Socrates/euthyphro

9/4/07

Short Paper #1

"Tell me, what benefit for the gods does there happen to be from the gifts that they get from us? As to what they give, it is clear to everyone, for there is no good for us that they do not give. But as to what they get from us, how are they benefited? Or do we have so much of an advantage over them in our commerce, that we get all the good things from them, while they get nothing from us?" (Socrates speaking, pg. 60, 15a)

This passage describes the issue brought up that the gifts that humans give back to the gods don't have any real benefit to them, while at the same time humans profit from gifts given from the gods. Everyone thinks of gods as being all-powerful, which therefore would mean that they would have no gain from any gifts sent from people down on Earth. Socrates had before asked Euthyphro if sacrificing was giving gifts to the gods, and Euthyphro had answered that there was no way that gods could benefit from gifts, because of how dominant they are.