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    Philoctetes
    Philoctetes
    Philoctetes
    Ebook62 pages1 hour

    Philoctetes

    By Sophocles

    2/5

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    About this ebook

    The winner of the Festival of Dionysus in 409 BC, 'Philoctetes' describes the attempt by Neoptolemus and Odysseus to bring disabled master archer, Philoctetes, with them to Troy. The play covers several deep, contentious themes, including moral relativity, trauma, love vs. hatred, and friendship vs. enmity.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStart Publishing LLC
    Release dateAug 24, 2015
    ISBN9781681464060
    Author

    Sophocles

    Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than or contemporary with those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides.

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    • 3/5
      A new translation of the old play, this is rendered in modern English, including modern slang. While keeping the basic storyline intact, it loses most of its original poetry. The goal here was plainly to make it more accessible to modern readers who don't want to work too hard at their literature. The ease of reading does not make up for the loss of the ancient sound. The story is another stage in the Trojan war, of a Greek hero left by his shipmates to die of his wounds on a deserted island; now the Greeks want his weapons, which were left with him, and they determine to get them back by deceit or force. A concise telling, not a lot of wasted time, and an interesting legend.
    • 4/5
      Philoctetes is the story of the moaning hero that Odysseus left on an island but has returned to with Neoptolemus (son of Achilles) to retrieve the bow. In convincing Neoptolemus to take part in his ploy: "I well know, my son, that by nature thou are not apt to utter or contrive such guile; yet, seeing that victory is a sweet prize to gain, bend they will thereto; our honesty shall be shown forth another time. Son of brave sire, time was when I too, in my youth, had a slow tongue and a ready hand: but now, when I come forth to the proof, I see that words, not deeds, are ever the masters among men."
    • 2/5
      This short play did not really do it for me. The themes expressed, as well as the plot and character development, were not to my liking and seemed to be sorely lacking. These reasons are why I give it it's low ranking.2 stars.
    • 4/5
      Almost one of the all-time great dramatizations of the wounded heart and psyche. Philoctetes is rejected by his fellows for the stinking wound that he incurs committing an act of kindness that no one else will (lighting Heracles’s funeral pyre); he is exiled to an island, Homo sacer, anti-sirene, to writhe alone and scream and hear his screams echo from the cliffs, mocking his solitude, his lost humanity. But then they need him! And he can speak to people again! And then he’s a person again! And he weeps when Neoptolemus finds him and just sits with him for a while. But it's all a trick—sleazy Odysseus wants his mighty bow for the war effort; and while that hurts, it also puts him in the position fantasized about by everyone who ever felt alone and unloved: the one who can tell them to fuck off and have them beg him to come back and say a hundred times how sorry they are. But just like in real life, they don’t give any more of a shit than they ever did; rather than beg, they trick him again, hurt him once more, compound his trauma. It’s an unresolvable knot, and the play shows that so well—which is why it’s such a shame when Heracles deus ex machinates in to tell Mr Moral High Ground to fucking get in the boat and go kill Paris already. Cheap, I mean by “a shame.” Probably there’s some Greek drama rule why that ending is better and not worse that Aristotle could explain to us, but Aristotle’s not here right now and so this play gets a perhaps unnecessarily punitive four stars.

    Book preview

    Philoctetes - Sophocles

    Philoctetes

    by Sophocles

    Translated by Lewis Campbell, M.A., LL.D.

    EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF GREEK IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS

    HONORARY FELLOW OF BALLIOL COLLEGE, OXFORD

    Start Publishing LLC

    Copyright © 2015 by Start Publishing LLC

    All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

    First Start Publishing eBook edition July 2015

    Start Publishing is a registered trademark of Start Publishing LLC

    Manufactured in the United States of America

    10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

    ISBN 13: 978-1-68146-406-0

    Table of Contents

    The Persons

    Scene

    Play

    THE PERSONS

    Odysseus.

    Neoptolemus.

    Chorus of Mariners.

    Philoctetes.

    Messenger, disguised as a Merchantman.

    Heracles, appearing from the sky.

    Scene. A desert shore of the Island of Lemnos.

    It was fated that Troy should be taken by Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles, assisted by the bow of Heracles in the hands of Philoctetes.

    Now Philoctetes had been rejected by the army because of a trouble in his foot, which made his presence with them insufferable; and had been cast away by Odysseus on the island of Lemnos.

    But when the decree of fate was revealed by prophecy, Odysseus undertook to bring Philoctetes back, and took with him Neoptolemus, whose ambition could only be gratified through the return of Philoctetes with the bow.

    Philoctetes was resolutely set against returning, and at the opening of the drama Neoptolemus is persuaded by Odysseus to take him with guile.

    But when Philoctetes appears, the youth’s ingenuous nature is so wrought upon through pity and remorse, that his sympathy and native truthfulness at length overcome his ambition.

    When the inward sacrifice is complete, Heracles appears from heaven, and by a few words changes the mind of Philoctetes, so that all ends well.

    Philoctetes

    Odysseus. Neoptolemus.

    Odysseus. This coast of sea-girt Lemnos, where we stand,

    Is uninhabited, untrodden of men.

    And here, O noble son of noblest sire,

    Achilles-born Neoptolemus, I erewhile,—

    Ordered by those who had command,—cast forth

    Trachinian Philoctetes, Poeas’ son,

    His foot dark-dripping with a rankling wound;

    When with wild cries, that frighted holy rest,

    Filling the camp, he troubled every rite,

    That none might handle sacrifice, or pour

    Wine-offering, but his noise disturbed our peace.

    But why these words? No moment this for talk,

    Lest he discern my coming, and I lose

    The scheme, wherewith I think to catch him soon.

    Now most behoves thy service, to explore

    This headland for a cave with double mouth,

    Whose twofold aperture, on wintry days,

    Gives choice of sunshine, and in summer noons

    The breeze wafts slumber through the airy cell.

    Then, something lower down, upon the left,

    Unless ‘tis dried, thine eye may note a spring.

    Go near now silently, and make me know

    If still he persevere, and hold this spot,

    Or have roamed elsewhere, that informed of this

    I may proceed with what remains to say,

    And we may act in concert.

    Neoptolemus.                 Lord Odysseus,

    Thy foremost errand will not task me far.

    Methinks I see the cave whereof thou speakest.

    Od. Where? let me see it. Above there, or below?

    Neo. Yonder, above. And yet I hear no tread.

    [Neoptolemus climbs up to the cave

    Od. Look if he be not lodged in slumber there.

    Neo. I find no inmate, but an empty room.

    Od. What? no provision for a dwelling-place?

    Neo. A bed of leaves for some one harbouring here.

    Od. Nought else beneath the roof? Is all forlorn?

    Neo. A cup of wood, some untaught craftsman’s skill,

    And, close at hand, these embers of a fire.

    Od. That store is his. I read the token clear.

    Neo. Oh! and these festering rags give evidence,

    Steeped as with dressing some malignant sore.

    Od. The man inhabits here: I know it now.

    And sure he’s not far off. How can he range,

    Whose limb drags heavy with an ancient harm?

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