Page:Works of Plato his first fifty-five dialogues (Taylor 1804) (Vol 5 of 5) (IA Vol5worksofplato00plat).pdf/18

10 I say, therefore, that holiness is that which I now do, viz. to prosecute him who acts unjustly either with respect to murder or sacrilege, or any thing else of a similar nature ; whether the offending person be a father or mother, or any other whatever ; and that not to prosecute such a one is impious. For see, Socrates, what a great proof I will give you in law that it is so, and which I have also mentioned to others, viz. that it is right not to spare an impious man, whoever he may be. For men are firmly persuaded that Jupiter is the best and most just of gods, and yet they acknowledge that he put his father in chains, because he unjustly swallowed his children ; and again, that Saturn castrated his father, through other things of a similar nature : but they are indignant with me, because I prosecute my father who has acted unjustly ; and thus these men assert things contrary to each other in what they say concerning the gods and concerning me.

Is this the thing then, Euthyphro, on account of which I am brought to the bar, because when any one asserts things of this kind concerning the gods, I admit them with pain ; and through which, as it seems, some one calls me an offender ? Now, therefore, if these things thus appear also to you who are well acquainted with such particulars, it is necessary, as it seems, that we also should admit them. For what else can we say, who acknowledge that we know nothing about such things ? But tell me, by Jupiter, who presides over friendship ; do you think that these things thus happened in reality ?