Philoctetes

Philoctetes by Sophocles starts with a monologue given by Ulysses, the king of Ithaca, as he stands on a beach on the island of Lemnos. The audience learns that this is the same island where long ago Ulysses abandoned Philoctetes after he suffered a fatal wound. Ulysses and Neoptolemus, his companion and the son of Achilles, find Philoctetes' house. Ulysses then tells Neoptolemus that he must lie to Philoctetes in order to steal his famous arrows, for Greece will not be able to win the war against Troy without them. Though Neoptolemus is reluctant to deceive Philoctetes, he eventually agrees to do what Ulysses has asked. Soon Philoctetes arrives, groaning in pain from his wound, and is delighted to see another human. In order to gain Philoctetes' trust, Neoptolemus states that he hates Ulysses as well because the king stole the weapons of Neoptolemus' dead father. Pleased, Philoctetes asks Neoptolemus to take him away from Lemnos. Neoptolemus agrees, and soon after a spy from Ulysses arrives and tells Neoptolemus that Ulysses has decided to take Philoctetes to Troy by force. When Philoctetes brings out his bow and arrows Neoptolemus asks to hold them, but before Philoctetes hands them over he is seized by fits of pain and faints briefly. Filled with compassion, Neoptolemus tells Philoctetes that he must go to Troy. Philoctetes is upset and refuses adamantly; when Ulysses appears and states that Philoctetes must go to Troy, Philoctetes threatens to kill himself. Ulysses finally decided to leave Philoctetes on Lemnos. Filled with remorse at what he has done, Neoptolemus gives the bow and arrows back to Philoctetes. After he again fails to persuade Philoctetes to go to Troy, he agrees to take Philoctetes back to his homeland. At that moment Hercules appears and tells Philoctetes that he should go to Troy; if he does, the war will be won and his wound will be healed. Awed, Philoctetes happily agrees to go to Troy.