d 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