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Philoctetes Paperback – May 1, 2009

by Sophocles (Author), Ian Crowe (Illustrator), Ian Johnston (Translator)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 16 ratings
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The story of Philoctetes, a warrior leader on the Greek expedition to Troy, has long been a favourite of writers and visual artists. Wounded by a snake bite on the journey to Troy, Philoctetes was abandoned on a deserted island by the Greek leaders, because the smell of his wound and his cries of pain prevented the other leaders from carrying out their duties. Years later the Greeks, now at Troy, discovered from a prophet that they needed the arrows of Hercules, which Philoctetes possessed, in order to capture the city. They sent Odysseus and Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles, to fetch the weapons from Philoctetes by force.Sophocles treatment of this popular story (a play which won first prize at the drama festival in 409 BC) is, among other things, a famous exploration of the conflict between morally acceptable behaviour and practical expediency. For Neoptolemus, a young man determined to live up to the excellence of his family tradition, is required by the sly Odysseus, his superior officer, to deceive and trick Philoctetes so that the Greeks may take the bow and arrows of Hercules and win victory and fame in Troy, even if that means lying to Philoctetes and leaving him on the island without the one weapon which has enabled him to survive for ten years. Once Neoptolemus witnesses the immense suffering of Philoctetes and hears his story, he experiences the greatest difficulty in carrying out what the practical realities of the political situation demand. Yet he cannot evade having to make a decision about what to do.Ian Johnston s new translation of this classic play is an accurate rendition of the Greek in a fluent modern English, immediately accessible to the reader and particularly well suited to dramatic performance.
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  1. Print length
    80 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Richer Resources Publications
  4. Publication date
    May 1, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.25 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1935238922
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1935238928
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ian Johnston was born in Valparaiso, Chile, and educated in Canada and England. He has a BSc from McGill in Geology and Chemistry, a BA from Bristol in English and Greek, and an MA from Toronto in English. For many years he taught as a college and university-college instructor in British Columbia teaching English, Classics and Liberal Studies. He is the author of The Ironies of War: An Introduction to Homer's Iliad. His translation of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey have recently been published in both book and audiobook form. He is now retired and living in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Richer Resources Publications (May 1, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 80 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1935238922
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1935238928
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.25 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 16 ratings

About the author

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Ian Johnston

Ian Johnston

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Johnston, a retired professor of English, Classics and Liberal Studies living in British Columbia, is one of the most prolific, talented and diversified translators working today.

Since the release in 2006 of Ian Johnston’s new translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey, these and his other translated materials have become popular with students, teachers and others who ventured into the world of the classics.

He is known for his powerful and direct style, and his ability to make the works accessible to the modern reader while remaining faithful to the original work. This unique talent is making his work increasingly the translations of choice for high schools, colleges and universities throughout the English-speaking world.

While many have translated ancient Greek classic works into English, and many others have given us new and inspiring translations of Kafka, Nietzsche, Rousseau, Aristotle, Rene Descartes, Denis Diderot and Karl Marx, how many can be said to have successfully translated all of those mentioned, and

more? It requires a unique and special talent to translate the work of so many in such a variety of languages and genres, and all with so intimate a translation that there have been greater than 18 million page viewings to the various works on this translator's website since it's inception.

Thirty of Professor Johnston’s translated works have been released to date in book form with plans for the release of all of his translated material over the next several years.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
16 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

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5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2014
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Truly spectacular philosophical study.
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NYC Amazon buyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Unequivocal recommendation
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2016
A brilliant translator and thinker. Understated, driven by a compelling drive for honesty and clarity in his work, which consequently is exceptionally accessible and profound. Unequivocal recommendation.
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