Philoctetes (Aeschylus play): Difference between revisions

Philoctetes
Philoctetes
	Wounded Philoctetes
Written by	Aeschylus
Chorus	Men of Lemnos
Characters	Philoctetes; Odysseus; Others?
Date premiered	probably 470s BCE
Place premiered	Athens
Original language	Ancient Greek
Genre	Tragedy
Setting	Lemnos

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Philoctetes (Ancient Greek: Φιλοκτήτης) is a play by the Athenian poet Aeschylus. It was probably first produced during the 470s BCE. It is now lost except for a few fragments. Most of what we know of the plot is from the writings of 1st century orator Dio Chrysostom, who compared the Philoctetes plays of Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles.

Fragments

The few extant fragments from the play are not much use in reconstructing Aeschylus' treatment.^[1] One fragment mentions that Philoctetes' bow has been hung on a pine tree.^[2] Several are of Philoctetes commenting on the pain in his foot, including one in which he longs for death.^[2] We do know the broad outline of the plot from a comparison by Dio Chrysostom of the Aeschylus' Philoctetes with Euripides' Philoctetes (431 BCE) and Sophocles' Philoctetes (409 BCE).^[2]^[3]^[4]

Plot

Philoctetes is mentioned briefly in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and his story was expanded on in Lesches' Little Iliad and Arctinus' Iliupersis.^[2]^[3] The Greeks had abandoned Philoctetes on the island of Lemnos on their way to Troy because they could not stand his screams of pain and the odor from his wound after he was bitten by a poisonous snake.^[2] However, ten years into the Trojan War they found out that Philoctetes and his bow and arrows were required to conquer Troy.^[2]

In the original versions of the story, Diomedes was sent to recover Philoctetes and bring him back to Troy.^[2] However, in Aeschylus' play, Odysseus, who was largely responsible for Philoctetes being marooned on Lemnos was sent to fetch him.^[2]^[3]^[4] In addition to creating dramatic irony, the innovation of having Odysseus sent to fetch Philoctetes also has a benefit in that Odysseus is particularly known for his oratory skills, and oratory skills are particularly valuable in a Greek play.^[3] The plot point of having Odysseus being sent to recover Philoctetes after being responsible for his abandonment is a plot point that Euripides and Sophocles retained in their Philoctetes plays.^[3]

Philoctetes did not recognize Odysseus at first as a result of the suffering Philoctetes endured for the prior ten years alone.^[2]^[3] Odysseus gained Philoctetes' trust by falsely telling him that Agamemnon, who was also responsible for Philoctetes' abandonment, had died and that Odysseus had been executed for committing a shameful crime.^[2] It is not known exactly how Odysseus ultimately secured Philoctetes bow and cooperation, or whether he took them by force as he attempted to do in Euripides' and Sophocles' versions.^[2] Dio does tell us that Odysseus' pleas and lies were not inappropriate for someone of Odysseus' heroic stature.^[2]

According to Aspasius, Aeschylus' and Sophocles' Philoctetes attempted to hide his pain at first, but eventually the pain was too great and he was forced to scream.^[2]

Chorus

The chorus in the play is made up of men of Lemnos.^[2]^[3]^[5] In In Aeschylus' play, the men of Lemnos had not visited Philoctetes throughout his entire ten year time on the island.^[2]^[3] Philoctetes told the chorus his backstory of being abandoned by the Greeks.^[2] Dio considered Aeschylus' approach of having a chorus that had never visited Philoctetes but not apologizing for that more straightforward than Euripides' approach of an apologetic chorus.^[2]^[3] In Sophocles' Philoctetes, Lemnos is uninhabited, making the decision of the Greek commanders to maroon Philoctetes there even more heartless.^[3]

Reception

Dio praised Aeschylus' version for its simplicity, dignity, grandeur and bold thought and language.^[2]^[5]^[6] Classics professor Norman Austin claims that Aeschylus' revisions to the original story actually make Aeschylus' story more Homeric.^[3]

Date

The date of the original production of Philoctetes is unknown.^[5] However, it is generally believed that it was originally produced during the 470s BCE.^[4]^[7]

References

^ Collard, C.; Cropp, M. J., eds. (2008). Euripides Fragments: Oedipus–Chrysippus; Other Fragments. Harvard University Press. p. 369. ISBN 9780674996311.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r Smyth, H.W. (1930). Aeschylus: Agamemnon, Libation-Bearers, Eumenides, Fragments. Harvard University Press. pp. 464–467. ISBN 0-674-99161-3.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Austin, N. (2011). Sophocles' Philoctetes and the Great Soul Robbery. University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 29–36, 77. ISBN 9780299282745.
^ ^a ^b ^c Collard, C. (2004). "Philoctetes". In Collard, C.; Cropp, M. J.; Gilbert, J. (eds.). Euripides: Selected Fragmentary Plays, Volume II. Aris & Phillips. p. 2. ISBN 9780856686214.
^ ^a ^b ^c Sophocles, Phillips, C. & Clay, D. (2003). "Introduction". Philoctetes. Oxford University Press. pp. 9–11. ISBN 9780195136579.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Harsh, P.W. (1944). A Handbook of Classical Drama. Stanford University Press. pp. 142–143. ISBN 9780804703802.
^ Austin, N. (2011). Sophocles' Philoctetes and the Great Soul Robbery. University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 6, 24. ISBN 9780299282745.

[fragments-1] Collard, C.; Cropp, M. J., eds. (2008). Euripides Fragments: Oedipus–Chrysippus; Other Fragments. Harvard University Press. p. 369. ISBN 9780674996311.

[frag-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r Smyth, H.W. (1930). Aeschylus: Agamemnon, Libation-Bearers, Eumenides, Fragments. Harvard University Press. pp. 464–467. ISBN 0-674-99161-3.

[austin-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Austin, N. (2011). Sophocles' Philoctetes and the Great Soul Robbery. University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 29–36, 77. ISBN 9780299282745.

[selected-4] Collard, C. (2004). "Philoctetes". In Collard, C.; Cropp, M. J.; Gilbert, J. (eds.). Euripides: Selected Fragmentary Plays, Volume II. Aris & Phillips. p. 2. ISBN 9780856686214.

[clay-5] Sophocles, Phillips, C. & Clay, D. (2003). "Introduction". Philoctetes. Oxford University Press. pp. 9–11. ISBN 9780195136579.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[handbook-6] Harsh, P.W. (1944). A Handbook of Classical Drama. Stanford University Press. pp. 142–143. ISBN 9780804703802.

[7] Austin, N. (2011). Sophocles' Philoctetes and the Great Soul Robbery. University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 6, 24. ISBN 9780299282745.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Lost tragedy by Aeschylus}}
-{{Infobox Play | name=  The Philoctetes
+{{Infobox play | name=  Philoctetes
-| image =
+| image = The Wounded Philoctetes (1854-55).jpg
-| caption =
+| caption = Wounded Philoctetes
 | writer = [[Aeschylus]]
 | chorus = Men of [[Lemnos]]
 | characters = [[Philoctetes]]<br />[[Odysseus]]<br />Others?
 | setting    = [[Lemnos]]
-| premiere   = ca. 470 BCE
+| premiere   = probably 470s BCE
 | place      = [[Classical Athens|Athens]]
 | orig_lang  = [[Ancient Greek]]
@@ Line 12: / Line 13: @@
 }}
-'''''Philoctetes''''' is a play by the [[Athens|Athenian]] poet [[Aeschylus]].  It is now lost except for a few fragments.  We do know the broad outline of the plot from a comparison by [[Dio Chrysostom]] of the Aeschylus' ''Philoctetes'' with [[Euripides]]' ''[[Philoctetes (Euripides)|Philoctetes]]'' (431 BCE) and [[Sophocles]]' ''[[Philoctetes (Sophocles)|Philoctetes]]'' (409 BCE).<ref name=frag>{{cite book|title=Aeschylus: Agamemnon, Libation-Bearers, Eumenides, Fragments|author=[[Herbert Weir Smyth|Smyth, H.W.]]|page=464-467|year=1930|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=0-674-99161-3}}</ref>
+'''''Philoctetes''''' ({{lang-grc|Φιλοκτήτης}}) is a play by the [[Athens|Athenian]] poet [[Aeschylus]].  It was probably first produced during the 470s BCE.  It is now lost except for a few fragments.  Most of what we know of the plot is from the writings of 1st century orator [[Dio Chrysostom]], who compared the Philoctetes plays of Aeschylus, [[Euripides]] and [[Sophocles]].
+==Fragments==
+The few extant fragments from the play are not much use in reconstructing Aeschylus' treatment.<ref name=fragments>{{cite book|title=Euripides Fragments: Oedipus&ndash;Chrysippus; Other Fragments|editor=Collard, C. |editor2=Cropp, M. J.|page=369|year=2008|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=9780674996311}}</ref>  One fragment mentions that Philoctetes' bow has been hung on a [[pine tree]].<ref name=frag/>  Several are of Philoctetes commenting on the pain in his foot, including one in which he longs for death.<ref name=frag/>  We do know the broad outline of the plot from a comparison by [[Dio Chrysostom]] of the Aeschylus' ''Philoctetes'' with [[Euripides]]' ''[[Philoctetes (Euripides)|Philoctetes]]'' (431 BCE) and [[Sophocles]]' ''[[Philoctetes (Sophocles)|Philoctetes]]'' (409 BCE).<ref name=frag>{{cite book|title=Aeschylus: Agamemnon, Libation-Bearers, Eumenides, Fragments|author=Smyth, H.W.|author-link=Herbert Weir Smyth|pages=464–467|year=1930|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=0-674-99161-3}}</ref><ref name=austin/><ref name=selected/>
 ==Plot==
-[[Philoctetes]] is mentioned briefly in [[Homer]]'s ''[[Iliad]]'', and his story was expanded on in [[Lesches]]' ''[[Little Iliad]]'' and [[Arctinus]]' ''[[Iliupersis]]''.<ref name=frag/>  The Greeks had abandoned Philoctetes on the island of [[Lemnos]] on their way to Troy because they could not stand his screams of pain and the odor from his wound after he was bitten by a poisonous snake.<ref name=frag/>  However, ten years into the [[Trojan War]] they found out that Phioctetes and his [[bow and arrows]] were required to conquer [[Troy]].<ref name=frag/>
+[[Philoctetes]] is mentioned briefly in [[Homer]]'s ''[[Iliad]]'' and ''[[Odyssey]]'', and his story was expanded on in [[Lesches]]' ''[[Little Iliad]]'' and [[Arctinus]]' ''[[Iliupersis]]''.<ref name=frag/><ref name=austin>{{cite book|title=Sophocles' Philoctetes and the Great Soul Robbery|author=Austin, N.|pages=29–36, 77|year=2011|publisher=University of Wisconsin Press|isbn=9780299282745}}</ref>  The Greeks had abandoned Philoctetes on the island of [[Lemnos]] on their way to Troy because they could not stand his screams of pain and the odor from his wound after he was bitten by a poisonous snake.<ref name=frag/>  However, ten years into the [[Trojan War]] they found out that Philoctetes and his [[bow and arrows]] were required to conquer [[Troy]].<ref name=frag/>
-In the original versions of the story, [[Diomedes]] was sent to recover Philoctetes and bring him back to Troy.<ref name=frag/>  However, in Aeschylus' play, [[Odysseus]], who was largely responsible for Philoctetes being marooned on Lemnos was sent to fetch him.<ref name=frag/>  The plot point of having Odysseus being sent to recover Philoctetes after being responsible for his abandonment is a plot point that Euripides and Sophocles retained in their ''Philoctetes'' plays.
+In the original versions of the story, [[Diomedes]] was sent to recover Philoctetes and bring him back to Troy.<ref name=frag/>  However, in Aeschylus' play, [[Odysseus]], who was largely responsible for Philoctetes being marooned on Lemnos was sent to fetch him.<ref name=frag/><ref name=austin/><ref name=selected>{{cite book|title=Euripides: Selected Fragmentary Plays, Volume II|editor=Collard, C. |editor2=Cropp, M. J. |editor3=Gilbert, J.|chapter=Philoctetes|author=Collard, C.|page=2|year=2004|publisher=Aris & Phillips|isbn=9780856686214}}</ref>  In addition to creating dramatic irony, the innovation of having Odysseus sent to fetch Philoctetes also has a benefit in that Odysseus is particularly known for his oratory skills, and oratory skills are particularly valuable in a Greek play.<ref name=austin/>  The plot point of having Odysseus being sent to recover Philoctetes after being responsible for his abandonment is a plot point that Euripides and Sophocles retained in their ''Philoctetes'' plays.<ref name=austin/>
-Philoctetes did not recognize Odysseus at first as a result of the suffering Philoctetes endured for the prior ten years alone.<ref name=frag/> Odysseus gained Philoctetes' trust by falsely telling him that [[Agamemnon]], who was also responsible for Philoctetes' abandonment, had died and that Odysseus had been executed for committing a shameful crime.<ref name=frag/>  It is not known exactly how Odysseus ultimately secured Philoctetes bow and cooperation, or whether he took them by force as he attempted to do in Euripides' and Sophocles' versions.<ref name=frag/>  Dio does tell us that Odysseus' pleas and lies were not inappropriate for someone of Odysseus' heroic stature.<ref name=frag/>
+Philoctetes did not recognize Odysseus at first as a result of the suffering Philoctetes endured for the prior ten years alone.<ref name=frag/><ref name=austin/> Odysseus gained Philoctetes' trust by falsely telling him that [[Agamemnon]], who was also responsible for Philoctetes' abandonment, had died and that Odysseus had been executed for committing a shameful crime.<ref name=frag/>  It is not known exactly how Odysseus ultimately secured Philoctetes bow and cooperation, or whether he took them by force as he attempted to do in Euripides' and Sophocles' versions.<ref name=frag/>  Dio does tell us that Odysseus' pleas and lies were not inappropriate for someone of Odysseus' heroic stature.<ref name=frag/>
 According to [[Aspasius]], Aeschylus' and Sophocles' Philoctetes attempted to hide his pain at first, but eventually the pain was too great and he was forced to scream.<ref name=frag/>
 ==Chorus==
-The [[chorus]] in the play made up of men of Lemnos.<ref name=frag/>  In In Aeschylus' play, the men of Lemnos had not visited Philoctetes throughout his entire ten year time on the island.<ref name=frag/>  Philoctetes told the chorus his backstory of being abandoned by the Greeks.<ref name=frag/> Dio considered Aeschylus' approach of having a chorus that had never visited Philoctetes more straigtforward than Euripides' approach of getting Philoctetes to tell his story to the chorus.<ref name=frag/>
+The [[Greek chorus|chorus]] in the play is made up of men of Lemnos.<ref name=frag/><ref name=austin/><ref name=clay/>  In In Aeschylus' play, the men of Lemnos had not visited Philoctetes throughout his entire ten year time on the island.<ref name=frag/><ref name=austin/>  Philoctetes told the chorus his backstory of being abandoned by the Greeks.<ref name=frag/> Dio considered Aeschylus' approach of having a chorus that had never visited Philoctetes but not apologizing for that more straightforward than Euripides' approach of an apologetic chorus.<ref name=frag/><ref name=austin/>  In Sophocles' ''Philoctetes'', Lemnos is uninhabited, making the decision of the Greek commanders to maroon Philoctetes there even more heartless.<ref name=austin/>
 ==Reception==
-Dio praised Aeschylus' version for its simplicity, dignity, grandeus and bold sentiment and diction.<ref name=frag/><ref name=clay>{{cite book|title=Philoctetes|author=Sophocles, Phillips, C. & Clay, D.|chapter=Introduction|pages=9-11|year=2003|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780195136579}}</ref>
+Dio praised Aeschylus' version for its simplicity, dignity, grandeur and bold thought and language.<ref name=frag/><ref name=clay>{{cite book|title=Philoctetes|author=Sophocles, Phillips, C. & Clay, D.|chapter=Introduction|pages=9–11|year=2003|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780195136579}}</ref><ref name=handbook>{{cite book|title=A Handbook of Classical Drama|url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofclassi00hars|url-access=registration|author=Harsh, P.W.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/handbookofclassi00hars/page/142 142]&ndash;143|year=1944|publisher=Stanford University Press|isbn=9780804703802}}</ref>  Classics professor Norman Austin claims that Aeschylus' revisions to the original story actually make Aeschylus' story more Homeric.<ref name=austin/>
+==Date==
+The date of the original production of ''Philoctetes'' is unknown.<ref name=clay/>  However, it is generally believed that it was originally produced during the 470s BCE.<ref name=selected/><ref>{{cite book|title=Sophocles' Philoctetes and the Great Soul Robbery|author=Austin, N.|pages=6, 24|year=2011|publisher=University of Wisconsin Press|isbn=9780299282745}}</ref>
 ==References==
-{{reflist}}
+{{Reflist}}
 {{Aeschylus Plays}}
+{{Authority control}}
 [[Category:Plays by Aeschylus]]
 [[Category:Lost plays]]
 [[Category:Trojan War literature]]
+[[Category:Plays based on classical mythology]]

v t e Plays by Aeschylus
Tetralogies	Achilleis Danaid Tetralogy Lycurgeia Oedipodea Oresteia (including Agamemnon, Libation Bearers, Eumenides and fragmentary Proteus) Prometheia
Extant plays	The Persians Seven Against Thebes The Suppliants Prometheus Bound (authorship disputed)
Fragmentary plays	Philoctetes Prometheus Unbound Prometheus the Fire-Bringer
Category