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EUTHYPHRO
Plato

Translated by Benjamin Jowett
INTRODUCTION.
In the Meno, Anytus had parted from Socrates with the significant

words: 'That in any city, and particularly in the city of Athens, it is
easier to do men harm than to do them good;' and Socrates was
anticipating another opportunity of talking with him. In the Euthyphro,
Socrates is awaiting his trial for impiety. But before the trial begins,
Plato would like to put the world on their trial, and convince them of
ignorance in that very matter touching which Socrates is accused. An
incident which may perhaps really have occurred in the family of
Euthyphro, a learned Athenian diviner and soothsayer, furnishes the
occasion of the discussion.
This Euthyphro and Socrates are represented as meeting in the porch of
the King Archon. (Compare Theaet.) Both have legal business in hand.
Socrates is defendant in a suit for impiety which Meletus has brought
against him (it is remarked by the way that he is not a likely man
himself to have brought a suit against another); and Euthyphro too is
plaintiff in an action for murder, which he has brought against his own
father. The latter has originated in the following manner:--A poor
dependant of the family had slain one of their domestic slaves in Naxos.
The guilty person was bound and thrown into a ditch by the command
of Euthyphro's father, who sent to the interpreters of religion at Athens
to ask what should be done with him. Before the messenger came back
the criminal had died from hunger and exposure.
This is the origin of the charge of murder which Euthyphro brings
against his father. Socrates is confident that before he could have
undertaken the responsibility of such a prosecution, he must have been
perfectly informed of the nature of piety and impiety; and as he is
going to be tried for impiety himself, he thinks that he cannot do better
than learn of Euthyphro (who will be admitted by everybody, including
the judges, to be an unimpeachable authority) what piety is, and what is
impiety. What then is piety?
Euthyphro, who, in the abundance of his knowledge, is very willing to
undertake all the responsibility, replies: That piety is doing as I do,
prosecuting your father (if he is guilty) on a charge of murder; doing as
the gods do--as Zeus did to Cronos, and Cronos to Uranus.
Socrates has a dislike to these tales of mythology, and he fancies that

this dislike of his may be the reason why he is charged with impiety.
'Are they really true?' 'Yes, they are;' and Euthyphro will gladly tell
Socrates some more of them. But Socrates would like first of all to
have a more satisfactory answer to the question, 'What is piety?' 'Doing
as I do, charging a father with murder,' may be a single instance of
piety, but can hardly be regarded as a general definition.
Euthyphro replies, that 'Piety is what is dear to the gods, and impiety is
what is not dear to them.' But may there not be differences of opinion,
as among men, so also among the gods? Especially, about good and
evil, which have no fixed rule; and these are precisely the sort of
differences which give rise to quarrels. And therefore what may be dear
to one god may not be dear to another, and the same action may be both
pious and impious; e.g. your chastisement of your father, Euthyphro,
may be dear or pleasing to Zeus (who inflicted a similar chastisement
on his own father), but not equally pleasing to Cronos or Uranus (who
suffered at the hands of their sons).
Euthyphro answers that there is no difference of opinion, either among
gods or men, as to the propriety of punishing a murderer. Yes, rejoins
Socrates, when they