The Odyssey Characters

Front 1

Aegisthus (ee-jis'-thus)

Back 1

Lover of Clytemnestra and murder of Agamemnon on Agamemnon's return from Troy; killed by Agamemnon's son, Orestes.

Front 2

Aeolus (ee'-oh-lus)

Back 2

Ruler of the wind.

Front 3

Agamemnon (a-ga-mem'-non)

Back 3

King of Argos, brother of Menelaus, husband of Clytemnestra; killed by Aegisthus.

Front 4

Alcinous (al-si'-no-us)

Back 4

King of Phaeacia

Front 5

Anticleia (an-ti-kleye'-a)

Back 5

Mother of Odysseus, who died while he was away.

Front 6

Antinous (an-ti-no-us)

Back 6

One of the leaders of the Suitors.

Front 7

Arete (a-ree'-tee)

Back 7

Queen of Phaecians.

Front 8

Argus / Argos (ar'-gos)

Back 8

Faithful dog of Odysseus.

Front 9

Athene / Athena (a-thee'-na)

Back 9

Greek goddess of wisdom, daughter of Zeus, protector of Odysseus.

Front 10

Calypso (ka-lip'-soh)

Back 10

Sea-nymph who held Odysseus captive while on her island of Ogygia, daughter of Atlas

Front 11

Charybdis / Karibdis (ka-rib'-dis)

Back 11

Whirlpool encountered by Odysseus and his men

Front 12

Circe (sir'-see)

Back 12

Enchantress who turned men into beasts and with whom Odysseus lived for a year

Front 13

Clytemnestra (kleye-tem-nes'-tra)

Back 13

Half-sister of Helen, wife of Agamemnon; killed along with her lover Aegisthus by her son, Orestes.

Front 14

Eumaeus (yoo-mee'-us)

Back 14

Faithful swineherd of Odysseus. Faithful servant and fights along side him in the battle against the Suitors.

Front 15

Eurycleia (yoo-ri-kleye'-a)

Back 15

Faithful old nurse of Odysseus and later Telemachus

Front 16

Eurymachus (yoo-ri'-ma-kus)

Back 16

One of the leaders of the Suitors

Front 17

Helen (he'-len)

Back 17

Half-sister of Clytemnestra, wife of Menelaus; taken from Sparta by the Trojan prince, Paris.

Front 18

Hermes (hur'-meez)

Back 18

Herald and messenger of the Gods.

Front 19

Laertes (lay-er'-teez)

Back 19

Father of Odysseus.

Front 20

Melanthuis

Back 20

Disloyal goatherd who sided with the Suitors.

Front 21

Melantho (me-lab'-thoh)

Back 21

Disloyal maid of Penelope and lover of Eurymachus, a Suitor.

Front 22

Menelaus (me-ne-lay'-us)

Back 22

King of Sparta, husband of Helen, brother of Agamemnon.

Front 23

Mentes (men'-teez)

Back 23

King of the Taphians, old friend of Odysseus' family; Athene first visits Telemachus disguised as Mentes.

Front 24

Mentor (men'-tor)

Back 24

Close friend of Odysseus in Ithaca; Athene supports Telemachus disguised as Mentor

Front 25

Nestor (nes'-tor)

Back 25

Wise old king of Pylos and one of the Greek leaders in Trojan War.

Front 26

Odysseus (o-dis'-yoos)

Back 26

King of Ithaca and hero of Trojan War, forced to spend 10 years wondering before returning home to reclaim his kingdom and his wife.

Front 27

Orestes (o-res'-teez)

Back 27

Son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, killed his mother and her lover to avenge their murder of his father.

Front 28

Penelope (pe-ne'-lo-pee)

Back 28

Wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus.

Front 29

Phemius (fee'-mi-us)

Back 29

The minstrel, one of the craftsmen attached to Odysseus' palace.

Front 30

Polyphemus (po-li-fee'-mus)

Back 30

The Cyclops encountered and outwitted by Odysseus. Son of Poseidon.

Front 31

Poseidon (po-seye'-don)

Back 31

God of the sea, brother of Zeus and Hades, father of Polyphemus and enemy of Odysseus.

Front 32

Scylla (sil'-a)

Back 32

A sea monster situated opposite the whirlpool Charybdis.

Front 33

Teiresias

Back 33

The blind prophet of Thebes, consulted in the underworld by Odysseus.

Front 34

Telemachus (te-lem'-a-kus)

Back 34

Son of Odysseus and Penelope.

Front 35

Zeus (zyoos)

Back 35

Ruler of all the gods and men, brother of Poseidon and Hades, father of Athene