(5a-6e) Socrates enrolls as Euthyphro’s pupil. What is holiness [hosion]? Speculation about the nature of the gods. A condition on possible answers: not just examples; a general ‘form’ or ‘idea’ [eidos; idea] must be produced.

S: It is of paramount importance, then, for me to matriculate as your student, admirable Euthyphro, so as to be able to rebut Meletus concerning this indictment of his, which is all about these very things. Then would I say to him that in the past I too exalted knowledge of divinity above all else, and now that I stand guilty of divine improvisations and fabrications, I have enrolled myself as your pupil. I would say to him: ‘Meletus, if you grant that Euthyphro is wise in these matters, then grant that I too have all the true beliefs, and don’t drag me into court. If you don’t grant it, sue my teacher, not me, for corrupting the old – me and his father – through teachings, exhortations, and legal actions.’ If that doesn’t do the trick, if he doesn’t drop the charge, or else pin it on you instead of me, I’ll try out the same line in court.

E: Yes, by Zeus, Socrates! And if he should try to indict me, I think I would probe his weak spots, so that talk in court would sooner be about him than me.

S: This is why I now clamor to become your pupil, my dear friend. I know other people – as well as this Meletus fellow – do not seem to pay much attention to you, whereas I have caught his attention so completely he accuses me of sacrilege. So tell me now, by Zeus, that thing you just said you knew so well: namely what is righteous and unrighteous, regarding murder and everything else. I take it holiness always consists in some one thing, with regard to every action; and unholiness is always the opposite of holiness, and the same as itself. For everything unholy always appears to us in the same form – namely as a form of unholiness.

E: Most certainly, Socrates.

S: Tell me what you say, then; what is holiness and what is unholiness?

E: I say holiness is doing what I do now – namely, prosecuting wrongdoers, whether the crime is murder or temple robbery or anything else, and whether the culprit is your father or mother or anyone else; not to prosecute is unholy. And please note, Socrates, that I can quote the law as a heavy proof this is so. I have already said to others that such actions are proper – not to give way to the ungodly, whoever they may be. These people themselves believe that Zeus is the best and most just of gods; yet they acknowledge that, for the crime of swallowing his own sons, Zeus bound his own father, who in his turn castrated his own father on similar grounds. Yet everyone is mad at me for prosecuting my father for wrongdoing. They hereby contradict themselves in what they claim about the gods and about me.

S: Indeed, Euthyphro, these are just the sorts of considerations that have landed me in legal trouble, for I find it hard to accept things like this being said about the gods. Probably this is how and why I shall be told I am in the wrong. Now, however, if you – who know all about it – believe reports of this sort, then I must too, it seems. For what else can I say, admitting as I do my lack of first-hand knowledge? Tell me, in the name of the god of friendship, do you really believe these things are true?

E; Yes, Socrates, and so are even more surprising things – things that must remain mysteries, concealed from the crowd.

S: So you believe that the gods really go to war, that there are hateful rivalries and battles between them such as are related by the poets? These scenes out of our sacred stories – the sort that get embroidered in the works of fine writers, and upon the robe of the goddess that is carried up to the Acropolos during the great Panathenaic festival; we’re supposed to believe it all really happened, Euthyphro?

E: Not only these things, Socrates. As I was just saying, I will, if you wish, relate many other things about the gods that I know will astound you.

S: I wouldn’t be a bit surprised. Someday – when we both have lots of time on our hands – you really must tell me all about it. In the meantime, try to fill me in more completely concerning that thing I was asking about a moment ago. Because, my friend, you did not teach me adequately when I inquired as to what holiness is. You told me what you are doing now – namely, prosecuting your father for murder – is holy.

E: And I spoke truth, Socrates.

S: That may be. You do concede, however, that there are many other holy actions.

E: There are.

S: Keep in mind, then, that I didn’t ask for a couple examples of holy actions. I asked what form all holy actions exhibit, making them holy. For you did agree all unholy actions are unholy and all holy actions holy in virtue of some shared form, or don't you remember?

E: I do.

S: Tell me then what this form is, so that I may consider it in itself; and, by taking it as my model, judge any action committed by you or anyone else: if the action be of the right form, I will declare it holy; otherwise, not.

E: If that is how you want it, Socrates, that is how I will give it to you.

S: That’s what I want.

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