Principal Characters of the Odyssey

Humans

Gods and Immortals

King of Ithaca and hero of the Trojan War- Odysseus

Odysseus's loyal swineherd- Eumaleus

Odysseus's faithful old nurse- Eurycleia

One of Odysseus's crew- Eurylochus

Odysseus's father- Laertes

Odysseus's wife- Penelope

Penelope's housekeeper- Eurynome

Odysseus's and Penelope's son- Telemachus

One of Penelope's suitors- Eurymachus

One of Odysseus's crew- Perimedes

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

Rudest of Penelope's suitors- Antinous

One of Penelope's suitors- Amphinomus

Blind Prophet from the underworld- Tiresias

King go the Phaeacians and person whom Odysseus relates his story- Alcinous

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

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

God of the sun; another name for Apollo- Helios

God of the sea and earthquakes- Poseidon

A cyclops and son of Poseidon- Polyphemus

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

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

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

Enchantrees who lives on the island of Aeaea- Circe

Dangerous whirlpool personified as a female sea monster- Charybdis

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

Inhabitants of a land visited by Odysseus and his crew- Lotus

King of the gods- Zeus