Page:Works of Plato his first fifty-five dialogues (Taylor 1804) (Vol 5 of 5) (IA Vol5worksofplato00plat).pdf/32

24 What else can it be ?

And again, will not to give rightly consist in giving to them in our turn such things as they are in want of from us ? For it would not be conformable to art to bestow upon any one those things of which he is not in want.

You say true, Socrates.

Holiness, therefore, O Euthyphro, will be a certain mercantile art between gods and men.

Let it be mercantile, if it pleases you so to call it.

But it is not pleasing to me unless it be true. Tell me therefore what advantage the gods derive from the gifts which they receive from us ? For the advantage arising from their gifts is evident to every one ; since we have not any good which they do not impart. But in what respect are they benefited from what they receive from us ? Or have we so much the advantage in this merchandise, that we receive every good from them, but they receive nothing from us ?

But do you think, Socrates, that the gods are benefited by what they receive from us ?

What is the use then, Euthyphro, of these our gifts to the gods ?

What other use do you think except honour and reverence, and, as I just now said, gratitude ?

Holiness then, Euthyphro, is that which is acceptable to the gods, but not that which is profitable to, or beloved by them.

I think it is the most of all things beloved by them.

This then again is as it seems holiness, viz. that which is dear to the gods.

Especially so.

Averting these things, can you wonder that your discourse does not appear to be fixed, but wandering ? And can you accuse me as being the Daedalus that causes them to wander, when you yourself for surpass Daedalus in art, and make your assertions to revolve in a circle ? Or do you not perceive that our discourse, revolving again, comes to the same ? For you remember that in the former part of our discourse, the holy, and the dear to divinity, did not appear to us to be the same, but different from each other : or do you not remember ?