Odysseus
protagonist, warrior and king of Ithaca, husband of Penelope, father of Telemachus
Calypso
nymph who lives on Ogygia, holds Odysseus prisoner for many years
Aegisthus
lover of Clytemnestra who killed Agamemnon upon his return from Troy
Orestes
son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, kills Clytemnestra and Aegisthus
Telemachus
son of Odysseus and Penelope
Phemius
bard in Ithaca, saddens Penelope by singing about the Trojan War
Laertes
father of Odysseus
Mentes (Athena)
Greek king, Athena visits Telemachus disguised as him in the beginning of the Odyssey
Penelope
wife of Odysseus, mother of Telemachus
Antinous
leader" of the suitors, plots the death of Telemachus, shot by Odysseus upon his return
Eurymachus
particularly manipulative suitor
Eurycleia
old and loyal servant to Odysseus, recognizes Odysseus by the scar on his foot
Menelaus
king of Sparta, husband of Helen, brother of Agamemnon, welcomes Telemachus into his feast
Helen
queen of Sparta, wife of Menelaus, most beautiful woman in the world
Peisistratus
son of Nestor, friend of Telemachus
Eidothea
daughter of Proteus
Proteus
god of rivers, "Old Man of the Sea", tells Menelaus of the fate of his companions in Troy
Hermes
sent by Zeus to Calypso to force her to let Odysseus leave, protects Odysseus from the powers of Circe
Poseidon
god of the sea, father of Polyphemus, harasses Odysseus along his way home
Ino
helps Odysseus by giving him a veil that keeps him afloat after his boat breaks
Nausicaa
Phaeacian daughter of Alcinous and Arete, discovers Odysseus on the beach
Alcinous
king of the Phaeacians, father of Nausicaa, husband of Arete, helps Odysseus return to Ithaca
Arete
queen of the Phaeacians, father of Nausicaa, wife of Alcinous
Demodocus
Phaeacian bard, sings multiple songs during Odysseus' stay
Polyphemus
Cyclops, son of Poseidon, imprisons Odysseus and his crew with the intention of eating them, tricked and hurt by Odysseus
Noman (Nobody)
name used by Odysseus to trick Polyphemus
Circe
witch who turns Odysseus' crew into pigs, tries to use her powers on Odysseus, becomes Odysseus' lover
Aeaea
land of Circe
Tiresias
blind prophet in the underworld, instructs Odysseus to be thoughtful and to fight for his family
Elpenor
former member of Odysseus' crew in the underworld, teaches Odysseus to be smart
Anticleia
Odysseus' mother, in the underworld, tells Odysseus to hurry so he can see Laertes again
Agamemnon
former Greek commander-in-chief now in the underworld, former husband of Clytemnestra, killed by Aegisthus, tells Odysseus not to trust anyone
Achilles
former great Greek warrior now in the underworld, tells Odysseus to not care too much about fame
Neoptolemus
son of Achilles
Heracles
Greek hero partially in the underworld
Sirens
creatures who lure sailors with beautiful songs
Thrinacia
landing place of Odysseus and his crew where they encounter Helios and his cattle
Helios
personification of the sun, owner of the cattle that Odysseus' crew decide to eat
Scylla
monster opposite Charybdis who takes several of Odysseus' men
Charybdis
monster opposite Scylla, often symbolized as a whirlpool
Eurylochus
second-in-command of Odysseus' crew, leads the expedition that explores Circe's island, decides to eat the cattle of Helios
Eumaeus
swineherd that is loyal to Odysseus
Melanthius
brother of Melantho, traitorous servant who supports the suitors and bullies Odysseus in disguise
Argus
dog of Odysseus, dies after seeing him return
Arnaeus (Irus)
beggar who bullies and challenges Odysseus while he is disguised
Melantho
sister of Melanthius, traitorous servant who supports the suitors
Autolycus
maternal grandfather of Odysseus,
Philotieus
cowherd that is loyal to Odysseus
Medon
herald that is loyal to Odysseus
Amphinomus
most reasonable of the suitors, killed in the final battle between Odysseus and the suitors