by a storm of pain are senseless. Chorus Come with us, then, poor man, as we bid you. Philoctetes Never, never—of that be certain! Not even if the lord of the fiery lightning comes to wrap me in the blaze of his thunderbolts! Ilium be damned, and as many of the men before its walls as dared reject this foot of mine! But oh, friends, grant me one wish! Chorus What would you ask? Philoctetes A sword, if you can find one, or an axe, or any weapon— please, pass it to me! Chorus That you may execute what scheme? Philoctetes Mangle all this body, and sever limb from limb with my own hand! Death, death is my thought now! Chorus Why, why ever would you— Philoctetes I am seeking my father— Chorus In what land? Philoctetes In Hades; he dwells in the sunlight no more. Ah, my city, city of my fathers! I crave to see you, unhappy man that I truly am for leaving your sacred stream and going to help the Danaans, my enemies! I am nothing now, nothing anymore! Exit Philoctetes into the cave. 
 Chorus Long ago I would have left you to go to my ship, had I not seen Odysseus approaching, and the son of Achilles, too, coming here for us. Enter Neoptolemus and Odysseus. Odysseus Will you not tell me why you make this return journey with such eager speed? Neoptolemus I come to undo the mistake that I made earlier. Odysseus Your words alarm me—what mistake was that? Neoptolemus The one I made when I obeyed you and all the army. Odysseus What did you do that was unworthy of you? Neoptolemus I captured a man by disgraceful deceits and treachery. Odysseus What man? Oh! Can you be planning something rash? Neoptolemus Rash, no. But to Poeas’ son— Odysseus What are you going to do? Suddenly a certain fear comes over me. Neoptolemus —From whom I took this bow, back to him— Odysseus Zeus! What will you say? Certainly you do not intend to give it back? Neoptolemus Yes, I do, because disgracefully and unjustly I got hold of it. Odysseus In the name of the gods, are you saying this to mock me? Neoptolemus If it is mockery to speak the truth.