One should take care to say what is just, and having said it, keep his tongue from ire. Odysseus follows the orders of many, and he has done this in obedience to his friends. PHILOKTETES O birds, o beasts that feed upon the hills, you no longer need run away from my cave. I no longer have my killing weapons. Come down. The time is right for you to feed on my ravaged, quivering body; I will soon die. How can I keep myself alive? Who can live on breezes and not earthly food? CHORUS By the gods, if you still hold the gods in respect, come to a stranger who approaches with good heart. Think closely of what you are doing. It is up to you to flee your destruction. To feed fate with your flesh is pitiful. Your body will never learn to endure the pains, the ten thousand pains of the sickness possessing you. PHILOKTETES You pour salt on old wounds. Still, you are better than any of those who came to me before. Why have you also wounded me? CHORUS What do you mean? PHILOKTETES You wanted to take me to hateful Troy. CHORUS I think that is best. PHILOKTETES Then leave me, and now. CHORUS That is good news indeed. I'll willingly obey your command. Let us go, men, back to our stations. PHILOKTETES No, strangers, by the gods, stay here! I beg you! CHORUS Be still. PHILOKTETES I beg you, stay with me. CHORUS Why do you beseech us now? PHILOKTETES I am destroyed. My foot, what will I do with you for what remains of my life? Come back to me, friends. CHORUS Come back to do what? Have you changed your mind? PHILOKTETES It is not just to be angry when a man driven mad by stormy anguish speaks thoughtlessly. CHORUS Come with us, poor man, as we have asked. PHILOKTETES Never. Not even if the lord of lightning devours me in thunderous fire! Let Troy be ruined and all those before its walls who cast me away here in my lameness! Friends, grant me one last request. CHORUS What is it? PHILOKTETES If you have a sword, or an axe, or a knife, then bring it to me. CHORUS What will you do with it? PHILOKTETES I will cut off my head, cut off my foot, cut myself apart with my own hand. My mind wants nothing but death. CHORUS Why? PHILOKTETES I want to find my father. CHORUS Where? PHILOKTETES In Hades. Surely he no longer stands in light. Ancestral city, I wish I could see you, I who deserted your holy waters to help the Greeks, my enemies. I am nothing now. CHORUS I should have been back to the ship by now. Here comes Odysseus with the son of Achilles. ODYSSEUS Why are you returning so quickly, boy? NEOPTOLEMOS I hurry to undo the evil I have done. ODYSSEUS You speak strangely. What evil is that? NEOPTOLEMOS I was wrong to obey you and the generals. ODYSSEUS What did we order you to do that was wrong? NEOPTOLEMOS I worked guile and deceit, and successfully. ODYSSEUS What more do you want now? NEOPTOLEMOS Nothing new. I have Philoktetes's bow. ODYSSEUS And what will you do with it? I am afraid to ask.