Odysseus Chorus Trader (Spy) Neoptolemos Philoktetes Herakles PHILOKTETES ODYSSEUS This is the shore of jagged Lemnos, a land bound by waves, untrodden, lonely. Here I abandoned Poias's son, Philoktetes of Melos, years ago. Neoptolemos, child of Lord Achilles, the greatest by far of our Greek fighters, I had to cast him away here: our masters, the princes, commanded me to, for disease had conquered him, and his foot was eaten away by festering sores. We had no recourse. At our holy feasts, we could not reach for meat and wine. He would not let us sleep; he howled all night, wilder than a wolf. He blanketed our camp with evil cries, moaning, screaming. But there is no time to talk of such things: no time for long speeches and explanations. He might hear us coming and foil my scheme to take him back. Your orders are to serve me, to spy out the cave I found for him here--- a two-mouthed cave, exposed to the sun for warmth in the cold months, admitting cool breezes in summer's heat; to the left, nearby it, a sweet-running spring, if it is still sweet. If he still lives in this cave or another place, then I'll reveal more of my plan. Listen: both of us have been charged with this. NEOPTOLEMOS Lord Odysseus, what you speak of is indeed nearby. This is his place. ODYSSEUS Where? Above or below us? I cannot tell. NEOPTOLEMOS Above, and with no sound of footsteps or talking. ODYSSEUS Go and see if he's sleeping inside. NEOPTOLEMOS I see an empty dwelling. There is no one within. ODYSSEUS And none of the things that distinguish a house? NEOPTOLEMOS A pallet of trampled leaves, as if for a bed. ODYSSEUS And what else? Is there nothing more inside the cave? NEOPTOLEMOS A wooden mug, carelessly made, and a few sticks of kindling. ODYSSEUS So this is the man's empty treasure-vault. NEOPTOLEMOS Look here. Rags lie drying in the sun, full of pieces of skin and pus from his sores. ODYSSEUS Then clearly he still lives here. He can't be far off. Weakened as he is by long years of disease, he can't stray far from home. He is probably out scratching up a meal or an herb he knows will relieve his pain. Send a guard to keep close watch on this place so he doesn't take me by surprise-- for he'd rather have me than any other Greek. NEOPTOLEMOS The path will be guarded. Now tell me the rest. ODYSSEUS Son of Achilles, we are here for a reason. You must be like your father, and not in strength alone. If any of this sounds strange to you, no matter. You must still serve those who are over you. NEOPTOLEMOS What must I do? ODYSSEUS