Dialogue

 1 Euthyf|       informed of the nature of piety and impiety; and as he is
 2 Euthyf|   unimpeachable authority) what piety is, and what is impiety.
 3 Euthyf|        is impiety. What then is piety?~Euthyphro, who, in the
 4 Euthyf|   responsibility, replies: That piety is doing as I do, prosecuting
 5 Euthyf|       to the question, ‘What is piety?’ ‘Doing as I do, charging
 6 Euthyf|         be a single instance of piety, but can hardly be regarded
 7 Euthyf|        Euthyphro replies, that ‘Piety is what is dear to the gods,
 8 Euthyf|        attribute or accident of piety only, and not the essence.
 9 Euthyf|         what part of justice is piety?’ Euthyphro replies that
10 Euthyf|          Euthyphro replies that piety is that part of justice
11 Euthyf|    would rather say simply that piety is knowing how to please
12 Euthyf|     other words, says Socrates, piety is ‘a science of asking
13 Euthyf|         must know the nature of piety, or he would never have
14 Euthyf|        of knowing the nature of piety before he is prosecuted
15 Euthyf|     contrast the real nature of piety and impiety with the popular
16 Euthyf| endeavours to elicit from him. ‘Piety is doing as I do’ is the
17 Euthyf| referred.~The next definition, ‘Piety is that which is loved of
18 Euthyf|         act of being loved. But piety or holiness is preceded
19 Euthyf|      being loved; and therefore piety and the state of being loved
20 Euthyf|          and not the essence of piety.~Then follows the third
21 Euthyf|     third and last definition, ‘Piety is a part of justice.’ Thus
22 Euthyf|         gods,’ he replies, that piety is an affair of business,
23 Euthyf|      development of the idea of piety; (2) the antithesis of true
24 Euthyf|      Republic II. The virtue of piety has been already mentioned
25 Euthyf|       what the gods think about piety and impiety.~SOCRATES: Good
26 Euthyf|        to tell me the nature of piety and impiety, which you said
27 Euthyf|     gods. What are they? Is not piety in every action always the
28 Euthyf|      not always the opposite of piety, and also the same with
29 Euthyf| Socrates.~SOCRATES: And what is piety, and what is impiety?~EUTHYPHRO:
30 Euthyf|     what is impiety?~EUTHYPHRO: Piety is doing as I am doing;
31 Euthyf|       to the question, What is ‘piety’? When asked, you only replied,
32 Euthyf|        two or three examples of piety, but to explain the general
33 Euthyf|      very much like.~EUTHYPHRO: Piety, then, is that which is
34 Euthyf|  anything more of the nature of piety and impiety? for granting
35 Euthyf|      hateful to the gods, still piety and impiety are not adequately
36 Euthyf|       this be our definition of piety and impiety?~EUTHYPHRO:
37 Euthyf|          And what do you say of piety, Euthyphro: is not piety,
38 Euthyf|        piety, Euthyphro: is not piety, according to your definition,
39 Euthyf|      once more what holiness or piety really is, whether dear
40 Euthyf|    instruct me in the nature of piety; and I hope that you will
41 Euthyf|      justice where there is not piety; for justice is the more
42 Euthyf|        extended notion of which piety is only a part. Do you dissent?~
43 Euthyf|       right.~SOCRATES: Then, if piety is a part of justice, I
44 Euthyf|         what part of justice is piety or holiness, that I may
45 Euthyf|         by you in the nature of piety or holiness, and their opposites.~
46 Euthyf|     their opposites.~EUTHYPHRO: Piety or holiness, Socrates, appears
47 Euthyf|         like manner holiness or piety is the art of attending
48 Euthyf|      course.~SOCRATES: And does piety or holiness, which has been
49 Euthyf|        the gods which is called piety?~EUTHYPHRO: It is such,
50 Euthyf|          Let me simply say that piety or holiness is learning
51 Euthyf|    prayers and sacrifices. Such piety is the salvation of families
52 Euthyf|         this time the nature of piety. Now, as the asker of a
53 Euthyf|       is the pious, and what is piety? Do you mean that they are
54 Euthyf| SOCRATES: Upon this view, then, piety is a science of asking and
55 Euthyf|        Socrates.~SOCRATES: Then piety, Euthyphro, is an art which
56 Euthyf|         pleases them?~SOCRATES: Piety, then, is pleasing to the
57 Euthyf|      assertion is repeated that piety is dear to the gods?~EUTHYPHRO:
58 Euthyf|    begin again and ask, What is piety? That is an enquiry which
59 Euthyf|   certainly known the nature of piety and impiety, I am confident
60 Euthyf|     that you know the nature of piety and impiety. Speak out then,
61 Euthyf|    instruct me in the nature of piety and impiety; and then I