Sophocles, Philoctetes
Robert Torrance, Ed.

Odysseus
This: you must beguile
55the mind of Philoctetes with your words.
When he inquires about your name and country,
tell him the truth: you are Achilles' son.
Then say you're sailing home, leaving the fleet,
leaving the army of those hated Greeks
60who summoned you from home with earnest prayers -
since only thus could Troy at last be captured -
yet, when you came, cheated you of the arms
of great Achilles, which you rightly claimed,
and gave them to Odysseus. Slander me
65in terms as harsh and bitter as you wish:
you won't hurt me at all. But if you fail
in this, you bring disaster on the Greeks.
For if his bow cannot be taken, you
will never capture Priam's ancient city.
70Now, let me tell you why this undertaking
is safe for you, but perilous for me.
You were not one of those who first set sail
to Troy, constrained by great and solemn oaths,
yet none of this can I disclaim. And so
75if he once sees me, with that bow in hand,
I die - and you, as my accomplice, with me.
No, we must plan this deed more cleverly:
steal his resistless weapon like a thief!
I know, my son, you were not meant by nature
80to speak, or to contrive, such evil acts;
but what we gain by victory is sweet,
so do it - later on we will seem just.
Now, but for one day's brief and shameless time
give yourself to me - and forever after
85you shall be called most reverent of men.