People And Places Of The Odyssey

Front 1

Aegyptius

Back 1

One of the chieftains of Ithaca who speaks at the Assembly in Book II

Front 2

Aeolus

Back 2

A mortal whom Zeus has appointed keeper of the winds.

Front 3

Agamemnon

Back 3

The king of Mycenae and leader of the Achaean expedition to Troy.

Front 4

Alcinous

Back 4

The king of the Phaeacians, husband of Arete and father of Nausicaa, he is a generous, kind, and good-humored ruler and father.

Front 5

Antinous

Back 5

The leader of the suitors and the first slain by Odysseus. He is a cruel, greedy, and hypocritical villain, always attempting to justify his evil behavior by distorting the motives or acts of others.

Front 6

Anticleia

Back 6

The mother of Odysseus. She encounters him in Hades while he is there.

Front 7

Arete

Back 7

The queen of the Phaeacians, wife of Alcinous and mother of Nausicaan.

Front 8

Argus

Back 8

The old hunting dog of Odysseus who recognizes his master and dies.

Front 9

Athene

Back 9

- Daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom and patroness of the arts and crafts, also known as Pallas. Odysseus is her favorite and protege.

Front 10

Calypso

Back 10

The sea nymph who keeps Odysseus captive for nine years and who, in hope of making him her husband, offers him immortality.

Front 11

Circe

Back 11

The enchantress who transforms the crew of Odysseus into swine and who, when she finds that she cannot conquer Odysseus, takes him as a lover and helps him with advice and supplies on his voyage home.

Front 12

Demodocus

Back 12

A blind bard entertains at the banquets in the palace of Alcinous.

Front 13

Elepnor

Back 13

A young seaman in the crew of Odysseus who dies in an accident on Circe island and whose spirit reproaches Odysseus in Hades.

Front 14

Eumaeus

Back 14

The chief swineherd of Odysseus, who remains faithful to his master during his long absence and who plays an active part in assisting Odysseus to regain his kingdom.

Front 15

Eupeithes

Back 15

The father of Antinous. He manifests the same rashness and disloyalty that is exhibited by his son when he leads a band of Ithacans to attack Odysseus but is quick to recognize his error and apologize

Front 16

Eurycleia

Back 16

The faithful and devoted old nurse of Odysseus, recognizes him by the scar on his leg.

Front 17

Eurylochus

Back 17

One of Odysseus' officers; he is an unimaginative and sober person, who wisely avoids entering Circe's palace in Book X, but who also abets the sailors when they slaughter the cattle of Helios.

Front 18

Eurymachus

Back 18

The second most important suitor; he is as evil as Antinous, but far more soft and cowardly.

Front 19

Helen

Back 19

The wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. She was the cause of the Trojan War.

Front 20

Hermes

Back 20

Son of Zeus, the ambassador of the gods, conductor of the dead souls to Hades, and patron of travelers, merchants, and thieves.

Front 21

Hyperion

Back 21

The god of the sun. Also known as Helios. It is his cattle which is eaten by Odysseus' crew.

Front 22

Irus

Back 22

cowardly bully who is a beggar on Ithaca and a favorite of many of the suitors.

Front 23

Laertes

Back 23

The old father of Odysseus, who lives in isolation from the demands of public life, on a small farm in the back hills of Ithaca. He remains alert and agile, despite his age.

Front 24

Leucothoie

Back 24

A sea nymph who helps Odysseus read the island of the Phaeacians during the storm in Book V.

Front 25

Melantho

Back 25

One of the serving maids in the palace of Odysseus; she is a nasty and impudent young girl and is disloyal to her master, having become the mistress of Eurymachus.

Front 26

Melanthius

Back 26

The chief goatherd of Odysseus. In his master's absence he has ignored his duty and has ingratiated himself with the suitors by catering to their whims.

Front 27

Menelaus

Back 27

King of Sparta, husband of Helen, and brother of Agamemnon. Like Odysseus, he too has a series of misadventures on his return home from Troy.

Front 28

Mentor

Back 28

A faithful friend of Odysseus who was left behind on Ithaca as Telemachus' tutor; he is wise, sober, and loyal.

Front 29

Nausicaa

Back 29

The daughter of Alcinous and Arete. She is a charming young maiden, in her adolescence.

Front 30

Nestor

Back 30

King of Pylos, father of Peisistratus. A very wise and garrulous old man, one of the few survivors of the Trojan War.

Front 31

Odysseus

Back 31

King of Ithaca, husband of Penelope, father of Telemachus, son of Laertes. He is the first of the Greek epic heroes to be renowned for his brain as well as his muscle.

Front 32

Peisistratus

Back 32

The gallant young son of Nestor. He is the companion of Telemachus on his journey through the Peloponnesus

Front 33

Penelope

Back 33

The wife of Odysseus. She is serious and industrious, a perfect wife and mother in many aspects.

Front 34

Philoetius

Back 34

The chief cowherd of Odysseus; he is brave and loyal and, despite his age, stands besides his master during the battle with the suitors.

Front 35

Polyphemus

Back 35

A one-eyed Cyclops who held Odysseus and his men captive in his cave until he was made drunk and blinded by Odysseus

Front 36

Poseidon

Back 36

Younger brother of Zeus, god of the sea and earthquakes, father of Polyphemus. Because Odysseus is a sailor and must travel home by ship, Poseidon is able to do him much harm. The god bears a grudge against him because of his rough treatment of Polyphemus

Front 37

Scylla

Back 37

A sea monster with six heads whom Odysseus and his crew must pass during their voyage.

Front 38

Sirens

Back 38

Two beautiful maidens who dwell in a flowery meadow on an island somewhere between that of Circe and of Scylla. They tempt passing mariners to their deaths by their tantalizing songs.

Front 39

Telemachus

Back 39

The son of Odysseus and Penelope. He is just entering manhood and is very self-conscious about his duty, and his father's reputation as a hero, which he feels he must live up to.

Front 40

Tiresias

Back 40

The most famous of all Greek seers. The legend was that in compensation for his blindness the gods had given him his awesome visionary powers. His spirit is consulted by Odysseus in Hades.

Front 41

Zeus

Back 41

The supreme god and king of Olympus. He is officially neutral in human affairs; his duty is to carry out the will of Destiny, but he is often sympathetic towards humans

Front 42

Aeaea

Back 42

island home of the enchantress Circe.

Front 43

Aeolia

Back 43

A floating island home of Aeolus, king of the winds.

Front 44

Capri

Back 44

Island home of the Sirens

Front 45

Cicones

Back 45

A Thracian tribe whose capital was raided by Odysseus and his men after leaving Troy.

Front 46

Hades

Back 46

The land of the dead. Also known as Tartarus or Klysium.

Front 47

Ithaca

Back 47

The island kingdom of Odysseus. Off the west coast of mainland Greece

Front 48

Ismaurus

Back 48

The capital of the Cicones, located in Thrace, to the north- east of Greece.

Front 49

Laestrygonians

Back 49

A tribe of cannibal barbarians who seriously defeat Odysseus and his men when the Greek ships land in their country.

Front 50

Ogygia

Back 50

Island home of the nymph Calypso. Thought to be modern day Malta.

Front 51

Olympus

Back 51

A mountain in Greece, which is home to many of the gods and goddesses.

Front 52

Phaeacians

Back 52

The inhabitants of the land of Scheria.

Front 53

Pylos

Back 53

The kingdom of Nestor, located on the Peloponnesian Peninsula

Front 54

Scheria

Back 54

The island home of the Phaeacians, and the kingdom of Alcinous. Also may be referred to as Drepane

Front 55

Sparta

Back 55

The kingdom of Menelaus, located on the Peloponnesian Peninsula.

Front 56

Troy

Back 56

A kingdom that was destroyed by the Greeks in the Trojan War. It is located on the western coast of Asia Minor.

Front 57

Thrinacia

Back 57

Island home to the cattle of the sun god, Helios.