"If you think we need those letters," said Euthydemus, "make them."

Socrates, having made the letters as he proposed, asked, "Does falsehood then exist among mankind?"

"It does, assuredly," replied he, "Under which head shall we place it?"

"Under injustice certainly."

"Does deceit also exist?"[100]

"Unquestionably."

"Under which head shall we place that?"

"Evidently under injustice."

"Does mischievousness exist?"[200]

"Undoubtedly."

"And the enslaving of man?"

"That, too, prevails."

"And shall neither of these things be placed by us under justice, Euthydemus?"

"It would be strange if they should be," said he.

"But," said Socrates, "if a man being chosen to lead an army, should reduce to slavery an unjust and hostile people, should we say that he committed an injustice?"

"No, certainly," replied he.

"Should we not rather say that he acted justly?"

"Indisputably."

"And if in the course of the war with them he should practice deceit?"[300]

"That also would be just," said he.

"And if he should steal and carry off their property, would he not do what was just?"

"Certainly," said Euthydemus; "but I thought at first that you asked these questions only with reference to our friends."

"Then," said Socrates, "all that we have placed under the head of injustice, we must also place under that of justice?"

"It seems so," replied Euthydemus.

"Do you agree, then," continued Socrates, "that, having so placed them, we should make a new distinction, that it is just to do such things with regard to enemies, but unjust to do them with regard to friends, and that towards his friends our general should be as guileless as possible?" "By all means," replied Euthydemus.

"Well, then," said Socrates, "if a general, seeing his army dispirited, should tell them, inventing a falsehood, that auxiliaries were coming, and should, by that invention, check the despondency of his troops, under which head should we place such an act of deceit?"

"It appears to me," said Euthydemus, "that we must place it under justice."

"And if a father," when his son requires medicine, and refuses to take it, should deceive him, and give him the medicine as ordinary food, and, by adopting such deception, should restore him to health, under which head must we place such an act of deceit?"

"It appears to me that we must put it under the same head."

"And if a person, when his friend was in despondency, should through fear that he might kill himself, steal or take away his sword, or any other weapon, under which head must we place that act?"

"That assuredly, we must place under justice."[400]

"You say, then," said Socrates, "that not even toward our friends must we act on all occasions without deceit?"

"We must not, indeed," said he, "for I retract what I said before, if I may be permitted to do so."

"It is indeed much better that we should be permitted," said Socrates, then that you should not place actions on the right side. But of those who deceive their friends in order to injure them (that we may not leave even this point unconsidered) which of the two is the more just, he who does so intentionally or he who does so involuntarily?"

"Indeed, Socrates," said Euthydemus, "I no longer put confidence in the answers which I give; for all that I said before appears to me now to be quite different from what I then thought; however, let me venture to say that he who deceives intentionally is more unjust than he who deceives involuntarily."

Notes & References

[100] The Bible has much to say about deceit: Job 15:35; 31:5; Psalm 10:7; Jeremiah 9:6; Mark 7:22; Romans 1:29.
[200] On this subject see: Psalm 38:12; Micah 7:3; Psalm 21:11.
[300] According to the Ten Commandments, no compromise can be made for obedience to God in times of duress, and thus, Socrates train of thought would collapse.
[400] The concept of sin was foreign to pagan Greek culture. In that people had no guarantee for honesty in public and commercial life. God declares justice is the foundation of His government and love is the result. While sin seeks to separate truth from justice, making righteousness an enemy to peace, Jesus shows that justice, love and righteousness are inseparably connected. Romans 3:26.