the Prince, being on his voyage to Troy, landed at the island of Chrysa, where there was an altar of Athene, the goddess of the place, and, desiring to show the altar to his companions, he approached it too nearly; whereupon the serpent that guarded it lest it should be profaned, bit him in the foot.  The wound was very sore and could not be healed, but tormented him day and night with grievous pains, making him groan and cry aloud.  And when men were troubled with his complainings, and also with the noisome stench of his wound, the chiefs took counsel together, and it seemed good to the sons of Atreus, King Agamemnon and King Menelaues, who were the leaders of the host, that he should be left alone on the island of Lemnos.  This matter they committed to Ulysses, who did according to their bidding.  But when the Greeks had laid siege to the city of Troy, nigh upon ten years, they remembered Prince Philoctetes and how they had dealt with him.  For now the great Achilles was dead, having been slain by Prince Paris with an arrow in the Scaean Gate, when he was ready to break into the city; and the soothsayers affirmed that the Greeks should not have their wish upon Troy, till they should bring against it the great archer to whom they had done wrong.  Then the chiefs took counsel together, and chose Ulysses, who was crafty beyond all other men, to accomplish this matter, and with him they sent Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles, who excelled in strength, even as his father had done.

Now when these two were landed upon the island, Ulysses led the way to the place where in time past he had left Philoctetes.  A cave it was in the cliff, with two mouths to it, of which the one looked to the east and the other to the west, so that in winter time a man might see the sun and be warm, but in summer the wind blew through it, bringing coolness and sleep, and a little below was a spring of fair water to drink.  Then said Ulysses to Neoptolemus, “Go and spy out the place, and see whether or no the man be there.”

And the Prince went up and looked into the cave, and found that it was empty, but that there were signs of one who dwelt there, a bed of leaves, and a cup of wood, very rudely fashioned, and pieces of wood for kindling fires, and also, a very piteous sight, the rags wherewith the sick man was wont to dress his wound.  And when he had told what he saw, Ulysses said, “That the man dwelleth here is manifest; nor can he be far away, for how can one that is wounded travel far?  Doubtless he is gone to some place whither the birds resort to slay them, or, haply, to find some herb wherewith to assuage his pain.  But do thou set one who will wait for his coming, for it would fare ill with me should he find me.”