> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.urantia.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Diogenes Laertius, Book 6 API

> Diogenes Laertius, Book 6 API: get any passage by its reference, as JSON. R. D. Hicks, 1925. 105 passages, public domain, no key needed.

The API serves **Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Book 6: The Cynics** (R. D. Hicks, 1925) as JSON, one passage at a time, by the reference people use. The lives and sayings of Diogenes and the other Cynic philosophers. It has 105 passages in 1 book. No key and no account.

## Get a passage

```bash theme={null}
# DL 6.20
curl https://api.urantia.dev/scriptures/diogenes-laertius-6/6.20
```

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": {
    "corpus": {
      "slug": "diogenes-laertius-6",
      "title": "Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Book 6: The Cynics",
      "translator": "R. D. Hicks",
      "year": 1925
    },
    "passages": [
      {
        "ref": "DL 6.20",
        "division": 6,
        "text": "Diogenes was a native of Sinope, son of Hicesius, a banker. Diocles relates that he went into exile because his father was entrusted with the money of the state and adulterated the coinage. But Eubulides in his book on..."
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

The slug `diogenes-laertius-6`, the id `diogenes-laertius-6-hicks-1925`, and the prefix `dl` all name this text.

## References

Book and section, `DL 6.20`. Each section also names the life it belongs to, such as Diogenes.

`GET /scriptures/diogenes-laertius-6` lists every book with its first and last reference.

## Search

```bash theme={null}
# By meaning
curl -X POST https://api.urantia.dev/scriptures/search/semantic \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"q":"your question","corpus":"diogenes-laertius-6","limit":5}'
# By keyword
curl 'https://api.urantia.dev/works/search?q=your%20words&work=diogenes-laertius-6'
```

Each passage also links to the closest paragraphs of the Urantia Papers: `GET /scriptures/diogenes-laertius-6/6.20/urantia-parallels`. The [world religions guide](https://docs.urantia.dev/scriptures.md) explains how the links are made, and the [MCP server](https://docs.urantia.dev/mcp-servers.md) has the same calls for AI agents.

## Source

* **Text:** Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Book 6: The Cynics, translated by R. D. Hicks (1925)
* **Source:** [en.wikisource.org](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Lives_of_the_Eminent_Philosophers/Book_VI)
* **License:** Public domain in the United States
* **Notes:** Book 6 only: the lives and sayings of Antisthenes, Diogenes, Crates, Hipparchia, and the other Cynics. A biography, not scripture.


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