Philoctetes

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(No Transcript)
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Production

• 409 BC
• Written by Sophocles
• Performed at the Festival of Dionysus
• 1st prize

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Dramatis personae

• Chorus of Sailors under the command of
  Neoptolemus
• The spy disguised as a trader
• Odysseus
• Neoptolemus
• Philoctetes
• Heracles

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Background

• Philoctetes is on his way to Troy when he wanders
  into a shrine and is bitten by a snake. Since the
  bite makes him smell, moan in agony, and
  offensive, Odysseus, Menelaus, and Agamemnon
  maroon him on Lemnos for 10 years.
• A prophecy is made that only with the bow of
  Heracles, which Philoctetes has, can the Greeks
  bring down Troy

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Plot

• Arriving at Lemnos, Odysseus orders Neoptolemus
  to trick Philoctetes to come with them. While
  against the plot, Neoptolemus eventually agrees
  and is able to convince Philoctetes to go with
  him. Philoctetes then gives Neoptolemus his bow.
  Neoptolemus apologizes and tells Philoctetes it
  was a trick before Odysseus returns. Neoptolemus
  gives the bow back and decides he will help
  Philoctetes and not make him go to Troy. Heracles
  appears and tells Philoctetes to go to Troy.

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Favorite Passage

• Son of Laertes, what I dislike to hear
• I hate to put into execution.
• I have a natural antipathy
• to get my means by tricks and stratagems.
• So, too, they say my father was. Philoctetes
• I will gladly fight and capture, bring him with
  us,
• but not by treachery. Surely a one-legged man
• cannot prevail against so many of us!
• I recognize that I was sent with you
• to follow your instruction. I am loath
• to have you call me traitor. Still, my lord,
• I would prefer even to fail with honor
• than win by cheating.

Neoptolemus to Odysseus at the beginning of the
play when Odysseus tells him his plot to capture
Philoctetes.
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The Philoctetes Project

• Readings of portions of Philoctetes to medical
  professionals
• Discussions on doctor-patient relationships

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Odd Facts

• Both Euripides and Aeschylus wrote a Philoctetes,
  but neither survived
• Criticized in Aristotles Poetics for its happy
  ending
• Philoctetes was name of the satyr who trained
  Heracles in the Disney movie.

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Bibliography

• http//b8.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/00642/80/14/642
  514108_s.gif
• http//www.fettes.com/academic/Classics20web/Phil
  octetes.jpg
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philoctetes_(Sophocle
  s)
• http//www.philoctetesproject.org/images/philoctet
  es_TFCPA.jpg