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Soc. And now tell me, my good friend, about the art which
ministers to the gods: what work does that help to accomplish? For you
must surely know if, as you say, you are of all men living the one who
is best instructed in religion.
Euth. And I speak the truth, Socrates.
Soc. Tell me then, oh tell me-what is that fair work which the
gods do by the help of our ministrations?
Euth. Many and fair, Socrates, are the works which they do.
Soc. Why, my friend, and so are those of a general. But the chief
of them is easily told. Would you not say that victory in war is the
chief of them?
Euth. Certainly.
Soc. Many and fair, too, are the works of the husbandman, if I am
not mistaken; but his chief work is the production of food from the
earth?
Euth. Exactly.
Soc. And of the many and fair things done by the gods, which is
the chief or principal one?
Euth. I have told you already, Socrates, that to learn all these
things accurately will be very tiresome. Let me simply say that
piety or holiness is learning, how to please the gods in word and
deed, by prayers and sacrifices. Such piety, is the salvation of
families and states, just as the impious, which is unpleasing to the
gods, is their ruin and destruction.
Soc. I think that you could have answered in much fewer words the
chief question which I asked, Euthyphro, if you had chosen. But I
see plainly that you are not disposed to instruct me-dearly not:
else why, when we reached the point, did you turn, aside? Had you only
answered me I should have truly learned of you by this time the-nature
of piety. Now, as the asker of a question is necessarily dependent
on the answerer, whither he leads-I must follow; and can only ask
again, what is the pious, and what is piety? Do you mean that they are
a, sort of science of praying and sacrificing?
Euth. Yes, I do.
Soc. And sacrificing is giving to the gods, and prayer is asking
of the gods?
Euth. Yes, Socrates.
Soc. Upon this view, then piety is a science of asking and giving?
Euth. You understand me capitally, Socrates.
Soc. Yes, my friend; the. reason is that I am a votary of your
science, and give my mind to it, and therefore nothing which you say
will be thrown away upon me. Please then to tell me, what is the
nature of this service to the gods? Do you mean that we prefer
requests and give gifts to them?
Euth. Yes, I do.
Soc. Is not the right way of asking to ask of them what we want?
Euth. Certainly.
Soc. And the right way of giving is to give to them in return
what they want of us. There would be no, in an art which gives to
any one that which he does not want.
Euth. Very true, Socrates.
Soc. Then piety, Euthyphro, is an art which gods and men have of
doing business with one another?
Euth. That is an expression which you may use, if you like.
Soc. But I have no particular liking for anything but the truth. I
wish, however, that you would tell me what benefit accrues to the gods
from our gifts. There is no doubt about what they give to us; for
there is no good thing which they do not give; but how we can give any
good thing to them in return is far from being equally clear. If
they give everything and we give nothing, that must be an affair of
business in which we have very greatly the advantage of them.
Euth. And do you imagine, Socrates, that any benefit accrues to
the gods from our gifts?
Soc. But if not, Euthyphro, what is the meaning of gifts which are
conferred by us upon the gods?
Euth. What else, but tributes of honour; and, as I was just now
saying, what pleases them?
Soc. Piety, then, is pleasing to the gods, but not beneficial or
dear to them?
Euth. I should say that nothing could be dearer.
Soc. Then once more the assertion is repeated that piety is dear
to the gods?
Euth. Certainly.
Soc. And when you say this, can you wonder at your words not
standing firm, but walking away? Will you accuse me of being the
Daedalus who makes them walk away, not perceiving that there is
another and far greater artist than Daedalus who makes them go round
in a circle, and he is yourself; for the argument, as you will
perceive, comes round to the same point. Were we not saying that the
holy or pious was not the same with that which is loved of the gods?
Have you forgotten?
Euth. I quite remember.
Soc. And are you not saying that what is loved of the gods is
holy; and is not this the same as what is dear to them-do you see?
Euth. True.
Soc. Then either we were wrong in former assertion; or, if we were
right then, we are wrong now.
Euth. One of the two must be true.
Soc. Then we must begin again and ask, What is piety? That is an
enquiry which I shall never be weary of pursuing as far as in me lies;
and I entreat you not to scorn me, but to apply your mind to the
utmost, and tell me the truth. For, if any man knows, you are he;
and therefore I must detain you, like Proteus, until you tell. If
you had not certainly known the nature of piety and impiety, I am
confident that you would never, on behalf of a serf, have charged your
aged father with murder. You would not have run such a risk of doing
wrong in the sight of the gods, and you would have had too much
respect for the opinions of men. I am sure, therefore, that you know
the nature of piety and impiety. Speak out then, my dear Euthyphro,
and do not hide your knowledge.
Euth. Another time, Socrates; for I am in a hurry, and must go now.
Soc. Alas! my companion, and will you leave me in despair? I was
hoping that you would instruct me in the nature of piety and
impiety; and then I might have cleared myself of Meletus and his
indictment. I would have told him that I had been enlightened by
Euthyphro, and had given up rash innovations and speculations, in
which I indulged only through ignorance, and that now I am about to
lead a better life.
-THE END-
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