In the previous year a congress of the Greek states had been held at the isthmus of Corinth: here a vote had been passed that the states should join forces with Alexander in invading Persia and that he should be commander-in-chief of the expedition. Many of the Greek statesmen and philosophers visited him to express their congratulations, and he hoped that Diogenes of Sinope, who was at that time living in Corinth, would do the same. However, since he paid no attention whatever to Alexander, but continued to live at leisure in the suburb of Corinth which was known as Craneion, Alexander went in person to see him and found him basking at full length in the sun. When he saw so many people approaching him, Diogenes raised himself a little on his elbow and fixed his gaze upon Alexander. The king greeted him and inquired whether he could do anything for him. "Yes," replied the philosopher, "you can stand a little to one side out of my sun". Alexander is said to have been greatly impressed by the answer and full of admiration for the hauteur and indepenence of mind of a man who could look down on him with such condescension. So much so that he remarked to his followers, who were laughing and mocking the philosopher as they went away, "You may say what you like, but if I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes".

Interestingly, this encounter parallels a modern dating technique: "the neg". It's a tactic where a guy throws a desirable woman off balance by off-handedly criticizing something about her -- the way she dresses, the way she talks, her nose or her laugh. The idea is that, like Alexander, attractive women are used to having guys fawn all over them. And like Alexander, they get intrigued when a guy disses them instead.

Conor Friedersdorf is suitably appalled, and you can read what he has to say about it here.