Euthyphro is able to meet the requirement of generality with his second account, that the pious is what is loved by (or "dear to") the gods. All the acts mentioned in the last paragraph might be loved by the gods. Now, however, we must consider the impious, what is hated by the gods. It may be the case, and indeed Euthyphro admitted that it is the case, that the same act might be loved by some gods and hated by others. This would mean that the act is pious and impious at the same time--an unacceptable result. This means that the account is unacceptable. At this point, Socrates leads Euthyphro to explain why it is that an act is loved by the gods, and this is because it is just (or perhaps good or beautiful). This admission will get Euthyphro into trouble later on, because it suggests that it is the justice of the act, rather than its being loved by the gods, that makes it pious.
