Philoktetes

Among the most celebrated plays of ancient Athens, Philoketes is one of seven surviving dramas by the great Greek playwright, Sophocles, now available from Harper Perennial in a vivid and dynamic new translation by award-winning poet James Scully.

A powerful tale born out of the blood and chaos of the Trojan War, Philoketes tells the story of a wounded soldier exiled by Odysseus, and the devastating consequences of the abandoned warrior’s dangerously conflicted emotions when his former commander realizes Troy will not fall without Philoktetes and attempts to recruit him once more. This is Sophocles, vibrant and alive, for a new generation.

Experience a masterwork of Athenian drama where personal honor clashes with political necessity.

• Moral Conflict: Witness the agonizing choice of Achilles’ son, Neoptolemos, tasked by a cunning Odysseus to deceive the warrior his father respected.
• A Legendary Outcast: Explore the psyche of Philoktetes, a hero abandoned on a desolate island, whose festering wound is matched only by his profound sense of betrayal.
• Vivid Modern Translation: Read Sophocles’ powerful verse as rendered by award-winning poet James Scully, in a translation praised for its dynamism and clarity for a new generation.
• Rich Historical Context: An essential introduction, ‘When Theater Was Life,’ frames the play within the political turmoil and civic life of ancient Athens, revealing its original power as political commentary.