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EUTHYPHRO1EUTHYPHROPlatoTranslatedbyBenjaminJowettEUTHYPHRO2INTRODUCTION.IntheMeno,AnytushadpartedfromSocrateswiththesignificantwords:'Thatinanycity,andparticularlyinthecityofAthens,itiseasiertodomenharmthantodothemgood;'andSocrateswasanticipatinganotheropportunityoftalkingwithhim.IntheEuthyphro,Socratesisawaitinghistrialforimpiety.Butbeforethetrialbegins,Platowouldliketoputtheworldontheirtrial,andconvincethemofignoranceinthatverymattertouchingwhichSocratesisaccused.AnincidentwhichmayperhapsreallyhaveoccurredinthefamilyofEuthyphro,alearnedAtheniandivinerandsoothsayer,furnishestheoccasionofthediscussion.ThisEuthyphroandSocratesarerepresentedasmeetingintheporchoftheKingArchon.(CompareTheaet.)Bothhavelegalbusinessinhand.SocratesisdefendantinasuitforimpietywhichMeletushasbroughtagainsthim(itisremarkedbythewaythatheisnotalikelymanhimselftohavebroughtasuitagainstanother);andEuthyphrotooisplaintiffinanactionformurder,whichhehasbroughtagainsthisownfather.Thelatterhasoriginatedinthefollowingmanner:--ApoordependantofthefamilyhadslainoneoftheirdomesticslavesinNaxos.TheguiltypersonwasboundandthrownintoaditchbythecommandofEuthyphro'sfather,whosenttotheinterpretersofreligionatAthenstoaskwhatshouldbedonewithhim.Beforethemessengercamebackthecriminalhaddiedfromhungerandexposure.ThisistheoriginofthechargeofmurderwhichEuthyphrobringsagainsthisfather.Socratesisconfidentthatbeforehecouldhaveundertakentheresponsibilityofsuchaprosecution,hemusthavebeenperfectlyinformedofthenatureofpietyandimpiety;andasheisgoingtobetriedforimpietyhimself,hethinksthathecannotdobetterthanlearnofEuthyphro(whowillbeadmittedbyeverybody,includingthejudges,tobeanunimpeachableauthority)whatpietyis,andwhatisimpiety.Whatthenispiety?Euthyphro,who,intheabundanceofhisknowledge,isverywillingtoundertakealltheresponsibility,replies:ThatpietyisdoingasIdo,prosecutingyourfather(ifheisguilty)onachargeofmurder;doingastheEUTHYPHRO3godsdo--asZeusdidtoCronos,andCronostoUranus.Socrateshasadisliketothesetalesofmythology,andhefanciesthatthisdislikeofhismaybethereasonwhyheischargedwithimpiety.'Aretheyreallytrue?''Yes,theyare;'andEuthyphrowillgladlytellSocratessomemoreofthem.ButSocrateswouldlikefirstofalltohaveamoresatisfactoryanswertothequestion,'Whatispiety?''DoingasIdo,chargingafatherwithmurder,'maybeasingleinstanceofpiety,butcanhardlyberegardedasageneraldefinition.Euthyphroreplies,that'Pietyiswhatisdeartothegods,andimpietyiswhatisnotdeartothem.'Butmaytherenotbedifferencesofopinion,asamongmen,soalsoamongthegods?Especially,aboutgoodandevil,whichhavenofixedrule;andthesearepreciselythesortofdifferenceswhichgiverisetoquarrels.Andthereforewhatmaybedeartoonegodmaynotbedeartoanother,andthesameactionmaybebothpiousandimpious;e.g.yourchastisementofyourfather,Euthyphro,maybedearorpleasingtoZeus(whoinflictedasimilarchastisementonhisownfather),butnotequallypleasingtoCronosorUranus(whosufferedatthehandsoftheirsons).Euthyphroanswersthatthereisnodifferenceofopinion,eitheramonggodsormen,astotheproprietyofpunishingamurderer.Yes,rejoinsSocrates,whentheyknowhimtobeamurderer;butyouareassumingthepointatissue.Ifallthecircumstancesofthecaseareconsidered,areyouabletoshowthatyourfatherwasguiltyofmurder,orthatallthegodsareagreedinapprovingofourprosecutionofhim?Andmustyounotallowthatwhatishatedbyonegodmaybelikedbyanother?Waivingthislast,however,Socratesproposestoamendthedefinition,andsaythat'whatallthegodsloveispious,andwhattheyallhateisimpious.'TothisEuthyphroagrees.Socratesproceedstoanalyzethenewformofthedefinition.Heshowsthatinothercasestheactprecedesthestate;e.g.theactofbeingcarried,loved,etc.precedesthestateofbeingcarried,loved,etc.,andthereforethatwhichisdeartothegodsisdeartothegodsbecauseitisfirstlovedofthem,notlovedofthembecauseitisdeartothem.Butthepiousorholyislovedbythegodsbecauseitispiousorholy,whichisequivalenttosaying,EUTHYPHRO4thatitislovedbythembecauseitisdeartothem.Herethenappearstobeacontradiction,--Euthyphrohasbeengivinganattributeoraccidentofpietyonly,andnottheessence.Euthyphroacknowledgeshimselfthathisexplanationsseemtowalkawayorgoroundinacircle,likethemovingfiguresofDaedalus,theancestorofSocrates,whohascommunicatedhisarttohisdescendants.Socrates,whoisdesirousofstimulatingtheindolentintelligenceofEuthyphro,raisesthequestioninanothermanner:'Isallthepiousjust?''Yes.''Isallthejustpious?''No.''Thenwhatpartofjusticeispiety?'Euthyphrorepliesthatpietyisthatpartofjusticewhich'attends'tothegods,asthereisanotherpartofjusticewhich'attends'tomen.Butwhatisthemeaningof'attending'tothegods?Theword'attending,'whenappliedtodogs,horses,andmen,impliesthatinsomewaytheyaremadebetter.Buthowdopiousorholyactsmakethegodsanybetter?Euthyphroexplainsthathemeansbypiousacts,actsofserviceorministration.Yes;buttheministrationsofthehusbandman,thephysician,andthebuilderhaveanend.Towhatenddoweservethegods,andwhatdowehelpthemtoaccomplish?Euthyphroreplies,thatallthesedifficultquestionscannotberesolvedinashorttime;andhewouldrathersaysimplythatpietyisknowinghowtopleasethegodsinwordanddeed,byprayersandsacrifices.Inother