In Plato’s literary work, there are three answers to what piety is. Euthyphro begins with a lesser sense of righteousness. However, Socrates, following his general point of view, generally insists on a broader sense of the word. This is because he is less inspired by correct customs than by ethical life. Thus, the first answer to the question of piety shows that Euthyphro’s piety is what he is doing at the moment, that is, accusing his father of murder. Euthyphro offers such a definition of piety and impiety as what pleases divine beings.
On the other hand, what they hate and do not accept as pious is impious. Further, Socrates rejects the activity of Euthyphro, since it is just an illustration of piety and does not give a fundamental outlined characteristic that makes the right activity pious (Plato, 2021). It is important to note that divine beings differ in many things. Thus, it can be said that there are several things that divine beings simultaneously cherish and despise.
Euthyphro is caught off guard at a certain moment, so Socrates reminds him of the definitions he gave earlier. He said that the gods love something because it is pious, which means that their love flows from something inherent in the pious. Socrates claims that the approval of the gods is just an attribute of a given feeling and that divine approval is not a defining characteristic. Thus, Euthyphro is the kind of minister who wants to know the answer to the main question. However, Socrates rejects every definition of piety that he offers. After all the failed attempts, Euthyphro hurries away and leaves the question unanswered.
Reference
Plato. (2020). Euthyphro. Phoemixx Classics Ebooks.