by a storm of pain are senseless.ChorusCome with us, then, poor man, as we bid you.PhiloctetesNever, 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!ChorusWhat would you ask?PhiloctetesA sword, if you can find one, or an axe, or any weapon—please, pass it to me!ChorusThat you may execute what scheme?PhiloctetesMangle all this body, and sever limb from limb with my own hand! Death, death is my thought now!ChorusWhy, why ever would you—PhiloctetesI am seeking my father—ChorusIn what land?PhiloctetesIn 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 amfor leaving your sacred stream and going to help the Danaans, my enemies! I am nothing now, nothing anymore! Exit Philoctetes into the cave.

ChorusLong ago I would have left you to go to my ship, had I not seenOdysseus approaching, and the son of Achilles, too, coming here for us.Enter Neoptolemus and Odysseus.OdysseusWill you not tell me why you make this return journey with such eager speed?NeoptolemusI come to undo the mistake that I made earlier.OdysseusYour words alarm me—what mistake was that?NeoptolemusThe one I made when I obeyed you and all the army.OdysseusWhat did you do that was unworthy of you?NeoptolemusI captured a man by disgraceful deceits and treachery.OdysseusWhat man? Oh! Can you be planning something rash?NeoptolemusRash, no. But to Poeas’ son—OdysseusWhat are you going to do? Suddenly a certain fear comes over me.Neoptolemus—From whom I took this bow, back to him—OdysseusZeus! What will you say? Certainly you do not intend to give it back?NeoptolemusYes, I do, because disgracefully and unjustly I got hold of it.OdysseusIn the name of the gods, are you saying this to mock me?NeoptolemusIf it is mockery to speak the truth.