yourself, consider whether, admitting this, you can so easily teach me what you promised ?
Euth. But I say the holy is that which all the gods love ; and its contrary, the unholy, that which all the gods hate.
Soc. Shall we not therefore consider, Euthyphro, whether this is well said ? Or Shall we dismiss this consideration, and thus grant both to ourselves and others, that if any one only says that a certain thing is so, we shall admit that it is so ? Or shall we consider what he who speaks says ?
Euth. Consider it certainly ; though I think that this is now well said.
Soc. Perhaps, O good man, we shall know this more clearly. For consider as follows : Is the holy, because it is holy, beloved by the gods ; or because it is beloved by them, is it holy ?
Euth. I do not know what you say, Socrates.
Soc. But I will endeavour to speak more clearly. We say that a thing may be carried, and that a thing carries ; that a thing may be led, and that a thing leads ; that a thing may be seen, and that a thing sees ; and every thing else of this kind. Do you understand that these are different from each other, and in what they differ ?
Euth. I appear to myself to understand this.
Soc. Is therefore that which is beloved a certain thing, and that which loves another different from this ?
Euth. Undoubtedly.
Soc. Tell me, therefore, whether that which may be carried, may be carried because it is carried, or for some other reason ?
Euth. For no other reason but for this.
Soc. And is this the case with that which may be led, because it is led; and with that which may be seen, because it is seen ?
Euth. Entirely so.
Soc. A thing therefore is not seen because it may be seen : but, on the contrary, because it is seen, on this account it may be seen. Nor because a thing may be led, on this account is it led ; but because it is led, on this account it may be led. Nor because a thing may be carried, is it carried ; but because it is carried, it may be carried. Is then what I wish to say evident, Euthyphro ? But what I wish to say is this : If any thing is mak-
