This paper analyses the tragedy El Philoctetes, adaptation of the Sophoclean play by the Jesuit José Arnal (1729-1790), teacher, translator of classical authors and poet. This tragedy is classed in some places as translation; however, it was an adaptation that was made of the Greek drama to be represented by students of classical languages in Zaragoza at the beginning of the decade of 1760; it was published in Zaragoza in 1764, before the expulsion of the Society of Jesus, and doubly reissued, years later, in Barcelona. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]