NEOPTOLEMUS
He too was dead.
In war, alas- so fate ordains it ever-
The coward 'scapes, the brave and virtuous fall.
PHILOCTETES
It is too true; and now thou talkst of cowards,
Where is that worthless wretch, of readiest tongue,
Subtle and voluble?
NEOPTOLEMUS
Ulysses?
PHILOCTETES
No;
Thersites, ever talking, never heard.
NEOPTOLEMUS
I have not seen him, but I hear he lives.
PHILOCTETES
I did not doubt it: evil never dies;
The gods take care of that. If aught there be
Fraudful and vile, 'tis safe; the good and just
Perish unpitied by them. Wherefore is it?
When gods do ill, why should we worship them?
NEOPTOLEMUS
Since thus it is, since virtue is oppressed,
And vice triumphant, who deserve to live
Are doomed to perish, and the guilty reign.
Henceforth, O son of Poeas! far from Troy
And the Atreidae will I live remote.
I would not see the man I cannot love.
My barren Scyros shall afford me refuge,
And home- felt joys delight my future days.
So, fare thee well, and may th' indulgent gods
Heal thy sad wound, and grant thee every wish
Thy soul can form! Once more, farewell! I go,
The first propitious gale.
PHILOCTETES
What! now, my son?
So soon?
NEOPTOLEMUS
Immediately; the time demands
We should be near, and ready to depart.
PHILOCTETES
Now, by the memory of thy honoured sire,
By thy loved mother, by whate'er remains
On earth most dear to thee, oh! hear me now,
Thy suppliant! Do not, do not thus forsake me,
Alone, oppressed, deserted, as thou seest,
In this sad place. I shall, I know it must, be
A burthen to thee. But, oh! bear it kindly;
For ever doth the noble mind abhor
Th' ungenerous deed, and loves humanity;
Disgrace attends thee if thou dost forsake me,
If not, immortal fame rewards thy goodness.
Thou mayst convey me safe to Oeta's shores
In one short day; I'll trouble you no longer.
Hide me in any part where I may least
Molest you. Hear me! By the guardian god
Of the poor suppliant, all- protecting Jove,
I beg. Behold me at thy feet, infirm,
And wretched as I am, I clasp thy knees.
Leave me not here then, where there is no mark
Of human footstep- take me to thy home!
Or to Euboea's port, to Oeta, thence
Short is the way to Trachin, or the banks
Of Spercheius' gentle stream, to meet my father,
If yet he lives; for, oh! I begged him oft
By those who hither came, to fetch me hence-
Or is he dead, or they neglectful bent
Their hasty course to their own native soil.
Be thou my better guide! Pity and save
The poor and wretched. Think, my son, how frail
And full of danger is the state of man-
Now prosperous, now adverse. Who feels no ills
Should therefore fear them; and when fortune smiles
Be doubly cautious, lest destruction come
Remorseless on him, and he fall unpitied.
CHORUS (singing)
Oh, pity him, my lord, for bitterest woes
And trials most severe he hath recounted;
Far be such sad distress from those I love!
Oh! if thou hat'st the base Atreidae, now
Revenge thee on them, serve their deadliest foe;
Bear the poor suppliant to his native soil;
So shalt thou bless thy friend, and 'scape the wrath
Of the just gods, who still protect the wretched.
NEOPTOLEMUS
Your proffered kindness, friends, may cost you dear;
When you shall feel his dreadful malady
Oppress you sore, you will repent it.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Never
Shall that reproach be ours.
NEOPTOLEMUS
In generous pity
Of the afflicted thus to be o'ercome
Were most disgraceful to me; he shall go.
May the kind gods speed our departure hence,
And guide our vessels to the wished-for shore!
PHILOCTETES
O happy hour! O kindest, best of men!
And you my dearest friends! how shall I thank you?
What shall I do to show my grateful heart?
Let us be gone! But, oh! permit me first
To take a last farewell of my poor hut,
Where I so long have lived. Perhaps you'll say
I must have had a noble mind to bear it.
The very sight to any eyes but mine
Were horrible, but sad necessity
At length prevailed, and made it pleasing to me.
LEADER
One from our ship, my lord, and with him comes
A stranger. Stop a moment till we hear
Their business with us.
(The Spy enters, dressed as a merchant.
He is accompanied by one of NEOPTOLEMUS'men.)
SPY
Son of great Achilles,
Know, chance alone hath brought me hither, driven
By adverse winds to where thy vessels lay,
As home I sailed from Troy. There did I meet
This my companion, who informed me where
Thou mightst be found. Hence to pursue my course
And not to tell thee what concerns thee near
Had been ungenerous, thou perhaps meantime
Of Greece and of her counsels naught suspecting,
Counsels against thee not by threats alone
Or words enforced, but now in execution.
NEOPTOLEMUS
Now by my virtue, stranger, for thy news
I am much bound to thee, and will repay
Thy service. Tell me what the Greeks have done.
SPY
A fleet already sails to fetch thee back,
Conducted by old Phoenix, and the sons
Of valiant Theseus.
NEOPTOLEMUS
Come they then to force me?
Or am I to be won by their persuasion?
SPY
I know not that; you have what I could learn.
NEOPTOLEMUS
And did the' Atreidae send them?
SPY
Sent they are,
And will be with you soon.
NEOPTOLEMUS
But wherefore then
Came not Ulysses? Did his courage fail?
SPY
He, ere I left the camp, with Diomede
On some important embassy sailed forth
In search-
NEOPTOLEMUS
Of whom?
SPY
There was a man- but stay,
Who is thy friend here, tell me, but speak softly.
NEOPTOLEMUS (whispering to him)
The famous Philoctetes.
SPY
Ha! begone then!
Ask me no more- away, immediately!
PHILOCTETES
What do these dark mysterious whispers mean?
Concern they me, my son?
NEOPTOLEMUS
I know not what
He means to say, but I would have him speak
Boldly before us all, whate'er it be.
SPY
Do not betray me to the Grecian host,
Nor make me speak what I would fain conceal.
I am but poor- they have befriended me.
NEOPTOLEMUS
In me thou seest an enemy confest
To the Atreidae. This is my best friend
Because he hates them too; if thou art mine,
Hide nothing then.
SPY
Consider first.
NEOPTOLEMUS
I have.
SPY
The blame will be on you.
NEOPTOLEMUS
Why, let it be:
But speak, I charge thee.
SPY
Since I must then, know,
In solemn league combined, the bold Ulysses
And gallant Diomede have sworn by force
Or by persuasion to bring back thy friend:
The Grecians heard Laertes' son declare
His purpose; far more resolute he seemed
Than Diomede, and surer of success.
NEOPTOLEMUS
But why the' Atreidae, after so long time,
Again should wish to see this wretched exile,
Whence this desire? Came it from th' angry gods
To punish thus their inhumanity?
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