Quotes from Philoctetes — Richer Resources Publications

The following passages are drawn from Ian Johnston's translation of Antigone, published by Richer Resources Publications. Book and line numbers are provided for each selection.

"Still, my lord, I'd much prefer to fail

in something honourable, than to win out

with treachery."

—Neoptolemus, Philoctetes, lines 106–115

"When what you do

brings benefits, you shouldn't hesitate."

—Odysseus, Philoctetes, lines 136–137

"When people

grow unruly, it's what their teachers say

that makes them so corrupt."

—Neoptolemus, Philoctetes, lines 461–463

"War takes no evil men.

It always wants

to seize the good ones."

—Neoptolemus, Philoctetes, lines 526–528

"No evil people ever get destroyed.

The gods are careful to look out for them.

Somehow with all those stubborn criminals

they like to turn them back from Hades,

while always sending good and righteous men

down to their deaths."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 540–545

"Opportunity,

which takes everything into account,

often wins decisively

in one quick blow."

—Chorus, Philoctetes, lines 1108–1111

"When a man's mind has become

the mother of evil acts,

it trains him

to do wrong

in everything that follows."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 1747–1750

"Men must endure

those fortunes given to them by the gods."

—Neoptolemus, Philoctetes, lines 1689–1691

"Take pity on a wretched, lonely man,

abandoned without friends, in misery.

If you come as friends, speak up. Answer me.

It's only right we talk to one another."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 269–273

"O how truly miserable I must be,

how bitter to the gods, if not a word,

not even rumours of my living here,

have reached my home or any part of Greece."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 300–304

"Everything for human beings is strange

and so precarious—things can go well,

then change into their opposite."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 608–610

"Give the gods' jealousy due reverence,

in case this bow brings you much suffering,

as it has me and the man who owned it

before I did."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 1040–1043

"You just invent the things you wish to say,

and by making claims about the gods,

you turn them into liars."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 1310–1313

"He’s a slippery wrestler, Philoctetes,

but even clever schemes are often checked."

—Neoptolemus, Philoctetes, lines 520–521

"I'd rather listen to my greatest foe,

the worst of all, the snake that crippled me

and made me what I am."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 868–870

"But whenever one's escaping trouble

is always an excellent time to sail."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 879–880

"There's no wind can hold back any pirates

when they're intent on plundering and theft

and using force."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 881–883

"Though he's too good for you,

he's someone worthy of my company—

he only thought of following his orders,

and he's already showing his remorse

for mistakes he's made and what I've suffered."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 1335–1339

"How can a man feel shame

when he's helping out a friend of his?"

—Neoptolemus, Philoctetes, lines 1776–1777

"My dear man, in such troubles you must learn

not to be so stubborn."

—Neoptolemus, Philoctetes, lines 1786–1787

"Noble minds

find unkind deeds disgraceful

and good acts commendable."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 576–579

"Let me keep suffering

whatever I must suffer."

—Philoctetes, Philoctetes, lines 1799–1800

"The easiest thing

for me is to stop talking,

and then you

can go on living

as you're doing now,

without being rescued."

—Neoptolemus, Philoctetes, lines 1795–1799