Principal Characters in the Odyssey

Humans

Gods and Immortals

Immortals

Gods

Apollo - God of sunlight, music, poetry, medicine, law and the tending of flocks and herds

Athena - Daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, skills, and warfare who helps her chosen heroes

Charybdis - Dangerous whirlpool personified as a female monster

Circe- Enchantress who lives on the island of Aeaea

Calypso - Immortal sea nymph who holds Odysseus captive for many years

Cyclopes - race of one-eyed giants; an individual member of the race is a Cyclops

Helios- god of the sun and another name for Apollo

Poseidon - God of the sea and earthquakes

Scylla- six headed female sea monster

Sirens- sea nymphs who sing songs that lure men to their death

Zeus- King of the gods

Odysseus's Family

Odysseus's Crew

Eumaeus - Odysseus's loyal Swineherd

Eurycleia - Odysseus's faithful old nurse

Others

Agamemnon - king and leader of Greek forces during the Trojan war

Alcinous - king of the Pheascians and person to whom Odysseus relates his story

Amphinomus - one of Penelop's suitors

Antinous - Rudest of Penelope's suitors

Eurylochus - one of Odysseus's crew

Odysseus - king of Ithaca and hero of the Trojan war

Eurymachus - one of Penelope's Suitors

Eurynome - Pnelop's Housekeeper

Laertes - Odysseus's father

Penelope - Odyssey's wife

Telemachus - Odysseus and Penelope's son

Maron - Priest of Apollo who gives Odysseus a gift of powerful wine

Tiresias - blind prophet from the underworld

Perimedes - one of Odysseus's Crew