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E;T,PP,*9 Plato

Translate! by +enja$in 1owett

0:T*9';CT09:% 0n the <eno, >nytus ha! parte! fro$ -ocrates with the significant wor!sB QThat in any city, an! particularly in the city of >thens, it is easier to !o $en har$ than to !o the$ goo!RQ an! -ocrates was anticipating another opportunity of tal"ing with hi$% 0n the Euthyphro, -ocrates is awaiting his trial for i$piety% +ut before the trial begins, Plato woul! li"e to put the worl! on their trial, an! con ince the$ of ignorance in that ery $atter touching which -ocrates is accuse!% >n inci!ent which $ay perhaps really ha e occurre! in the fa$ily of Euthyphro, a learne! >thenian !i iner an! soothsayer, furnishes the occasion of the !iscussion% This Euthyphro an! -ocrates are represente! as $eeting in the porch of the Ting >rchon% CCo$pare Theaet%D +oth ha e legal business in han!% -ocrates is !efen!ant in a suit for i$piety which <eletus has brought against hi$ Cit is re$ar"e! by the way that he is not a li"ely $an hi$self to ha e brought a suit against anotherDR an! Euthyphro too is plaintiff in an action for $ur!er, which he has brought against his own father% The latter has originate! in the following $annerBFF> poor !epen!ant of the fa$ily ha! slain one of their !o$estic sla es in :axos% The guilty person was boun! an! thrown into a !itch by the co$$an! of EuthyphroQs father, who sent to the interpreters of religion at >thens to as" what shoul! be !one with hi$% +efore the $essenger ca$e bac" the cri$inal ha! !ie! fro$ hunger an! exposure% This is the origin of the charge of $ur!er which Euthyphro brings against his father% -ocrates is confi!ent that before he coul! ha e un!erta"en the responsibility of such a prosecution, he $ust ha e been perfectly infor$e! of the nature of piety an! i$pietyR an! as he is going to be trie! for i$piety hi$self, he thin"s that he cannot !o better than learn of Euthyphro Cwho will be a!$itte! by e erybo!y, inclu!ing the ju!ges, to be an uni$peachable authorityD what piety is, an! what is i$piety% &hat then is pietyO Euthyphro, who, in the abun!ance of his "nowle!ge, is ery willing to un!erta"e all the responsibility, repliesB That piety is !oing as 0 !o,

prosecuting your father Cif he is guiltyD on a charge of $ur!erR !oing as the go!s !oFFas Weus !i! to Cronos, an! Cronos to ;ranus% -ocrates has a !isli"e to these tales of $ythology, an! he fancies that this !isli"e of his $ay be the reason why he is charge! with i$piety% Q>re they really trueOQ QPes, they areRQ an! Euthyphro will gla!ly tell -ocrates so$e $ore of the$% +ut -ocrates woul! li"e first of all to ha e a $ore satisfactory answer to the Juestion, Q&hat is pietyOQ Q'oing as 0 !o, charging a father with $ur!er,Q $ay be a single instance of piety, but can har!ly be regar!e! as a general !efinition% Euthyphro replies, that QPiety is what is !ear to the go!s, an! i$piety is what is not !ear to the$%Q +ut $ay there not be !ifferences of opinion, as a$ong $en, so also a$ong the go!sO Especially, about goo! an! e il, which ha e no fixe! ruleR an! these are precisely the sort of !ifferences which gi e rise to Juarrels% >n! therefore what $ay be !ear to one go! $ay not be !ear to another, an! the sa$e action $ay be both pious an! i$piousR e%g% your chastise$ent of your father, Euthyphro, $ay be !ear or pleasing to Weus Cwho inflicte! a si$ilar chastise$ent on his own fatherD, but not eJually pleasing to Cronos or ;ranus Cwho suffere! at the han!s of their sonsD% Euthyphro answers that there is no !ifference of opinion, either a$ong go!s or $en, as to the propriety of punishing a $ur!erer% Pes, rejoins -ocrates, when they "now hi$ to be a $ur!ererR but you are assu$ing the point at issue% 0f all the circu$stances of the case are consi!ere!, are you able to show that your father was guilty of $ur!er, or that all the go!s are agree! in appro ing of our prosecution of hi$O >n! $ust you not allow that what is hate! by one go! $ay be li"e! by anotherO &ai ing this last, howe er, -ocrates proposes to a$en! the !efinition, an! say that Qwhat all the go!s lo e is pious, an! what they all hate is i$pious%Q To this Euthyphro agrees% -ocrates procee!s to analy8e the new for$ of the !efinition% ,e shows that in other cases the act prece!es the stateR e%g% the act of being carrie!, lo e!, etc% prece!es the state of being carrie!, lo e!, etc%, an! therefore that which is !ear to the go!s is !ear to the go!s because it is first lo e! of the$, not lo e! of the$ because it is !ear to the$% +ut the pious or holy is lo e! by the go!s because it is pious or holy, which is

eJui alent to saying, that it is lo e! by the$ because it is !ear to the$% ,ere then appears to be a contra!iction,FFEuthyphro has been gi ing an attribute or acci!ent of piety only, an! not the essence% Euthyphro ac"nowle!ges hi$self that his explanations see$ to wal" away or go roun! in a circle, li"e the $o ing figures of 'ae!alus, the ancestor of -ocrates, who has co$$unicate! his art to his !escen!ants% -ocrates, who is !esirous of sti$ulating the in!olent intelligence of Euthyphro, raises the Juestion in another $annerB Q0s all the pious justOQ QPes%Q Q0s all the just piousOQ Q:o%Q QThen what part of justice is pietyOQ Euthyphro replies that piety is that part of justice which Qatten!sQ to the go!s, as there is another part of justice which Qatten!sQ to $en% +ut what is the $eaning of Qatten!ingQ to the go!sO The wor! Qatten!ing,Q when applie! to !ogs, horses, an! $en, i$plies that in so$e way they are $a!e better% +ut how !o pious or holy acts $a"e the go!s any betterO Euthyphro explains that he $eans by pious acts, acts of ser ice or $inistration% PesR but the $inistrations of the husban!$an, the physician, an! the buil!er ha e an en!% To what en! !o we ser e the go!s, an! what !o we help the$ to acco$plishO Euthyphro replies, that all these !ifficult Juestions cannot be resol e! in a short ti$eR an! he woul! rather say si$ply that piety is "nowing how to please the go!s in wor! an! !ee!, by prayers an! sacrifices% 0n other wor!s, says -ocrates, piety is Qa science of as"ing an! gi ingQFFas"ing what we want an! gi ing what they wantR in short, a $o!e of !oing business between go!s an! $en% +ut although they are the gi ers of all goo!, how can we gi e the$ any goo! in returnO Q:ay, but we gi e the$ honour%Q Then we gi e the$ not what is beneficial, but what is pleasing or !ear to the$R an! this is the point which has been alrea!y !ispro e!% -ocrates, although weary of the subterfuges an! e asions of Euthyphro, re$ains unsha"en in his con iction that he $ust "now the nature of piety, or he woul! ne er ha e prosecute! his ol! father% ,e is still hoping that he will con!escen! to instruct hi$% +ut Euthyphro is in a hurry an! cannot stay% >n! -ocratesQ last hope of "nowing the nature of piety before he is prosecute! for i$piety has !isappeare!% >s in the Euthy!e$us the irony is carrie! on to the en!% The Euthyphro is $anifestly !esigne! to contrast the real nature of piety an! i$piety with the popular conceptions of the$% +ut when the popular

conceptions of the$ ha e been o erthrown, -ocrates !oes not offer any !efinition of his ownB as in the =aches an! =ysis, he prepares the way for an answer to the Juestion which he has raise!R but true to his own character, refuses to answer hi$self% Euthyphro is a religionist, an! is elsewhere spo"en of, if he be the sa$e person, as the author of a philosophy of na$es, by whose Qprancing stee!sQ -ocrates in the Cratylus is carrie! away% ,e has the conceit an! selfF confi!ence of a -ophistR no !oubt that he is right in prosecuting his father has e er entere! into his $in!% =i"e a -ophist too, he is incapable either of fra$ing a general !efinition or of following the course of an argu$ent% ,is wrongFhea!e!ness, oneFsi!e!ness, narrowness, positi eness, are characteristic of his priestly office% ,is failure to apprehen! an argu$ent $ay be co$pare! to a si$ilar !efect which is obser able in the rhapso!e 0on% +ut he is not a ba! $an, an! he is frien!ly to -ocrates, whose fa$iliar sign he recogni8es with interest% Though unable to follow hi$ he is ery willing to be le! by hi$, an! eagerly catches at any suggestion which sa es hi$ fro$ the trouble of thin"ing% <oreo er he is the ene$y of <eletus, who, as he says, is a ailing hi$self of the popular !isli"e to inno ations in religion in or!er to injure -ocratesR at the sa$e ti$e he is a$usingly confi!ent that he has weapons in his own ar$oury which woul! be $ore than a $atch for hi$% ,e is Juite sincere in his prosecution of his father, who has acci!entally been guilty of ho$ici!e, an! is not wholly free fro$ bla$e% To purge away the cri$e appears to hi$ in the light of a !uty, whoe er $ay be the cri$inal% Thus begins the contrast between the religion of the letter, or of the narrow an! unenlightene! conscience, an! the higher notion of religion which -ocrates ainly en!ea ours to elicit fro$ hi$% QPiety is !oing as 0 !oQ is the i!ea of religion which first occurs to hi$, an! to $any others who !o not say what they thin" with eJual fran"ness% (or $en are not easily persua!e! that any other religion is better than their ownR or that other nations, e%g% the Gree"s in the ti$e of -ocrates, were eJually serious in their religious beliefs an! !ifficulties% The chief !ifference between us an! the$ is, that they were slowly learning what we are in process of forgetting% Gree" $ythology har!ly a!$itte! of the !istinction between acci!ental ho$ici!e an! $ur!erB that the pollution of bloo! was the sa$e in both cases is also the feeling of the >thenian !i iner% ,e ha! not as yet learne! the lesson, which philosophy was teaching, that ,o$er

an! ,esio!, if not banishe! fro$ the state, or whippe! out of the asse$bly, as ,eracleitus $ore ru!ely propose!, at any rate were not to be appeale! to as authorities in religionR an! he is rea!y to !efen! his con!uct by the exa$ples of the go!s% These are the ery tales which -ocrates cannot abi!eR an! his !isli"e of the$, as he suspects, has bran!e! hi$ with the reputation of i$piety% ,ere is one answer to the Juestion, Q&hy -ocrates was put to !eath,Q suggeste! by the way% >nother is con eye! in the wor!s, QThe >thenians !o not care about any $an being thought wise until he begins to $a"e other $en wiseR an! then for so$e reason or other they are angryBQ which $ay be sai! to be the rule of popular toleration in $ost other countries, an! not at >thens only% 0n the course of the argu$ent -ocrates re$ar"s that the contro ersial nature of $orals an! religion arises out of the !ifficulty of erifying the$% There is no $easure or stan!ar! to which they can be referre!% The next !efinition, QPiety is that which is lo e! of the go!s,Q is shipwrec"e! on a refine! !istinction between the state an! the act, correspon!ing respecti ely to the a!jecti e CphilonD an! the participle Cphilou$enonD, or rather perhaps to the participle an! the erb Cphilou$enon an! phileitaiD% The act is prior to the state Cas in >ristotle the energeia prece!es the !una$isDR an! the state of being lo e! is prece!e! by the act of being lo e!% +ut piety or holiness is prece!e! by the act of being pious, not by the act of being lo e!R an! therefore piety an! the state of being lo e! are !ifferent% Through such subtleties of !ialectic -ocrates is wor"ing his way into a !eeper region of thought an! feeling% ,e $eans to say that the wor!s Qlo e! of the go!sQ express an attribute only, an! not the essence of piety% Then follows the thir! an! last !efinition, QPiety is a part of justice%Q Thus far -ocrates has procee!e! in placing religion on a $oral foun!ation% ,e is see"ing to reali8e the har$ony of religion an! $orality, which the great poets >eschylus, -ophocles, an! Pin!ar ha! unconsciously anticipate!, an! which is the uni ersal want of all $en% To this the soothsayer a!!s the cere$onial ele$ent, Qatten!ing upon the go!s%Q &hen further interrogate! by -ocrates as to the nature of this Qattention to the go!s,Q he replies, that piety is an affair of business, a science of gi ing an! as"ing, an! the li"e% -ocrates points out the anthropo$orphis$ of these notions, Cco$pare -y$p%R *epublicR Politicus%D +ut when we expect hi$ to go on an! show that the true ser ice of the go!s is the ser ice of the

spirit an! the coFoperation with the$ in all things true an! goo!, he stops shortR this was a lesson which the soothsayer coul! not ha e been $a!e to un!erstan!, an! which e ery one $ust learn for hi$self% There see$ to be altogether three ai$s or interests in this little 'ialogueB C1D the !ialectical !e elop$ent of the i!ea of pietyR C5D the antithesis of true an! false religion, which is carrie! to a certain extent onlyR C3D the !efence of -ocrates% The subtle connection with the >pology an! the CritoR the hol!ing bac" of the conclusion, as in the Char$i!es, =ysis, =aches, Protagoras, an! other 'ialoguesR the !eep insight into the religious worl!R the !ra$atic power an! play of the two charactersR the ini$itable irony, are reasons for belie ing that the Euthyphro is a genuine Platonic writing% The spirit in which the popular representations of $ythology are !enounce! recalls *epublic 00% The irtue of piety has been alrea!y $entione! as one of fi e in the Protagoras, but is not rec"one! a$ong the four car!inal irtues of *epublic 0)% The figure of 'ae!alus has occurre! in the <enoR that of Proteus in the Euthy!e$us an! 0o% The "ingly science has alrea!y appeare! in the Euthy!e$us, an! will reappear in the *epublic an! -tates$an% +ut neither fro$ these nor any other in!ications of si$ilarity or !ifference, an! still less fro$ argu$ents respecting the suitableness of this little wor" to ai! -ocrates at the ti$e of his trial or the re erse, can any e i!ence of the !ate be obtaine!% E;T,PP,*9 by Plato Translate! by +enja$in 1owett PE*-9:- 9( T,E '0>=9G;EB -ocrates, Euthyphro% -CE:EB The Porch of the Ting >rchon%

E;T,PP,*9B &hy ha e you left the =yceu$, -ocratesO an! what are you !oing in the Porch of the Ting >rchonO -urely you cannot be concerne! in a suit before the Ting, li"e $yselfO -9C*>TE-B :ot in a suit, EuthyphroR i$peach$ent is the wor! which the >thenians use% E;T,PP,*9B &hat# 0 suppose that so$e one has been prosecuting you, for 0 cannot belie e that you are the prosecutor of another% -9C*>TE-B Certainly not% E;T,PP,*9B Then so$e one else has been prosecuting youO -9C*>TE-B Pes% E;T,PP,*9B >n! who is heO -9C*>TE-B > young $an who is little "nown, EuthyphroR an! 0 har!ly "now hi$B his na$e is <eletus, an! he is of the !e$e of Pitthis% Perhaps you $ay re$e$ber his appearanceR he has a bea", an! long straight hair, an! a bear! which is ill grown% E;T,PP,*9B :o, 0 !o not re$e$ber hi$, -ocrates% +ut what is the charge which he brings against youO -9C*>TE-B &hat is the chargeO &ell, a ery serious charge, which shows a goo! !eal of character in the young $an, an! for which he is certainly not to be !espise!% ,e says he "nows how the youth are corrupte! an! who are their corruptors% 0 fancy that he $ust be a wise $an, an! seeing that 0 a$ the re erse of a wise $an, he has foun! $e out, an! is going to accuse $e of corrupting his young frien!s% >n! of this our $other the state is to be the ju!ge% 9f all our political $en he is the only one who see$s to $e to begin in the right way, with the culti ation of irtue in youthR li"e a goo! husban!$an, he $a"es the young shoots his first care, an! clears away

us who are the !estroyers of the$% This is only the first stepR he will afterwar!s atten! to the el!er branchesR an! if he goes on as he has begun, he will be a ery great public benefactor% E;T,PP,*9B 0 hope that he $ayR but 0 rather fear, -ocrates, that the opposite will turn out to be the truth% <y opinion is that in attac"ing you he is si$ply ai$ing a blow at the foun!ation of the state% +ut in what way !oes he say that you corrupt the youngO -9C*>TE-B ,e brings a won!erful accusation against $e, which at first hearing excites surpriseB he says that 0 a$ a poet or $a"er of go!s, an! that 0 in ent new go!s an! !eny the existence of ol! onesR this is the groun! of his in!ict$ent% E;T,PP,*9B 0 un!erstan!, -ocratesR he $eans to attac" you about the fa$iliar sign which occasionally, as you say, co$es to you% ,e thin"s that you are a neologian, an! he is going to ha e you up before the court for this% ,e "nows that such a charge is rea!ily recei e! by the worl!, as 0 $yself "now too wellR for when 0 spea" in the asse$bly about !i ine things, an! foretell the future to the$, they laugh at $e an! thin" $e a $a!$an% Pet e ery wor! that 0 say is true% +ut they are jealous of us allR an! we $ust be bra e an! go at the$% -9C*>TE-B Their laughter, frien! Euthyphro, is not a $atter of $uch conseJuence% (or a $an $ay be thought wiseR but the >thenians, 0 suspect, !o not $uch trouble the$sel es about hi$ until he begins to i$part his wis!o$ to others, an! then for so$e reason or other, perhaps, as you say, fro$ jealousy, they are angry% E;T,PP,*9B 0 a$ ne er li"ely to try their te$per in this way% -9C*>TE-B 0 !are say not, for you are reser e! in your beha iour, an! sel!o$ i$part your wis!o$% +ut 0 ha e a bene olent habit of pouring out $yself to e erybo!y, an! woul! e en pay for a listener, an! 0 a$ afrai! that the >thenians $ay thin" $e too tal"ati e% :ow if, as 0 was saying, they woul! only laugh at $e, as you say that they laugh at you, the ti$e $ight pass gaily enough in the courtR but perhaps they $ay be in earnest, an! then what the en! will be you soothsayers only can pre!ict% E;T,PP,*9B 0 !are say that the affair will en! in nothing, -ocrates, an!

that you will win your causeR an! 0 thin" that 0 shall win $y own% -9C*>TE-B >n! what is your suit, EuthyphroO are you the pursuer or the !efen!antO E;T,PP,*9B 0 a$ the pursuer% -9C*>TE-B 9f who$O E;T,PP,*9B Pou will thin" $e $a! when 0 tell you% -9C*>TE-B &hy, has the fugiti e wingsO E;T,PP,*9B :ay, he is not ery olatile at his ti$e of life% -9C*>TE-B &ho is heO E;T,PP,*9B <y father% -9C*>TE-B Pour father# $y goo! $anO E;T,PP,*9B Pes% -9C*>TE-B >n! of what is he accuse!O E;T,PP,*9B 9f $ur!er, -ocrates% -9C*>TE-B +y the powers, Euthyphro# how little !oes the co$$on her! "now of the nature of right an! truth% > $an $ust be an extraor!inary $an, an! ha e $a!e great stri!es in wis!o$, before he coul! ha e seen his way to bring such an action% E;T,PP,*9B 0n!ee!, -ocrates, he $ust% -9C*>TE-B 0 suppose that the $an who$ your father $ur!ere! was one of your relati esFFclearly he wasR for if he ha! been a stranger you woul! ne er ha e thought of prosecuting hi$%

E;T,PP,*9B 0 a$ a$use!, -ocrates, at your $a"ing a !istinction between one who is a relation an! one who is not a relationR for surely the pollution is the sa$e in either case, if you "nowingly associate with the $ur!erer when you ought to clear yourself an! hi$ by procee!ing against hi$% The real Juestion is whether the $ur!ere! $an has been justly slain% 0f justly, then your !uty is to let the $atter aloneR but if unjustly, then e en if the $ur!erer li es un!er the sa$e roof with you an! eats at the sa$e table, procee! against hi$% :ow the $an who is !ea! was a poor !epen!ant of $ine who wor"e! for us as a fiel! labourer on our far$ in :axos, an! one !ay in a fit of !run"en passion he got into a Juarrel with one of our !o$estic ser ants an! slew hi$% <y father boun! hi$ han! an! foot an! threw hi$ into a !itch, an! then sent to >thens to as" of a !i iner what he shoul! !o with hi$% <eanwhile he ne er atten!e! to hi$ an! too" no care about hi$, for he regar!e! hi$ as a $ur!ererR an! thought that no great har$ woul! be !one e en if he !i! !ie% :ow this was just what happene!% (or such was the effect of col! an! hunger an! chains upon hi$, that before the $essenger returne! fro$ the !i iner, he was !ea!% >n! $y father an! fa$ily are angry with $e for ta"ing the part of the $ur!erer an! prosecuting $y father% They say that he !i! not "ill hi$, an! that if he !i!, the !ea! $an was but a $ur!erer, an! 0 ought not to ta"e any notice, for that a son is i$pious who prosecutes a father% &hich shows, -ocrates, how little they "now what the go!s thin" about piety an! i$piety% -9C*>TE-B Goo! hea ens, Euthyphro# an! is your "nowle!ge of religion an! of things pious an! i$pious so ery exact, that, supposing the circu$stances to be as you state the$, you are not afrai! lest you too $ay be !oing an i$pious thing in bringing an action against your fatherO E;T,PP,*9B The best of Euthyphro, an! that which !istinguishes hi$, -ocrates, fro$ other $en, is his exact "nowle!ge of all such $atters% &hat shoul! 0 be goo! for without itO -9C*>TE-B *are frien!# 0 thin" that 0 cannot !o better than be your !isciple% Then before the trial with <eletus co$es on 0 shall challenge hi$, an! say that 0 ha e always ha! a great interest in religious Juestions, an! now, as he charges $e with rash i$aginations an! inno ations

in religion, 0 ha e beco$e your !isciple% Pou, <eletus, as 0 shall say to hi$, ac"nowle!ge Euthyphro to be a great theologian, an! soun! in his opinionsR an! if you appro e of hi$ you ought to appro e of $e, an! not ha e $e into courtR but if you !isappro e, you shoul! begin by in!icting hi$ who is $y teacher, an! who will be the ruin, not of the young, but of the ol!R that is to say, of $yself who$ he instructs, an! of his ol! father who$ he a!$onishes an! chastises% >n! if <eletus refuses to listen to $e, but will go on, an! will not shift the in!ict$ent fro$ $e to you, 0 cannot !o better than repeat this challenge in the court% E;T,PP,*9B Pes, in!ee!, -ocratesR an! if he atte$pts to in!ict $e 0 a$ $ista"en if 0 !o not fin! a flaw in hi$R the court shall ha e a great !eal $ore to say to hi$ than to $e% -9C*>TE-B >n! 0, $y !ear frien!, "nowing this, a$ !esirous of beco$ing your !isciple% (or 0 obser e that no one appears to notice youFFnot e en this <eletusR but his sharp eyes ha e foun! $e out at once, an! he has in!icte! $e for i$piety% >n! therefore, 0 a!jure you to tell $e the nature of piety an! i$piety, which you sai! that you "new so well, an! of $ur!er, an! of other offences against the go!s% &hat are theyO 0s not piety in e ery action always the sa$eO an! i$piety, againFFis it not always the opposite of piety, an! also the sa$e with itself, ha ing, as i$piety, one notion which inclu!es whate er is i$piousO E;T,PP,*9B To be sure, -ocrates% -9C*>TE-B >n! what is piety, an! what is i$pietyO E;T,PP,*9B Piety is !oing as 0 a$ !oingR that is to say, prosecuting any one who is guilty of $ur!er, sacrilege, or of any si$ilar cri$eFFwhether he be your father or $other, or whoe er he $ay beFFthat $a"es no !ifferenceR an! not to prosecute the$ is i$piety% >n! please to consi!er, -ocrates, what a notable proof 0 will gi e you of the truth of $y wor!s, a proof which 0 ha e alrea!y gi en to othersBFFof the principle, 0 $ean, that the i$pious, whoe er he $ay be, ought not to go unpunishe!% (or !o not $en regar! Weus as the best an! $ost righteous of the go!sOFFan! yet they a!$it that he boun! his father CCronosD because he wic"e!ly !e oure! his sons, an! that he too ha! punishe! his own father C;ranusD for a si$ilar reason, in a na$eless $anner% >n! yet when 0 procee! against $y father, they are

angry with $e% -o inconsistent are they in their way of tal"ing when the go!s are concerne!, an! when 0 a$ concerne!% -9C*>TE-B <ay not this be the reason, Euthyphro, why 0 a$ charge! with i$pietyFFthat 0 cannot away with these stories about the go!sO an! therefore 0 suppose that people thin" $e wrong% +ut, as you who are well infor$e! about the$ appro e of the$, 0 cannot !o better than assent to your superior wis!o$% &hat else can 0 say, confessing as 0 !o, that 0 "now nothing about the$O Tell $e, for the lo e of Weus, whether you really belie e that they are true% E;T,PP,*9B Pes, -ocratesR an! things $ore won!erful still, of which the worl! is in ignorance% -9C*>TE-B >n! !o you really belie e that the go!s fought with one another, an! ha! !ire Juarrels, battles, an! the li"e, as the poets say, an! as you $ay see represente! in the wor"s of great artistsO The te$ples are full of the$R an! notably the robe of >thene, which is carrie! up to the >cropolis at the great Panathenaea, is e$broi!ere! with the$% >re all these tales of the go!s true, EuthyphroO E;T,PP,*9B Pes, -ocratesR an!, as 0 was saying, 0 can tell you, if you woul! li"e to hear the$, $any other things about the go!s which woul! Juite a$a8e you% -9C*>TE-B 0 !are sayR an! you shall tell $e the$ at so$e other ti$e when 0 ha e leisure% +ut just at present 0 woul! rather hear fro$ you a $ore precise answer, which you ha e not as yet gi en, $y frien!, to the Juestion, &hat is QpietyQO &hen as"e!, you only replie!, 'oing as you !o, charging your father with $ur!er% E;T,PP,*9B >n! what 0 sai! was true, -ocrates% -9C*>TE-B :o !oubt, EuthyphroR but you woul! a!$it that there are $any other pious actsO

E;T,PP,*9B There are% -9C*>TE-B *e$e$ber that 0 !i! not as" you to gi e $e two or three exa$ples of piety, but to explain the general i!ea which $a"es all pious things to be pious% 'o you not recollect that there was one i!ea which $a!e the i$pious i$pious, an! the pious piousO E;T,PP,*9B 0 re$e$ber% -9C*>TE-B Tell $e what is the nature of this i!ea, an! then 0 shall ha e a stan!ar! to which 0 $ay loo", an! by which 0 $ay $easure actions, whether yours or those of any one else, an! then 0 shall be able to say that such an! such an action is pious, such another i$pious% E;T,PP,*9B 0 will tell you, if you li"e% -9C*>TE-B 0 shoul! ery $uch li"e% E;T,PP,*9B Piety, then, is that which is !ear to the go!s, an! i$piety is that which is not !ear to the$% -9C*>TE-B )ery goo!, EuthyphroR you ha e now gi en $e the sort of answer which 0 wante!% +ut whether what you say is true or not 0 cannot as yet tell, although 0 $a"e no !oubt that you will pro e the truth of your wor!s% E;T,PP,*9B 9f course% -9C*>TE-B Co$e, then, an! let us exa$ine what we are saying% That thing or person which is !ear to the go!s is pious, an! that thing or person which is hateful to the go!s is i$pious, these two being the extre$e opposites of one another% &as not that sai!O E;T,PP,*9B 0t was% -9C*>TE-B >n! well sai!O E;T,PP,*9B Pes, -ocrates, 0 thought soR it was certainly sai!%

-9C*>TE-B >n! further, Euthyphro, the go!s were a!$itte! to ha e en$ities an! hatre!s an! !ifferencesO E;T,PP,*9B Pes, that was also sai!% -9C*>TE-B >n! what sort of !ifference creates en$ity an! angerO -uppose for exa$ple that you an! 0, $y goo! frien!, !iffer about a nu$berR !o !ifferences of this sort $a"e us ene$ies an! set us at ariance with one anotherO 'o we not go at once to arith$etic, an! put an en! to the$ by a su$O E;T,PP,*9B True% -9C*>TE-B 9r suppose that we !iffer about $agnitu!es, !o we not Juic"ly en! the !ifferences by $easuringO E;T,PP,*9B )ery true% -9C*>TE-B >n! we en! a contro ersy about hea y an! light by resorting to a weighing $achineO E;T,PP,*9B To be sure% -9C*>TE-B +ut what !ifferences are there which cannot be thus !eci!e!, an! which therefore $a"e us angry an! set us at en$ity with one anotherO 0 !are say the answer !oes not occur to you at the $o$ent, an! therefore 0 will suggest that these en$ities arise when the $atters of !ifference are the just an! unjust, goo! an! e il, honourable an! !ishonourable% >re not these the points about which $en !iffer, an! about which when we are unable satisfactorily to !eci!e our !ifferences, you an! 0 an! all of us Juarrel, when we !o JuarrelO CCo$pare >lcib%D E;T,PP,*9B Pes, -ocrates, the nature of the !ifferences about which we

Juarrel is such as you !escribe% -9C*>TE-B >n! the Juarrels of the go!s, noble Euthyphro, when they occur, are of a li"e natureO E;T,PP,*9B Certainly they are% -9C*>TE-B They ha e !ifferences of opinion, as you say, about goo! an! e il, just an! unjust, honourable an! !ishonourableB there woul! ha e been no Juarrels a$ong the$, if there ha! been no such !ifferencesFFwoul! there nowO E;T,PP,*9B Pou are Juite right% -9C*>TE-B 'oes not e ery $an lo e that which he !ee$s noble an! just an! goo!, an! hate the opposite of the$O E;T,PP,*9B )ery true% -9C*>TE-B +ut, as you say, people regar! the sa$e things, so$e as just an! others as unjust,FFabout these they !isputeR an! so there arise wars an! fightings a$ong the$% E;T,PP,*9B )ery true% -9C*>TE-B Then the sa$e things are hate! by the go!s an! lo e! by the go!s, an! are both hateful an! !ear to the$O E;T,PP,*9B True% -9C*>TE-B >n! upon this iew the sa$e things, Euthyphro, will be pious an! also i$piousO E;T,PP,*9B -o 0 shoul! suppose% -9C*>TE-B Then, $y frien!, 0 re$ar" with surprise that you ha e not

answere! the Juestion which 0 as"e!% (or 0 certainly !i! not as" you to tell $e what action is both pious an! i$piousB but now it woul! see$ that what is lo e! by the go!s is also hate! by the$% >n! therefore, Euthyphro, in thus chastising your father you $ay ery li"ely be !oing what is agreeable to Weus but !isagreeable to Cronos or ;ranus, an! what is acceptable to ,ephaestus but unacceptable to ,ere, an! there $ay be other go!s who ha e si$ilar !ifferences of opinion% E;T,PP,*9B +ut 0 belie e, -ocrates, that all the go!s woul! be agree! as to the propriety of punishing a $ur!ererB there woul! be no !ifference of opinion about that% -9C*>TE-B &ell, but spea"ing of $en, Euthyphro, !i! you e er hear any one arguing that a $ur!erer or any sort of e ilF!oer ought to be let offO E;T,PP,*9B 0 shoul! rather say that these are the Juestions which they are always arguing, especially in courts of lawB they co$$it all sorts of cri$es, an! there is nothing which they will not !o or say in their own !efence% -9C*>TE-B +ut !o they a!$it their guilt, Euthyphro, an! yet say that they ought not to be punishe!O E;T,PP,*9B :oR they !o not% -9C*>TE-B Then there are so$e things which they !o not enture to say an! !oB for they !o not enture to argue that the guilty are to be unpunishe!, but they !eny their guilt, !o they notO E;T,PP,*9B Pes% -9C*>TE-B Then they !o not argue that the e ilF!oer shoul! not be punishe!, but they argue about the fact of who the e ilF!oer is, an! what he !i! an! whenO E;T,PP,*9B True%

-9C*>TE-B >n! the go!s are in the sa$e case, if as you assert they Juarrel about just an! unjust, an! so$e of the$ say while others !eny that injustice is !one a$ong the$% (or surely neither Go! nor $an will e er enture to say that the !oer of injustice is not to be punishe!O E;T,PP,*9B That is true, -ocrates, in the $ain% -9C*>TE-B +ut they join issue about the particularsFFgo!s an! $en ali"eR an!, if they !ispute at all, they !ispute about so$e act which is calle! in Juestion, an! which by so$e is affir$e! to be just, by others to be unjust% 0s not that trueO E;T,PP,*9B Suite true% -9C*>TE-B &ell then, $y !ear frien! Euthyphro, !o tell $e, for $y better instruction an! infor$ation, what proof ha e you that in the opinion of all the go!s a ser ant who is guilty of $ur!er, an! is put in chains by the $aster of the !ea! $an, an! !ies because he is put in chains before he who boun! hi$ can learn fro$ the interpreters of the go!s what he ought to !o with hi$, !ies unjustlyR an! that on behalf of such an one a son ought to procee! against his father an! accuse hi$ of $ur!er% ,ow woul! you show that all the go!s absolutely agree in appro ing of his actO Pro e to $e that they !o, an! 0 will applau! your wis!o$ as long as 0 li e% E;T,PP,*9B 0t will be a !ifficult tas"R but 0 coul! $a"e the $atter ery clear in!ee! to you% -9C*>TE-B 0 un!erstan!R you $ean to say that 0 a$ not so Juic" of apprehension as the ju!gesB for to the$ you will be sure to pro e that the act is unjust, an! hateful to the go!s% E;T,PP,*9B Pes in!ee!, -ocratesR at least if they will listen to $e% -9C*>TE-B +ut they will be sure to listen if they fin! that you are a goo! spea"er% There was a notion that ca$e into $y $in! while you were spea"ingR 0 sai! to $yselfB Q&ell, an! what if Euthyphro !oes pro e to $e that all the go!s regar!e! the !eath of the serf as unjust, how !o 0 "now anything $ore of the nature of piety an! i$pietyO for granting that this

action $ay be hateful to the go!s, still piety an! i$piety are not a!eJuately !efine! by these !istinctions, for that which is hateful to the go!s has been shown to be also pleasing an! !ear to the$%Q >n! therefore, Euthyphro, 0 !o not as" you to pro e thisR 0 will suppose, if you li"e, that all the go!s con!e$n an! abo$inate such an action% +ut 0 will a$en! the !efinition so far as to say that what all the go!s hate is i$pious, an! what they lo e pious or holyR an! what so$e of the$ lo e an! others hate is both or neither% -hall this be our !efinition of piety an! i$pietyO E;T,PP,*9B &hy not, -ocratesO -9C*>TE-B &hy not# certainly, as far as 0 a$ concerne!, Euthyphro, there is no reason why not% +ut whether this a!$ission will greatly assist you in the tas" of instructing $e as you pro$ise!, is a $atter for you to consi!er% E;T,PP,*9B Pes, 0 shoul! say that what all the go!s lo e is pious an! holy, an! the opposite which they all hate, i$pious% -9C*>TE-B 9ught we to enJuire into the truth of this, Euthyphro, or si$ply to accept the $ere state$ent on our own authority an! that of othersO &hat !o you sayO E;T,PP,*9B &e shoul! enJuireR an! 0 belie e that the state$ent will stan! the test of enJuiry% -9C*>TE-B &e shall "now better, $y goo! frien!, in a little while% The point which 0 shoul! first wish to un!erstan! is whether the pious or holy is belo e! by the go!s because it is holy, or holy because it is belo e! of the go!s% E;T,PP,*9B 0 !o not un!erstan! your $eaning, -ocrates% -9C*>TE-B 0 will en!ea our to explainB we, spea" of carrying an! we spea" of being carrie!, of lea!ing an! being le!, seeing an! being seen% Pou "now that in all such cases there is a !ifference, an! you "now also in what the !ifference liesO

E;T,PP,*9B 0 thin" that 0 un!erstan!% -9C*>TE-B >n! is not that which is belo e! !istinct fro$ that which lo esO E;T,PP,*9B Certainly% -9C*>TE-B &ellR an! now tell $e, is that which is carrie! in this state of carrying because it is carrie!, or for so$e other reasonO E;T,PP,*9B :oR that is the reason% -9C*>TE-B >n! the sa$e is true of what is le! an! of what is seenO E;T,PP,*9B True% -9C*>TE-B >n! a thing is not seen because it is isible, but con ersely, isible because it is seenR nor is a thing le! because it is in the state of being le!, or carrie! because it is in the state of being carrie!, but the con erse of this% >n! now 0 thin", Euthyphro, that $y $eaning will be intelligibleR an! $y $eaning is, that any state of action or passion i$plies pre ious action or passion% 0t !oes not beco$e because it is beco$ing, but it is in a state of beco$ing because it beco$esR neither !oes it suffer because it is in a state of suffering, but it is in a state of suffering because it suffers% 'o you not agreeO E;T,PP,*9B Pes% -9C*>TE-B 0s not that which is lo e! in so$e state either of beco$ing or sufferingO E;T,PP,*9B Pes% -9C*>TE-B >n! the sa$e hol!s as in the pre ious instancesR the state of being lo e! follows the act of being lo e!, an! not the act the state% E;T,PP,*9B Certainly% -9C*>TE-B >n! what !o you say of piety, EuthyphroB is not piety,

accor!ing to your !efinition, lo e! by all the go!sO E;T,PP,*9B Pes% -9C*>TE-B +ecause it is pious or holy, or for so$e other reasonO E;T,PP,*9B :o, that is the reason% -9C*>TE-B 0t is lo e! because it is holy, not holy because it is lo e!O E;T,PP,*9B Pes% -9C*>TE-B >n! that which is !ear to the go!s is lo e! by the$, an! is in a state to be lo e! of the$ because it is lo e! of the$O E;T,PP,*9B Certainly% -9C*>TE-B Then that which is !ear to the go!s, Euthyphro, is not holy, nor is that which is holy lo e! of Go!, as you affir$R but they are two !ifferent things% E;T,PP,*9B ,ow !o you $ean, -ocratesO -9C*>TE-B 0 $ean to say that the holy has been ac"nowle!ge! by us to be lo e! of Go! because it is holy, not to be holy because it is lo e!% E;T,PP,*9B Pes% -9C*>TE-B +ut that which is !ear to the go!s is !ear to the$ because it is lo e! by the$, not lo e! by the$ because it is !ear to the$% E;T,PP,*9B True% -9C*>TE-B +ut, frien! Euthyphro, if that which is holy is the sa$e with that which is !ear to Go!, an! is lo e! because it is holy, then that which is !ear to Go! woul! ha e been lo e! as being !ear to Go!R but if that which is !ear to Go! is !ear to hi$ because lo e! by hi$, then that which

is holy woul! ha e been holy because lo e! by hi$% +ut now you see that the re erse is the case, an! that they are Juite !ifferent fro$ one another% (or one CtheophilesD is of a "in! to be lo e! cause it is lo e!, an! the other CosionD is lo e! because it is of a "in! to be lo e!% Thus you appear to $e, Euthyphro, when 0 as" you what is the essence of holiness, to offer an attribute only, an! not the essenceFFthe attribute of being lo e! by all the go!s% +ut you still refuse to explain to $e the nature of holiness% >n! therefore, if you please, 0 will as" you not to hi!e your treasure, but to tell $e once $ore what holiness or piety really is, whether !ear to the go!s or not Cfor that is a $atter about which we will not JuarrelDR an! what is i$pietyO E;T,PP,*9B 0 really !o not "now, -ocrates, how to express what 0 $ean% (or so$ehow or other our argu$ents, on whate er groun! we rest the$, see$ to turn roun! an! wal" away fro$ us% -9C*>TE-B Pour wor!s, Euthyphro, are li"e the han!iwor" of $y ancestor 'ae!alusR an! if 0 were the sayer or propoun!er of the$, you $ight say that $y argu$ents wal" away an! will not re$ain fixe! where they are place! because 0 a$ a !escen!ant of his% +ut now, since these notions are your own, you $ust fin! so$e other gibe, for they certainly, as you yourself allow, show an inclination to be on the $o e% E;T,PP,*9B :ay, -ocrates, 0 shall still say that you are the 'ae!alus who sets argu$ents in $otionR not 0, certainly, but you $a"e the$ $o e or go roun!, for they woul! ne er ha e stirre!, as far as 0 a$ concerne!% -9C*>TE-B Then 0 $ust be a greater than 'ae!alusB for whereas he only $a!e his own in entions to $o e, 0 $o e those of other people as well% >n! the beauty of it is, that 0 woul! rather not% (or 0 woul! gi e the wis!o$ of 'ae!alus, an! the wealth of Tantalus, to be able to !etain the$ an! "eep the$ fixe!% +ut enough of this% >s 0 percei e that you are la8y, 0 will $yself en!ea our to show you how you $ight instruct $e in the nature of pietyR an! 0 hope that you will not gru!ge your labour% Tell $e, thenFF0s not that which is pious necessarily justO

E;T,PP,*9B Pes% -9C*>TE-B >n! is, then, all which is just piousO or, is that which is pious all just, but that which is just, only in part an! not all, piousO E;T,PP,*9B 0 !o not un!erstan! you, -ocrates% -9C*>TE-B >n! yet 0 "now that you are as $uch wiser than 0 a$, as you are younger% +ut, as 0 was saying, re ere! frien!, the abun!ance of your wis!o$ $a"es you la8y% Please to exert yourself, for there is no real !ifficulty in un!erstan!ing $e% &hat 0 $ean 0 $ay explain by an illustration of what 0 !o not $ean% The poet C-tasinusD singsFF Q9f Weus, the author an! creator of all these things, Pou will not tellB for where there is fear there is also re erence%Q :ow 0 !isagree with this poet% -hall 0 tell you in what respectO E;T,PP,*9B +y all $eans% -9C*>TE-B 0 shoul! not say that where there is fear there is also re erenceR for 0 a$ sure that $any persons fear po erty an! !isease, an! the li"e e ils, but 0 !o not percei e that they re erence the objects of their fear% E;T,PP,*9B )ery true% -9C*>TE-B +ut where re erence is, there is fearR for he who has a feeling of re erence an! sha$e about the co$$ission of any action, fears an! is afrai! of an ill reputation% E;T,PP,*9B :o !oubt% -9C*>TE-B Then we are wrong in saying that where there is fear there is also re erenceR an! we shoul! say, where there is re erence there is also fear% +ut there is not always re erence where there is fearR for fear is a $ore exten!e! notion, an! re erence is a part of fear, just as the o!! is a part of nu$ber, an! nu$ber is a $ore exten!e! notion than the o!!% 0 suppose that you follow $e nowO

E;T,PP,*9B Suite well% -9C*>TE-B That was the sort of Juestion which 0 $eant to raise when 0 as"e! whether the just is always the pious, or the pious always the justR an! whether there $ay not be justice where there is not pietyR for justice is the $ore exten!e! notion of which piety is only a part% 'o you !issentO E;T,PP,*9B :o, 0 thin" that you are Juite right% -9C*>TE-B Then, if piety is a part of justice, 0 suppose that we shoul! enJuire what partO 0f you ha! pursue! the enJuiry in the pre ious casesR for instance, if you ha! as"e! $e what is an e en nu$ber, an! what part of nu$ber the e en is, 0 shoul! ha e ha! no !ifficulty in replying, a nu$ber which represents a figure ha ing two eJual si!es% 'o you not agreeO E;T,PP,*9B Pes, 0 Juite agree% -9C*>TE-B 0n li"e $anner, 0 want you to tell $e what part of justice is piety or holiness, that 0 $ay be able to tell <eletus not to !o $e injustice, or in!ict $e for i$piety, as 0 a$ now a!eJuately instructe! by you in the nature of piety or holiness, an! their opposites% E;T,PP,*9B Piety or holiness, -ocrates, appears to $e to be that part of justice which atten!s to the go!s, as there is the other part of justice which atten!s to $en% -9C*>TE-B That is goo!, EuthyphroR yet still there is a little point about which 0 shoul! li"e to ha e further infor$ation, &hat is the $eaning of QattentionQO (or attention can har!ly be use! in the sa$e sense when applie! to the go!s as when applie! to other things% (or instance, horses are sai! to reJuire attention, an! not e ery person is able to atten! to the$, but only a person s"ille! in horse$anship% 0s it not soO E;T,PP,*9B Certainly% -9C*>TE-B 0 shoul! suppose that the art of horse$anship is the art of atten!ing to horsesO E;T,PP,*9B Pes%

-9C*>TE-B :or is e ery one Jualifie! to atten! to !ogs, but only the hunts$anO E;T,PP,*9B True% -9C*>TE-B >n! 0 shoul! also concei e that the art of the hunts$an is the art of atten!ing to !ogsO E;T,PP,*9B Pes% -9C*>TE-B >s the art of the oxher! is the art of atten!ing to oxenO E;T,PP,*9B )ery true% -9C*>TE-B 0n li"e $anner holiness or piety is the art of atten!ing to the go!sOFFthat woul! be your $eaning, EuthyphroO E;T,PP,*9B Pes% -9C*>TE-B >n! is not attention always !esigne! for the goo! or benefit of that to which the attention is gi enO >s in the case of horses, you $ay obser e that when atten!e! to by the horse$anQs art they are benefite! an! i$pro e!, are they notO E;T,PP,*9B True% -9C*>TE-B >s the !ogs are benefite! by the hunts$anQs art, an! the oxen by the art of the oxher!, an! all other things are ten!e! or atten!e! for their goo! an! not for their hurtO E;T,PP,*9B Certainly, not for their hurt% -9C*>TE-B +ut for their goo!O E;T,PP,*9B 9f course%

-9C*>TE-B >n! !oes piety or holiness, which has been !efine! to be the art of atten!ing to the go!s, benefit or i$pro e the$O &oul! you say that when you !o a holy act you $a"e any of the go!s betterO E;T,PP,*9B :o, noR that was certainly not what 0 $eant% -9C*>TE-B >n! 0, Euthyphro, ne er suppose! that you !i!% 0 as"e! you the Juestion about the nature of the attention, because 0 thought that you !i! not% E;T,PP,*9B Pou !o $e justice, -ocratesR that is not the sort of attention which 0 $ean% -9C*>TE-B Goo!B but 0 $ust still as" what is this attention to the go!s which is calle! pietyO E;T,PP,*9B 0t is such, -ocrates, as ser ants show to their $asters% -9C*>TE-B 0 un!erstan!FFa sort of $inistration to the go!s% E;T,PP,*9B Exactly% -9C*>TE-B <e!icine is also a sort of $inistration or ser ice, ha ing in iew the attain$ent of so$e objectFFwoul! you not say of healthO E;T,PP,*9B 0 shoul!% -9C*>TE-B >gain, there is an art which $inisters to the shipFbuil!er with a iew to the attain$ent of so$e resultO E;T,PP,*9B Pes, -ocrates, with a iew to the buil!ing of a ship% -9C*>TE-B >s there is an art which $inisters to the houseFbuil!er with a iew to the buil!ing of a houseO E;T,PP,*9B Pes%

-9C*>TE-B >n! now tell $e, $y goo! frien!, about the art which $inisters to the go!sB what wor" !oes that help to acco$plishO (or you $ust surely "now if, as you say, you are of all $en li ing the one who is best instructe! in religion% E;T,PP,*9B >n! 0 spea" the truth, -ocrates% -9C*>TE-B Tell $e then, oh tell $eFFwhat is that fair wor" which the go!s !o by the help of our $inistrationsO E;T,PP,*9B <any an! fair, -ocrates, are the wor"s which they !o% -9C*>TE-B &hy, $y frien!, an! so are those of a general% +ut the chief of the$ is easily tol!% &oul! you not say that ictory in war is the chief of the$O E;T,PP,*9B Certainly% -9C*>TE-B <any an! fair, too, are the wor"s of the husban!$an, if 0 a$ not $ista"enR but his chief wor" is the pro!uction of foo! fro$ the earthO E;T,PP,*9B Exactly% -9C*>TE-B >n! of the $any an! fair things !one by the go!s, which is the chief or principal oneO E;T,PP,*9B 0 ha e tol! you alrea!y, -ocrates, that to learn all these things accurately will be ery tireso$e% =et $e si$ply say that piety or holiness is learning how to please the go!s in wor! an! !ee!, by prayers an! sacrifices% -uch piety is the sal ation of fa$ilies an! states, just as the i$pious, which is unpleasing to the go!s, is their ruin an! !estruction% -9C*>TE-B 0 thin" that you coul! ha e answere! in $uch fewer wor!s the

chief Juestion which 0 as"e!, Euthyphro, if you ha! chosen% +ut 0 see plainly that you are not !ispose! to instruct $eFFclearly notB else why, when we reache! the point, !i! you turn asi!eO ,a! you only answere! $e 0 shoul! ha e truly learne! of you by this ti$e the nature of piety% :ow, as the as"er of a Juestion is necessarily !epen!ent on the answerer, whither he lea!s 0 $ust followR an! can only as" again, what is the pious, an! what is pietyO 'o you $ean that they are a sort of science of praying an! sacrificingO E;T,PP,*9B Pes, 0 !o% -9C*>TE-B >n! sacrificing is gi ing to the go!s, an! prayer is as"ing of the go!sO E;T,PP,*9B Pes, -ocrates% -9C*>TE-B ;pon this iew, then, piety is a science of as"ing an! gi ingO E;T,PP,*9B Pou un!erstan! $e capitally, -ocrates% -9C*>TE-B Pes, $y frien!R the reason is that 0 a$ a otary of your science, an! gi e $y $in! to it, an! therefore nothing which you say will be thrown away upon $e% Please then to tell $e, what is the nature of this ser ice to the go!sO 'o you $ean that we prefer reJuests an! gi e gifts to the$O E;T,PP,*9B Pes, 0 !o% -9C*>TE-B 0s not the right way of as"ing to as" of the$ what we wantO E;T,PP,*9B Certainly% -9C*>TE-B >n! the right way of gi ing is to gi e to the$ in return what they want of us% There woul! be no $eaning in an art which gi es to any one that which he !oes not want% E;T,PP,*9B )ery true, -ocrates% -9C*>TE-B Then piety, Euthyphro, is an art which go!s an! $en ha e of

!oing business with one anotherO E;T,PP,*9B That is an expression which you $ay use, if you li"e% -9C*>TE-B +ut 0 ha e no particular li"ing for anything but the truth% 0 wish, howe er, that you woul! tell $e what benefit accrues to the go!s fro$ our gifts% There is no !oubt about what they gi e to usR for there is no goo! thing which they !o not gi eR but how we can gi e any goo! thing to the$ in return is far fro$ being eJually clear% 0f they gi e e erything an! we gi e nothing, that $ust be an affair of business in which we ha e ery greatly the a! antage of the$% E;T,PP,*9B >n! !o you i$agine, -ocrates, that any benefit accrues to the go!s fro$ our giftsO -9C*>TE-B +ut if not, Euthyphro, what is the $eaning of gifts which are conferre! by us upon the go!sO E;T,PP,*9B &hat else, but tributes of honourR an!, as 0 was just now saying, what pleases the$O -9C*>TE-B Piety, then, is pleasing to the go!s, but not beneficial or !ear to the$O E;T,PP,*9B 0 shoul! say that nothing coul! be !earer% -9C*>TE-B Then once $ore the assertion is repeate! that piety is !ear to the go!sO E;T,PP,*9B Certainly% -9C*>TE-B >n! when you say this, can you won!er at your wor!s not stan!ing fir$, but wal"ing awayO &ill you accuse $e of being the 'ae!alus who $a"es the$ wal" away, not percei ing that there is another an! far greater artist than 'ae!alus who $a"es the$ go roun! in a circle, an! he is yourselfR for the argu$ent, as you will percei e, co$es roun! to the sa$e point% &ere we not saying that the holy or pious was not the sa$e with that which is lo e!

of the go!sO ,a e you forgottenO E;T,PP,*9B 0 Juite re$e$ber% -9C*>TE-B >n! are you not saying that what is lo e! of the go!s is holyR an! is not this the sa$e as what is !ear to the$FF!o you seeO E;T,PP,*9B True% -9C*>TE-B Then either we were wrong in our for$er assertionR or, if we were right then, we are wrong now% E;T,PP,*9B 9ne of the two $ust be true% -9C*>TE-B Then we $ust begin again an! as", &hat is pietyO That is an enJuiry which 0 shall ne er be weary of pursuing as far as in $e liesR an! 0 entreat you not to scorn $e, but to apply your $in! to the ut$ost, an! tell $e the truth% (or, if any $an "nows, you are heR an! therefore 0 $ust !etain you, li"e Proteus, until you tell% 0f you ha! not certainly "nown the nature of piety an! i$piety, 0 a$ confi!ent that you woul! ne er, on behalf of a serf, ha e charge! your age! father with $ur!er% Pou woul! not ha e run such a ris" of !oing wrong in the sight of the go!s, an! you woul! ha e ha! too $uch respect for the opinions of $en% 0 a$ sure, therefore, that you "now the nature of piety an! i$piety% -pea" out then, $y !ear Euthyphro, an! !o not hi!e your "nowle!ge% E;T,PP,*9B >nother ti$e, -ocratesR for 0 a$ in a hurry, an! $ust go now% -9C*>TE-B >las# $y co$panion, an! will you lea e $e in !espairO 0 was hoping that you woul! instruct $e in the nature of piety an! i$pietyR an! then 0 $ight ha e cleare! $yself of <eletus an! his in!ict$ent% 0 woul! ha e tol! hi$ that 0 ha! been enlightene! by Euthyphro, an! ha! gi en up rash inno ations an! speculations, in which 0 in!ulge! only through ignorance, an! that now 0 a$ about to lea! a better life%

En! of this Project Gutenberg Etext of Euthyphro, by Plato