,,euthyphro  ,by ,plato   ,translated by
 ,benjamin ,jowett     ,,introduction4  
,in the ,meno1 ,anytus had parted from  
,socrates with the significant words3   
',that in any city1 and particularly in 
the city of ,athens1 it is easier to do 
men harm than to do them good2' and     
,socrates was anticipating another      
opportunity of talking with him4 ,in the
 ,euthyphro1 ,socrates is awaiting his  
trial for impiety4 ,but before the trial
 begins1 ,plato would like to put the   
world on their trial1 and convince them 
of ignorance in that very matter        
touching which ,socrates is accused4 ,an
 incident which may perhaps really have 
occurred in the family of ,euthyphro1 a 
learned ,athenian diviner and           
soothsayer1 furnishes the occasion of   
the discussion4  ,this ,euthyphro and   
,socrates are represented as meeting in 
the porch of the ,king ,archon4         
7,compare ,theaet47 ,both have legal    
business in hand4 ,socrates is defendant
 in a suit for impiety which ,meletus   

has brought against him 7it is remarked 
by the way that he is not a likely man  
himself to have brought a suit against  
another72 and ,euthyphro too is         
plaintiff in an action for murder1 which
 he has brought against his own father4 
,the latter has originated in the       
following manner3--,a poor dependant of 
the family had slain one of their       
domestic slaves in ,naxos4 ,the guilty  
person was bound and thrown into a ditch
 by the command of ,euthyphro's father1 
who sent to the interpreters of religion
 at ,athens to ask what should be done  
with him4 ,before the messenger came    
back the criminal had died from hunger  
and exposure4  ,this is the origin of   
the charge of murder which ,euthyphro   
brings against his father4 ,socrates is 
confident that before he could have     
undertaken the responsibility of such a 
prosecution1 he must have been perfectly
 informed of the nature of piety and    
impiety2 and as he is going to be tried 
for impiety himself1 he thinks that he  

cannot do better than learn of          
,euthyphro 7who will be admitted by     
everybody1 including the judges1 to be  
an unimpeachable authority7 what piety  
is1 and what is impiety4 ,what then is  
piety8  ,euthyphro1 who1 in the         
abundance of his knowledge1 is very     
willing to undertake all the            
responsibility1 replies3 ,that piety is 
doing as ,i do1 prosecuting your father 
7if he is guilty7 on a charge of murder2
 doing as the gods do--as ,zeus did to  
,cronos1 and ,cronos to ,uranus4        
,socrates has a dislike to these tales  
of mythology1 and he fancies that this  
dislike of his may be the reason why he 
is charged with impiety4 ',are they     
really true8' ',yes1 they are2' and     
,euthyphro will gladly tell ,socrates   
some more of them4 ,but ,socrates would 
like first of all to have a more        
satisfactory answer to the question1    
',what is piety8' ',doing as ,i do1     
charging a father with murder1' may be a
 single instance of piety1 but can      

hardly be regarded as a general         
definition4  ,euthyphro replies1 that   
',piety is what is dear to the gods1 and
 impiety is what is not dear to them4'  
,but may there not be differences of    
opinion1 as among men1 so also among the
 gods8 ,especially1 about good and evil1
 which have no fixed rule2 and these are
 precisely the sort of differences which
 give rise to quarrels4 ,and therefore  
what may be dear to one god may not be  
dear to another1 and the same action may
 be both pious and impious2 e4g4 your   
chastisement of your father1 ,euthyphro1
 may be dear or pleasing to ,zeus 7who  
inflicted a similar chastisement on his 
own father71 but not equally pleasing to
 ,cronos or ,uranus 7who suffered at the
 hands of their sons74  ,euthyphro      
answers that there is no difference of  
opinion1 either among gods or men1 as to
 the propriety of punishing a murderer4 
,yes1 rejoins ,socrates1 when they know 
him to be a murderer2 but you are       
assuming the point at issue4 ,if all the

 circumstances of the case are          
considered1 are you able to show that   
your father was guilty of murder1 or    
that all the gods are agreed in         
approving of our prosecution of him8    
,and must you not allow that what is    
hated by one god may be liked by        
another8 ,waiving this last1 however1   
,socrates proposes to amend the         
definition1 and say that 'what all the  
gods love is pious1 and what they all   
hate is impious4' ,to this ,euthyphro   
agrees4  ,socrates proceeds to analyze  
the new form of the definition4 ,he     
shows that in other cases the act       
precedes the state2 e4g4 the act of     
being carried1 loved1 etc4 precedes the 
state of being carried1 loved1 etc41 and
 therefore that which is dear to the    
gods is dear to the gods because it is  
first loved of them1 not loved of them  
because it is dear to them4 ,but the    
pious or holy is loved by the gods      
because it is pious or holy1 which is   
equivalent to saying1 that it is loved  

by them because it is dear to them4     
,here then appears to be a              
contradiction1--,euthyphro has been     
giving an attribute or accident of piety
 only1 and not the essence4 ,euthyphro  
acknowledges himself that his           
explanations seem to walk away or go    
round in a circle1 like the moving      
figures of ,daedalus1 the ancestor of   
,socrates1 who has communicated his art 
to his descendants4  ,socrates1 who is  
desirous of stimulating the indolent    
intelligence of ,euthyphro1 raises the  
question in another manner3 ',is all the
 pious just8' ',yes4' ',is all the just 
pious8' ',no4' ',then what part of      
justice is piety8' ,euthyphro replies   
that piety is that part of justice which
 'attends' to the gods1 as there is     
another part of justice which 'attends' 
to men4 ,but what is the meaning of     
'attending' to the gods8 ,the word      
'attending1' when applied to dogs1      
horses1 and men1 implies that in some   
way they are made better4 ,but how do   

pious or holy acts make the gods any    
better8 ,euthyphro explains that he     
means by pious acts1 acts of service or 
ministration4 ,yes2 but the             
ministrations of the husbandman1 the    
physician1 and the builder have an end4 
,to what end do we serve the gods1 and  
what do we help them to accomplish8     
,euthyphro replies1 that all these      
difficult questions cannot be resolved  
in a short time2 and he would rather say
 simply that piety is knowing how to    
please the gods in word and deed1 by    
prayers and sacrifices4 ,in other words1
 says ,socrates1 piety is 'a science of 
asking and giving'--asking what we want 
and giving what they want2 in short1 a  
mode of doing business between gods and 
men4 ,but although they are the givers  
of all good1 how can we give them any   
good in return8 ',nay1 but we give them 
honour4' ,then we give them not what is 
beneficial1 but what is pleasing or dear
 to them2 and this is the point which   
has been already disproved4  ,socrates1 

although weary of the subterfuges and   
evasions of ,euthyphro1 remains unshaken
 in his conviction that he must know the
 nature of piety1 or he would never have
 prosecuted his old father4 ,he is still
 hoping that he will condescend to      
instruct him4 ,but ,euthyphro is in a   
hurry and cannot stay4 ,and ,socrates'  
last hope of knowing the nature of piety
 before he is prosecuted for impiety has
 disappeared4 ,as in the ,euthydemus the
 irony is carried on to the end4  ,the  
,euthyphro is manifestly designed to    
contrast the real nature of piety and   
impiety with the popular conceptions of 
them4 ,but when the popular conceptions 
of them have been overthrown1 ,socrates 
does not offer any definition of his    
own3 as in the ,laches and ,lysis1 he   
prepares the way for an answer to the   
question which he has raised2 but true  
to his own character1 refuses to answer 
himself4  ,euthyphro is a religionist1  
and is elsewhere spoken of1 if he be the
 same person1 as the author of a        

philosophy of names1 by whose 'prancing 
steeds' ,socrates in the ,cratylus is   
carried away4 ,he has the conceit and   
self-confidence of a ,sophist2 no doubt 
that he is right in prosecuting his     
father has ever entered into his mind4  
,like a ,sophist too1 he is incapable   
either of framing a general definition  
or of following the course of an        
argument4 ,his wrong-headedness1        
one-sidedness1 narrowness1 positiveness1
 are characteristic of his priestly     
office4 ,his failure to apprehend an    
argument may be compared to a similar   
defect which is observable in the       
rhapsode ,ion4 ,but he is not a bad man1
 and he is friendly to ,socrates1 whose 
familiar sign he recognizes with        
interest4 ,though unable to follow him  
he is very willing to be led by him1 and
 eagerly catches at any suggestion which
 saves him from the trouble of thinking4
 ,moreover he is the enemy of ,meletus1 
who1 as he says1 is availing himself of 
the popular dislike to innovations in   

religion in order to injure ,socrates2  
at the same time he is amusingly        
confident that he has weapons in his own
 armoury which would be more than a     
match for him4 ,he is quite sincere in  
his prosecution of his father1 who has  
accidentally been guilty of homicide1   
and is not wholly free from blame4 ,to  
purge away the crime appears to him in  
the light of a duty1 whoever may be the 
criminal4  ,thus begins the contrast    
between the religion of the letter1 or  
of the narrow and unenlightened         
conscience1 and the higher notion of    
religion which ,socrates vainly         
endeavours to elicit from him4 ',piety  
is doing as ,i do' is the idea of       
religion which first occurs to him1 and 
to many others who do not say what they 
think with equal frankness4 ,for men are
 not easily persuaded that any other    
religion is better than their own2 or   
that other nations1 e4g4 the ,greeks in 
the time of ,socrates1 were equally     
serious in their religious beliefs and  

difficulties4 ,the chief difference     
between us and them is1 that they were  
slowly learning what we are in process  
of forgetting4 ,greek mythology hardly  
admitted of the distinction between     
accidental homicide and murder3 that the
 pollution of blood was the same in both
 cases is also the feeling of the       
,athenian diviner4 ,he had not as yet   
learned the lesson1 which philosophy was
 teaching1 that ,homer and ,hesiod1 if  
not banished from the state1 or whipped 
out of the assembly1 as ,heracleitus    
more rudely proposed1 at any rate were  
not to be appealed to as authorities in 
religion2 and he is ready to defend his 
conduct by the examples of the gods4    
,these are the very tales which         
,socrates cannot abide2 and his dislike 
of them1 as he suspects1 has branded him
 with the reputation of impiety4 ,here  
is one answer to the question1 ',why    
,socrates was put to death1' suggested  
by the way4 ,another is conveyed in the 
words1 ',the ,athenians do not care     

about any man being thought wise until  
he begins to make other men wise2 and   
then for some reason or other they are  
angry3' which may be said to be the rule
 of popular toleration in most other    
countries1 and not at ,athens only4 ,in 
the course of the argument ,socrates    
remarks that the controversial nature of
 morals and religion arises out of the  
difficulty of verifying them4 ,there is 
no measure or standard to which they can
 be referred4  ,the next definition1    
',piety is that which is loved of the   
gods1' is shipwrecked on a refined      
distinction between the state and the   
act1 corresponding respectively to the  
adjective 7philon7 and the participle   
7philoumenon71 or rather perhaps to the 
participle and the verb 7philoumenon and
 phileitai74 ,the act is prior to the   
state 7as in ,aristotle the energeia    
precedes the dunamis72 and the state of 
being loved is preceded by the act of   
being loved4 ,but piety or holiness is  
preceded by the act of being pious1 not 

by the act of being loved2 and therefore
 piety and the state of being loved are 
different4 ,through such subtleties of  
dialectic ,socrates is working his way  
into a deeper region of thought and     
feeling4 ,he means to say that the words
 'loved of the gods' express an         
attribute only1 and not the essence of  
piety4  ,then follows the third and last
 definition1 ',piety is a part of       
justice4' ,thus far ,socrates has       
proceeded in placing religion on a moral
 foundation4 ,he is seeking to realize  
the harmony of religion and morality1   
which the great poets ,aeschylus1       
,sophocles1 and ,pindar had             
unconsciously anticipated1 and which is 
the universal want of all men4 ,to this 
the soothsayer adds the ceremonial      
element1 'attending upon the gods4'     
,when further interrogated by ,socrates 
as to the nature of this 'attention to  
the gods1' he replies1 that piety is an 
affair of business1 a science of giving 
and asking1 and the like4 ,socrates     

points out the anthropomorphism of these
 notions1 7compare ,symp42 ,republic2   
,politicus47 ,but when we expect him to 
go on and show that the true service of 
the gods is the service of the spirit   
and the co-operation with them in all   
things true and good1 he stops short2   
this was a lesson which the soothsayer  
could not have been made to understand1 
and which every one must learn for      
himself4  ,there seem to be altogether  
three aims or interests in this little  
,dialogue3 7#a7 the dialectical         
development of the idea of piety2 7#b7  
the antithesis of true and false        
religion1 which is carried to a certain 
extent only2 7#c7 the defence of        
,socrates4  ,the subtle connection with 
the ,apology and the ,crito2 the holding
 back of the conclusion1 as in the      
,charmides1 ,lysis1 ,laches1            
,protagoras1 and other ,dialogues2 the  
deep insight into the religious world2  
the dramatic power and play of the two  
characters2 the inimitable irony1 are   

reasons for believing that the          
,euthyphro is a genuine ,platonic       
writing4 ,the spirit in which the       
popular representations of mythology are
 denounced recalls ,republic ,,ii4 ,the 
virtue of piety has been already        
mentioned as one of five in the         
,protagoras1 but is not reckoned among  
the four cardinal virtues of ,republic  
,,iv4 ,the figure of ,daedalus has      
occurred in the ,meno2 that of ,proteus 
in the ,euthydemus and ,io4 ,the kingly 
science has already appeared in the     
,euthydemus1 and will reappear in the   
,republic and ,statesman4 ,but neither  
from these nor any other indications of 
similarity or difference1 and still less
 from arguments respecting the          
suitableness of this little work to aid 
,socrates at the time of his trial or   
the reverse1 can any evidence of the    
date be obtained4     ,,euthyphro       
,,persons ,,of ,,the ,,dialogue3        
,socrates1 ,euthyphro4  ,,scene3 ,the   
,porch of the ,king ,archon4            

,,euthyphro3 ,why have you left the     
,lyceum1 ,socrates8 and what are you    
doing in the ,porch of the ,king        
,archon8 ,surely you cannot be concerned
 in a suit before the ,king1 like       
myself8  ,,socrates3 ,not in a suit1    
,euthyphro2 impeachment is the word     
which the ,athenians use4  ,,euthyphro3 
,what6 ,i suppose that some one has been
 prosecuting you1 for ,i cannot believe 
that you are the prosecutor of another4 
,,socrates3 ,certainly not4             
,,euthyphro3 ,then some one else has    
been prosecuting you8  ,,socrates3 ,yes4
  ,,euthyphro3 ,and who is he8          
,,socrates3 ,a young man who is little  
known1 ,euthyphro2 and ,i hardly know   
him3 his name is ,meletus1 and he is of 
the deme of ,pitthis4 ,perhaps you may  
remember his appearance2 he has a beak1 
and long straight hair1 and a beard     
which is ill grown4  ,,euthyphro3 ,no1  
,i do not remember him1 ,socrates4 ,but 
what is the charge which he brings      
against you8  ,,socrates3 ,what is the  

charge8 ,well1 a very serious charge1   
which shows a good deal of character in 
the young man1 and for which he is      
certainly not to be despised4 ,he says  
he knows how the youth are corrupted and
 who are their corruptors4 ,i fancy that
 he must be a wise man1 and seeing that 
,i am the reverse of a wise man1 he has 
found me out1 and is going to accuse me 
of corrupting his young friends4 ,and of
 this our mother the state is to be the 
judge4 ,of all our political men he is  
the only one who seems to me to begin in
 the right way1 with the cultivation of 
virtue in youth2 like a good husbandman1
 he makes the young shoots his first    
care1 and clears away us who are the    
destroyers of them4 ,this is only the   
first step2 he will afterwards attend to
 the elder branches2 and if he goes on  
as he has begun1 he will be a very great
 public benefactor4  ,,euthyphro3 ,i    
hope that he may2 but ,i rather fear1   
,socrates1 that the opposite will turn  
out to be the truth4 ,my opinion is that

 in attacking you he is simply aiming a 
blow at the foundation of the state4    
,but in what way does he say that you   
corrupt the young8  ,,socrates3 ,he     
brings a wonderful accusation against   
me1 which at first hearing excites      
surprise3 he says that ,i am a poet or  
maker of gods1 and that ,i invent new   
gods and deny the existence of old ones2
 this is the ground of his indictment4  
,,euthyphro3 ,i understand1 ,socrates2  
he means to attack you about the        
familiar sign which occasionally1 as you
 say1 comes to you4 ,he thinks that you 
are a neologian1 and he is going to have
 you up before the court for this4 ,he  
knows that such a charge is readily     
received by the world1 as ,i myself know
 too well2 for when ,i speak in the     
assembly about divine things1 and       
foretell the future to them1 they laugh 
at me and think me a madman4 ,yet every 
word that ,i say is true4 ,but they are 
jealous of us all2 and we must be brave 
and go at them4  ,,socrates3 ,their     

laughter1 friend ,euthyphro1 is not a   
matter of much consequence4 ,for a man  
may be thought wise2 but the ,athenians1
 ,i suspect1 do not much trouble        
themselves about him until he begins to 
impart his wisdom to others1 and then   
for some reason or other1 perhaps1 as   
you say1 from jealousy1 they are angry4 
,,euthyphro3 ,i am never likely to try  
their temper in this way4  ,,socrates3  
,i dare say not1 for you are reserved in
 your behaviour1 and seldom impart your 
wisdom4 ,but ,i have a benevolent habit 
of pouring out myself to everybody1 and 
would even pay for a listener1 and ,i am
 afraid that the ,athenians may think me
 too talkative4 ,now if1 as ,i was      
saying1 they would only laugh at me1 as 
you say that they laugh at you1 the time
 might pass gaily enough in the court2  
but perhaps they may be in earnest1 and 
then what the end will be you           
soothsayers only can predict4           
,,euthyphro3 ,i dare say that the affair
 will end in nothing1 ,socrates1 and    

that you will win your cause2 and ,i    
think that ,i shall win my own4         
,,socrates3 ,and what is your suit1     
,euthyphro8 are you the pursuer or the  
defendant8  ,,euthyphro3 ,i am the      
pursuer4  ,,socrates3 ,of whom8         
,,euthyphro3 ,you will think me mad when
 ,i tell you4  ,,socrates3 ,why1 has the
 fugitive wings8  ,,euthyphro3 ,nay1 he 
is not very volatile at his time of     
life4  ,,socrates3 ,who is he8          
,,euthyphro3 ,my father4  ,,socrates3   
,your father6 my good man8  ,,euthyphro3
 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,and of what is he  
accused8  ,,euthyphro3 ,of murder1      
,socrates4  ,,socrates3 ,by the powers1 
,euthyphro6 how little does the common  
herd know of the nature of right and    
truth4 ,a man must be an extraordinary  
man1 and have made great strides in     
wisdom1 before he could have seen his   
way to bring such an action4            
,,euthyphro3 ,indeed1 ,socrates1 he     
must4  ,,socrates3 ,i suppose that the  
man whom your father murdered was one of

 your relatives--clearly he was2 for if 
he had been a stranger you would never  
have thought of prosecuting him4        
,,euthyphro3 ,i am amused1 ,socrates1 at
 your making a distinction between one  
who is a relation and one who is not a  
relation2 for surely the pollution is   
the same in either case1 if you         
knowingly associate with the murderer   
when you ought to clear yourself and him
 by proceeding against him4 ,the real   
question is whether the murdered man has
 been justly slain4 ,if justly1 then    
your duty is to let the matter alone2   
but if unjustly1 then even if the       
murderer lives under the same roof with 
you and eats at the same table1 proceed 
against him4 ,now the man who is dead   
was a poor dependant of mine who worked 
for us as a field labourer on our farm  
in ,naxos1 and one day in a fit of      
drunken passion he got into a quarrel   
with one of our domestic servants and   
slew him4 ,my father bound him hand and 
foot and threw him into a ditch1 and    

then sent to ,athens to ask of a diviner
 what he should do with him4 ,meanwhile 
he never attended to him and took no    
care about him1 for he regarded him as a
 murderer2 and thought that no great    
harm would be done even if he did die4  
,now this was just what happened4 ,for  
such was the effect of cold and hunger  
and chains upon him1 that before the    
messenger returned from the diviner1 he 
was dead4 ,and my father and family are 
angry with me for taking the part of the
 murderer and prosecuting my father4    
,they say that he did not kill him1 and 
that if he did1 the dead man was but a  
murderer1 and ,i ought not to take any  
notice1 for that a son is impious who   
prosecutes a father4 ,which shows1      
,socrates1 how little they know what the
 gods think about piety and impiety4    
,,socrates3 ,good heavens1 ,euthyphro6  
and is your knowledge of religion and of
 things pious and impious so very exact1
 that1 supposing the circumstances to be
 as you state them1 you are not afraid  

lest you too may be doing an impious    
thing in bringing an action against your
 father8  ,,euthyphro3 ,the best of     
,euthyphro1 and that which distinguishes
 him1 ,socrates1 from other men1 is his 
exact knowledge of all such matters4    
,what should ,i be good for without it8 
,,socrates3 ,rare friend6 ,i think that 
,i cannot do better than be your        
disciple4 ,then before the trial with   
,meletus comes on ,i shall challenge    
him1 and say that ,i have always had a  
great interest in religious questions1  
and now1 as he charges me with rash     
imaginations and innovations in         
religion1 ,i have become your disciple4 
,you1 ,meletus1 as ,i shall say to him1 
acknowledge ,euthyphro to be a great    
theologian1 and sound in his opinions2  
and if you approve of him you ought to  
approve of me1 and not have me into     
court2 but if you disapprove1 you should
 begin by indicting him who is my       
teacher1 and who will be the ruin1 not  
of the young1 but of the old2 that is to

 say1 of myself whom he instructs1 and  
of his old father whom he admonishes and
 chastises4 ,and if ,meletus refuses to 
listen to me1 but will go on1 and will  
not shift the indictment from me to you1
 ,i cannot do better than repeat this   
challenge in the court4  ,,euthyphro3   
,yes1 indeed1 ,socrates2 and if he      
attempts to indict me ,i am mistaken if 
,i do not find a flaw in him2 the court 
shall have a great deal more to say to  
him than to me4  ,,socrates3 ,and ,i1 my
 dear friend1 knowing this1 am desirous 
of becoming your disciple4 ,for ,i      
observe that no one appears to notice   
you--not even this ,meletus2 but his    
sharp eyes have found me out at once1   
and he has indicted me for impiety4 ,and
 therefore1 ,i adjure you to tell me the
 nature of piety and impiety1 which you 
said that you knew so well1 and of      
murder1 and of other offences against   
the gods4 ,what are they8 ,is not piety 
in every action always the same8 and    
impiety1 again--is it not always the    

opposite of piety1 and also the same    
with itself1 having1 as impiety1 one    
notion which includes whatever is       
impious8  ,,euthyphro3 ,to be sure1     
,socrates4  ,,socrates3 ,and what is    
piety1 and what is impiety8             
,,euthyphro3 ,piety is doing as ,i am   
doing2 that is to say1 prosecuting any  
one who is guilty of murder1 sacrilege1 
or of any similar crime--whether he be  
your father or mother1 or whoever he may
 be--that makes no difference2 and not  
to prosecute them is impiety4 ,and      
please to consider1 ,socrates1 what a   
notable proof ,i will give you of the   
truth of my words1 a proof which ,i have
 already given to others3--of the       
principle1 ,i mean1 that the impious1   
whoever he may be1 ought not to go      
unpunished4 ,for do not men regard ,zeus
 as the best and most righteous of the  
gods8--and yet they admit that he bound 
his father 7,cronos7 because he wickedly
 devoured his sons1 and that he too had 
punished his own father 7,uranus7 for a 

similar reason1 in a nameless manner4   
,and yet when ,i proceed against my     
father1 they are angry with me4 ,so     
inconsistent are they in their way of   
talking when the gods are concerned1 and
 when ,i am concerned4  ,,socrates3 ,may
 not this be the reason1 ,euthyphro1 why
 ,i am charged with impiety--that ,i    
cannot away with these stories about the
 gods8 and therefore ,i suppose that    
people think me wrong4 ,but1 as you who 
are well informed about them approve of 
them1 ,i cannot do better than assent to
 your superior wisdom4 ,what else can ,i
 say1 confessing as ,i do1 that ,i know 
nothing about them8 ,tell me1 for the   
love of ,zeus1 whether you really       
believe that they are true4             
,,euthyphro3 ,yes1 ,socrates2 and things
 more wonderful still1 of which the     
world is in ignorance4  ,,socrates3 ,and
 do you really believe that the gods    
fought with one another1 and had dire   
quarrels1 battles1 and the like1 as the 
poets say1 and as you may see           

represented in the works of great       
artists8 ,the temples are full of them2 
and notably the robe of ,athene1 which  
is carried up to the ,acropolis at the  
great ,panathenaea1 is embroidered with 
them4 ,are all these tales of the gods  
true1 ,euthyphro8  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes1   
,socrates2 and1 as ,i was saying1 ,i can
 tell you1 if you would like to hear    
them1 many other things about the gods  
which would quite amaze you4            
,,socrates3 ,i dare say2 and you shall  
tell me them at some other time when ,i 
have leisure4 ,but just at present ,i   
would rather hear from you a more       
precise answer1 which you have not as   
yet given1 my friend1 to the question1  
,what is 'piety'8 ,when asked1 you only 
replied1 ,doing as you do1 charging your
 father with murder4  ,,euthyphro3 ,and 
what ,i said was true1 ,socrates4       
,,socrates3 ,no doubt1 ,euthyphro2 but  
you would admit that there are many     
other pious acts8  ,,euthyphro3 ,there  
are4  ,,socrates3 ,remember that ,i did 

not ask you to give me two or three     
examples of piety1 but to explain the   
general idea which makes all pious      
things to be pious4 ,do you not         
recollect that there was one idea which 
made the impious impious1 and the pious 
pious8  ,,euthyphro3 ,i remember4       
,,socrates3 ,tell me what is the nature 
of this idea1 and then ,i shall have a  
standard to which ,i may look1 and by   
which ,i may measure actions1 whether   
yours or those of any one else1 and then
 ,i shall be able to say that such and  
such an action is pious1 such another   
impious4  ,,euthyphro3 ,i will tell you1
 if you like4  ,,socrates3 ,i should    
very much like4  ,,euthyphro3 ,piety1   
then1 is that which is dear to the gods1
 and impiety is that which is not dear  
to them4  ,,socrates3 ,very good1       
,euthyphro2 you have now given me the   
sort of answer which ,i wanted4 ,but    
whether what you say is true or not ,i  
cannot as yet tell1 although ,i make no 
doubt that you will prove the truth of  

your words4  ,,euthyphro3 ,of course4   
,,socrates3 ,come1 then1 and let us     
examine what we are saying4 ,that thing 
or person which is dear to the gods is  
pious1 and that thing or person which is
 hateful to the gods is impious1 these  
two being the extreme opposites of one  
another4 ,was not that said8            
,,euthyphro3 ,it was4  ,,socrates3 ,and 
well said8  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes1          
,socrates1 ,i thought so2 it was        
certainly said4  ,,socrates3 ,and       
further1 ,euthyphro1 the gods were      
admitted to have enmities and hatreds   
and differences8  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes1    
that was also said4  ,,socrates3 ,and   
what sort of difference creates enmity  
and anger8 ,suppose for example that you
 and ,i1 my good friend1 differ about a 
number2 do differences of this sort make
 us enemies and set us at variance with 
one another8 ,do we not go at once to   
arithmetic1 and put an end to them by a 
sum8  ,,euthyphro3 ,true4  ,,socrates3  
,or suppose that we differ about        

magnitudes1 do we not quickly end the   
differences by measuring8  ,,euthyphro3 
,very true4  ,,socrates3 ,and we end a  
controversy about heavy and light by    
resorting to a weighing machine8        
,,euthyphro3 ,to be sure4  ,,socrates3  
,but what differences are there which   
cannot be thus decided1 and which       
therefore make us angry and set us at   
enmity with one another8 ,i dare say the
 answer does not occur to you at the    
moment1 and therefore ,i will suggest   
that these enmities arise when the      
matters of difference are the just and  
unjust1 good and evil1 honourable and   
dishonourable4 ,are not these the points
 about which men differ1 and about which
 when we are unable satisfactorily to   
decide our differences1 you and ,i and  
all of us quarrel1 when we do quarrel8  
7,compare ,alcib47  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes1  
,socrates1 the nature of the differences
 about which we quarrel is such as you  
describe4  ,,socrates3 ,and the quarrels
 of the gods1 noble ,euthyphro1 when    

they occur1 are of a like nature8       
,,euthyphro3 ,certainly they are4       
,,socrates3 ,they have differences of   
opinion1 as you say1 about good and     
evil1 just and unjust1 honourable and   
dishonourable3 there would have been no 
quarrels among them1 if there had been  
no such differences--would there now8   
,,euthyphro3 ,you are quite right4      
,,socrates3 ,does not every man love    
that which he deems noble and just and  
good1 and hate the opposite of them8    
,,euthyphro3 ,very true4  ,,socrates3   
,but1 as you say1 people regard the same
 things1 some as just and others as     
unjust1--about these they dispute2 and  
so there arise wars and fightings among 
them4  ,,euthyphro3 ,very true4         
,,socrates3 ,then the same things are   
hated by the gods and loved by the gods1
 and are both hateful and dear to them8 
,,euthyphro3 ,true4  ,,socrates3 ,and   
upon this view the same things1         
,euthyphro1 will be pious and also      
impious8  ,,euthyphro3 ,so ,i should    

suppose4  ,,socrates3 ,then1 my friend1 
,i remark with surprise that you have   
not answered the question which ,i      
asked4 ,for ,i certainly did not ask you
 to tell me what action is both pious   
and impious3 but now it would seem that 
what is loved by the gods is also hated 
by them4 ,and therefore1 ,euthyphro1 in 
thus chastising your father you may very
 likely be doing what is agreeable to   
,zeus but disagreeable to ,cronos or    
,uranus1 and what is acceptable to      
,hephaestus but unacceptable to ,here1  
and there may be other gods who have    
similar differences of opinion4         
,,euthyphro3 ,but ,i believe1 ,socrates1
 that all the gods would be agreed as to
 the propriety of punishing a murderer3 
there would be no difference of opinion 
about that4  ,,socrates3 ,well1 but     
speaking of men1 ,euthyphro1 did you    
ever hear any one arguing that a        
murderer or any sort of evil-doer ought 
to be let off8  ,,euthyphro3 ,i should  
rather say that these are the questions 

which they are always arguing1          
especially in courts of law3 they commit
 all sorts of crimes1 and there is      
nothing which they will not do or say in
 their own defence4  ,,socrates3 ,but do
 they admit their guilt1 ,euthyphro1 and
 yet say that they ought not to be      
punished8  ,,euthyphro3 ,no2 they do    
not4  ,,socrates3 ,then there are some  
things which they do not venture to say 
and do3 for they do not venture to argue
 that the guilty are to be unpunished1  
but they deny their guilt1 do they not8 
,,euthyphro3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,then   
they do not argue that the evil-doer    
should not be punished1 but they argue  
about the fact of who the evil-doer is1 
and what he did and when8  ,,euthyphro3 
,true4  ,,socrates3 ,and the gods are in
 the same case1 if as you assert they   
quarrel about just and unjust1 and some 
of them say while others deny that      
injustice is done among them4 ,for      
surely neither ,god nor man will ever   
venture to say that the doer of         

injustice is not to be punished8        
,,euthyphro3 ,that is true1 ,socrates1  
in the main4  ,,socrates3 ,but they join
 issue about the particulars--gods and  
men alike2 and1 if they dispute at all1 
they dispute about some act which is    
called in question1 and which by some is
 affirmed to be just1 by others to be   
unjust4 ,is not that true8  ,,euthyphro3
 ,quite true4  ,,socrates3 ,well then1  
my dear friend ,euthyphro1 do tell me1  
for my better instruction and           
information1 what proof have you that in
 the opinion of all the gods a servant  
who is guilty of murder1 and is put in  
chains by the master of the dead man1   
and dies because he is put in chains    
before he who bound him can learn from  
the interpreters of the gods what he    
ought to do with him1 dies unjustly2 and
 that on behalf of such an one a son    
ought to proceed against his father and 
accuse him of murder4 ,how would you    
show that all the gods absolutely agree 
in approving of his act8 ,prove to me   

that they do1 and ,i will applaud your  
wisdom as long as ,i live4  ,,euthyphro3
 ,it will be a difficult task2 but ,i   
could make the matter very clear indeed 
to you4  ,,socrates3 ,i understand2 you 
mean to say that ,i am not so quick of  
apprehension as the judges3 for to them 
you will be sure to prove that the act  
is unjust1 and hateful to the gods4     
,,euthyphro3 ,yes indeed1 ,socrates2 at 
least if they will listen to me4        
,,socrates3 ,but they will be sure to   
listen if they find that you are a good 
speaker4 ,there was a notion that came  
into my mind while you were speaking2 ,i
 said to myself3 ',well1 and what if    
,euthyphro does prove to me that all the
 gods regarded the death of the serf as 
unjust1 how do ,i know anything more of 
the nature of piety and impiety8 for    
granting that this action may be hateful
 to the gods1 still piety and impiety   
are not adequately defined by these     
distinctions1 for that which is hateful 
to the gods has been shown to be also   

pleasing and dear to them4' ,and        
therefore1 ,euthyphro1 ,i do not ask you
 to prove this2 ,i will suppose1 if you 
like1 that all the gods condemn and     
abominate such an action4 ,but ,i will  
amend the definition so far as to say   
that what all the gods hate is impious1 
and what they love pious or holy2 and   
what some of them love and others hate  
is both or neither4 ,shall this be our  
definition of piety and impiety8        
,,euthyphro3 ,why not1 ,socrates8       
,,socrates3 ,why not6 certainly1 as far 
as ,i am concerned1 ,euthyphro1 there is
 no reason why not4 ,but whether this   
admission will greatly assist you in the
 task of instructing me as you promised1
 is a matter for you to consider4       
,,euthyphro3 ,yes1 ,i should say that   
what all the gods love is pious and     
holy1 and the opposite which they all   
hate1 impious4  ,,socrates3 ,ought we to
 enquire into the truth of this1        
,euthyphro1 or simply to accept the mere
 statement on our own authority and that

 of others8 ,what do you say8           
,,euthyphro3 ,we should enquire2 and ,i 
believe that the statement will stand   
the test of enquiry4  ,,socrates3 ,we   
shall know better1 my good friend1 in a 
little while4 ,the point which ,i should
 first wish to understand is whether the
 pious or holy is beloved by the gods   
because it is holy1 or holy because it  
is beloved of the gods4  ,,euthyphro3 ,i
 do not understand your meaning1        
,socrates4  ,,socrates3 ,i will         
endeavour to explain3 we1 speak of      
carrying and we speak of being carried1 
of leading and being led1 seeing and    
being seen4 ,you know that in all such  
cases there is a difference1 and you    
know also in what the difference lies8  
,,euthyphro3 ,i think that ,i           
understand4  ,,socrates3 ,and is not    
that which is beloved distinct from that
 which loves8  ,,euthyphro3 ,certainly4 
,,socrates3 ,well2 and now tell me1 is  
that which is carried in this state of  
carrying because it is carried1 or for  

some other reason8  ,,euthyphro3 ,no2   
that is the reason4  ,,socrates3 ,and   
the same is true of what is led and of  
what is seen8  ,,euthyphro3 ,true4      
,,socrates3 ,and a thing is not seen    
because it is visible1 but conversely1  
visible because it is seen2 nor is a    
thing led because it is in the state of 
being led1 or carried because it is in  
the state of being carried1 but the     
converse of this4 ,and now ,i think1    
,euthyphro1 that my meaning will be     
intelligible2 and my meaning is1 that   
any state of action or passion implies  
previous action or passion4 ,it does not
 become because it is becoming1 but it  
is in a state of becoming because it    
becomes2 neither does it suffer because 
it is in a state of suffering1 but it is
 in a state of suffering because it     
suffers4 ,do you not agree8             
,,euthyphro3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,is not 
that which is loved in some state either
 of becoming or suffering8  ,,euthyphro3
 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,and the same holds 

as in the previous instances2 the state 
of being loved follows the act of being 
loved1 and not the act the state4       
,,euthyphro3 ,certainly4  ,,socrates3   
,and what do you say of piety1          
,euthyphro3 is not piety1 according to  
your definition1 loved by all the gods8 
,,euthyphro3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,because
 it is pious or holy1 or for some other 
reason8  ,,euthyphro3 ,no1 that is the  
reason4  ,,socrates3 ,it is loved       
because it is holy1 not holy because it 
is loved8  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes4           
,,socrates3 ,and that which is dear to  
the gods is loved by them1 and is in a  
state to be loved of them because it is 
loved of them8  ,,euthyphro3 ,certainly4
  ,,socrates3 ,then that which is dear  
to the gods1 ,euthyphro1 is not holy1   
nor is that which is holy loved of ,god1
 as you affirm2 but they are two        
different things4  ,,euthyphro3 ,how do 
you mean1 ,socrates8  ,,socrates3 ,i    
mean to say that the holy has been      
acknowledged by us to be loved of ,god  

because it is holy1 not to be holy      
because it is loved4  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes4
  ,,socrates3 ,but that which is dear to
 the gods is dear to them because it is 
loved by them1 not loved by them because
 it is dear to them4  ,,euthyphro3      
,true4  ,,socrates3 ,but1 friend        
,euthyphro1 if that which is holy is the
 same with that which is dear to ,god1  
and is loved because it is holy1 then   
that which is dear to ,god would have   
been loved as being dear to ,god2 but if
 that which is dear to ,god is dear to  
him because loved by him1 then that     
which is holy would have been holy      
because loved by him4 ,but now you see  
that the reverse is the case1 and that  
they are quite different from one       
another4 ,for one 7theophiles7 is of a  
kind to be loved cause it is loved1 and 
the other 7osion7 is loved because it is
 of a kind to be loved4 ,thus you appear
 to me1 ,euthyphro1 when ,i ask you what
 is the essence of holiness1 to offer an
 attribute only1 and not the            

essence--the attribute of being loved by
 all the gods4 ,but you still refuse to 
explain to me the nature of holiness4   
,and therefore1 if you please1 ,i will  
ask you not to hide your treasure1 but  
to tell me once more what holiness or   
piety really is1 whether dear to the    
gods or not 7for that is a matter about 
which we will not quarrel72 and what is 
impiety8  ,,euthyphro3 ,i really do not 
know1 ,socrates1 how to express what ,i 
mean4 ,for somehow or other our         
arguments1 on whatever ground we rest   
them1 seem to turn round and walk away  
from us4  ,,socrates3 ,your words1      
,euthyphro1 are like the handiwork of my
 ancestor ,daedalus2 and if ,i were the 
sayer or propounder of them1 you might  
say that my arguments walk away and will
 not remain fixed where they are placed 
because ,i am a descendant of his4 ,but 
now1 since these notions are your own1  
you must find some other gibe1 for they 
certainly1 as you yourself allow1 show  
an inclination to be on the move4       

,,euthyphro3 ,nay1 ,socrates1 ,i shall  
still say that you are the ,daedalus who
 sets arguments in motion2 not ,i1      
certainly1 but you make them move or go 
round1 for they would never have        
stirred1 as far as ,i am concerned4     
,,socrates3 ,then ,i must be a greater  
than ,daedalus3 for whereas he only made
 his own inventions to move1 ,i move    
those of other people as well4 ,and the 
beauty of it is1 that ,i would rather   
not4 ,for ,i would give the wisdom of   
,daedalus1 and the wealth of ,tantalus1 
to be able to detain them and keep them 
fixed4 ,but enough of this4 ,as ,i      
perceive that you are lazy1 ,i will     
myself endeavour to show you how you    
might instruct me in the nature of      
piety2 and ,i hope that you will not    
grudge your labour4 ,tell me1 then--,is 
not that which is pious necessarily     
just8  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3  
,and is1 then1 all which is just pious8 
or1 is that which is pious all just1 but
 that which is just1 only in part and   

not all1 pious8  ,,euthyphro3 ,i do not 
understand you1 ,socrates4  ,,socrates3 
,and yet ,i know that you are as much   
wiser than ,i am1 as you are younger4   
,but1 as ,i was saying1 revered friend1 
the abundance of your wisdom makes you  
lazy4 ,please to exert yourself1 for    
there is no real difficulty in          
understanding me4 ,what ,i mean ,i may  
explain by an illustration of what ,i do
 not mean4 ,the poet 7,stasinus7 sings--
  ',of ,zeus1 the author and creator of 
all these things1 ,you will not tell3   
for where there is fear there is also   
reverence4'  ,now ,i disagree with this 
poet4 ,shall ,i tell you in what        
respect8  ,,euthyphro3 ,by all means4   
,,socrates3 ,i should not say that where
 there is fear there is also reverence2 
for ,i am sure that many persons fear   
poverty and disease1 and the like evils1
 but ,i do not perceive that they       
reverence the objects of their fear4    
,,euthyphro3 ,very true4  ,,socrates3   
,but where reverence is1 there is fear2 

for he who has a feeling of reverence   
and shame about the commission of any   
action1 fears and is afraid of an ill   
reputation4  ,,euthyphro3 ,no doubt4    
,,socrates3 ,then we are wrong in saying
 that where there is fear there is also 
reverence2 and we should say1 where     
there is reverence there is also fear4  
,but there is not always reverence where
 there is fear2 for fear is a more      
extended notion1 and reverence is a part
 of fear1 just as the odd is a part of  
number1 and number is a more extended   
notion than the odd4 ,i suppose that you
 follow me now8  ,,euthyphro3 ,quite    
well4  ,,socrates3 ,that was the sort of
 question which ,i meant to raise when  
,i asked whether the just is always the 
pious1 or the pious always the just2 and
 whether there may not be justice where 
there is not piety2 for justice is the  
more extended notion of which piety is  
only a part4 ,do you dissent8           
,,euthyphro3 ,no1 ,i think that you are 
quite right4  ,,socrates3 ,then1 if     

piety is a part of justice1 ,i suppose  
that we should enquire what part8 ,if   
you had pursued the enquiry in the      
previous cases2 for instance1 if you had
 asked me what is an even number1 and   
what part of number the even is1 ,i     
should have had no difficulty in        
replying1 a number which represents a   
figure having two equal sides4 ,do you  
not agree8  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes1 ,i quite 
agree4  ,,socrates3 ,in like manner1 ,i 
want you to tell me what part of justice
 is piety or holiness1 that ,i may be   
able to tell ,meletus not to do me      
injustice1 or indict me for impiety1 as 
,i am now adequately instructed by you  
in the nature of piety or holiness1 and 
their opposites4  ,,euthyphro3 ,piety or
 holiness1 ,socrates1 appears to me to  
be that part of justice which attends to
 the gods1 as there is the other part of
 justice which attends to men4          
,,socrates3 ,that is good1 ,euthyphro2  
yet still there is a little point about 
which ,i should like to have further    

information1 ,what is the meaning of    
'attention'8 ,for attention can hardly  
be used in the same sense when applied  
to the gods as when applied to other    
things4 ,for instance1 horses are said  
to require attention1 and not every     
person is able to attend to them1 but   
only a person skilled in horsemanship4  
,is it not so8  ,,euthyphro3 ,certainly4
  ,,socrates3 ,i should suppose that the
 art of horsemanship is the art of      
attending to horses8  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes4
  ,,socrates3 ,nor is every one         
qualified to attend to dogs1 but only   
the huntsman8  ,,euthyphro3 ,true4      
,,socrates3 ,and ,i should also conceive
 that the art of the huntsman is the art
 of attending to dogs8  ,,euthyphro3    
,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,as the art of the   
oxherd is the art of attending to oxen8 
,,euthyphro3 ,very true4  ,,socrates3   
,in like manner holiness or piety is the
 art of attending to the gods8--that    
would be your meaning1 ,euthyphro8      
,,euthyphro3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,and is 

not attention always designed for the   
good or benefit of that to which the    
attention is given8 ,as in the case of  
horses1 you may observe that when       
attended to by the horseman's art they  
are benefited and improved1 are they    
not8  ,,euthyphro3 ,true4  ,,socrates3  
,as the dogs are benefited by the       
huntsman's art1 and the oxen by the art 
of the oxherd1 and all other things are 
tended or attended for their good and   
not for their hurt8  ,,euthyphro3       
,certainly1 not for their hurt4         
,,socrates3 ,but for their good8        
,,euthyphro3 ,of course4  ,,socrates3   
,and does piety or holiness1 which has  
been defined to be the art of attending 
to the gods1 benefit or improve them8   
,would you say that when you do a holy  
act you make any of the gods better8    
,,euthyphro3 ,no1 no2 that was certainly
 not what ,i meant4  ,,socrates3 ,and   
,i1 ,euthyphro1 never supposed that you 
did4 ,i asked you the question about the
 nature of the attention1 because ,i    

thought that you did not4  ,,euthyphro3 
,you do me justice1 ,socrates2 that is  
not the sort of attention which ,i mean4
  ,,socrates3 ,good3 but ,i must still  
ask what is this attention to the gods  
which is called piety8  ,,euthyphro3 ,it
 is such1 ,socrates1 as servants show to
 their masters4  ,,socrates3 ,i         
understand--a sort of ministration to   
the gods4  ,,euthyphro3 ,exactly4       
,,socrates3 ,medicine is also a sort of 
ministration or service1 having in view 
the attainment of some object--would you
 not say of health8  ,,euthyphro3 ,i    
should4  ,,socrates3 ,again1 there is an
 art which ministers to the ship-builder
 with a view to the attainment of some  
result8  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes1 ,socrates1  
with a view to the building of a ship4  
,,socrates3 ,as there is an art which   
ministers to the house-builder with a   
view to the building of a house8        
,,euthyphro3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,and now
 tell me1 my good friend1 about the art 
which ministers to the gods3 what work  

does that help to accomplish8 ,for you  
must surely know if1 as you say1 you are
 of all men living the one who is best  
instructed in religion4  ,,euthyphro3   
,and ,i speak the truth1 ,socrates4     
,,socrates3 ,tell me then1 oh tell      
me--what is that fair work which the    
gods do by the help of our              
ministrations8  ,,euthyphro3 ,many and  
fair1 ,socrates1 are the works which    
they do4  ,,socrates3 ,why1 my friend1  
and so are those of a general4 ,but the 
chief of them is easily told4 ,would you
 not say that victory in war is the     
chief of them8  ,,euthyphro3 ,certainly4
  ,,socrates3 ,many and fair1 too1 are  
the works of the husbandman1 if ,i am   
not mistaken2 but his chief work is the 
production of food from the earth8      
,,euthyphro3 ,exactly4  ,,socrates3 ,and
 of the many and fair things done by the
 gods1 which is the chief or principal  
one8  ,,euthyphro3 ,i have told you     
already1 ,socrates1 that to learn all   
these things accurately will be very    

tiresome4 ,let me simply say that piety 
or holiness is learning how to please   
the gods in word and deed1 by prayers   
and sacrifices4 ,such piety is the      
salvation of families and states1 just  
as the impious1 which is unpleasing to  
the gods1 is their ruin and destruction4
  ,,socrates3 ,i think that you could   
have answered in much fewer words the   
chief question which ,i asked1          
,euthyphro1 if you had chosen4 ,but ,i  
see plainly that you are not disposed to
 instruct me--clearly not3 else why1    
when we reached the point1 did you turn 
aside8 ,had you only answered me ,i     
should have truly learned of you by this
 time the nature of piety4 ,now1 as the 
asker of a question is necessarily      
dependent on the answerer1 whither he   
leads ,i must follow2 and can only ask  
again1 what is the pious1 and what is   
piety8 ,do you mean that they are a sort
 of science of praying and sacrificing8 
,,euthyphro3 ,yes1 ,i do4  ,,socrates3  
,and sacrificing is giving to the gods1 

and prayer is asking of the gods8       
,,euthyphro3 ,yes1 ,socrates4           
,,socrates3 ,upon this view1 then1 piety
 is a science of asking and giving8     
,,euthyphro3 ,you understand me         
capitally1 ,socrates4  ,,socrates3 ,yes1
 my friend2 the reason is that ,i am a  
votary of your science1 and give my mind
 to it1 and therefore nothing which you 
say will be thrown away upon me4 ,please
 then to tell me1 what is the nature of 
this service to the gods8 ,do you mean  
that we prefer requests and give gifts  
to them8  ,,euthyphro3 ,yes1 ,i do4     
,,socrates3 ,is not the right way of    
asking to ask of them what we want8     
,,euthyphro3 ,certainly4  ,,socrates3   
,and the right way of giving is to give 
to them in return what they want of us4 
,there would be no meaning in an art    
which gives to any one that which he    
does not want4  ,,euthyphro3 ,very true1
 ,socrates4  ,,socrates3 ,then piety1   
,euthyphro1 is an art which gods and men
 have of doing business with one        

another8  ,,euthyphro3 ,that is an      
expression which you may use1 if you    
like4  ,,socrates3 ,but ,i have no      
particular liking for anything but the  
truth4 ,i wish1 however1 that you would 
tell me what benefit accrues to the gods
 from our gifts4 ,there is no doubt     
about what they give to us2 for there is
 no good thing which they do not give2  
but how we can give any good thing to   
them in return is far from being equally
 clear4 ,if they give everything and we 
give nothing1 that must be an affair of 
business in which we have very greatly  
the advantage of them4  ,,euthyphro3    
,and do you imagine1 ,socrates1 that any
 benefit accrues to the gods from our   
gifts8  ,,socrates3 ,but if not1        
,euthyphro1 what is the meaning of gifts
 which are conferred by us upon the     
gods8  ,,euthyphro3 ,what else1 but     
tributes of honour2 and1 as ,i was just 
now saying1 what pleases them8          
,,socrates3 ,piety1 then1 is pleasing to
 the gods1 but not beneficial or dear to

 them8  ,,euthyphro3 ,i should say that 
nothing could be dearer4  ,,socrates3   
,then once more the assertion is        
repeated that piety is dear to the gods8
  ,,euthyphro3 ,certainly4  ,,socrates3 
,and when you say this1 can you wonder  
at your words not standing firm1 but    
walking away8 ,will you accuse me of    
being the ,daedalus who makes them walk 
away1 not perceiving that there is      
another and far greater artist than     
,daedalus who makes them go round in a  
circle1 and he is yourself2 for the     
argument1 as you will perceive1 comes   
round to the same point4 ,were we not   
saying that the holy or pious was not   
the same with that which is loved of the
 gods8 ,have you forgotten8             
,,euthyphro3 ,i quite remember4         
,,socrates3 ,and are you not saying that
 what is loved of the gods is holy2 and 
is not this the same as what is dear to 
them--do you see8  ,,euthyphro3 ,true4  
,,socrates3 ,then either we were wrong  
in our former assertion2 or1 if we were 

right then1 we are wrong now4           
,,euthyphro3 ,one of the two must be    
true4  ,,socrates3 ,then we must begin  
again and ask1 ,what is piety8 ,that is 
an enquiry which ,i shall never be weary
 of pursuing as far as in me lies2 and  
,i entreat you not to scorn me1 but to  
apply your mind to the utmost1 and tell 
me the truth4 ,for1 if any man knows1   
you are he2 and therefore ,i must detain
 you1 like ,proteus1 until you tell4 ,if
 you had not certainly known the nature 
of piety and impiety1 ,i am confident   
that you would never1 on behalf of a    
serf1 have charged your aged father with
 murder4 ,you would not have run such a 
risk of doing wrong in the sight of the 
gods1 and you would have had too much   
respect for the opinions of men4 ,i am  
sure1 therefore1 that you know the      
nature of piety and impiety4 ,speak out 
then1 my dear ,euthyphro1 and do not    
hide your knowledge4  ,,euthyphro3      
,another time1 ,socrates2 for ,i am in a
 hurry1 and must go now4  ,,socrates3   

,alas6 my companion1 and will you leave 
me in despair8 ,i was hoping that you   
would instruct me in the nature of piety
 and impiety2 and then ,i might have    
cleared myself of ,meletus and his      
indictment4 ,i would have told him that 
,i had been enlightened by ,euthyphro1  
and had given up rash innovations and   
speculations1 in which ,i indulged only 
through ignorance1 and that now ,i am   
about to lead a better life4