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MAJOR CHARACTERS
OF THE ODYSSEY Achilles
(Akhilleus)- greatest warrior of the Greeks Aegisthus
(Aigisthos)- cousin and killer of Agamemnon, lover of Clytemnestra Aeolus (Aiolos)-
king of the winds Agamemnon- son of
Atreus and leader of Greek forces, husban of Clytemnestra Alcinous
(Alkinoos)- king of Phaeacia, husband of Arete, father of Nausicaa Antinous
(Antinoos)- a leader of the suitors Aphrodite- goddess
of love and beauty Apollo- god of the
sun and of medicine, son of Zeus, twin brother of Artemis Ares- god of war
and lover of Aphrodite Arete- queen of
Phaecia, mother of Nausicaa, wife of Alcinous Argos- (1) a
section Greece; (2) old dog of Odysseus Artemis- huntress
goddess Athena, Pallas
Athena, Athene- goddess of wisdom, daughter of Zeus, protector of
Odysseus Atreidae- sons of
Artreus: Agamemnon and Menelaus Demodocus
(Demodokos)- blind poet and minstrel of Phaeacia Eumaeus (Eumaios)-
faithful swineherd of Odysseus Eurycleia
(Eurykleia)- a leader of the suitors Harpies- foul birds
with the heads of women Helen- wife of
Menelaus and Paris, daughter of Zeus, cause of the Trojan War Hellas- Greece Hephaestus
(Hephaistos)- craftsman of the gods, once the husband of Aphrodite Hera- wife and
sister of Zeus Hermes- messenger
of the gods, conductor of souls to Hades Calypso (Kalypso)-
nymph who lived with Odysseus on the island of Ogygia Charybdis
(Karybdis)- a monster whirlpool Circe (Kirke)- a
goddess and witch living on the island of Aenea; turned men into animals
Clytemnestra (Kyltaimnestra)- wife of
Agamemnon, mistress of Aegisthus, sister of Helen, killed by her son
Orestes Cyclops (Kyklops)-
giants with one eye in the middle of their foreheads Cytherea
(Kytherea)- another name for Aphrodite, from the island of her birth Ithaca- home of
Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus Laertes- father of
Odysseus Laistrygonians-
race of giant cannibals Lotus-eaters-
people who ate an unknown flower, perhaps the poppy (opium) Melanthius
(Melanthios)- disloyal man-servant of Odysseus Melantho- sister of
Melanthius, disloyal maid of Odysseus Menelaus
(Menelaos)- king of Sparta, husband of Helen Mentor- wise
counselor whose appearance Athene took Nausicaa
(Nausikaa)- princess of Phaeacia who helped Odysseus Nestor- oldest
fighter in Greek forces, renowned for wisdom, king of Pylos Odysseus- son of
Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, who killed his mother to avenge his father Penelope- faithful
wife of Odysseus Phaeacians
(Phaiakians)- sea-faring people who aided Odysseus Polyphemus
(Polyphemos)- leader of the Cyclops, blinded by Odysseus Poseindon- god of
the sea, brother of Zeus, father of Polyphemus, enemy of Odysseus Priam- king of Troy Scylla (Skylla)-
six-headed monster who preyed on passing ships Sirens- nymphs
whose beautiful singing lured men to their death Sparta- home of
Helen and Menelaus Teiresias- blind
prophet consulted by Odysseus Telemachus
(Telemakhos)- son of Penelope and Odysseus |