You might ask me, "Are you free then?" I wish I were, by the gods. I pray to be free. But I'm not able to face my masters yet. I still value my poor body too much. I care greatly about keeping it safe and whole, even though I don't really own it. But I can point out a free man to you, so you don't have to keep looking for an example. Diogenes was free. How was he free? Not because his parents were free citizens, but because he himself was free. He had thrown off all the handles that slavery uses to grab hold of people. No one could approach him in a way that would let them enslave him. No one had any way to get a grip on him.
You then, a man may say, are you free? I wish, by the gods, and pray to be free; but I am not yet able to face my masters, I still value my poor body, I value greatly the preservation of it entire, though I do not possess it entire. But I can point out to you a free man, that you may no longer seek an example. Diogenes was free. How was he free? Not because he was born of free parents, but because he was himself free, because he had cast off all the handles of slavery, and it was not possible for any man to approach him, nor had any man the means of laying hold of him to enslave him.