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