Now let me show, why thine approach to him
Is safe and trustful as mine cannot be
Thou didst sail forth, not to redeem thine oath,
Nor by constraint, nor with the foremost band. 
All which reproaches I must bear:  and he,
But seeing me, while master of his bow,
Will slay me, and my ruin will be thine. 
This point then craves our cunning, to acquire
By subtle means the irresistible bow—­
Thy nature was not framed, I know it well,
For speaking falsehood, or contriving harm. 
Yet, since the prize of victory is so dear,
Endure it—­We’ll be just another day
But now, for one brief hour, devote thyself
To serve me without shame, and then for aye
Hereafter be the pearl of righteousness.

NEO.  The thing that, being named, revolts mine ear,
Son of Laertes, I abhor to do
’Tis not my nature, no, nor, as they tell,
My father’s, to work aught by craft and guile. 
I’ll undertake to bring him in by force,
Not by deceit.  For, sure, with his one foot,
He cannot be a match for all our crew
Being sent, my lord, to serve thee, I am loth
To seem rebellious.  But I rather choose
To offend with honour, than to win by wrong.

OD.  Son of a valiant sire, I, too, in youth,
Had once a slow tongue and an active hand. 
But since I have proved the world, I clearly see
Words and not deeds give mastery over men.

NEO.  What then is thy command?  To lie?  No more?

OD.  To entangle Philoctetes with deceit.

NEO.  Why through deceit?  May not persuasion fetch him?

OD.  Never.  And force as certainly will fail.

NEO.  What lends him such assurance of defence?

OD.  Arrows, the unerring harbingers of Death.

NEO.  Then to go near him is a perilous thing.

OD.  Unless with subtlety, as I have said.

NEO.  And is not lying shameful to thy soul?

OD.  Not if by lying I can save my soul.

NEO.  How must one look in speaking such a word?

OD.  Where gain invites, this shrinking is not good.

NEO.  What gain I through his coming back to Troy?

OD.  His arms alone have power to take Troy-town.

NEO.  Then am not I the spoiler, as ye said?

OD.  Thou without them, they without thee, are powerless.

NEO.  If it be so, they must be sought and won.

OD.  Yea, for in this two prizes will be thine.

NEO.  What?  When I learn them, I will not refuse.

OD.  Wisdom and valour joined in one good name.

NEO.  Shame, to the winds!  Come, I will do this thing.

OD.  Say, dost thou bear my bidding full in mind?

NEO.  Doubt not, since once for all I have embraced it.