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Euth. I really do not know, Socrates, how to express what I mean.
For somehow or other our arguments, on whatever ground we rest them,
seem to turn round and walk away from us.
Soc. Your words, Euthyphro, are like the handiwork of my ancestor
Daedalus; and if I were the sayer or propounder of them, you might say
that my arguments walk away and will not remain fixed where they are
placed because I am a descendant of his. But now, since these
notions are your own, you must find some other gibe, for they
certainly, as you yourself allow, show an inclination to be on the
move.
Euth. Nay, Socrates, I shall still say that you are the Daedalus who
sets arguments in motion; not I, certainly, but you make them move
or go round, for they would never have stirred, as far as I am
concerned.
Soc. Then I must be a greater than Daedalus: for whereas he only
made his own inventions to move, I move those of other people as well.
And the beauty of it is, that I would rather not. For I would give the
wisdom of Daedalus, and the wealth of Tantalus, to be able to detain
them and keep them fixed. But enough of this. As I perceive that you
are lazy, I will myself endeavor to show you how you might instruct me
in the nature of piety; and I hope that you will not grudge your
labour. Tell me, then-Is not that which is pious necessarily just?
Euth. Yes.
Soc. And is, then, all which is just pious? or, is that which is
pious all just, but that which is just, only in part and not all,
pious?
Euth. I do not understand you, Socrates.
Soc. And yet I know that you are as much wiser than I am, as you are
younger. But, as I was saying, revered friend, the abundance of your
wisdom makes you lazy. Please to exert yourself, for there is no
real difficulty in understanding me. What I mean I may explain by an
illustration of what I do not mean. The poet (Stasinus) sings-
Of Zeus, the author and creator of all these things,
You will not tell: for where there is fear there is also
reverence.
Now I disagree with this poet. Shall I tell you in what respect?
Euth. By all means.
Soc. I should not say that where there is fear there is also
reverence; for I am sure that many persons fear poverty and disease,
and the like evils, but I do not perceive that they reverence the
objects of their fear.
Euth. Very true.
Soc. But where reverence is, there is fear; for he who has a feeling
of reverence and shame about the commission of any action, fears and
is afraid of an ill reputation.
Euth. No doubt.
Soc. Then we are wrong in saying that where there is fear there is
also reverence; and we should say, where there is reverence there is
also fear. But there is not always reverence where there is fear;
for fear is a more extended notion, and reverence is a part of fear,
just as the odd is a part of number, and number is a more extended
notion than the odd. I suppose that you follow me now?
Euth. Quite well.
Soc. That was the sort of question which I meant to raise when I
asked whether the just is always the pious, or the pious always the
just; and whether there may not be justice where there is not piety;
for justice is the more extended notion of which piety is only a part.
Do you dissent?
Euth. No, I think that you are quite right.
Soc. Then, if piety is a part of justice, I suppose that we should
enquire what part? If you had pursued the enquiry in the previous
cases; for instance, if you had asked me what is an even number, and
what part of number the even is, I should have had no difficulty in
replying, a number which represents a figure having two equal sides.
Do you not agree?
Euth. Yes, I quite agree.
Soc. In like manner, I want you to tell me what part of justice is
piety or holiness, that I may be able to tell Meletus not to do me
injustice, or indict me for impiety, as I am now adequately instructed
by you in the nature of piety or holiness, and their opposites.
Euth. Piety or holiness, Socrates, appears to me to be that part
of justice which attends to the gods, as there is the other part of
justice which attends to men.
Soc. That is good, Euthyphro; yet still there is a little point
about which I should like to have further information, What is the
meaning of "attention"? For attention can hardly be used in the same
sense when applied to the gods as when applied to other things. For
instance, horses are said to require attention, and not every person
is able to attend to them, but only a person skilled in
horsemanship. Is it not so?
Euth. Certainly.
Soc. I should suppose that the art of horsemanship is the art of
attending to horses?
Euth. Yes.
Soc. Nor is every one qualified to attend to dogs, but only the
huntsman?
Euth. True.
Soc. And I should also conceive that the art of the huntsman is
the art of attending to dogs?
Euth. Yes.
Soc. As the art of the ox herd is the art of attending to oxen?
Euth. Very true.
Soc. In like manner holiness or piety is the art of attending to the
gods?-that would be your meaning, Euthyphro?
Euth. Yes.
Soc. And is not attention always designed for the good or benefit of
that to which the attention is given? As in the case of horses, you
may observe that when attended to by the horseman's art they are
benefited and improved, are they not?
Euth. True.
Soc. As the dogs are benefited by the huntsman's art, and the oxen
by the art of the ox herd, and all other things are tended or attended
for their good and not for their hurt?
Euth. Certainly, not for their hurt.
Soc. But for their good?
Euth. Of course.
Soc. And does piety or holiness, which has been defined to be the
art of attending to the gods, benefit or improve them? Would you say
that when you do a holy act you make any of the gods better?
Euth. No, no; that was certainly not what I meant.
Soc. And I, Euthyphro, never supposed that you did. I asked you
the question about the nature of the attention, because I thought that
you did not.
Euth. You do me justice, Socrates; that is not the sort of attention
which I mean.
Soc. Good: but I must still ask what is this attention to the gods
which is called piety?
Euth. It is such, Socrates, as servants show to their masters.
Soc. I understand-a sort of ministration to the gods.
Euth. Exactly.
Soc. Medicine is also a sort of ministration or service, having in
view the attainment of some object-would you not say of health?
Euth. I should.
Soc. Again, there is an art which ministers to the ship-builder with
a view to the attainment of some result?
Euth. Yes, Socrates, with a view to the building of a ship.
Soc. As there is an art which ministers to the housebuilder with a
view to the building of a house?
Euth. Yes.
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