Some Thoughts on Ancient Greek Religion in

Sophocles' PHILOCTETES

Daniel B. Levine

(March 20, 2002)

Religious ideas underlie the cause, effect, and cure of Philoctetes' affliction (taboo, pollution, and prophecy). There are a few "prayers" by the main character: mostly curses of his foes. The gods seem to Philoctetes to have abandoned him during his lonely sojourn on Lemnos. The epiphany of the god/hero Heracles shows that humans must in the end obey the gods, and that Zeus' will must be done. Philoctetes' bow is a talisman (as was the Palladium): a physical item needed for Achaian success in the Trojan War. It will cause further physical proof of the gods' favor in the form of spoils that will be dedicated at Heracles' Pyre on Mt. Oeta.

CAUSE (Religious)

Neoptolemus says that Philoctetes' affliction arose from his trespass in a religious sanctuary (1326ff): "You acquired this painful sickness through an event caused by the gods (EK THEIAS TUKHES); when you came near to the guardian of Chryse, who protects the roofless sanctuary (SEKON), the snake that keeps watch unseen." Earlier, Neoptolemos had made a general statement to the same effect: "For it was by the will of the gods, if I have any understanding, that those sufferings came upon him from cruel Chryse, and his present troubles without companions must be the work of the gods, so that he cannot direct against Troy his irresistible weapons until the time has arrived when it is fated to be conquered by them" (191-200).

EFFECT (Religious)

Philoctetes' affliction resulted in disruption of worship ceremonies, and necessitated his abandonment on Lemnos: "since we could not pour libations (LOIBES) or sacrifice (THUMATON) in peace, but he filled the entire camp with savage and ill-omened cries (DUSPHEMIAIS), shouting and screaming (8ff)." See also Philoctetes' recall of their excuse at 1033: "How, if I sail with you, can you make burnt offerings (HIERA)? How can you still pour libations (SPENDEIN)? However, as Philoctetes points out later (257), the Achaians' abandonment of Philoctetes was an unholy thing in itself (EKBALONTES ANOSIOS EME).

PROPHECY

Helenus, the captured Trojan seer (MANTIS) authorizes the actions to bring Philoctetes to Troy. His god-given knowledge informed the Greeks that it was necessary that Philoctetes (and his bow?) go to Troy, that he be cured there, and that he kill Paris and help the Achaians to conquer the city (191-200, 604-613, 839-842, 1338ff). Heracles himself confirms all this, and adds that he will send the healing god "Asclepius to Ilium to put an end to your disease. For it is fated to be taken once again by the aid of this bow (1437ff)."

ZEUS

Zeus is known by various epithets as appropriate to the circumstance. He is Zeus HORKIOS (of oaths 1324) when Neoptolemus affirms that he is speaking the truth; he is Zeus HIKESIOS (of suppliants), when Philoctetes begs Neoptolemus to take him from the island (484); He is Zeus ARAIOS (of curses) when Philoctetes begs Neoptolemos not to leave without him (threatening to curse him if he does not take him). He is Zeus HYPSISTOS (the highest) when Neoptolemos swears by him that he will NOT abandon Philoctetes (1289). Finally, he is Zeus PATER (father 1443), when Heracles affirms that his instructions come from the highest authority there is: Father knows best!

Odysseus tells Philoctetes that Zeus has sanctioned his entire mission; to go against Odysseus is to go against Zeus (989-90). Heracles' later epiphany (1415) confirms this notion. As in the TRACHINIAI, Zeus' will must be done. Perhaps Zeus is the "all-subduing god" (PANDAMATOR DAIMON) to whom Philoctetes refers as he leaves Lemnos at last (1468).

TALISMAN

Troy cannot be captured without the bow of Heracles, which Philoctetes holds (68). It is unerring, and admirable. Neoptolemos asks "Is it possible for me to look at it from close, and to hold it and kiss it as though it were a god?" (656-57) This bow will take Troy (1431ff), and help Philoctetes to take spoils (SKULA) in the sack of the city. These he is to dedicate as a memorial (MNEMEIA) of the bow of Heracles, at his pyre on Mt. Oeta, further glorifying bow, archer, and guardian god. The memorial will be a physical reminder of piety. Heracles confirms the basic importance of religion (EUSEBEIA) in his last words: "For reverence for the gods does not die along with mortals; whether they live or die, it never perishes (1443-44)"

NEOPTOLEMOS AND RELIGION

Odysseus asks Neoptolemos to go against his natural noble character, and to lend himself to lies for a short time for a long-term goal. He concludes one speech by saying (83): "Now give yourself to me for a few hours of shamelessness, and later for the rest of time be called the most dutiful (EUSEBESTATOS) of mortals!" The word translated here as 'most dutiful' is better translated as 'most pious, reverent, religious'. It is the closest Greek word to 'religious.' In other words, Neoptolemos and Odysseus both know that to treat Philoctetes the way they do is religiously abhorrent, but the divinely-ordained ends justify the impious means.

The young man knows that this is a religious dilemma: when Neoptolemus must finally decide what to do with the bow, he calls upon Zeus to help him decide where the just course lies: "O Zeus, what am I to do? Am I to be doubly convicted as a villain, by wrongful silence and by shameful speech?" (908-09)

PRAYERS/CURSES

This play contains short, relevant prayers, uttered (necessarily) outside of normal communal religious ceremony. Odysseus prays (using the optative mood) that Hermes the god of trickery be with him, as well as Athena Nike of the City. (The appropriateness of Athena Polias is questionable here, as there is not a 'city' associated with any of the characters at the time, or is there a city nearby. Perhaps Sophocles puts this in for his Athenian audience.)

Philoctetes makes several short prayers (in the optative mood) as curses against his enemies. For example: "May the Olympian gods grant that in requital they suffer such things themselves (315f)!" Again (1019): "Alas! May you perish! Yet I have often prayed for this; but since the gods never grant me any pleasure, you are alive and happy, and I feel pain at the very thought that I am alive with many troubles, mocked by you and the two generals, sons of Atreus, whom you are serving in this matter." See 1040: "Oh native land and gods that look upon it, punish them, punish all of them, late but surely."

To convince Neoptolemos not to abandon him without his bow, Philoctetes invokes the gods of Neoptolemos' fathers (THEOI PATROIOI) (933). Neoptolemos, as he feigns a departure, makes a cursory prayer (in the optative) for Philoctetes' health: And may the gods relieve you of your sickness, just as you wish yourself" (463). Likewise, at 779, he offers a prayer in the optative to the gods for good fortune and good sailing.

The Chorus invokes Cybele, the Earth goddess mother of Asia in its false claim that it supported Neoptolemus in his struggle against the sons of Atreus for Achilles' armor (391). This is part of the ruse to get Philoctetes to trust Neoptolemus. It is therefore a use of religion to support a lie; it is 'recalling' a prayer which did not take place. Philoctetes sums this up to Odysseus later in the play, when he says, "By sheltering behind gods you make the gods liars!" (992). In the case in point, however, Odysseus IS speaking in line with the gods' will, that Philoctetes MUST go to Troy. There are short prayers to gods and nymphs for good sailing (464, 1470, nymphs),

ABANDONMENT BY THE GODS

Philoctetes has lived alone for most of 10 years, and feels that the gods have forgotten him: How can we account for this, and how can we approve it, when if we survey the actions of the gods we find that the gods are evil?" (451ff). It is no wonder that Philoctetes is not a 'pious' man, for the gifts of the gods have not reached him in his seemingly endless misery. Naturally, because of his misery, he feels that the gods ignores his prayers, as he says to Odysseus (1019ff.) "Alas! May you perish! Yet I have often prayed for this; but since the gods never grant me any pleasure, you are alive and happy, and I feel pain at the very thought that I am alive with many troubles, mocked by you and the two generals, sons of Atreus, whom you are serving in this matter." Nothing Neoptolemos can say will influence Philoctetes to go to Troy. Neoptolemus asks him to put his trust in the gods (1374), since he does not trust humans, but Philoctetes cannot do this, because he has already felt abandoned by them.

It is an interesting note that when Philoctetes leaves Lemnos, he invokes water nymphs of the meadows, as though he would miss them (1454).

HEALING

Philoctetes calls upon the gods as healers when he is in great pain (735-39). He calls upon "Death" who never answers his call to put him out of his misery (797). Likewise does the Chorus call upon "Sleep" to put Philoctetes out of his immediate pain (828), and then upon Paion, the healer (832). Heracles will send the healing god "Asclepius to Ilium to put an end to your disease. For it is fated to be taken once again by the aid of this bow (1437ff)."

Return to Main Page: CLST 4003H. Greek Religion Honors Colloquium. Spring, 2002.