Philoctetes in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Philoctetes

34 passages from 8 ancient authors that tell of Philoctetes, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Philoctetes was the son of King Poeas in Greek mythology, a Greek hero who participated in the Trojan War. He first appeared in the story of Heracles'... For the story in one place, read our article on Philoctetes.

Hesiod (1)

Hesiod, Fragments 1.68The suitors of HelenThe best-preserved passage of the Catalogue lists the heroes who came to woo Helen, each with his gifts, from Philoctetes and the sons of Amphiaraus to Odysseus, Menestheus, Aias and Idomeneus. Tyndareus sends none away and receives no gift, and the passage ends with the birth of Hermione.

Homer (2)

Homer, Iliad 2.645–785The Catalogue of Ships (3): Crete, Achilles' Myrmidons and ThessalyThe Catalogue turns to the Cretans under Idomeneus, Tlepolemus of Rhodes and Nireus of Syme. It lists Achilles' Myrmidons, who lie idle by their ships while he nurses his wrath, and then the contingents from Thessaly, including those of Protesilaus, Philoctetes and Eumelus. The poet asks the Muse who were the best of the men and horses, and names Ajax as the best man while Achilles was angry.
Homer, Odyssey 3.102–200Nestor tells of the Achaeans' returnNestor recalls the long fighting at Troy, where no one could match Odysseus in counsel, and tells how the Achaeans quarrelled and divided on the eve of their departure. Some sailed with Menelaus, Diomedes and Odysseus to Tenedos, where they quarrelled again, and Nestor sailed home. He says he has heard that Neoptolemus, Philoctetes and Idomeneus reached home safely, and he praises Orestes for killing Aegisthus.

Sophocles (20)

Sophocles, Philoctetes 730–826Third episode: the attack of painPhiloctetes is suddenly seized by a violent attack of pain in his foot, and begs Neoptolemus to cut off the foot, and gives him the bow to keep. Neoptolemus promises that no one else will touch it. Philoctetes curses Odysseus and the Atreidae, asks to be burned on Lemnos and, after the pain passes, begs him not to leave and falls into a deep sleep.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 1348–1407bExodos (cont.): Philoctetes refuses and Neoptolemus yieldsPhiloctetes cries out against the hateful life that keeps him alive, and says that he cannot join the Greeks who left him to rot, or the sons of Atreus. He asks Neoptolemus to keep his promise and take him home, and Neoptolemus, though he fears the vengeance of the Greeks, finally agrees to take him to Oeta. Philoctetes says that he will help him with the arrows of Heracles.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 1263–1313Exodos (cont.): the bow restoredPhiloctetes comes out in fear, and curses Neoptolemus and the Atreidae when he will not listen. Neoptolemus swears that he is sincere and hands him back the bow, and Odysseus reappears to forbid it. Philoctetes aims at Odysseus, but Neoptolemus stops him, and Philoctetes praises Neoptolemus as the true son of Achilles.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 865–962Fourth episode: Neoptolemus admits the deceptionPhiloctetes wakes and is moved to find Neoptolemus still there, and asks to be helped up. Neoptolemus, troubled by his conscience, finally says that he is taking him to Troy, back to the Atreidae. Philoctetes cries that he has been betrayed, demands his bow back and curses Neoptolemus as a deceiver.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 963–1003Fourth episode (cont.): Odysseus appearsThe Chorus ask Neoptolemus what to do, and he says that he pities Philoctetes, who begs him to give the bow back and tells him that he is not wicked but has learned from wicked masters. Odysseus then appears and demands the bow, and Philoctetes cries that he is sold. When he threatens to leap from the rock, Odysseus orders his men to seize him, and claims that he acts as the servant of Zeus.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 391–506First stasimon; Philoctetes asks about Troy and begs to be taken homeThe Chorus pray to the Earth, mother of Zeus, in sympathy with Neoptolemus. Philoctetes asks about the men he knew at Troy, and hears that Ajax, Antilochus and Patroclus are dead while Odysseus and Thersites live, so that the gods spare the evil. When Neoptolemus says that he is about to set sail, Philoctetes begs him, by his father and mother and by everything dear to him, not to leave him but to take him home to Oeta.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 628–675Second episode (cont.): Philoctetes lets Neoptolemus hold the bowPhiloctetes says that he will not be taken by Odysseus' soft words and urges Neoptolemus to leave at once, and Neoptolemus says that they will sail when the wind changes. Philoctetes says that he must first take a herb that soothes the wound and his arrows from the cave. Neoptolemus asks to see the bow, and Philoctetes, thanking him for saving him, lets him handle it and asks him to come into the cave.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 1162–1217Fourth stasimon (cont.): the Chorus plead; Philoctetes asks for a swordThe Chorus beg Philoctetes in the name of the gods to accept the way of escape, but he accuses them of wanting to take him to Troy and tells them to go, and then calls them back. He refuses again to go to Troy, and begs them to bring him a sword or an axe. He says that he wants to die and join his father in Hades, and mourns for his home.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 507–627Second episode: Neoptolemus agrees; the Merchant's warningThe Chorus urge Neoptolemus to pity the man, and he agrees to take Philoctetes on board, and Philoctetes is overjoyed. As they are about to go, a Merchant arrives and says that Phoenix and the sons of Theseus are coming after Philoctetes, and that Odysseus and Diomedes are sailing for the same purpose. He tells them that the Trojan seer Helenus has foretold that Troy will fall only if Philoctetes is brought to it, and Philoctetes says that he would rather die than be persuaded by Odysseus.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 219–316First episode: Philoctetes meets NeoptolemusPhiloctetes comes out and asks, in delight at hearing Greek, who they are. Neoptolemus says that he is the son of Achilles and is sailing home from Troy. Philoctetes tells how he was left alone on the island by the Atreidae and Odysseus, and describes ten years of hunger, cold and the pain of his wound, with no visitors but sailors who would not take him home.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 317–390First episode (cont.): Neoptolemus' false storyThe Chorus pity Philoctetes, and Neoptolemus says that he too has a grievance against the Atreidae. He tells Philoctetes that Achilles is dead, and that after the army called him to Troy he was refused his father's arms, which were given to Odysseus. He says that he has left in anger and is sailing home.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 1004–1080Fourth episode (cont.): Odysseus takes the bow and leaves PhiloctetesPhiloctetes, seized by Odysseus' men, laments that he has lost his bow and his means of life, and curses Odysseus. Odysseus answers that he has no more need of him now that he has the weapons, since Teucer and he can use the bow, and tells his men to release Philoctetes and leave him on Lemnos. Neoptolemus says that he will be thought soft-hearted, but tells the Chorus to wait with Philoctetes until the sailors have readied the ship.

8 more passages of Sophocles that name Philoctetes

Ovid (2)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 13.255–381Odysseus' speech: his services at TroyOdysseus (Ulysses) lists the Trojan warriors he killed, reminds the chiefs that he carried the body of Achilles from the field, and answers the charge about Palamedes. He tells how the prophets said that Philoctetes and his arrows were needed to take Troy, and how he brought Philoctetes to the army. He says that he alone dared to enter Troy by night and take the Palladium, and he ends by asking for the arms as the reward of his mind, pointing to the image of Athena (Minerva).
Ovid, Metamorphoses 13.382–438The arms awarded; the death of Ajax; the fall of TroyThe chiefs award the armour to Odysseus (Ulysses), and Ajax, in a rage that he has been robbed, kills himself with the sword that Hector had given him. From his blood a purple flower rises, marked with the letters of his name. Odysseus fetches Philoctetes from Lemnos, and Troy falls, and the Trojan women are shared among the Greeks, among them Hecuba, who is given to Odysseus. The Thracian king Polymestor, to whom Priam had sent his youngest son Polydorus with gold, kills the boy and throws his body into the sea.

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.33.1–4Megalopolis: the ruin of great cities and the mutability of fortunePausanias notes that Megalopolis, founded with such enthusiasm, now lies mostly in ruins. He sets this against the fates of Mycenae, Nineveh, Thebes, Orchomenus, Delos and Babylon, which have declined, and of Alexandria and Seleucia on the Orontes, which have grown. He ends with the island of Chryse near Lemnos, where Philoctetes was bitten, which sank beneath the waves, and the island Hiera that appeared, as signs of how transient human affairs are.

Quintus Smyrnaeus (6)

Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 10.203–331Philoctetes wounds ParisParis shoots at Philoctetes and misses, and Philoctetes shoots back, wounding him with the second arrow. Paris is told that only Oenone can heal him and goes to her on Ida. She mocks him, refuses, and drives him from her door.
Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 9.321–443Philoctetes on LemnosOn Calchas' advice the Argives draw back, for Troy cannot fall until Philoctetes comes. Diomedes and Odysseus sail to Lemnos and find him in his cave, wounded and clothed in feathers. He aims at them with his bow, and then they win him over and carry him to the ship.
Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 9.444–546Philoctetes is healedAt the camp the Argives are glad to see him, and his wound is healed. Agamemnon asks his forgiveness and gives him gifts, and Philoctetes forgives. The Argives arm for battle at dawn.
Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 11.1–128The battle after Paris' deathThe Trojan women mourn in the city, but the young men go on fighting outside, for Strife and the Fates stalk through both armies. Neoptolemus, Aeneas, Philoctetes, Polydamas, Odysseus, Diomedes, Agamemnon, Thoas and Teucer kill in turn, and the dead are numbered.
Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 11.358–501The assault on the wallOdysseus' men lock their shields over their heads like a roof and press up to the wall under a hail of stones. Alcimedon, a Locrian, climbs a ladder and is struck down by Aeneas' stone. Philoctetes shoots at Aeneas and kills Medon, and Aeneas kills Toxaechmes.
Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 10.74–202Heroes in the slaughter; the arms of HerculesAeneas kills Harpalion and Hyllus, while Neoptolemus slays twelve Trojans with his father's spear. Eurymenes kills many until Meges strikes him down, and Paris, Teucer and Meges also kill, with digressions on Scylaceus' fate and on Endymion's cave. Philoctetes then ravages the Trojans, and the poet describes the belt and quiver of Hercules that he carries, decorated with beasts and scenes from myth.

Epic Cycle (1)

Epic Cycle, Summaries and Fragments 7.1–26Little IliadProclus' summary of the Little Iliad begins with the judging of the arms of Achilles, which Odysseus wins, and the madness and death of Aias. Philoctetes is brought from Lemnos, Eurypylus is killed by Neoptolemus and Epeius builds the wooden horse. The fragments give the girls' quarrel over Aias and Odysseus, Achilles at Scyros, the golden vine given to Laomedon for Ganymedes, and the death of Astyanax.

Parthenius of Nicaea (1)

Parthenius of Nicaea, Love Romances 3.1–4.5Odysseus and Evippe; Alexander and OenoneOdysseus seduces Evippe in Epirus, and their son Euryalus is killed at Ithaca when Penelope persuades Odysseus that he is a plotter; Odysseus himself later dies of a wound from his own offspring. Oenone, who lives with Alexander (Paris) on Mount Ida, foretells that he will leave her and that only she can cure him. When he is wounded by an arrow of Philoctetes she answers him haughtily, and he dies before she arrives, and she kills herself.