[52,10] τί γὰρ ἔδει ποικίλης τέχνης καὶ ἐπιβουλῆς πρὸς ἄνδρα νοσοῦντα, καὶ ταῦτα τοξότην, ᾧ εἴ τις μόνον ἐγγὺς παρέστη, ἀχρεῖος ἡ ἀλκὴ αὐτοῦ ἐγεγόνει; καὶ τὸ ἀπαγγέλλειν δὲ τὰς τῶν Ἀχαιῶν συμφορὰς καὶ τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονα τεθνηκότα καὶ τὸν Ὀδυσσέα ἐπ´ αἰτίᾳ ὡς οἷόν τε αἰσχίστῃ καὶ καθόλου τὸ στράτευμα διεφθαρμένον οὐ μόνον χρήσιμον, ὥστε εὐφρᾶναι τὸν Φιλοκτήτην καὶ προσδέξασθαι μᾶλλον τὴν τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως ὁμιλίαν, ἀλλ´ οὐδ´ ἀπίθανα τρόπον τινὰ διὰ τὸ μῆκος τῆς στρατείας καὶ διὰ τὰ συμβεβηκότα οὐ πάλαι κατὰ τὴν ὀργὴν τοῦ Ἀχιλλέως, ὅθ´ Ἕκτωρ παρὰ σμικρὸν ἦλθεν ἐμπρῆσαι τὸν ναύσταθμον. (52,11) ἥ τε τοῦ Εὐριπίδου σύνεσις καὶ περὶ πάντα ἐπιμέλεια, ὥστε μήτε ἀπίθανόν τι καὶ παρημελημένον ἐᾶσαι μήτε ἁπλῶς τοῖς πράγμασι χρῆσθαι, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πάσης ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν δυνάμεως, ὥσπερ ἀντίστροφός ἐστι τῇ τοῦ Αἰσχύλου *, πολιτικωτάτη καὶ ῥητορικωτάτη οὖσα καὶ τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι πλείστην ὠφέλειαν παρασχεῖν δυναμένη. εὐθὺς γοῦν πεποίηται προλογίζων αὐτῷ ὁ Ὀδυσσεὺς {καὶ} ἄλλα τε ἐνθυμήματα πολιτικὰ στρέφων ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ πρῶτόν γε διαπορῶν ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ, μὴ ἄρα δοκῇ μὲν τοῖς πολλοῖς σοφός τις εἶναι καὶ διαφέρων τὴν σύνεσιν, ᾖ δὲ τοὐναντίον. (52,12) ἐξὸν γὰρ αὐτῷ ἀλύπως καὶ ἀπραγμόνως ζῆν, ὁ δὲ ἑκὼν ἀεὶ ἐν πράγμασι καὶ κινδύνοις γίγνεται. τούτου δέ φησιν αἴτιον εἶναι τὴν τῶν εὐφυῶν καὶ γενναίων ἀνδρῶν φιλοτιμίαν. δόξης γὰρ ἀγαθῆς ἐφιέμενοι καὶ τοῦ εὐκλεεῖς παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις εἶναι μεγίστους καὶ χαλεπωτάτους ἑκόντες πόνους ὑφίστανται· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω γαῦρον ὡς ἀνὴρ ἔφυ. ἔπειτα σαφῶς καὶ ἀκριβῶς δηλοῖ τὴν τοῦ δράματος ὑπόθεσιν καὶ (52,13) οὗ ἕνεκεν ἐλήλυθεν εἰς τὴν Λῆμνον φησί τε ὑπὸ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς ἠλλοιῶσθαι, ὥστε ἐντυχόντα τῷ Φιλοκτήτῃ μὴ γνωσθῆναι ὑπ´ αὐτοῦ, μιμησάμενος κατὰ τοῦτο Ὅμηρον—καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τοῖς τε ἄλλοις καὶ τῷ Εὐμαίῳ καὶ τῇ Πηνελόπῃ πεποίηκεν ἐντυγχάνοντα τὸν Ὀδυσσέα ἠλλοιωμένον ὑπὸ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς—φησί τε πρεσβείαν μέλλειν παρὰ τῶν Τρώων ἀφικνεῖσθαι πρὸς τὸν Φιλοκτήτην, δεησομένην αὑτόν τε καὶ τὰ ὅπλα ἐκείνοις παρασχεῖν ἐπὶ τῇ τῆς Τροίας βασιλείᾳ, ποικιλώτερον τὸ δρᾶμα κατασκευάζων καὶ ἀνευρίσκων λόγων ἀφορμάς, καθ´ ἃς εἰς τὰ ἐναντία ἐπιχειρῶν εὐπορώτατος καὶ παρ´ ὁντινοῦν ἱκανώτατος φαίνεται. (52,14) οὐ μόνον {δὲ} πεποίηκε τὸν Ὀδυσσέα παραγιγνόμενον, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τοῦ Διομήδους, ὁμηρικῶς καὶ τοῦτο, καὶ τὸ ὅλον, ὡς ἔφην, δι´ ὅλου τοῦ δράματος πλείστην μὲν ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι σύνεσιν καὶ πιθανότητα ἐπιδείκνυται, ἀμήχανον δὲ καὶ θαυμαστὴν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις δύναμιν, καὶ τά τε ἰαμβεῖα σαφῶς καὶ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ πολιτικῶς ἔχοντα, καὶ τὰ μέλη οὐ μόνον ἡδονήν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλὴν πρὸς ἀρετὴν παράκλησιν. (52,15) ὅ τε Σοφοκλῆς μέσος ἔοικεν ἀμφοῖν εἶναι, οὔτε τὸ αὔθαδες καὶ ἁπλοῦν τὸ τοῦ Αἰσχύλου ἔχων οὔτε τὸ ἀκριβὲς καὶ δριμὺ καὶ πολιτικὸν τὸ τοῦ Εὐριπίδου, σεμνὴν δέ τινα καὶ μεγαλοπρεπῆ ποίησιν τραγικώτατα καὶ εὐεπέστατα ἔχουσαν, ὥστε πλείστην εἶναι ἡδονὴν μετὰ ὕψους καὶ σεμνότητος, τῇ τε διασκευῇ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀρίστῃ καὶ πιθανωτάτῃ κέχρηται, ποιήσας τὸν Ὀδυσσέα μετὰ Νεοπτολέμου παραγιγνόμενον, ἐπειδὴ εἵμαρτο ἁλῶναι τὴν Τροίαν ὑπό τε τοῦ Νεοπτολέμου καὶ τοῦ Φιλοκτήτου χρωμένου τοῖς Ἡρακλείοις τόξοις, καὶ αὐτὸν μὲν ἀποκρυπτόμενον, τὸν δὲ Νεοπτόλεμον πέμποντα πρὸς τὸν Φιλοκτήτην, ὑποτιθέμενον αὐτῷ ἃ δεῖ ποιεῖν, καὶ τὸν χορὸν οὐχ ὥσπερ ὁ Αἰσχύλος καὶ Εὐριπίδης ἐκ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων πεποίηκεν, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐν τῇ νηὶ συμπλεόντων τῷ Ὀδυσσεῖ καὶ τῷ Νεοπτολέμῳ. (52,16) τά τε ἤθη θαυμαστῶς σεμνὰ καὶ ἐλευθέρια, τό τε τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως πολὺ πρᾳότερον καὶ ἁπλούστερον ἢ πεποίηκεν ὁ Εὐριπίδης, τό τε τοῦ Νεοπτολέμου ὑπερβάλλον ἁπλότητι καὶ εὐγενείᾳ, πρῶτον μὲν μὴ βουλομένου δόλῳ καὶ ἀπάτῃ περιγενέσθαι τοῦ Φιλοκτήτου, ἀλλὰ ἰσχύϊ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ φανεροῦ· ἔπειτα πεισθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως καὶ ἐξαπατήσας αὐτὸν καὶ τῶν τόξων ἐγκρατὴς γενόμενος, αἰσθομένου ἐκείνου καὶ ὡς ἐξηπατημένου σχετλιάζοντος καὶ ἀπαιτοῦντος τὰ ὅπλα, οὐ κατέχει, ἀλλ´ οἷός τέ ἐστιν ἀποδιδόναι αὐτά, καίτοι τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως ἐπιφανέντος καὶ διακωλύοντος, καὶ τέλος δίδωσιν αὐτά· δοὺς δὲ τῷ λόγῳ πειρᾶται πείθειν ἑκόντα ἀκολουθῆσαι εἰς τὴν Τροίαν. (52,17) τοῦ δὲ Φιλοκτήτου μηδένα τρόπον εἴκοντος μηδὲ πειθομένου, ἀλλὰ δεομένου τοῦ Νεοπτολέμου, ὥσπερ ὑπέσχετο, ἀπαγαγεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα, ὑπισχνεῖται καὶ ἕτοιμός ἐστι ποιεῖν τοῦτο, μέχρι ἐπιφανεὶς Ἡρακλῆς πείθει τὸν Φιλοκτήτην ἑκόντα εἰς τὴν Τροίαν πλεῦσαι. τά τε μέλη οὐκ ἔχει πολὺ τὸ γνωμικὸν οὐδὲ πρὸς ἀρετὴν παράκλησιν, ὥσπερ τὰ τοῦ Εὐριπίδου, ἡδονὴν δὲ θαυμαστὴν καὶ μεγαλοπρέπειαν, ὥστε μὴ εἰκῇ τοιαῦτα περὶ αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἀριστοφάνην εἰρηκέναι· ὁ δ´ αὖ Σοφοκλέους τοῦ μέλιτι κεχρισμένου ὥσπερ καδίσκου περιέλειχε τὸ στόμα.

[52,10] For what need was there for subtle craft and scheming in dealing with a sick man and, what is more, an (p347) archer, whose means of defence had lost its power the moment you merely got close to him? Besides, the device of having Odysseus report that the Achaeans had met with disaster, that Agamemnon had died, that Odysseus had been charged with an act that was utterly disgraceful, and that in general the expedition had gone to rack and ruin, was not merely serviceable toward cheering Philoctetes and making the discourse of Odysseus more acceptable; no, in a way it was not without plausibility even, because of the length of the campaign and because of what had happened not so long before in consequence of the wrath of Achilles, at the time when Hector barely missed burning the naval station. 11 Again, the sagacity of Euripides and his careful attention to every detail, as a result of which not only does he not tolerate anything which lacks plausibility or is marred by carelessness, but also he handles the action, not in artless style, but with entire mastery in the telling — all this forms, as it were, an antithesis to the nature of Aeschylus, being to a high degree characteristic of the citizen and the orator and capable of proving most useful to those who read him. At the very outset of Euripides' play, for instance, Odysseus is introduced as speaker of the prologue and as not only inwardly debating questions of civic nature in general, but first and foremost expressing embarrassment on his own account, lest, while generally reputed to be wise and distinguished for sagacity, he may really be the opposite. 12 For, though he might live free from care and trouble, he is ever being (p349) involved in troubles and perils of his own volition. But the cause of this, he claims, is the ambition which actuates gifted men of noble birth. For, in aiming at a fine reputation and general acclaim, they voluntarily undertake very great and difficult labours. For nothing quite so proud as man exists. Odysseus then reveals clearly and precisely the plot of the drama and why he has come to Lemnos. 13 And he says he has been disguised by Athena, so that when he meets Philoctetes he may not be recognized by him, Euripides having imitated Homer in this detail. For Homer has represented Odysseus, in his sundry encounters with Eumaeus and Penelope and the others, as having been disguised by Athena. Odysseus goes on to say that an embassy from the Trojans will soon visit Philoctetes for the purpose of entreating him to place at their disposal both himself and their weapons, offering the throne of Troy as his reward; thus he complicates the plot and invents occasions for debate, in the course of which he shows himself most resourceful and most proficient in combating the opposing arguments, no matter with whom he is compared. 14 Again, Euripides causes Odysseus to arrive not unattended but in company with Diomedes, another Homeric touch. Thus all in all, as I was saying, throughout the whole play he displays the greatest dexterity and plausibility in the action; an irresistible, yes, amazing, power of language; a (p351) dialogue that is clear and natural and urbane; and lyrics that not only are delightful but also contain a strong incentive toward virtue. 15 As for Sophocles, he seems to stand midway between the two others, since he has neither the ruggedness and simplicity of Aeschylus nor the precision and shrewdness and urbanity of Euripides, yet he produces a poetry that is august and majestic, highly tragic and euphonious in its phrasing, so that there is the fullest pleasure coupled with sublimity and stateliness. In his management of the action he is most excellent and convincing; for instance, he causes Odysseus to arrive in company with Neoptolemus — since it was ordained that Troy should be taken by Neoptolemus and Philoctetes together, Philoctetes wielding the bow of Heracles — and he makes Odysseus conceal himself but send Neoptolemus to Philoctetes, suggesting to him what he must do. Furthermore, he has composed his chorus not of the natives of Lemnos, as Aeschylus and Euripides do, but of those who sailed in the ship along with Odysseus and Neoptolemus. 16 Again, as Sophocles portrays them, the characters in the drama are wonderfully dignified and noble, his Odysseus being much more gentle and frank than Euripides has depicted him, and his Neoptolemus surpassing all in artlessness and good breeding — at first he aims to get the better of Philoctetes, not by craft and deception, but by strength and without disguise; then, after he has been prevailed upon by Odysseus and has tricked Philoctetes and gained possession of the bow, when Philoctetes becomes aware of what had happened, is indignant at the deception which has been practised upon him, and (p353) demands the return of his weapons, Neoptolemus does not try to retain possession of them but is prepared to return them — though Odysseus appears on the scene and tries to prevent this — and he finally does return them; yet after he has handed them over he tries by argument to persuade Philoctetes to accompany him voluntarily to Troy. 17 But when Philoctetes will by no means yield or be persuaded, but entreats Neoptolemus to take him back to Greece, as he had promised to do, Neoptolemus once more gives his promise, and he is prepared to keep his word, until Heracles comes upon the scene and persuades Philoctetes to sail to Troy of his own free will. The lyrics of Sophocles do not contain the didactic element to any great extent, nor any incentive to virtue such as we find in the lyrics of Euripides, but a marvellous sweetness and magnificence, such that Aristophanes could say of him not without reason words like these: "But he in turn the lips of Sophocles, With honey smeared, did lick as if as a jar".