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