Greek mythology
Philoctetes
Archer of Heracles' bow, abandoned for a festering wound
- Mythology
- Greek mythology
- Group
- Mortal · War
- Appears in
- Fall of Troy
Listen to “Fall of Troy” in the app
Philoctetes inherits the great bow and poisoned arrows of Heracles, whose pyre he alone dares to light. Bitten by a serpent on the way to Troy, he is marooned on Lemnos for ten years as his wound rots. Yet prophecy declares Troy cannot fall without him, and he is fetched back to slay Paris.
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Fall of Troy
Chapter 1
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Frequently asked questions
- Who is Philoctetes?
- Philoctetes inherits the great bow and poisoned arrows of Heracles, whose pyre he alone dares to light. Bitten by a serpent on the way to Troy, he is marooned on Lemnos for ten years as his wound rots. Yet prophecy declares Troy cannot fall without him, and he is fetched back to slay Paris.
- Which mythology does Philoctetes belong to?
- Philoctetes belongs to Greek mythology.
- Which stories does Philoctetes appear in?
- Philoctetes appears in Fall of Troy, told as chaptered audio dramas in MythologyNow.
Cite this page
APA
MythologyNow. (2026). Philoctetes. https://www.mythologynow.app/en/gods/philoctetesMLA
"Philoctetes." MythologyNow, 2026, https://www.mythologynow.app/en/gods/philoctetes.Chicago
MythologyNow. "Philoctetes." Accessed 2026. https://www.mythologynow.app/en/gods/philoctetes.Listen to the stories of Philoctetes
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