Philoctetes facts for kids

Philoctetes was a famous Greek hero, known for his amazing skills with a bow and arrow. He played a very important part in the Trojan War. His story is one of bravery, hardship, and a special weapon.

Philoctetes was a prince and a great warrior. He was on his way to the Trojan War with many other Greek heroes. But during the journey, something terrible happened. He was bitten by a venomous snake. The bite made his leg very sore and smelly, and it was hard for him to walk or fight. Because of this, the other Greek leaders, like Odysseus, decided to leave him behind on a lonely island called Lemnos. They thought he would slow them down.

Philoctetes survived on Lemnos for many years, all by himself. He used his incredible hunting skills to find food. He also had a very special weapon: the bow and arrows of the mighty hero Heracles (also known as Hercules). These arrows were super powerful because they were dipped in the blood of a monster called the Lernaean Hydra. This made them deadly.

After nearly ten years of fighting the Trojan War, the Greeks were still struggling to capture the city of Troy. They heard a prophecy, which was like a prediction from the gods. The prophecy said that they could only win the war if Philoctetes returned and fought with them.

So, two important Greek heroes, Odysseus and Neoptolemus (who was the son of Achilles), went to Lemnos to find Philoctetes. It was not easy to convince him to come back, as he was still angry about being left behind. But eventually, they persuaded him. When he returned, two skilled doctors, Machaon and Podaleirius, healed his leg.

Philoctetes joined the fight, and his special arrows made a huge difference. On his very first day back in battle, he used his powerful bow to defeat Paris, a Trojan prince. This was a major turning point in the war and helped the Greeks finally win.

Images for kids

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  Philoctetes, wounded, is abandoned by the Greek expedition en route to Troy, detail of an Attic red-figure stamnos ca. 460 BC (Musée du Louvre)

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  Philoctetes on the Island of Lemnos, by Guillaume Guillon-Lethière.

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  Marble slab with the Recall of Philoctetes – Archeological Museum of Brauron

See also

In Spanish: Filoctetes para niños