Classical Wisdom Litterae - Sep 2019

XLII S ophocles’ Philoctetes , first performed in 409 BC, isn’t a typical tragedy, certainly not in the more modern perception of the genre. There is no high death toll and no evil, underhand conni v ing that l eaves charac t e r s b i t t e r and crushed. In a word, there is no blood. In fact, as far as Greek tragedy goes, Philoctetes is really a ‘happy ever after tale’ with all the characters basically getting off the island of Lemnos with a good deal. But then how does Sophocles keep it interesting? Through the tension and conflict that is a precursor to the successful conclusion that the audience knows is to come. So whilst Philoctetes may disappoint with its lack of fatalities, it is cer tainly abundant in suspense. But let’s rewind a little bit and set the scene. Philoctetes takes place on the island of Lemnos and is a prelude to the tr iumphant Greek conclusion of the Trojan War. In order to succeed in said campaign, the Greeks need a specific weapon, which was once owned by Heracles and currently in possession of the lame and tormented castaway Philoctetes, who received the gift for lighting the demi-god’s pyre. Unfortunately this poor fellow received a particularly nasty snake bite on the journey to Troy, which when it festered, made him unpopular company. They rid the stinking sick man by stranding him on the island where he remained… until a team of Greeks returned in order to obtain the sacred bow. Enter Odysseus, hero of T h e O d y s s e y a n d Ne o p t o l emu s , s o n o f Achilles. They have an extremely difficult task in front of them though, as Philoctetes did not take kindly to his abandonment and is still quite embittered. The play opens fraught with t e n s i o n , a s Od y s s e u s immediately acknowledges that Phi loctetes would rather ‘catch me than any Greek alive’. Odysseus’ fear is apparent – he knows that even he cannot defend himsel f against the magical bow that never misses. And yet, he has such a task at hand. The less apparent conflicts are those that take place within the individuals in the play, which don’t blatantly come across in the text. Neoptolemus’ inner-conflict is most obvious of the three – loyalty to his friends and comrades, or obedience to his conscience. He seems aware from the moment Philoctetes entrusts him with the magical bow, that he will have to make some compromise. B Y B E N P O T T E R “I N FACT , AS FAR AS G REEK TRAGEDY GOES , P HILOCTETES IS REALLY A ‘ HAPPY EVER AFTER TALE ’ WITH ALL THE CHARACTERS BASICALLY GETTING OFF THE ISLAND OF L EMNOS WITH A GOOD DEAL . B UT THEN HOW DOES S OPHOCLES KEEP IT INTERESTING ?” Bust of Sophocles