Odysseus:This is the headland of sea-washed Lemnos, land untrodden by men and desolate. It was here, child bred of the man who was the noblest of the Greeks, Neoptolemus son of Achilles, that I exposedlong ago the native of Malis, Poeas’ son, on the express command of the two chieftains to do so, because his foot was all running with a gnawing disease. Neither libation nor burnt sacrifice could be attempted by us in peace, but with his wild, ill-omened crieshe filled the whole camp continually with shrieking, moaning. But what need is there to speak of that? The time is not ripe for too many words, lest he even learn that I am here, and I so waste the whole ruse whereby I think soon to take him.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἀκτὴ μὲν ἥδε τῆς περιρρύτου χθονὸςΛήμνου, βροτοῖς ἄστιπτος οὐδʼ οἰκουμένη,ἔνθʼ, ὦ κρατίστου πατρὸς Ἑλλήνων τραφεὶςἈχιλλέως παῖ Νεοπτόλεμε, τὸν ΜηλιᾶΠοίαντος υἱὸν ἐξέθηκʼ ἐγώ ποτε,ταχθεὶς τόδʼ ἔρδειν τῶν ἀνασσόντων ὕπο,νόσῳ καταστάζοντα διαβόρῳ πόδα·ὅτʼ οὔτε λοιβῆς ἡμὶν οὔτε θυμάτωνπαρῆν ἑκήλοις προσθιγεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἀγρίαιςκατεῖχʼ ἀεὶ πᾶν στρατόπεδον δυσφημίαις,βοῶν, στενάζων. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν τί δεῖλέγειν; ἀκμὴ γὰρ οὐ μακρῶν ἡμῖν λόγων,μὴ καὶ μάθῃ μʼ ἥκοντα κἀκχέω τὸ πᾶνσόφισμα, τῷ νιν αὐτίχʼ αἱρήσειν δοκῶ.
Come, it is your task to serve as my ally in what remains, and to seek where in this region there is a cave with two mouths. During cold weather it provides two seats facing the sun, while in summer a breeze wafts sleep through the tunnelled chamber.
ἀλλʼ ἔργον ἤδη σὸν τὰ λοίφʼ ὑπηρετεῖνσκοπεῖν θʼ ὅπου ʼστʼ ἐνταῦθα δίστομος πέτρατοιάδʼ, ἵνʼ ἐν ψύχει μὲν ἡλίου διπλῆπάρεστιν ἐνθάκησις, ἐν θέρει δʼ ὕπνονδιʼ ἀμφιτρῆτος αὐλίου πέμπει πνοή·
And a little below, on the left hand, perhaps, you will see water rising from a spring, if it has not failed. Go there silently, and signal to me whether he still dwells in this same place, or is to be found elsewhere, so that the rest of my plan may be explained by me, heard by you,and sped by the joint effort of us both.
βαιὸν δʼ ἔνερθεν ἐξ ἀριστερᾶς τάχʼ ἂνἴδοις ποτὸν κρηναῖον, εἴπερ ἐστὶ σῶν.ἅ μοι προσελθὼν σῖγα σήμαινʼ εἴτʼ ἐκεῖχῶρον τὸν αὐτὸν τόνδʼ ἔτʼ εἴτʼ ἄλλῃ κυρεῖ,ὡς τἀπίλοιπα τῶν λόγων σὺ μὲν κλύῃς,ἐγὼ δὲ φράζω, κοινὰ δʼ ἐξ ἀμφοῖν ἴῃ.
Neoptolemus:King Odysseus, the completion of the task that you set me is not far off, for I believe I see a cave like that which you have described.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἄναξ Ὀδυσσεῦ, τοὔργον οὐ μακρὰν λέγεις·δοκῶ γὰρ οἷον εἶπας ἄντρον εἰσορᾶν.
Odysseus:Above you, or below? I do not see it.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἄνωθεν ἢ κάτωθεν; οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ.
Neoptolemus:Here, high up—and of footfalls there is not a sound.
Νεοπτόλεμος:τόδʼ ἐξύπερθε· καὶ στίβου γʼ οὐδεὶς κτύπος.
Odysseus:See that he is not sheltered there asleep.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ὅρα καθʼ ὕπνον μὴ καταυλισθεὶς κυρεῖ.
Neoptolemus:I see an empty dwelling, without occupants.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ὁρῶ κενὴν οἴκησιν ἀνθρώπων δίχα.
Odysseus:And is there no provision inside for human habitation?
Ὀδυσσεύς:οὐδʼ ἔνδον οἰκοποιός ἐστί τις τροφή;
Neoptolemus:There is—a bed of leaves, as if for some one who makes his lodging here.
Νεοπτόλεμος:στιπτή γε φυλλὰς ὡς ἐναυλίζοντί τῳ.
Odysseus:And all else is bare? There is nothing else beneath the roof?
Ὀδυσσεύς:τὰ δʼ ἄλλʼ ἔρημα, κοὐδέν ἐσθʼ ὑπόστεγον;
Neoptolemus:Just a cup of bare wood, the masterpiece of a sorry craftsman, and with it these tools for kindling.
Νεοπτόλεμος:αὐτόξυλόν γʼ ἔκπωμα, φλαυρουργοῦ τινοςτεχνήματʼ ἀνδρός, καὶ πυρεῖʼ ὁμοῦ τάδε.
Odysseus:His is the store that you describe.
Ὀδυσσεύς:κείνου τὸ θησαύρισμα σημαίνεις τόδε.
Neoptolemus:Ha! Yes, and here besides are some rags drying in the sun, stained by some severe infection.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἰοὺ ἰού· καὶ ταῦτά γʼ ἄλλα θάλπεταιῥάκη, βαρείας του νοσηλείας πλέα.
Odysseus:The man inhabits these regions, clearly, and is somewhere not far off. How could he go far afield when his foot is maimed by that old plague? No, he has gone out in quest of food, or of some soothing herb that he may have noted somewhere.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἁνὴρ κατοικεῖ τούσδε τοὺς τόπους σαφῶς,κἄστʼ οὐχ ἑκάς που· πῶς γὰρ ἂν νοσῶν ἀνὴρκῶλον παλαιᾷ κηρὶ προσβαίη μακράν;ἀλλʼ ἢ ʼπὶ φορβῆς νόστον ἐξελήλυθενἢ φύλλον εἴ τι νώδυνον κάτοιδέ που.
Send your attendant, therefore, to keep watch, lest he come upon me unawares, since he would rather take me than all the Greeks together.
τὸν οὖν παρόντα πέμψον εἰς κατασκοπήν,μὴ καὶ λάθῃ με προσπεσών· ὡς μᾶλλον ἂνἕλοιτό μʼ ἢ τοὺς πάντας Ἀργείους λαβεῖν.
Neoptolemus:The man is going, and the path will be watched. And now, if you need anything else, say so. Exit Attendant, on the spectators’ left.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἀλλʼ ἔρχεταί τε καὶ φυλάξεται στίβος.σὺ δʼ, εἴ τι χρῄζεις, φράζε δευτέρῳ λόγῳ.
Odysseus:Son of Achilles, you must be loyal to the goals of your mission—and not with your body alone. Should you hear some new plan unknown to you till now, you must serve it, since it is to serve that you are here.
Ὀδυσσεύς:Ἀχιλλέως παῖ, δεῖ σʼ ἐφʼ οἷς ἐλήλυθαςγενναῖον εἶναι, μὴ μόνον τῷ σώματι,ἀλλʼ ἤν τι καινὸν ὧν πρὶν οὐκ ἀκήκοαςκλύῃς, ὑπουργεῖν, ὡς ὑπηρέτης πάρει.
Neoptolemus:Then what are your orders?
Νεοπτόλεμος:τί δῆτʼ ἄνωγας;
Odysseus:You must cheat the mind of Philoctetes by means of a storytold as you converse with him. When he asks you who and from where you are, say that you are the son of Achilles—it is not in that detail that you will cheat him. But tell him you are sailing homeward, and have left the fleet of the Achaean warriors, after coming to hate them with unbounded hatred.Give him this reason: when, with no other hope of taking Ilium, they had summoned you by their prayers to come from home, they judged you not worthy of the arms of Achilles, not worthy to receive them—even though you had come and were claiming them by right—but instead handed them over to Odysseus. Say what youwill of me—even the vilest of vile insults. You will not harm me at all by that. But if you fail to do as I say, you will inflict pain on all the Argives, for if that man’s bow is not seized, you can never sack the realm of Dardanus.
Ὀδυσσεύς:τὴν Φιλοκτήτου σε δεῖψυχὴν ὅπως δόλοισιν ἐκκλέψεις λέγων.ὅταν σʼ ἐρωτᾷ τίς τε καὶ πόθεν πάρει,λέγειν, Ἀχιλλέως παῖς· τόδʼ οὐχὶ κλεπτέον·πλεῖς δʼ ὡς πρὸς οἶκον, ἐκλιπὼν τὸ ναυτικὸνστράτευμʼ Ἀχαιῶν, ἔχθος ἐχθήρας μέγα,οἵ σʼ ἐν λιταῖς στείλαντες ἐξ οἴκων μολεῖν,μόνην ἔχοντες τήνδʼ ἅλωσιν Ἰλίου,οὐκ ἠξίωσαν τῶν Ἀχιλλείων ὅπλωνἐλθόντι δοῦναι κυρίως αἰτουμένῳ,ἀλλʼ αὔτʼ Ὀδυσσεῖ παρέδοσαν· λέγων ὅσʼ ἂνθέλῃς καθʼ ἡμῶν ἔσχατʼ ἐσχάτων κακά.τούτῳ γὰρ οὐδέν μʼ ἀλγυνεῖς· εἰ δʼ ἐργάσειμὴ ταῦτα, λύπην πᾶσιν Ἀργείοις βαλεῖς.εἰ γὰρ τὰ τοῦδε τόξα μὴ ληφθήσεται,οὐκ ἔστι πέρσαι σοι τὸ Δαρδάνου πέδον.
And learn why your intercourse with him may be free from mistrust and danger, while mine cannot. You have sailed to Troy under no oath to any man, nor under any constraint. Neither did you have any part in the earlier expedition. I, however, can deny none of these things. Accordingly, if heperceives me while he is still master of his bow, I am dead, and you, as my comrade, will share my doom. No, the thing for which we must devise a ruse is just this: how you may steal his invincible weapons. Well I know, my son, that by nature you are not aptto utter or contrive such treachery. Yet knowing that victory is a sweet prize to gain, steel yourself to do it. Our honesty shall be displayed another time. Now, however, give yourself to me for one brief, shameless day, and then for the rest of timemay you be called the most righteous of all humankind.
ὡς δʼ ἔστʼ ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐχί, σοὶ δʼ ὁμιλίαπρὸς τόνδε πιστὴ καὶ βέβαιος, ἔκμαθε.σὺ μὲν πέπλευκας οὔτʼ ἔνορκος οὐδενὶοὔτʼ ἐξ ἀνάγκης οὔτε τοῦ πρώτου στόλου·ἐμοὶ δὲ τούτων οὐδέν ἐστʼ ἀρνήσιμον.ὥστʼ εἴ με τόξων ἐγκρατὴς αἰσθήσεται,ὄλωλα καὶ σὲ προσδιαφθερῶ ξυνών.ἀλλʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δεῖ σοφισθῆναι, κλοπεὺςὅπως γενήσει τῶν ἀνικήτων ὅπλων.ἔξοιδα, παῖ, φύσει σε μὴ πεφυκότατοιαῦτα φωνεῖν μηδὲ τεχνᾶσθαι κακά·ἀλλʼ ἡδὺ γάρ τι κτῆμα τῆς νίκης λαβεῖν,τόλμα· δίκαιοι δʼ αὖθις ἐκφανούμεθα.νῦν δʼ εἰς ἀναιδὲς ἡμέρας μέρος βραχὺδός μοι σεαυτόν, κᾆτα τὸν λοιπὸν χρόνονκέκλησο πάντων εὐσεβέστατος βροτῶν.
Neoptolemus:I abhor acting on advice, son of Laertes, which causes pain in the hearing. It is not in my nature to achieve anything by means of evil cunning, nor was it, as I hear, in my father’s.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἐγὼ μὲν οὓς ἂν τῶν λόγων ἀλγῶ κλύων,Λαερτίου παῖ, τούσδε καὶ πράσσειν στυγῶ·ἔφυν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐκ τέχνης πράσσειν κακῆς,οὔτʼ αὐτὸς οὔθʼ, ὥς φασιν, οὑκφύσας ἐμέ.
But I am ready to take the man by force and without treachery, since with the use of one foot only, he will not overcome so many of us in a struggle. And yet I was sent to assist you and am reluctant to be called traitor. Still I prefer, my king,to fail when doing what is honorable than to be victorious in a dishonorable manner.
ἀλλʼ εἴμʼ ἑτοῖμος πρὸς βίαν τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἄγεινκαὶ μὴ δόλοισιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἑνὸς ποδὸςἡμᾶς τοσούσδε πρὸς βίαν χειρώσεται.πεμφθείς γε μέντοι σοὶ ξυνεργάτης ὀκνῶπροδότης καλεῖσθαι· βούλομαι δʼ, ἄναξ, καλῶςδρῶν ἐξαμαρτεῖν μᾶλλον ἢ νικᾶν κακῶς.
Odysseus:Son of a father so noble, I, too, in my youth once had a slow tongue and an active hand. But now that I have come forth to the test, I see that the tongue, not action, is what masters everything among men.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἐσθλοῦ πατρὸς παῖ, καὐτὸς ὢν νέος ποτὲγλῶσσαν μὲν ἀργόν, χεῖρα δʼ εἶχον ἐργάτιν·νῦν δʼ εἰς ἔλεγχον ἐξιὼν ὁρῶ βροτοῖςτὴν γλῶσσαν, οὐχὶ τἄργα, πάνθʼ ἡγουμένην.
Neoptolemus:What, then, are your orders—apart from my lying?
Νεοπτόλεμος:τί μʼ οὖν ἄνωγας ἄλλο πλὴν ψευδῆ λέγειν;
Odysseus:I command you to take Philoctetes by deceit.
Ὀδυσσεύς:λέγω σʼ ἐγὼ δόλῳ Φιλοκτήτην λαβεῖν.
Neoptolemus:And why by deceit rather than by persuasion?
Νεοπτόλεμος:τί δʼ ἐν δόλῳ δεῖ μᾶλλον ἢ πείσαντʼ ἄγειν;
Odysseus:He will never listen; and by force you cannot take him.
Ὀδυσσεύς:οὐ μὴ πίθηται· πρὸς βίαν δʼ οὐκ ἂν λάβοις.
Neoptolemus:Has he strength so terrific to make him bold?
Νεοπτόλεμος:οὕτως ἔχει τι δεινὸν ἰσχύος θράσος;
Odysseus:Yes, shafts inevitable, escorts of death.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἰούς γʼ ἀφύκτους καὶ προπέμποντας φόνον.
Neoptolemus:Then one does not dare even approach him?
Νεοπτόλεμος:οὐκ ἆρʼ ἐκείνῳ γʼ οὐδὲ προσμῖξαι θρασύ;
Odysseus:No, unless he takes the man by deceit, as I prescribe.
Ὀδυσσεύς:οὔ, μὴ δόλῳ λαβόντα γʼ, ὡς ἐγὼ λέγω.
Neoptolemus:Then you think it brings no shame to speak what is false?
Νεοπτόλεμος:οὐκ αἰσχρὸν ἡγεῖ δῆτα τὸ ψευδῆ λέγειν;
Odysseus:No, not if the falsehood yields deliverance.
Ὀδυσσεύς:οὔκ, εἰ τὸ σωθῆναί γε τὸ ψεῦδος φέρει.
Neoptolemus:And with what expression on his face will anyone dare mouth those lies?
Νεοπτόλεμος:πῶς οὖν βλέπων τις ταῦτα τολμήσει λακεῖν;
Odysseus:When what you do promises gain, it is wrong to shrink back.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ὅταν τι δρᾷς εἰς κέρδος, οὐκ ὀκνεῖν πρέπει.
Neoptolemus:And what gain is it for me that he should come to Troy?
Νεοπτόλεμος:κέρδος δʼ ἐμοὶ τί τοῦτον ἐς Τροίαν μολεῖν;
Odysseus:His arrows alone will capture Troy.
Ὀδυσσεύς:αἱρεῖ τὰ τόξα ταῦτα τὴν Τροίαν μόνα.
Neoptolemus:Then I am not to be the conqueror, as you said?
Νεοπτόλεμος:οὐκ ἆρʼ ὁ πέρσων, ὡς ἐφάσκετʼ, εἴμʼ ἐγώ;
Odysseus:Neither will you be without them, nor they without you.
Ὀδυσσεύς:οὔτʼ ἂν σὺ κείνων χωρὶς οὔτʼ ἐκεῖνα σοῦ.
Neoptolemus:It would seem, then, that we must track them down, if things stand as you say.
Νεοπτόλεμος:θηρατέʼ οὖν γίγνοιτʼ ἄν, εἴπερ ὧδʼ ἔχει.
Odysseus:Know that by doing this task, you win two rewards.
Ὀδυσσεύς:ὡς τοῦτό γʼ ἔρξας δύο φέρει δωρήματα.
Neoptolemus:What are they? If I knew, I would not refuse the deed.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ποίω; μαθὼν γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἀρνοίμην τὸ δρᾶν.
Odysseus:You will be celebrated in the same breath as clever and as noble.
Ὀδυσσεύς:σοφός τʼ ἂν αὑτὸς κἀγαθὸς κεκλῇʼ ἅμα.
Neoptolemus:So be it! I will do it, and cast off all shame.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἴτω· ποήσω, πᾶσαν αἰσχύνην ἀφείς.
Odysseus:Do you remember, then, the story that I recommended?
Ὀδυσσεύς:ἦ μνημονεύεις οὖν ἅ σοι παρῄνεσα;
Neoptolemus:Be sure of it, since once and for all I have consented.
Νεοπτόλεμος:σάφʼ ἴσθʼ, ἐπείπερ εἰσάπαξ συνῄνεσα.
Odysseus:You stay here, then, to wait for him. Meanwhile I will go away, so as not to be observed here with you,and I will send our lookout back to your ship. And, if in my view you seem to linger at all beyond the due time, I will send that same man back again, after disguising him as the captain of a merchant-ship, so that secrecy may be on our side.
Ὀδυσσεύς:σὺ μὲν μένων νυν κεῖνον ἐνθάδʼ ἐκδέχου,ἐγὼ δʼ ἄπειμι, μὴ κατοπτευθῶ παρών,καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν πρὸς ναῦν ἀποστελῶ πάλιν.καὶ δεῦρʼ, ἐάν μοι τοῦ χρόνου δοκῆτέ τικατασχολάζειν, αὖθις ἐκπέμψω πάλιντοῦτον τὸν αὐτὸν ἄνδρα, ναυκλήρου τρόποιςμορφὴν δολώσας, ὡς ἂν ἀγνοία προσῇ·
Then, son, as he tells his artful story, take whatever in his tale is from time to time helpful to you. Now I will go to the ship, leaving matters here to you. May escorting Hermes the Deceiver, lead us on, and divine Victory, Athena Polias, who saves me always! Exit Odysseus, on the spectators’ left.
οὗ δῆτα, τέκνον, ποικίλως αὐδωμένουδέχου τὰ συμφέροντα τῶν ἀεὶ λόγων.ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς ναῦν εἶμι, σοὶ παρεὶς τάδε·Ἑρμῆς δʼ ὁ πέμπων δόλιος ἡγήσαιτο νῷνΝίκη τʼ Ἀθάνα Πολιάς, ἣ σῴζει μʼ ἀεί.
Chorus:I am a stranger in a strange land, Master. What must I hide, what must I reveal to a man who will be swift to suspicion? Show me the way! His skill excels all other skill, his wisdom has no equal, whose hands govern the godlikescepter given by Zeus. To you, my son, that sovereign power has descended from the dawn of time. Therefore tell me how I must serve you.
Χορός:τί χρὴ τί χρή με, δέσποτʼ, ἐν ξένᾳ ξένονστέγειν ἢ τί λέγειν πρὸς ἄνδρʼ ὑπόπταν;φράζε μοι. τέχνα γὰρτέχνας ἑτέρας προύχεικαὶ γνώμα παρʼ ὅτῳ τὸ θεῖονΔιὸς σκῆπτρον ἀνάσσεται.σὲ δʼ, ὦ τέκνον, τόδʼ ἐλήλυθενπᾶν κράτος ὠγύγιον· τό μοι ἔννεπετί σοι χρεὼν ὑπουργεῖν.
Neoptolemus:For the present—since perhaps you wish to see the placeon the island’s edge where he resides—survey it without fear. But when the dread traveler, who has left this dwelling, returns, step forward at my signal from time to time, and try to help as the moment may require.
Νεοπτόλεμος:νῦν μέν, ἴσως γὰρ τόπον ἐσχατιαῖςπροσιδεῖν ἐθέλεις ὅντινα κεῖται,δέρκου θαρσῶν· ὁπόταν δὲ μόλῃδεινὸς ὁδίτης, τῶνδʼ οὑκ μελάθρωνπρὸς ἐμὴν αἰεὶ χεῖρα προχωρῶνπειρῶ τὸ παρὸν θεραπεύειν.
Chorus:Long have I been careful of this care, my prince: that my eyes should be watchful for your good above all else. And now tell me, in what manner of shelter does he keep his dwelling? In what region is he now? It is not inopportune forme to learn so that he may not come upon me unawares from somewhere. In what place does he wander, or rest? Does he plant his steps within his shelter, or abroad?
Χορός:μέλον πάλαι μέλημά μοι λέγεις, ἄναξ,φρουρεῖν ὄμμʼ ἐπὶ σῷ μάλιστα καιρῷ·νῦν δέ μοι λέγʼ, αὐλὰςποίας ἔνεδρος ναίεικαὶ χῶρον τίνʼ ἔχει. τὸ γάρ μοιμαθεῖν οὐκ ἀποκαίριον,μὴ προσπεσών με λάθῃ ποθέν·τίς τόπος ἢ τίς ἕδρα; τίνʼ ἔχει στίβον,ἔναυλον ἢ θυραῖον;
Neoptolemus:Well, here you see his home with its two portals,his rocky cell.
Νεοπτόλεμος:οἶκον μὲν ὁρᾷς τόνδʼ ἀμφίθυρονπετρίνης κοίτης.
Chorus:And its wretched occupant, where is he gone to?
Χορός:ποῦ γὰρ ὁ τλήμων αὐτὸς ἄπεστιν;
Neoptolemus:It seems clear to me, anyway, that he is plowing his way along somewhere near here in search of food. For I know of a report thatthis is his means of sustenance—a wretch wretchedly shooting prey with his feathered shafts—and that no one comes near to him to heal his misery.
Νεοπτόλεμος:δῆλον ἔμοιγʼ ὡς φορβῆς χρείᾳστίβον ὀγμεύει τῇδε πέλας που.ταύτην γὰρ ἔχειν βιοτῆς αὐτὸνλόγος ἐστὶ φύσιν, θηροβολοῦνταπτηνοῖς ἰοῖς στυγερὸν στυγερῶς,οὐδέ τινʼ αὐτῷπαιῶνα κακῶν ἐπινωμᾶν.
Chorus:For my part, I pity him when I think how,with no one to care for him, and seeing no companion’s face, but suffering eternally alone, he is plagued by fierce disease and bewildered by each need as it arises.How, how does he endure his bitter fate? Ah, contrivances of the gods! Ah, unhappy tribes of mortals, whose life-portion exceeds due measure!
Χορός:οἰκτίρω νιν ἔγωγʼ, ὅπως,μή του κηδομένου βροτῶνμηδὲ ξύντροφον ὄμμʼ ἔχων,δύστανος, μόνος ἀεί,νοσεῖ μὲν νόσον ἀγρίαν,ἀλύει δʼ ἐπὶ παντί τῳχρείας ἱσταμένῳ. πῶς ποτε πῶς δύσμορος ἀντέχει;ὦ παλάμαι θεῶν,ὦ δύστανα γένη βροτῶν,οἷς μὴ μέτριος αἰών.
Chorus:That man—inferior in no way, probably, to any man belonging to the oldest families—lies alone without companions and stripped of all life’s giftsamong the dappled or shaggy beasts. He is a man to be pitied for his torments and his hunger alike, enduring anguish that has no cure. But to his bitter cries the mountain nymph, babbling Echo, coming from afar,gives answer.
Χορός:οὗτος πρωτογόνων ἴσωςοἴκων οὐδενὸς ὕστερος,πάντων ἄμμορος ἐν βίῳκεῖται μοῦνος ἀπʼ ἄλλων,στικτῶν ἢ λασίων μετὰθηρῶν, ἔν τʼ ὀδύναις ὁμοῦλιμῷ τʼ οἰκτρός, ἀνήκεστα μεριμνήματʼ ἔχων· ὀρεί-α δʼ ἀθυρόστομοςἈχὼ τηλεφανὴς πικραῖςοἰμωγαῖς ὑπακούει.
Neoptolemus:No part of this is a marvel to me. God-sent—if a man such as I may judge—are both those sufferings which attacked him from savage Chryse,and those with which he now toils untended. Surely he toils by the plan of some god so that he may not bend against Troy the invincible arrows divine, until the time be fulfilled at which, men say,by those arrows Troy is fated to fall.
Νεοπτόλεμος:οὐδὲν τούτων θαυμαστὸν ἐμοί·θεῖα γάρ, εἴπερ κἀγώ τι φρονῶ,καὶ τὰ παθήματα κεῖνα πρὸς αὐτὸντῆς ὠμόφρονος Χρύσης ἐπέβη,καὶ νῦν ἃ πονεῖ δίχα κηδεμόνων,οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὡς οὐ θεῶν του μελέτῃτοῦ μὴ πρότερον τόνδʼ ἐπὶ Τροίᾳτεῖναι τὰ θεῶν ἀμάχητα βέλη,πρὶν ὅδʼ ἐξήκοι χρόνος, ᾧ λέγεταιχρῆναί σφʼ ὑπὸ τῶνδε δαμῆναι.
Chorus:Hush, boy!
Χορός:εὔστομʼ ἔχε, παῖ.
Neoptolemus:What is it?
Νεοπτόλεμος:τί τόδε;
Chorus:I heard a sudden thud, one that might naturally come from a man worn by pain. From there it came, I think—or there.
Χορός:προυφάνη κτύπος,φωτὸς σύντροφος ὡς τειρομένου του,ἤ που τῇδʼ ἢ τῇδε τόπων.
It strikes, strikes hard on my ear, the sure sound of someone creeping along his way as if tortured. I cannot miss that grievous cry of a man hard-pressed, even from afar—its tone is too clear.
βάλλει βάλλει μʼ ἐτύμαφθογγά του στίβον κατʼ ἀνάγκανἕρποντος, οὐδέ με λάθειβαρεῖα τηλόθεν αὐδὰ τρυσάνωρ· διάσημα γὰρ θρηνεῖ.
Chorus:But listen, son—
Χορός:ἀλλʼ ἔχε, τέκνον,
Neoptolemus:To what? Tell me.
Νεοπτόλεμος:λέγʼ ὅ τι.
Chorus:To my latest thoughts. For he is not far from his home, but nearby. And not with music of the flute, like a shepherd pasturing his flocks, does he come,—no—but crying out a far-sounding howl as he stumbles, perhaps, from tortuous pain, or as he scans the haven unvisited by any ship. His cries are loud, and terrible.Enter Philoctetes, on the spectators’ right.
Χορός:φροντίδας νέας.ὡς οὐκ ἔξεδρος, ἀλλʼ ἔντοπος ἁνήρ,οὐ μολπὰν σύριγγος ἔχων,ὡς ποιμὴν ἀγροβότας, ἀλλʼ ἤ που πταίων ὑπʼ ἀνάγκαςβοᾷ τηλωπὸν ἰωάν,ἢ ναὸς ἄξενον αὐγάζων ὅρμον· προβοᾷ τι γὰρ δεινόν.
Philoctetes:O strangers!Who can you be, and from what country, that you have put into this harborless and desolate land? What would I rightly say is your city or your ancestry? The fashion of your equipment is Greek, and most welcome to mysight; but it would please me to hear your voices. And do not shrink from me in fear, or be frightened by my savage looks. No, pity one so wretched and so lonely, a castaway, so friendless and so miserable. Speak to me, if indeed you have come as friends.
Φιλοκτήτης:ἰὼ ξένοι,τίνες ποτʼ ἐς γῆν τήνδε κἀκ ποίας πάτραςκατέσχετʼ οὔτʼ εὔορμον οὔτʼ οἰκουμένην;ποίας ἂν ὑμᾶς πατρίδος ἢ γένους ποτὲτύχοιμʼ ἂν εἰπών; σχῆμα μὲν γὰρ Ἑλλάδοςστολῆς ὑπάρχει προσφιλεστάτης ἐμοί·φωνῆς δʼ ἀκοῦσαι βούλομαι· καὶ μή μʼ ὄκνῳδείσαντες ἐκπλαγῆτʼ ἀπηγριωμένον,ἀλλʼ οἰκτίσαντες ἄνδρα δύστηνον, μόνον,ἔρημον ὧδε κἄφιλον κακούμενον,φωνήσατʼ, εἴπερ ὡς φίλοι προσήκετε.
Oh, answer! It is not right that I be disappointed by you in this request, at least, nor you by me.
ἀλλʼ ἀνταμείψασθʼ· οὐ γὰρ εἰκὸς οὔτʼ ἐμὲὑμῶν ἁμαρτεῖν τοῦτό γʼ οὔθʼ ὑμᾶς ἐμοῦ.
Neoptolemus:Well, know first, stranger, that we are Greeks, since you desire to learn this.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἀλλʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ἴσθι τοῦτο πρῶτον, οὕνεκαἝλληνές ἐσμεν· τοῦτο γὰρ βούλει μαθεῖν.
Philoctetes:O cherished sound! Ah, that I should truly begreeted by such a man, after so long a time! What need, young man, has made you land here and brought you to this spot? What business? What wind so kind? Speak, tell me all, so that I may know who you are.
Φιλοκτήτης:ὦ φίλτατον φώνημα· φεῦ τὸ καὶ λαβεῖνπρόσφθεγμα τοιοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ.τίς σʼ, ὦ τέκνον, προσέσχε, τίς προσήγαγενχρεία; τίς ὁρμή; τίς ἀνέμων ὁ φίλτατος;γέγωνέ μοι πᾶν τοῦθʼ, ὅπως εἰδῶ τίς εἶ.
Neoptolemus:My birthplace is the island Scyros, and I am sailinghomeward. I am the son of Achilles, by name Neoptolemus. Now you know everything.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἐγὼ γένος μέν εἰμι τῆς περιρρύτουΣκύρου· πλέω δʼ ἐς οἶκον· αὐδῶμαι δὲ παῖςἈχιλλέως, Νεοπτόλεμος. οἶσθα δὴ τὸ πᾶν.
Philoctetes:O son of a father I loved, and of soil I cherished! Ward of aged Lycomedes, on what mission have you touched this shore? From where are you sailing?
Φιλοκτήτης:ὦ φιλτάτου παῖ πατρός, ὦ φίλης χθονός,ὦ τοῦ γέροντος θρέμμα Λυκομήδους, τίνιστόλῳ προσέσχες τήνδε γῆν πόθεν πλέων;
Neoptolemus:Well, since you ask, it is from Ilium that I am now guiding my ship.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἐξ Ἰλίου τοι δὴ τανῦν γε ναυστολῶ.
Philoctetes:What? You were certainly not our shipmate at the beginning of the expedition there.
Φιλοκτήτης:πῶς εἶπας; οὐ γὰρ δὴ σύ γʼ ἦσθα ναυβάτηςἡμῖν κατʼ ἀρχὴν τοῦ πρὸς Ἴλιον στόλου.
Neoptolemus:And did you have a part in that toil?
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἦ γὰρ μετέσχες καὶ σὺ τοῦδε τοῦ πόνου;
Philoctetes:Then you do not know who I am?
Φιλοκτήτης:ὦ τέκνον, οὐ γὰρ οἶσθά μʼ ὅντινʼ εἰσορᾷς;
Neoptolemus:How should I know one whom I have never seen before?
Νεοπτόλεμος:πῶς γὰρ κάτοιδʼ ὅν γʼ εἶδον οὐδεπώποτε;
Philoctetes:Then you have not even heard my name, or any rumor of those sufferings under which I have been perishing?
Φιλοκτήτης:οὐδʼ ὄνομʼ ἄρʼ οὐδὲ τῶν ἐμῶν κακῶν κλέοςᾔσθου ποτʼ οὐδέν, οἷς ἐγὼ διωλλύμην;
Neoptolemus:Be sure that I know nothing of what you ask.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ὡς μηδὲν εἰδότʼ ἴσθι μʼ ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.
Philoctetes:How cursed I must be, how abhorred by the gods,if not a word of my miserable condition has reached my homeland, or any Greek land at all! Instead those men, who against the gods’ laws cast me away, keep their secret and laugh, while my plague has ever flourished and grows worse!
Φιλοκτήτης:ὦ πόλλʼ ἐγὼ μοχθηρός, ὦ πικρὸς θεοῖς,οὗ μηδὲ κληδὼν ὧδʼ ἔχοντος οἴκαδεμηδʼ Ἑλλάδος γῆς μηδαμοῦ διῆλθέ που.ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν ἐκβαλόντες ἀνοσίως ἐμὲγελῶσι σῖγʼ ἔχοντες, ἡ δʼ ἐμὴ νόσοςἀεὶ τέθηλε κἀπὶ μεῖζον ἔρχεται.
O my son, boy whose father was Achilles, here I am before you, the man of whom you have perhaps heard as lord of the bow of Heracles, Philoctetes the son of Poeas. I am he whom the two marshalls and the Cephallenian kingshamelessly hurled to this solitude which you see, when I was wasting with a fierce disease, stricken by the savage bite of the murderous serpent. With that plague for my sole companion, boy, those men put me outhere alone and left, after they landed here with their fleet from sea-washed Chryse. Delighted they were then, when they saw me asleep after much tossing on the waves, in the shelter of a cave upon the shore, and they abandoned me, first setting out a few rags, as though for an unfortunate beggar, and a bit of food, too—a small work of charity. But may they get what they gave me! Can you imagine, boy, what kind of awakening I had when they had gone, and I rose from sleep that day?—what stinging tears I wept, and what miseries I bewailed when I saw that the ships with which I had sailedwere all gone, and that there was no man in the place, not one to help me, not one to ease the sickness that afflicted me, when looking all around me, I could find nothing at hand, save agony—but of that a ready store?
ὦ τέκνον, ὦ παῖ πατρὸς ἐξ Ἀχιλλέως,ὅδʼ εἴμʼ ἐγώ σοι κεῖνος, ὃν κλύεις ἴσωςτῶν Ἡρακλείων ὄντα δεσπότην ὅπλων,ὁ τοῦ Ποίαντος παῖς Φιλοκτήτης, ὃν οἱδισσοὶ στρατηγοὶ χὠ Κεφαλλήνων ἄναξἔρριψαν αἰσχρῶς ὧδʼ ἔρημον, ἀγρίᾳνόσῳ καταφθίνοντα, τῆς ἀνδροφθόρουπληγέντʼ ἐχίδνης ἀγρίῳ χαράγματι·ξὺν ᾗ μʼ ἐκεῖνοι, παῖ, προθέντες ἐνθάδεᾤχοντʼ ἔρημον, ἡνίκʼ ἐκ τῆς ποντίαςΧρύσης κατέσχον δεῦρο ναυβάτῃ στόλῳ.τότʼ ἄσμενοί μʼ ὡς εἶδον ἐκ πολλοῦ σάλουεὕδοντʼ ἐπʼ ἀκτῆς ἐν κατηρεφεῖ πέτρᾳ,λιπόντες ᾤχονθʼ, οἷα φωτὶ δυσμόρῳῥάκη προθέντες βαιὰ καί τι καὶ βορᾶςἐπωφέλημα σμικρόν, οἷʼ αὐτοῖς τύχοι.σὺ δή, τέκνον, ποίαν μʼ ἀνάστασιν δοκεῖςαὐτῶν βεβώτων ἐξ ὕπνου στῆναι τότε;ποῖʼ ἐκδακρῦσαι, ποῖʼ ἀποιμῶξαι κακά;ὁρῶντα μὲν ναῦς, ἃς ἔχων ἐναυστόλουν,πάσας βεβώσας, ἄνδρα δʼ οὐδένʼ ἔντοπον,οὐχ ὅστις ἀρκέσειεν οὐδʼ ὅστις νόσουκάμνοντι συλλάβοιτο· πάντα δὲ σκοπῶνηὕρισκον οὐδὲν πλὴν ἀνιᾶσθαι παρόν,τούτου δὲ πολλὴν εὐμάρειαν, ὦ τέκνον.
So time passed for me, season by season, and alone in this narrow house, I had to attend to all my wants by my own resources. For my stomach’s needs this bow provided, bringing down doves on the wing. And whatever my string-sped arrow might strike,in pain I would crawl to it myself, dragging my wretched foot behind me. Or, again, if water had to be fetched, or, if when the frost had spread, as often happens in winter, a bit of firewood had to be broken, I would creep out in pain andmanage it. Then fire would be lacking; but by rubbing stone hard on stone I would at last reveal the hidden spark which preserves me from day to day. Indeed, a roof over my head and a fire inside provides all that I want—except release from my disease.
Φιλοκτήτης:ὁ μὲν χρόνος δὴ διὰ χρόνου προύβαινέ μοι,κἄδει τι βαιᾷ τῇδʼ ὑπὸ στέγῃ μόνονδιακονεῖσθαι. γαστρὶ μὲν τὰ σύμφορατόξον τόδʼ ἐξηύρισκε, τὰς ὑποπτέρουςβάλλον πελείας· πρὸς δὲ τοῦθʼ, ὅ μοι βάλοινευροσπαδὴς ἄτρακτος, αὐτὸς ἂν τάλαςεἰλυόμην, δύστηνον ἐξέλκων πόδα,πρὸς τοῦτʼ ἄν· εἴ τʼ ἔδει τι καὶ ποτὸν λαβεῖν,καί που πάγου χυθέντος, οἷα χείματι,ξύλον τι θραῦσαι, ταῦτʼ ἂν ἐξέρπων τάλαςἐμηχανώμην· εἶτα πῦρ ἂν οὐ παρῆν,ἀλλʼ ἐν πέτροισι πέτρον ἐκτρίβων μόλιςἔφηνʼ ἄφαντον φῶς, ὃ καὶ σῴζει μʼ ἀεί.οἰκουμένη γὰρ οὖν στέγη πυρὸς μέταπάντʼ ἐκπορίζει πλὴν τὸ μὴ νοσεῖν ἐμέ.
Come now, son, you must understand what sort of island this is. No mariner approaches it by choice, since there is no anchorage or port where he can find a gainful market or a kindly host. This is not a place to which prudent men voyage. But suppose that some one has put in against his will, for such things may oftenhappen in the long course of a man’s life. These visitors, then, when they come, son, have compassionate words for me, and, perhaps moved by pity, they give me a little food or some clothing.
φέρʼ, ὦ τέκνον, νῦν καὶ τὸ τῆς νήσου μάθῃς.ταύτῃ πελάζει ναυβάτης οὐδεὶς ἑκών·οὐ γάρ τις ὅρμος ἔστιν οὐδʼ ὅποι πλέωνἐξεμπολήσει κέρδος ἢ ξενώσεται.οὐκ ἐνθάδʼ οἱ πλοῖ τοῖσι σώφροσιν βροτῶν.τάχʼ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε· πολλὰ γὰρ τάδεἐν τῷ μακρῷ γένοιτʼ ἂν ἀνθρώπων χρόνῳ·οὗτοί μʼ, ὅταν μόλωσιν, ὦ τέκνον, λόγοιςἐλεοῦσι μέν, καί πού τι καὶ βορᾶς μέροςπροσέδοσαν οἰκτίραντες ἤ τινα στολήν·
But there is one thing that no one will do, whenever I mention it: take me home in safety. No, this is already the tenth year that I am wasted by misery from hunger and suffering, by feeding this gluttonous plague. This is what the Atreids and the forceful Odysseus have done to me, boy.May the gods on Olympus someday give them agonies as strong in requital for mine!
ἐκεῖνο δʼ οὐδείς, ἡνίκʼ ἂν μνησθῶ, θέλει,σῶσαί μʼ ἐς οἴκους, ἀλλʼ ἀπόλλυμαι τάλαςἔτος τόδʼ ἤδη δέκατον ἐν λιμῷ τε καὶκακοῖσι βόσκων τὴν ἀδηφάγον νόσον.τοιαῦτʼ Ἀτρεῖδαί μʼ ἥ τʼ Ὀδυσσέως βία,ὦ παῖ, δεδράκασʼ, οἷʼ Ὀλύμπιοι θεοὶδοῖέν ποτʼ αὐτοῖς ἀντίποινʼ ἐμοῦ παθεῖν.
Chorus:I believe that I, too, pity you, son of Poeas, as much as your former visitors.
Χορός:ἔοικα κἀγὼ τοῖς ἀφιγμένοις ἴσαξένοις ἐποικτίρειν σε, Ποίαντος τέκνον.
Neoptolemus:And I myself attest your accusations,for I know their truth through my own experience with the wickedness of the Atreids and the force of Odysseus.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἐγὼ δὲ καὐτὸς τοῖσδε μάρτυς ἐν λόγοις,ὡς εἴσʼ ἀληθεῖς οἶδα, συντυχὼν κακῶνἀνδρῶν Ἀτρειδῶν τῆς τʼ Ὀδυσσέως βίας.
Philoctetes:What, do you also have a grievance against the accursed sons of Atreus, a cause for anger at some mistreatment?
Φιλοκτήτης:ἦ γάρ τι καὶ σὺ τοῖς πανωλέθροις ἔχειςἔγκλημʼ Ἀτρείδαις, ὥστε θυμοῦσθαι παθών;
Neoptolemus:If only I might one day be allowed to fulfill my heart’s rage by the deeds of my hand,so that Mycenae might learn, and Sparta, that Scyros also is a mother of brave men!
Νεοπτόλεμος:θυμὸν γένοιτο χειρὶ πληρῶσαί ποτε,ἵνʼ αἱ Μυκῆναι γνοῖεν ἡ Σπάρτη θʼ ὅτιχἠ Σκῦρος ἀνδρῶν ἀλκίμων μήτηρ ἔφυ.
Philoctetes:Well said, son! Now what is the reason that you have come complaining against them with this fierce wrath?
Φιλοκτήτης:εὖ γʼ, ὦ τέκνον· τίνος γὰρ ὧδε τὸν μέγανχόλον κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐγκαλῶν ἐλήλυθας;
Neoptolemus:I will tell you—and yet it is hard to tell—the outrage that I suffered from them upon my arrival there. For when fate decreed that Achilles should die—
Νεοπτόλεμος:ὦ παῖ Ποίαντος, ἐξερῶ, μόλις δʼ ἐρῶ,ἅγωγʼ ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ἐξελωβήθην μολών.ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἔσχε μοῖρʼ Ἀχιλλέα θανεῖν,
Philoctetes:Ah, me! Tell me no more, until I first know this—is the son of Peleus dead?
Φιλοκτήτης:οἴμοι· φράσῃς μοι μὴ πέρα, πρὶν ἂν μάθωπρῶτον τόδʼ, ἦ τέθνηχʼ ὁ Πηλέως γόνος;
Neoptolemus:Dead—not by a mortal hand, but by a god’s.He was brought down, as men say, by the arrow of Phoebus.
Νεοπτόλεμος:τέθνηκεν, ἀνδρὸς οὐδενός, θεοῦ δʼ ὕπο,τοξευτός, ὡς λέγουσιν, ἐκ Φοίβου δαμείς.
Philoctetes:Well, noble alike are the slayer and the slain. But I am at a loss to know, son, whether I should first inquire into the wrong done you, or mourn the dead.
Φιλοκτήτης:ἀλλʼ εὐγενὴς μὲν ὁ κτανών τε χὠ θανών·ἀμηχανῶ δὲ πότερον, ὦ τέκνον, τὸ σὸνπάθημʼ ἐλέγχω πρῶτον ἢ κεῖνον στένω.
Neoptolemus:Your own sorrows, I think, are enoughfor you, unhappy man, without mourning for those of your neighbor.
Νεοπτόλεμος:οἶμαι μὲν ἀρκεῖν σοί γε καὶ τὰ σʼ, ὦ τάλας,ἀλγήμαθʼ, ὥστε μὴ τὰ τῶν πέλας στένειν.
Philoctetes:You speak the truth. Therefore tell me again what happened to you, and how they wronged you.
Φιλοκτήτης:ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας· τοιγαροῦν τὸ σὸν φράσοναὖθις πάλιν μοι πρᾶγμʼ, ὅτῳ σʼ ἐνύβρισαν.
Neoptolemus:They came for me in a ship elaborately ornamented, shining Odysseus, and he who fostered my father,and said—whether truly or falsely, I do not know—that since my father had perished, fate now forbade that anyone but I should take the towers of Troy. Saying that this, my friend, was how things stood, they caused me no long delay before I set sail in haste,chiefly because of my yearning for the dead, that I might look upon him before burial, since I had never seen him. Then, besides, theirs was a fine promise, if by accompanying them I might sack the towers of Troy. It was now the second day of my voyagewhen, sped by breeze and oar, I approached bitter Sigeum. When I landed, straightaway the entire army thronged around me with greetings, vowing that they saw their lost Achilles once more alive. He, though, lay ready for burial, and I, unhappy,when I had wept for him, went before long to the Atreids, to friends, as it was reasonable to suppose,—and claimed my father’s arms and all else that had been his. O, their reply was bold and shameless! “Seed of Achilles, you may take all else that was your father’s. But of those arms another man now is lord, the son of Laertes.”
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἦλθόν με νηὶ ποικιλοστόλῳ μέταδῖός τʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς χὠ τροφεὺς τοὐμοῦ πατρός,λέγοντες, εἴτʼ ἀληθὲς εἴτʼ ἄρʼ οὖν μάτην,ὡς οὐ θέμις γίγνοιτʼ, ἐπεὶ κατέφθιτοπατὴρ ἐμός, τὰ πέργαμʼ ἄλλον ἤ μʼ ἑλεῖν.ταῦτʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, οὕτως ἐννέποντες οὐ πολὺνχρόνον μʼ ἐπέσχον μή με ναυστολεῖν ταχύ,μάλιστα μὲν δὴ τοῦ θανόντος ἱμέρῳ,ὅπως ἴδοιμʼ ἄθαπτον· οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην·ἔπειτα μέντοι χὠ λόγος καλὸς προσῆν,εἰ τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμʼ αἱρήσοιμʼ ἰών.ἦν δʼ ἦμαρ ἤδη δεύτερον πλέοντί μοι,κἀγὼ πικρὸν Σίγειον οὐρίῳ πλάτῃκατηγόμην· καί μʼ εὐθὺς ἐν κύκλῳ στρατὸςἐκβάντα πᾶς ἠσπάζετʼ, ὀμνύντες βλέπειντὸν οὐκέτʼ ὄντα ζῶντʼ Ἀχιλλέα πάλιν.κεῖνος μὲν οὖν ἔκειτʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ ὁ δύσμοροςἐπεὶ ʼδάκρυσα κεῖνον, οὐ μακρῷ χρόνῳἐλθὼν Ἀτρείδας πρὸς φίλους, ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν,τά θʼ ὅπλʼ ἀπῄτουν τοῦ πατρὸς τά τʼ ἄλλʼ ὅσʼ ἦν.οἱ δʼ εἶπον, οἴμοι, τλημονέστατον λόγον·ὦ σπέρμʼ Ἀχιλλέως, τἄλλα μὲν πάρεστί σοιπατρῷʼ ἑλέσθαι, τῶν δʼ ὅπλων κείνων ἀνὴρἄλλος κρατύνει νῦν, ὁ Λαέρτου γόνος.
The tears came quick to my eyes as I sprang up in passionate anger and said in my bitterness, “Madman! Have you dared give my arms to another man in my place, without asking me?” But Odysseus—for he chanced to be at hand—said, “Yes, boy, they awarded them as was just, since it was I who saved the arms and their master by my presence at the crucial moment.” Then immediately, in my fury, I began to lash at him with every kind of insultand left not one unsaid, if he was indeed to rob me of my arms. At this point, stung by the abuse, though not given to anger, he answered,—“You have not gone to where we have; instead you have been absent from where you were needed. And since your tongue is so arrogant, you will never sail back to Scyros with those arms in your possession.” In that way rebuked, in that way insulted, I sail for home, deprived of what is my own by that worst offspring of a wicked line, Odysseus.
κἀγὼ δακρύσας εὐθὺς ἐξανίσταμαιὀργῇ βαρείᾳ, καὶ καταλγήσας λέγω·ὦ σχέτλιʼ, ἦ ʼτολμήσατʼ ἀντʼ ἐμοῦ τινιδοῦναι τὰ τεύχη τἀμά, πρὶν μαθεῖν ἐμοῦ;ὁ δʼ εἶπʼ Ὀδυσσεύς, πλησίον γὰρ ὢν κυρεῖ,ναί, παῖ, δεδώκασʼ ἐνδίκως οὗτοι τάδε·ἐγὼ γὰρ αὔτʼ ἔσωσα κἀκεῖνον παρών.κἀγὼ χολωθεὶς εὐθὺς ἤρασσον κακοῖςτοῖς πᾶσιν, οὐδὲν ἐνδεὲς ποιούμενος,εἰ τἀμὰ κεῖνος ὅπλʼ ἀφαιρήσοιτό με.ὁ δʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἥκων, καίπερ οὐ δύσοργος ὤν,δηχθεὶς πρὸς ἁξήκουσεν ὧδʼ ἠμείψατο·οὐκ ἦσθʼ ἵνʼ ἡμεῖς, ἀλλʼ ἀπῆσθʼ ἵνʼ οὔ σʼ ἔδει·καὶ ταῦτʼ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ λέγεις θρασυστομῶν,οὐ μήποτʼ ἐς τὴν Σκῦρον ἐκπλεύσῃς ἔχων.τοιαῦτʼ ἀκούσας κἀξονειδισθεὶς κακὰπλέω πρὸς οἴκους, τῶν ἐμῶν τητώμενοςπρὸς τοῦ κακίστου κἀκ κακῶν Ὀδυσσέως.
And yet I do not blame him as much as I do those in power. For a city hangs wholly on its leaders, and so does an army, but when men shatter law and order, it is the lessons of their teachers that corrupt them. My tale is told in full. May he who hates the Atreidsbe as dear to the gods as he is to me!
κοὐκ αἰτιῶμαι κεῖνον ὡς τοὺς ἐν τέλει·πόλις γάρ ἐστι πᾶσα τῶν ἡγουμένωνστρατός τε σύμπας· οἱ δʼ ἀκοσμοῦντες βροτῶνδιδασκάλων λόγοισι γίγνονται κακοί.λόγος λέλεκται πᾶς· ὁ δʼ Ἀτρείδας στυγῶνἐμοί θʼ ὁμοίως καὶ θεοῖς εἴη φίλος.
Chorus:Goddess of the hills, Earth all-nourishing, mother of Zeus himself, you through whose realm the great Pactolusrolls golden sands! There, there also, dread Mother, I called upon your name, when all the insults of the Atreids landed upon this man, when they handed over his father’s armor, that sublime marvel,to the son of Laertes. Hear it, blessed queen, who rides on bull-slaughtering lions!
Χορός:ὀρεστέρα παμβῶτι Γᾶ, μᾶτερ αὐτοῦ Διός,ἃ τὸν μέγαν Πακτωλὸν εὔχρυσον νέμεις,σὲ κἀκεῖ, μᾶτερ πότνιʼ, ἐπηυδώμαν,ὅτʼ ἐς τόνδʼ Ἀτρειδᾶν ὕβρις πᾶσʼ ἐχώρει,ὅτε τὰ πάτρια τεύχεα παρεδίδοσαν,ἰὼ μάκαιρα ταυροκτόνωνλεόντων ἔφεδρε, τῷ Λαρτίουσέβας ὑπέρτατον.
Philoctetes:It seems that you have come to me, friends, well commended by a grief that matches my own.Your story is in harmony with mine, so that I can recognize the work of the Atreids and of Odysseus. For well I know that he would put his tongue to any base tale and to any mischief-making, if thereby he could hope to accomplish something criminal in the end.
Φιλοκτήτης:ἔχοντες, ὡς ἔοικε, σύμβολον σαφὲςλύπης πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὦ ξένοι, πεπλεύκατε,καί μοι προσᾴδεθʼ ὥστε γιγνώσκειν ὅτιταῦτʼ ἐξ Ἀτρειδῶν ἔργα κἀξ Ὀδυσσέως.ἔξοιδα γάρ νιν παντὸς ἂν λόγου κακοῦγλώσσῃ θιγόντα καὶ πανουργίας, ἀφʼ ἧςμηδὲν δίκαιον ἐς τέλος μέλλοι ποεῖν.
No, that is not at all a wonder to me, but rather that the elder Ajax, if he was there, could bear to see this.
ἀλλʼ οὔ τι τοῦτο θαῦμʼ ἔμοιγʼ, ἀλλʼ εἰ παρὼνΑἴας ὁ μείζων ταῦθʼ ὁρῶν ἠνείχετο.
Neoptolemus:Ah, friend, he was no longer alive—I would never have been plundered like that while he lived.
Νεοπτόλεμος:οὐκ ἦν ἔτι ζῶν, ὦ ξένʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτεζῶντός γʼ ἐκείνου ταῦτʼ ἐσυλήθην ἐγώ.
Philoctetes:What do you say? Is he, too, dead and gone?
Φιλοκτήτης:πῶς εἶπας; ἀλλʼ ἦ χοὖτος οἴχεται θανών;
Neoptolemus:Think of him as of one who sees the sun’s light no more.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ὡς μηκέτʼ ὄντα κεῖνον ἐν φάει νόει.
Philoctetes:Oh, no! But the son of Tydeus, and Sisyphus’ offspring that was bought by Laertes—they will not die, since they do not deserve to live!
Φιλοκτήτης:οἴμοι τάλας. ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὁ Τυδέως γόνοςοὐδʼ οὑμπολητὸς Σισύφου Λαερτίῳ,οὐ μὴ θάνωσι· τούσδε γὰρ μὴ ζῆν ἔδει.
Neoptolemus:No, indeed, be sure of it. On the contrary, they prosper now—yes, and greatly—in the Argive army.
Νεοπτόλεμος:οὐ δῆτʼ· ἐπίστω τοῦτό γʼ· ἀλλὰ καὶ μέγαθάλλοντές εἰσι νῦν ἐν Ἀργείων στρατῷ.
Philoctetes:And what of my brave old friend, Nestor of Pylos—is he not alive? He often checked the crimes of those two, if not others, by his sage counsels.
Φιλοκτήτης:τί δʼ; οὐ παλαιὸς κἀγαθὸς φίλος τʼ ἐμός,Νέστωρ ὁ Πύλιος, ἔστιν; οὗτος γὰρ τά γεκείνων κάκʼ ἐξήρυκε, βουλεύων σοφά.
Neoptolemus:He has his own troubles now, since Antilochus,the son that was at his side, left him for Hades.
Νεοπτόλεμος:κεῖνός γε πράσσει νῦν κακῶς, ἐπεὶ θανὼνἈντίλοχος αὐτῷ φροῦδος, ὃς παρῆν, γόνος.
Philoctetes:Ah, me! These two, again, whom you have named, are men of whose death I had least wished to hear. Gods! What are we to look for, when these men have died, but Odysseus here again lives, whenin their place he should have been announced as dead?
Φιλοκτήτης:οἴμοι, δύʼ αὖ τώδʼ ἄνδρʼ ἔλεξας, οἷν ἐγὼἥκιστʼ ἂν ἠθέλησʼ ὀλωλότοιν κλύειν.φεῦ φεῦ· τί δῆτα δεῖ σκοπεῖν, ὅθʼ οἵδε μὲντεθνᾶσʼ, Ὀδυσσεὺς δʼ ἔστιν αὖ κἀνταῦθʼ ἵναχρῆν ἀντὶ τούτων αὐτὸν αὐδᾶσθαι νεκρόν;
Neoptolemus:The man is a clever wrestler. But even clever schemes, Philoctetes, are often blocked.
Νεοπτόλεμος:σοφὸς παλαιστὴς κεῖνος· ἀλλὰ χαἰ σοφαὶγνῶμαι, Φιλοκτῆτʼ, ἐμποδίζονται θαμά.
Philoctetes:Now, by the gods, tell me—where was Patroclus when you needed him, he whom your father loved beyond all others?
Φιλοκτήτης:φέρʼ εἰπὲ πρὸς θεῶν, ποῦ γὰρ ἦν ἐνταῦθά σοιΠάτροκλος, ὃς σοῦ πατρὸς ἦν τὰ φίλτατα;
Neoptolemus:He, too, was dead. And in a brief maxim I would teach you this: War takes no evil man by choice, but always the good men.
Νεοπτόλεμος:χοὖτος τεθνηκὼς ἦν· λόγῳ δέ σʼ ἐν βραχεῖτοῦτʼ ἐκδιδάξω· πόλεμος οὐδένʼ ἄνδρʼ ἑκὼναἱρεῖ πονηρόν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς χρηστοὺς ἀεί.
Philoctetes:I will attest to that, and with that very truth in mind, I will ask you how fares a man of little worth, but sharp of tongue and clever.Neoptolemus:Surely the man of whom you ask is no one but Odysseus?
Φιλοκτήτης:ξυμμαρτυρῶ σοι· καὶ κατʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτό γεἀναξίου μὲν φωτὸς ἐξερήσομαι,γλώσσῃ δὲ δεινοῦ καὶ σοφοῦ, τί νῦν κυρεῖ.
Philoctetes:I did not mean him; there was one Thersites, who could never be content to speak once and briefly, even though no one wanted him to speak at all. Do you know if he is alive?
Νεοπτόλεμος:ποίου δὲ τούτου πλήν γʼ Ὀδυσσέως ἐρεῖς;Φιλοκτήτης:οὐ τοῦτον εἶπον, ἀλλὰ Θερσίτης τις ἦν,ὃς οὐκ ἂν εἵλετʼ εἰσάπαξ εἰπεῖν, ὅπουμηδεὶς ἐῴη· τοῦτον οἶσθʼ εἰ ζῶν κυρεῖ;
Neoptolemus:I never saw him, but I heard that he is still alive.
Νεοπτόλεμος:οὐκ εἶδον αὐτόν, ᾐσθόμην δʼ ἔτʼ ὄντα νιν.
Philoctetes:He would be—no evil thing has ever been known to perish. No, the gods take excellent care of their kind. They find a strange joy in turning back from Hades all things criminaland crooked, while they are always dispatching the just and the good from life. How am I to regard these doings? How can I praise them, when in the very act of praising the ways of the gods, I find that the gods are evil?
Φιλοκτήτης:ἔμελλʼ· ἐπεὶ οὐδέν πω κακόν γʼ ἀπώλετο,ἀλλʼ εὖ περιστέλλουσιν αὐτὰ δαίμονες,καί πως τὰ μὲν πανοῦργα καὶ παλιντριβῆχαίρουσʼ ἀναστρέφοντες ἐξ Ἅιδου, τὰ δὲδίκαια καὶ τὰ χρήστʼ ἀποστέλλουσʼ ἀεί.ποῦ χρὴ τίθεσθαι ταῦτα, ποῦ δʼ αἰνεῖν, ὅταντὰ θεῖʼ ἐπαινῶν τοὺς θεοὺς εὕρω κακούς;
Neoptolemus:I, at least, son of Oetean Poeas, will be on my guard hereafter against Iliumand the Atreids, and look on them only from afar. And where the worse man is stronger than the good, where nobility goes to ruin and the vile man dominates—among such men I will never make my friends. No, rocky Scyros shall suffice for mefrom now on to make me delight in my home. Now to my ship! And you, son of Poeas, farewell—as best you can, farewell! May the gods free you of your disease, just as you wish! But we must be going, so that wemay set sail whenever the god permits our voyage.
Νεοπτόλεμος:ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ γένεθλον Οἰταίου πατρός,τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη τηλόθεν τό τʼ Ἴλιονκαὶ τοὺς Ἀτρείδας εἰσορῶν φυλάξομαι·ὅπου δʼ ὁ χείρων τἀγαθοῦ μεῖζον σθένεικἀποφθίνει τὰ χρηστὰ χὠ δειλὸς κρατεῖ,τούτους ἐγὼ τοὺς ἄνδρας οὐ στέρξω ποτέ·ἀλλʼ ἡ πετραία Σκῦρος ἐξαρκοῦσά μοιἔσται τὸ λοιπόν, ὥστε τέρπεσθαι δόμῳ.νῦν δʼ εἶμι πρὸς ναῦν· καὶ σύ, Ποίαντος τέκνον,χαῖρʼ ὡς μέγιστα, χαῖρε· καί σε δαίμονεςνόσου μεταστήσειαν, ὡς αὐτὸς θέλεις.ἡμεῖς δʼ ἴωμεν, ὡς ὁπηνίκʼ ἂν θεὸςπλοῦν ἡμὶν εἴκῃ, τηνικαῦθʼ ὁρμώμεθα.
Philoctetes:Are you setting out already, son?
Φιλοκτήτης:ἤδη, τέκνον, στέλλεσθε;
Neoptolemus:Yes, since opportunity bids us watch near our ship for a fair wind, rather than from afar.
Νεοπτόλεμος:καιρὸς γὰρ καλεῖπλοῦν μὴ ʼξ ἀπόπτου μᾶλλον ἢ ʼγγύθεν σκοπεῖν.
Philoctetes:Now by your father and by your mother, son, by all that you cherish at home—I solemnly supplicate you, do not leave me alone like this, helpless amid these miseries in which I live, so harsh as you see, and so numerous as I have said! Consider me a small side-task. Great isyour disgust, well I know, at such a cargo. Yet bear with it all the same—to noble minds baseness is hateful, and a good deed is glorious. If you forsake this task, you will have a stain on your honor; but if you perform it, boy, you will win the prize of highest honor—if I return alive to Oeta’s soil.
Φιλοκτήτης:πρός νύν σε πατρὸς πρός τε μητρός, ὦ τέκνον,πρός τʼ εἴ τί σοι κατʼ οἶκόν ἐστι προσφιλές,ἱκέτης ἱκνοῦμαι, μὴ λίπῃς μʼ οὕτω μόνον,ἔρημον ἐν κακοῖσι τοῖσδʼ οἵοις ὁρᾷςὅσοισί τʼ ἐξήκουσας ἐνναίοντά με·ἀλλʼ ἐν παρέργῳ θοῦ με. δυσχέρεια μέν,ἔξοιδα, πολλὴ τοῦδε τοῦ φορήματος·ὅμως δὲ τλῆθι· τοῖσι γενναίοισί τοιτό τʼ αἰσχρὸν ἐχθρὸν καὶ τὸ χρηστὸν εὐκλεές.σοὶ δʼ ἐκλιπόντι τοῦτʼ ὄνειδος οὐ καλόν,δράσαντι δʼ, ὦ παῖ, πλεῖστον εὐκλείας γέρας,ἐὰν μόλω ʼγὼ ζῶν πρὸς Οὐταίαν χθόνα.
Come, the trouble will not last one full day. Endure it, take me and throw me where you will—in the hold, the prow, the stern, wherever I will least annoy my shipmates. Say yes, by the great god of suppliants, son;be persuaded! I supplicate you at your knees, I am an infirm wretch, and lame! Do not leave me desolate like this, far from the paths of mankind! No, bring me safely to your own home, or to Euboea, Chalcodon’s seat;
ἴθʼ· ἡμέρας τοι μόχθος οὐχ ὅλης μιᾶς.τόλμησον. ἐμβαλοῦ μʼ ὅπῃ θέλεις ἄγων,εἰς ἀντλίαν, εἰς πρῷραν, εἰς πρύμνην, ὅποιἥκιστα μέλλω τοὺς ξυνόντας ἀλγυνεῖν.νεῦσον, πρὸς αὐτοῦ Ζηνὸς ἱκεσίου, τέκνον,πείσθητι· προσπίτνω σε γόνασι, καίπερ ὢνἀκράτωρ ὁ τλήμων, χωλός. ἀλλὰ μή μʼ ἀφῇςἔρημον οὕτω χωρὶς ἀνθρώπων στίβου,ἀλλʼ ἢ πρὸς οἶκον τὸν σὸν ἔκσωσόν μʼ ἄγωνἢ πρὸς τὰ Χαλκώδοντος Εὐβοίας σταθμά·
and from there it will be no long journey for me to Oeta and the Trachinian heights, and fair-flowing Spercheius, so that you may show me to my beloved father, though long I have feared that he may have departed me. For oftendid I summon him by means of those who came here, sending imploring prayers that he would himself send a ship and get me safely home. But either he is dead, or else, as I think is likely, my messengers thought my concerns of little account and hurried on their homeward voyage.
κἀκεῖθεν οὔ μοι μακρὸς εἰς Οἴτην στόλοςΤραχινίαν τε δειράδʼ ἠδʼ ἐς εὔροονΣπερχειὸν ἔσται· πατρί μʼ ὡς δείξῃς φίλῳ,ὃν δὴ παλαιὸν ἐξ ὅτου δέδοικʼ ἐγὼμή μοι βεβήκῃ. πολλὰ γὰρ τοῖς ἱγμένοιςἔστελλον αὐτὸν ἱκεσίους πέμπων λιτάς,αὐτόστολον πέμψαντά μʼ ἐκσῶσαι δόμους.ἀλλʼ ἢ τέθνηκεν ἢ τὰ τῶν διακόνων,ὡς εἰκός, οἶμαι, τοὐμὸν ἐν σμικρῷ μέροςποιούμενοι τὸν οἴκαδʼ ἤπειγον στόλον.