PHILOCTETES DOWN UNDER

Abstract

THE Philoctetes myth tells of a man rejected by society whom society suddenly needs again. Brief references in Homer along with information given in summaries of the Cyclic Epics enable us to reconstruct the main outlines of the story as it was known in pre-classical Greece. Philoctetes, son of Poeas, sailed with the Greek army for Troy. On the way ·hesuffered a snake bite and was abandoned by his compatriots on the island of Lemnos because of the unpleasant effects of the wound. In the last year of the war the captured Trojan prophet Helenus declared that Troy could not be taken without Philoctetes. The Greeks therefore rescued him from his island, whereupon he played a vital part in Troy's destruction and was healed of his wound. Within this basic framework there was, as with other myths, ample room for manoeuvre. The only full-scale treatment of the theme surviving from classical Greece is Sophocles' play produced in 409 B.C.1 We can, 'however, gauge some idea of how Aeschylus and Euripides dramatized the story, mainly from the discussions of Dio of Prusa (first century A.D.). Aeschylus apparently portrayed a resentful Philoctetes unwilling to go to Troy, and made Odysseus (rather than Diomedes) the chief Greek emissary with a false story about his own identity and the dire straits into which the Greek army had fallen. The chorus consisted of Lemnians who came to visit Philoctetes. In Euripides' version Odysseus' problems were increased because he knew that a rival embassy of Trojans was coming to ask Philoctetes to join them. Acting the part of a fugitive Greek he persuaded 'Philoctetes to reject their overtures. It appears from Dio's discussion that Odysseus' mission was to bring back both Philoctetes and the bow of Heracles. It was perhaps only after this bow had been stolen that Philoctetes was compelled to accompany Odysseus to Troy. The chorus in the play again consisted of Lemnians and one of the speaking characters was also a Lemnian who had apparently already visited Philoctetes. Important innovations mark Sophocles' handling of the story. In the first place, his chorus are Greek sailors. Lemnos, or at least the part of the island where Philoctetes is marooned, is unin-