Sophocles, Philoctetes
Robert Torrance, Ed.

Neoptolemus
865 Silence, I say, and keep your wits about you:
he is lifting up his head with open eyes.

Philoctetes
O light of heaven, how little I expected,
on waking, to behold these strangers here!
Never, my child, could I have hoped that you
870would wait upon my suffering with such pity,
and stay beside me and help me in my need.
The sons of Atreus - those noble captains! -
were not so patient as you to bear with me.
But you are good by birth, my child, and come
875from noble parents; you have lightly done
all this, and borne with my screams and foul smell.
And now, since some oblivion and release
from my disease has come to me, my child,
raise me yourself, and lift me up, my child,
880so that when pain releases me we may
set forth in our ship and not delay to sail.

Neoptolemus
How glad I am to see you living still,
and breathing without pain, beyond my hopes!
I almost might have thought, as I was watching
885your agony, that you were dying. Come,
raise yourself up now, or, if you prefer,
I will command these men to carry you;
for you and I are of the same intention.

Philoctetes
Thank you, my child: now help me rise again,
890and leave these men alone. They should not suffer
this smell before they need to. On the ship
they will have pain enough from living with me.