Synopsis

Sophocles' Philoctetes begins with their arrival on the island of Lemnos. Odysseus explains to Neoptolemus that he must perform a shameful action in order to garner future glory—to trick Philoctetes into coming to Troy with a false story while Odysseus hides. Neoptolemus is portrayed as an honorable boy, taking some persuasion to get him to play this part. To gain Philoctetes' trust, Neoptolemus deceives Philoctetes into thinking he hates Odysseus as well. Neoptolemus does this by telling Philoctetes that Odysseus has his father's (Achilles) armor. He tells Philoctetes that this armor was his right by birth and that Odysseus would not give it up to him. After gaining Philoctetes' trust and offering him passage home, Neoptolemus is allowed to look at the bow of Heracles.

Neoptolemus holds the bow while Philoctetes is going into an unbearable fit of pain in his foot (due to the snake bite he bears on it). Feeling ashamed of having misled Philoctetes, Neoptolemus debates giving it back to him. Odysseus appears, and a series of arguments ensue. Eventually Neoptolemus' conscience gains the upper hand, and he returns the bow. After many threats made on both sides, Odysseus flees. Neoptolemus then tries to talk Philoctetes into coming to Troy by his own free will, but Philoctetes does not agree. In the end, Neoptolemus consents to take Philoctetes back to Greece, even though that will expose him to the anger of the army. This appears to be the conclusion of the play—however, as they are leaving, Heracles (now a deity) appears above them and tells Philoctetes that if he goes to Troy, he will be cured and the Greeks will win. Philoctetes willingly obeys him.

The play ends here. When Philoctetes later fights in Troy, his foot is healed, and he wins glory, killing many Trojans (including Paris).