What is 'The Death of Socrates' about?

The painting depicts Socrates' final moments before drinking hemlock, illustrating his philosophical beliefs about the immortality of the soul.

Who painted 'The Death of Socrates'?

The painting was created by Jacques-Louis David in 1787.

What art style does 'The Death of Socrates' represent?

It exemplifies the neoclassical period in France.

What is the significance of Socrates' depiction in the painting?

Socrates is portrayed as a symbol of moral strength and philosophical integrity, even in the face of death.

Who was present at the unveiling of the painting?

Thomas Jefferson was present at the unveiling in 1787.

What artistic techniques are used in the painting?

David employs sharp contrasts in light, angular geometry, and muted colors to focus on the central figures.

How does the painting relate to the French Revolution?

'The Death of Socrates' reflects the ethical and political themes relevant to the revolutionary ideals of the time.

Who are the other figures depicted in the painting?

It includes Socrates' followers, with identifiable characters like Crito and potentially Plato.

What liberties did David take with the historical accuracy of the painting?

He altered Socrates' appearance and reduced the number of figures present at the event.

What theme does the painting convey about memory?

It suggests how memories are idealized and reconstructed over time.

The Death of Socrates: How To Read A Painting

00:07:34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKhfFBbVtFg

Zusammenfassung

TLDRThis video highlights Jacques-Louis David's 'The Death of Socrates,' created in 1787 during the neoclassical period in France. The painting represents the moment Socrates, convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens, prepares to drink hemlock. The artist emphasizes Socrates’ philosophical ideals and moral strength in the face of death, contrasting these themes with the political climate of revolutionary France. The composition uses striking light and geometry to draw focus to Socrates, symbolizing stoicism and virtue. David's alterations to the historical event serve to connect with contemporary ideals while subtly critiquing the nature of memory and idealism.

Mitbringsel

🖼️ The painting exemplifies neoclassical art in France.
⚖️ Socrates embodies moral strength and philosophical ideals.
💡 The scene illustrates Socrates' acceptance of death.
🗳️ Its context relates to the political climate of revolutionary France.
📜 David's portrayal emphasizes ethical commitments over passion.
✒️ The painting challenges historical accuracy for artistic expression.
📚 Socrates' teachings were popularized by Plato, who is symbolically included.
🔍 The composition draws attention to the interaction of light and form.
🧩 Memory and idealism are critical themes in the artwork.
🎨 David's technique contrasts sharply with Rococo style.

Zeitleiste

00:00:00 - 00:07:34
The video discusses Jacques-Louis David's painting 'The Death of Socrates', completed in 1787, exemplifying the neoclassical period in France. The painting portrays the moment Socrates drinks hemlock, following his conviction for impiety and corrupting youth. Socrates, depicted as defiant and serene, symbolizes strength and stoicism even in the face of death, serving as a moral lesson for the French, just as the Revolution began. David's neoclassical style contrasts sharply with the ornate Rococo style of the time, emphasizing stark simplicity and moral character over hedonism. The composition invites viewers to interpret the scene in multiple ways, focusing on the tension between Socrates' calm demeanor and the anguish of his followers. The artist's revisions of historical facts, particularly the portrayal of Plato, further enrich the conversation surrounding memory and philosophical ideals. David's painting serves as both a political statement and a timeless exploration of ethical values.

Mind Map

Video-Fragen und Antworten

What is 'The Death of Socrates' about?
The painting depicts Socrates' final moments before drinking hemlock, illustrating his philosophical beliefs about the immortality of the soul.
Who painted 'The Death of Socrates'?
The painting was created by Jacques-Louis David in 1787.
What art style does 'The Death of Socrates' represent?
It exemplifies the neoclassical period in France.
What is the significance of Socrates' depiction in the painting?
Socrates is portrayed as a symbol of moral strength and philosophical integrity, even in the face of death.
Who was present at the unveiling of the painting?
Thomas Jefferson was present at the unveiling in 1787.
What artistic techniques are used in the painting?
David employs sharp contrasts in light, angular geometry, and muted colors to focus on the central figures.
How does the painting relate to the French Revolution?
'The Death of Socrates' reflects the ethical and political themes relevant to the revolutionary ideals of the time.
Who are the other figures depicted in the painting?
It includes Socrates' followers, with identifiable characters like Crito and potentially Plato.
What liberties did David take with the historical accuracy of the painting?
He altered Socrates' appearance and reduced the number of figures present at the event.
What theme does the painting convey about memory?
It suggests how memories are idealized and reconstructed over time.

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Untertitel

Automatisches Blättern:

00:00:10
this is the death of Socrates by
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jacques-louis daveed completed in 1787
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it is an exemplar of the neoclassical
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period in France which de'vide virtually
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created and brought to the fore himself
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before I say more it's important to note
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just how striking this canvas is not
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knowing anything about it so much jumps
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out at me right away the clarity of the
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scene the fierce gesture of the man in
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the middle the interplay of the chalice
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and the hand that reaches for it the
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angles of the light and the men the soft
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draping garments the bare flat stone
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wall as the title suggests the scene
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depicts the death of Socrates told
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famously by Plato in his dialogue on the
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soul the Phaedo Socrates had been
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convicted in Athenian court of failing
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to acknowledge the gods of the city and
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corrupting the city's youth and
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sentenced to death by drinking hemlock
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as Plato makes clear in another dialogue
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the Crito Socrates could have escaped
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into exile but instead he chooses to die
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taking the opportunity to teach his
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final lesson that death is not to be
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feared by the philosopher but embraced
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as an apotheosis of the soul Davi
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chooses to paint the moment just as
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Socrates is grabbing for the poisoned
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draught
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he's been discussing at length the
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immortality of the soul and doesn't even
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seem to care that he's about to take the
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implement of his death in hand on the
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contrary Socrates is defiant gesturing
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toward the afterlife to which he hastens
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devide idealizes him Socrates would have
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been 70 at the time and somewhat less
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muscular and beautiful than painted here
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the raking light coming in from the
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top-left pours onto Socrates the
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brightest figure in the tableau the
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colors muted at the sides become
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vivid in the center with the executioner
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in red and Socrates and white for devide
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Socrates is a symbol of strength over
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passion of stoic commitment to an
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abstract principle even in the face of
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death this is the ethical message daveed
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sought to offer the French two years for
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the French Revolution as the monarchy
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was in decline and reformers ache to
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install a democracy akin to that of
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Socrates own time in Greek antiquity or
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of the United States which had just
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executed its own revolution five years
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prior indeed Thomas Jefferson himself
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was present at the unveiling of this
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painting at the salon of 1787 the image
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commissioned by two radical political
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reformers was wildly popular
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daveed had already made his name with
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another severe moralistic canvass the
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oath of the Horatio which effectively
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invented the neoclassical style taking
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its cues from the stark simplicity of
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ancient Greece and Rome from the ancient
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obsession with anatomy and musculature
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from the two-dimensional freezes
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depicting historical events
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neoclassicism as rendered by devii made
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its points strongly and severely this
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was in direct opposition to the dominant
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Rococo style that reflected the ornate
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and hedonistic lifestyles of the
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monarchy in the hooray she I as in the
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death of Socrates those dedicated to
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principle are depicted with angular
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geometry while those ruled by passion
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are curved and weak in both canvases the
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backgrounds are flat fixing attention on
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the foreground we're like a freeze the
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action can be read from side to side one
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way to read the death of Socrates is
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right to left the anguish of Socrates
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followers curling and twisting opens up
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unto the calm expression of the man
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himself and flows down through his right
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arm which hovers over the cup of poison
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the space between the hand and the cup
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the exact centre of the image is the
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seat of maximum narrative charge then it
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falls back into the pain of the man who
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delivers the poison who turns his gaze
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away from Socrates and finally comes to
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rest on the man sitting at the foot of
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the bed unengaged we're on him in a
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moment Dawid doesn't identify anyone in
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the painting but we can infer from
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accounts of Socrates actual death that
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in the background is Socrates wife is
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antha P led away in distress and
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clutching Socrates leg is cryto his
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oldest and most faithful student under
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credo we can see that daveed has signed
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his own name signaling a feeling of
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connection with the man
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daveed weaker than his ideal of moral
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strength nonetheless grabs and strives
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toward the painter has taken a number of
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liberties with history
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besides altering Socrates face and
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physique the vidi creases the number of
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people present at the event from over 15
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to 12 echoing the number of disciples at
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da Vinci's Last Supper but I think the
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most significant change is the addition
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of the character at the foot of the bed
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this is Plato the man who popularized
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Socrates teachings by staging him as the
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protagonists in over 30 philosophical
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dialogues but simply without Plato there
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would be no Socrates the two men melt
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into each other historically it's hard
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to determine where Socrates philosophy
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ends and Plato's begins not only was
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Plato absent at the death of Socrates
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but he was a young man at the time here
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de'vide has him as old and withdrawn I
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said earlier that you can read the
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canvas from right to left but you can
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also read it from left to right the
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whole scene it seems to me appears to
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explode out of the back of Plato's head
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recontextualizing it as a memory and
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idealize memory in which Socrates
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gestures in the exact same way he does
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in Raphael's
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School of Athens significantly Plato is
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positioned apart from the flat
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background where the frozen lateral
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moment gives way to the depth of time
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and reality it strikes me that this is
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the way memories often fall out restaged
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with smooth edges and perfect light
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two-dimensional idealize painstakingly
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arranged to serve the needs of the
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present in the character of Plato the
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rigorous ethical reality of the scene
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is betrayed by its own self-awareness as
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a construction and in only a few short
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years the noble ideals of the French
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Revolution will be betrayed as well by
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the terror that is to follow maybe this
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is why almost prophetically daveed signs
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his name here a second time
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neoclassicism like this may seem severe
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and blunt but so much is happening in
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dahveed's death of Socrates an interplay
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of historical personal political and
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aesthetic elements rendered forcefully
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subtly and beautifully put another way
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it's a work of genius
00:07:13
hey everybody if you want to help me
00:07:15
keep making these videos and support the
00:07:17
nerdwriter you can visit my patreon page
00:07:19
by clicking here you can pledge as
00:07:21
little as one dollar everything helps
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