Characters in the Odyssey

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Main Characters

Odysseus King of Ithaca, the protagonist

Telemachus Son of Odysseus and Penelope

Penelope Wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus

Athena Daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom, battle strategy and womanly arts

Poseidon God of the sea

Zeus King of gods and men

Antinous Most arrogant of the suitors

Eurymachus Manipulative and deceitful suitor

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Characters that Odysseus meets on his journey

  • The Cicones Natives that Odysseus plunders from
  • The Lotus Eaters People who trap other by feeding them the lotus flower
  • Polyphemus Savage Cyclops who losses his eye to Odysseus, son of Poseidon
  • Aeolus God of the winds
  • Antiphates King of the Laestrygonians; cannibals who wreck Odysseus's fleet
  • Circe Beautiful witch-goddess, Daughter of Hecate
  • Tiresias Blind Theban prophet in the underworld
  • Elpenor Crew member encountered in the underworld
  • The Sirens Female monsters who lure men with their voices
  • Scylla and Charybdis Two dangerous monsters
  • Eurylochus Argumentative crew member
  • Calypso Beautiful nymph
  • Nausicaa Daughter of Alcinous
  • Arete Wife of Alcinous
  • Alcinous King of the Phaeacians
  • Demodocus Blind bard of the Phaeacians
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People from Ithaca and the Telemachy

  • Amphinomus Only suitor who speaks up for Odysseus and Telemachus
  • Eumaeus Loyal swineherd
  • Philoetius Loyal cowherd
  • Eurycleia Loyal aged nurse of Odysseus
  • Melanthius Treacherous goatherd, who abuses Odysseus
  • Melantho Sister of Melanthius, who abuses Odysseus
  • Nestor King of Pylos
  • Antilochus Son of Nestor
  • Menelaus King of Sparta
  • Helen Wife of Menelaus
  • Theoclymenus A fugitive seer who travels back to Ithaca with Telemachus
  • Proteus A god known as the old man of the sea
  • Mentor An eldery Ithacian who guise is also taken by Athena
  • Laertes The father of Odysseus
  • Anticlea The mother of Odysseus
  • Irus The begar in the palace
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