He is bitter, this stranger; his words are, too, for they do not bend to suffering. ODYSSEUS There is no time to say the things I should, and there are many things I could say to him. Just this: I am a man who responds to occasion and adapts himself to the situation. In times of crisis among good and just men, I can be the noblest-minded of all. To win is my overarching wish--- except against you. For you I will stand aside. Let him go. We don't need him. Let him stay in this place. We have his bow. Teuker is with us, and he is skillful, and I can master those weapons too. I aim straight as well. Why would we need you? Goodbye. Goodbye to Lemnos. Let's go. Perhaps soon I'll win the prize and fame that belong to you. PHILOKTETES Oh, what will I do? Will you stand before the Greeks cloaked in the glory of my weapons? ODYSSEUS Don't speak to me. We are leaving now. PHILOKTETES You have nothing to say to me, son of Achilles? Will you leave without a word? ODYSSEUS Come along now, boy. Don't look at him, even though your spirit prompts you to. That may destroy the advantage we have won. PHILOKTETES You sailors, will you leave me? Do you have no pity? CHORUS The young lord is our master. His words are ours. NEOPTOLEMOS Odysseus will chide me for pitying him. You men stay here until the other sailors make ready and we have prayed to the gods of this place. Philoktetes may think better of us. Let us go, Odysseus. You men, come quickly as soon as we call for you. PHILOKTETES Rock hollow, cave, sunny, icy, It is true that I was not meant to leave you. You will be a witness to my life and death. Rock walls, filled with my cries of anguish, what will my daily ration be now? What hope have I of dealing with my fate, now that the birds that fled from me above will come down through the winds to destroy me? I have no strength left. CHORUS You brought this on yourself, unbending man. You could have found a way out when it was possible to make a sensible choice, but you took the worse over the better fate. PHILOKTETES Sorrow and sadness are mine. I am broken by suffering, and now I must live alone; I will live and die in this place. I cannot feed myself by my winged arrows or my strong hands. Unexpectedly, his tricky words overtook my judgment. I wish the one who set this trap were given pains to match my own. CHORUS The gods' will brought you down, not guile, not tricks in which I have had a hand. Let loose your hatred, set aside your curses. I have only the fear that you'll refuse my friendship. PHILOKTETES He sits laughing on the shores of the wine-dark sea. He holds in his hands the bow that sustained me, which no mortal but I had ever touched. Beloved bow, made by caring hands, the prize of Herakles, who'll never use you again, if you could see, you would pity me. You have a new master, a guileful man. He will bend you now. You will know treachery, know my hated enemy, and know countless evils rising from his deceit. CHORUS