-the-dead/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [There is a false love that will make you something you are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/there-is-a-false-love-that-will-make-you-something-you-are-not/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [“And at last, becoming a complete misanthrope, he used to live, spending his time in walking about the mountains; feeding on grasses and plants,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/and-at-last-becoming-a-complete-misanthrope-he-used-to-live-spending/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Most men are within a finger's breadth of being mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/most-men-are-within-a-finger-s-breadth-of-being-mad/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [It takes a wise man to discover a wise man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/it-takes-a-wise-man-to-discover-a-wise-man/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [I am Diogenes the Dog. I nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy and bite scoundrels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/i-am-diogenes-the-dog-i-nuzzle-the-kind-bark-at-the-greedy-and-bite/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [To become self-educated you should condemn yourself for all those things that you would criticize others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/to-become-self-educated-you-should-condemn-yourself-for-all-those/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [It is the privilege of the gods to want nothing, and of godlike men to want little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/it-is-the-privilege-of-the-gods-to-want-nothing-and-of-godlike-men-to/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Those who have virtue always in their mouths, and neglect it in practice, are like a harp, which emits a sound pleasing to others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/those-who-have-virtue-always-in-their-mouths-and-neglect-it-in/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [I am looking for a human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/i-am-looking-for-a-human/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) [Explore all 114 Diogenes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. 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