Most of what we know of the plot is from the writings of 1st century orator Dio Chrysostom, who compared the Philoctetes plays of Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles.

[2][3] The Greeks had abandoned Philoctetes on the island of Lemnos on their way to Troy because they could not stand his screams of pain and the odor from his wound after he was bitten by a poisonous snake.

[2] However, ten years into the Trojan War they found out that Philoctetes and his bow and arrows were required to conquer Troy.

[2] It is not known exactly how Odysseus ultimately secured Philoctetes bow and cooperation, or whether he took them by force as he attempted to do in Euripides' and Sophocles' versions.

[2][3][5] In In Aeschylus' play, the men of Lemnos had not visited Philoctetes throughout his entire ten year time on the island.

[3] Dio praised Aeschylus' version for its simplicity, dignity, grandeur and bold thought and language.