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the most powerful passion is that Socratic passion
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that he calls thumos,
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or what our translator has as spiritedness, anger,
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maybe what biblical translators call heart,
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having a big heart, having thumos and all of that implies.
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This is for Plato, the political passion par excellence.
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It is a kind of fiery love of fame, love of distinction
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that leads men and women of a certain type to pursue their ambitions
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in public life, in the public space.
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It is clearly connected this notion of spiritedness
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or this thumotic quality
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to our capacities for heroism