The play begins with Neoptolemus and Odysseus’s arrival to the island Lemnos, where years ago the Greeks have left Philoctetes.
Odysseus tells young Neoptolemus the goal of their mission, which is to take Philoctetes’s bow either by persuasion or by lie. Odysseus is sure that Philoctetes would not yield under the pressure of common sense arguments, so the lies should be used to take his bow.
Odysseus is the one who Philoctetes hates the most and that’s why he cannot meet with him, so Neoptolemus must cheat the poor man and take the bow, as according to the prediction Troy will not fall without the bow.
Neoptolemus does not want to deceive Philoctetes, but Odysseus persuades him that it is the only way and gives instructions what to say and how to act. Odysseus leaves and it is Neoptolemus’s turn to do what he must.
Here enters Philoctetes and Neoptolemus tells him his story. When his father, Achilles, was killed, the Greeks sent for Neoptolemus to continue his father’s unaccomplished task – to make Troy fall. When Neoptolemus came to the Greeks’ camp he demanded to give him his father’s arms, but the Greeks had already given the Achilles’s arms to Odysseus. Neoptolemus was deeply insulted by such an act and decided not to take part in this war. So now, as he says to Philoctetes, he is on his way home.
Philoctetes is happy to see a human being on his deserted island, and is even happier when learns that common hatred to Odysseus unites them. Philoctetes tells about his hardships. Years ago on his way to Troy he was stung by the snake, and his wound would not heal. Besides it produced the strongest stench, so to get rid of him the Greeks, on Odysseus’s advise, left him on the Lemnos island while he was sleeping.
Philoctetes asks young Neoptolemus to take him from this island. Neoptolemus is ready to help poor man, but seeing his sufferings he cannot deceive him any more and opens the truth – that he will take Philoctetes not home but to Troy. Philoctetes is deeply insulted and feels betrayed. Here enters Odysseus and Philoctetes is beyond with rage against both Odysseus and Neoptolemus.
Neoptolemus begs Philoctetes to go with them to Troy, but the man does not agree, his deep insult against the Greeks does not let him go.
That moment on the hill appears Hercules, who informs them of Zeus’s orders. The supreme god orders them all go to Troy as it is destined to fall from the arrows shot from the Philoctetes’s bow. And there the doctors will heal poor Philoctetes of his wound which make him suffer so much.
Philoctetes dares not to disobey the Zeus’s messenger and they all start off to Troy.
