Plato’s Euthyphro, on Holiness (Live Reading)

A fortuitous encounter between Socrates and Euthyphro in the portico of the Archon Basileus (King-Archon or Royal Magistrate) to whom both interlocutors are to present themselves, provides the dramatic setting of the dialogue. Socrates is to be subjected to an initial hearing, a public arraignment — not recorded in the dialogue or in any other platonic work — as part of the legal procedure initiated by the indictment that would eventually lead to his execution.

The dialogue introduces the famous "Euthyphro Dilemma", which questions whether something is good because the gods command it or if the gods command it because it is good. Euthyphro presents Socrates with four definitions of piety and each one of these turns to be inadequate. The dialogue explores themes of ethics, religion, and knowledge, reflecting Socrates’ midwife-like method of questioning and use of irony to expose ill-founded certainties and inconsistencies in reasoning.

Euthyphro along with The Apology, Crito, and Phaedo comprise the quartet of Plato’s works that are sometimes collectively called "The Trial and Death of Socrates". It is part of the first tetralogy of Platonic works and was composed in the late 390s or the early 380s BC. In the absence of ancient commentaries on Euthyphro periodic recourse will be taken to modern students of the work.

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This is a live reading of the Euthyphro. This Plato group meets on Saturdays and has previously read the Philebus, Gorgias, Critias, Laches, Timaeus, and other works, including texts for contextualisation such as Gorgias’ Praise of Helen. The reading is intended for well-informed generalists even though specialists are obviously welcome. It is our aspiration to read the Platonic corpus over a long period of time.

The host is Constantine Lerounis, a distinguished Greek philologist and poet, author of Four Access Points to Shakespeare’s Works (in Greek) and Former Advisor to the President of the Hellenic Republic. This session, November 2, is the introductory session for Euthyphro and hence an ideal opportunity to join the group without having to do any catching up.

The text can be found here.