EUTHYPHRO: True.
SOCRATES: Good: but I must still ask what is SOCRATES: As the dogs are benefited by the this attention to the gods which is called piety?
huntsman’s art, and the oxen by the art of the EUTHYPHRO: It is such, Socrates, as servants oxherd, and all other things are tended or at-show to their masters.
tended for their good and not for their hurt?
SOCRATES: I understand—a sort of ministration EUTHYPHRO: Certainly, not for their hurt.
to the gods.
SOCRATES: But for their good?
EUTHYPHRO: Exactly.
EUTHYPHRO: Of course.
SOCRATES: Medicine is also a sort of ministra-SOCRATES: And does piety or holiness, which tion or service, having in view the attainment of has been defined to be the art of attending to some object—would you not say of health?
the gods, benefit or improve them? Would you EUTHYPHRO: I should.
say that when you do a holy act you make any of SOCRATES: Again, there is an art which minis-the gods better?
ters to the ship-builder with a view to the attain-EUTHYPHRO: No, no; that was certainly not what ment of some result?
I meant.
EUTHYPHRO: Yes, Socrates, with a view to the SOCRATES: And I, Euthyphro, never supposed building of a ship.
that you did. I asked you the question about the SOCRATES: As there is an art which ministers to nature of the attention, because I thought that the house-builder with a view to the building of you did not.
a house?
EUTHYPHRO: You do me justice, Socrates; that EUTHYPHRO: Yes.
is not the sort of attention which I mean.
SOCRATES: And now tell me, my good friend, 27
Euthyphro
about the art which ministers to the gods: what EUTHYPHRO: I have told you already, Socrates, work does that help to accomplish? For you must that to learn all these things accurately will be surely know if, as you say, you are of all men very tiresome. Let me simply say that piety or living the one who is best instructed in religion.
holiness is learning how to please the gods in EUTHYPHRO: And I speak the truth, Socrates.
word and deed, by prayers and sacrifices. Such SOCRATES: Tell me then, oh tell me—what is that piety is the salvation of families and states, just fair work which the gods do by the help of our as the impious, which is unpleasing to the gods, ministrations?
is their ruin and destruction.
EUTHYPHRO: Many and fair, Socrates, are the SOCRATES: I think that you could have answered works which they do.
in much fewer words the chief question which I SOCRATES: Why, my friend, and so are those of asked, Euthyphro, if you had chosen. But I see a general. But the chief of them is easily told.
plainly that you are not disposed to instruct me—
Would you not say that victory in war is the chief clearly not: else why, when we reached the point, of them?
did you turn aside? Had you only answered me I EUTHYPHRO: Certainly.
should have truly learned of you by this time SOCRATES: Many and fair, too, are the works of the nature of piety. Now, as the asker of a ques-the husbandman, if I am not mistaken; but his chief tion is necessarily dependent on the answerer, work is the production of food from the earth?
whither he leads I must follow; and can only ask EUTHYPHRO: Exactly.
again, what is the pious, and what is piety? Do SOCRATES: And of the many and fair things done you mean that they are a sort of science of pray-by the gods, which is the chief or principal one?
ing and sacrificing?