Who’s Who in
the Odyssey (from goecities.com)
Gods and Goddesses
[Roman names are given in
brackets]
Apollo:
Son of Zeus and
Leto; favors the Trojans.
Ares [Mars]:
Son of Zeus;
favors the Trojans.
Athena [Minerva]:
Daughter of Zeus;
favors Greeks.
Hades:
Son
of Cronus; ruler of the underworld of the dead.
Hephaestus [Vulcan]:
Son of Zeus and
Hera; favors the Greeks.
Hermes [Mercury]:
Sone of Zeus;
favors the Trojans.
Iris:
Messenger
of the gods.
Persephone [Proserpina]:
Daughter
of Demeter [Ceres] and queen of the underworld.
Poseidon [Neptune]:
Son of Cronus;
king of the sea; favors the Greeks.
Zeus [Jupiter, Jove]:
Son
of Cronus [Saturn]; king of the gods and ruler of the sky; arbiter of human
destiny.
Lesser Divinities
Aeolus:
Son
of Hippotas; keeper of the winds.
Calypso:
Daughter
of Atlas; island nymph on Ogygia.
Circe:
Daughter
of the Sun; goddes of the wild; enchantress.
Eidothea:
Daughter
of Proteus, sea-nymph.
Proteus:
Old
man of the sea, one of the gods deposed by Zues.
Family and Household of Odysseus
Dolius:
Aged
gardener and field worker.
Elpenor:
Youngest
sailor with Odysseus.
Eumaeus:
Son
of Ctesius; keeper of Odysseus’ swine.
Euryclea:
Daughter
of Ops; old nurse of Odysseus and Telemachus.
Eurylochus:
Husband
of Odysseus’ sister; sailor with Odysseus.
Eurynome:
Head
maid and housekeeper.
Laertes:
Son
of Arceisius; aged father of Odysseus.
Medon:
Herald.
Melantho:
Daughter
of Dolius; favored maid of Penelope.
Menlanthris:
Son
of Dolius; keeper of the goats.
Mentor:
Friend
and steward of Odysseus.
Odysseus [Ulysses]:
Son
of Laertes; king of Ithaca.
Phemius:
Son
of Terpes, minsteral in the house.
Philoetius:
Keeper
of the cattle.
Telemachus:
Son
of Odysseus and Penelope.
Men of Ithaca and Suitors for the
Hand of Penelope
Aegyptius:
Aged
lord in Ithaca.
Agelaus:
Son
of Damastor; suitor from Ithaca.
Amphimedon:
Son
of Menanus; suitor from Ithaca.
Amphinomus:
Son
of Nisus; suitor from Dulichium.
Antinous:
Son
of Eupeithes; leader of the suitors.
Ctesippus:
Son of
Polytherses; suitor from Same.
Eupeithes:
Lord in Ithaca.
Eurymachus:
Son
of Polybus; suitor from Ithaca.
Halitherses:
Son
of Mastor; seer and prophet.
Irus:
Town
beggar.
Leiocritus:
Son
of Evenor; suitor from Ithaca.
Leiodes:
Son
of Oenops; soothsayer for the suitors.
Noemon:
Son
of Phromius; ship owner.
Piraeus:
Son
of Clytius; trusty friend of Telemachus.
Persons Met by Telemachus on his
trip to the Mainland
Helen:
Daughter
of Zues and Leda; wife of Menelaus, brought back from Troy.
Menelaus:
Son
of Atreus; king of Sparta, returned from Troy.
Nestor:
Son
of Neleus; aged king of Pylos, returned from Troy.
Pisistratus:
Son
of Nestor.
Theoclymenus:
Son
of Polypheides; fugitive seer from Argos, received by Telemachus.
Dwellers in the Land of Phaeacians
Alcinous:
Son
of Nausithous; king of the Phawacians in Scheria.
Arete:
Daughter
of Rhexenor; wife of Alcinous and queen of the Phawacians.
Demodocus:
Blind
bard at Alcinous’ court.
Euryalus:
Son
of Naubolus; Phaeacian noble.
Laodamas:
Eldest
son of Alcinous and Arete.
Nausicaa:
Youngest
daughter of Alcinous and Arete.
Moster and Other Inhuman Beings
Antiphates:
King
of the cannibal Laestrygonians.
Charybdis:
A
whirlpool which draws vessels to their doom.
Polyphemus:
Son
of Poseidon; giant Cyclops and ogre.
Scylla:
Daughter
of Crataiis; six-headed monster and man eater.
Two Sirens:
Fatal
beguilers of men with their singing.
Spirits of the Dead in the House
of Hades
Achilles:
Son
of Peleus; hero of the Iliad.
Agamemnon:
Son
of Atreus; king of the Greeks at Troy.
Ajax:
Greater
Ajax; son of Telamon, killed at Troy.
Anticleia:
Daughter
of Autolycus; wife of Laertes and mother of Odysseus.
Epicaste:
Also
called Jocasta; mother and wife of Oedipus, king of Thebes.
New Arrivals:
Spirits
of Elpenor and of the suitors.
Patroclus:
Son
of Menoetius; comrade of Achilles.
Shade of Heracles [Hercules]:
Son
of Zues; heroic laborer for mankind.
Sisyphus:
Spirit tormented
in punishment.
Tantalus:
Spirit tormented
in punishment.
Teiresias:
Blind
prophet of Thebes.
Tityus:
Spirit tormented
in punishment.
Tyro:
Daughter
of Salmoneus; mother by Poseidon of Pelias and Neleus.