Odysseus (Ulysses)

1. Odysseus (Ulysses) • The hero of the story • Left home to go fight in the battle of Troy • Angered the Sea God Neptune by poking the eye out of the King of Cyclops, Polyphemus, who is the son of Neptune and will now not allow Odysseus to continue his voyage back to Ithaca, his home.

2. Minerva (Athena) • Daughter of Jove, or Zeus, who is the goddess of wisdom • She communicates to Odysseus and Telemachus throughout Odysseus’ quest to help them out and eventually lead Odysseus back home • She has to console with Jove on the subject if whether Odysseus deserves to return home • When visiting Telemachus, she disguises herself as Mentes, chief of the Taphians

3. Neptune (Poseidon) • The son of Jove, he is the god of Water • He becomes infuriated when Odysseus pokes his son, Polyphemus, in the eye • He is the main force that is not allowing Odysseus to return home because he is the one who controls the sea and that is the only way he can get home.

4. Calypso • She is a sea nymph who lives alone on an island where time moves different from the regular world • Odysseus is said to be stranded here at the start of the story because Calypso tries to make him forget about his home and his family • Calypso falls in love with Odysseus

5. Penelope • The wife of Odysseus who remains in Ithaca • She is unaware if Odysseus is alive or dead • She is currently being horded with tons of suitors who disrupt Ithaca

6. Telemachus • Son of Odysseus • He was born while Odysseus went off to war in Troy • He has to suffer with the cruelty of the suitors that come to marry his mother • He receives messages from Minerva pertaining to his father and asks of him to search around Greece for him

7. Jove (Zeus) • The son of Saturn, or Cronos, who is the king of all the gods and also the father of the other ones. • He watches over Odysseus’s progress and tries to look at his success of getting home, but has to deal with Neptune, who is infuriated with Odysseus. • He allows Minerva to go talk to Telemachus and inform him

8. Aegyptius • A man at the council who has four sons (one who was killed) and is “a man bent double with age”. • His son Antiphus went with Odysseus to Ilius but was eaten by the Cyclops • His third son, Eurynomus is one of the suitors to Penelope.

9. Icarius • The father of Penelope • The suitors are too afraid to go to Icarius to ask Penelope’s hand in marriage and to provide marriage gifts • Penelope might have to move back with her father if Telemachus gives into Antinous’ demands

10. Antionous • The chief suitor to Penelope • At the council that Telemachus calls, he blames Penelope for tricking all the suitors by promising to finish a pall for the hero Laertes and then make her decision. • Suggests to Telemachus to send Penelope back to her father and marry her father’s choice

11. Halitherses • The best prophet and reader of omens among the Council of Ithaca. • He states that Odysseus will return to Ithaca soon enough • He also states to let the suitors do as they please for now

12. Eurymachus • Son of Polybus • He strongly disagrees with the prophet Halitherses and is almost sure that Odysseus is dead • Believes that it would be wise to have Telemachus make Penelope go back to her father • Another suitor to Penelope

13. Ino • A sea Nereid who was once a human girl but was granted powers to become a Nereid by Poseidon • She helps Odysseus on his journey to the Phaiakians by allowing him to use a veil that does not allow him to drown

14. Alkinoos • King of the Phaiakians • Son of Nausithoos • Brother to Rhexnor • Father to Nausikaa • He takes in Odysseus as a guest and listens to the journey Odysseus went through and finally offers him a trip back to Ithaca by boat.

15. Arete • The wife of Alkinoos • Daugther of Rhexnor • Mother to Nausikaa • She asks Odysseus where he gets the tunic he received from Nausikaa since she can see it was one of her own works

16. Nausikaa • The daughter of Alkinoos and Arete • She finds Odysseus in the wilderness and decides to help him whereas her maids become afraid. • She has her maids clean the grime off of Odysseus and also suit him up with a Phaiakian tunic.

17. Mercury (Hermes) • The God of messengers • Son of Jove (Zeus) • Has a magical rod which can put people to sleep or awaken them • Helps Odysseus as he travels to Kirke’s palace by feeding him a magical herb to block out Kirke’s magic

18. Antiphates • The head of the Laistrigones • Eats a crew member of Odysseus before Odysseus and his crew can even try and negotiate with them. • When Odysseus runs away, he tells his Laistrigonian giants to throw boulders at his ships.

19. Kirke • A witch who lives on Aiaia • At first she turns Odysseus’ crew members to swine but then when Odysseus takes her to bed, she turns them back • Warns Odysseus of the Scylla and Charbydis

20. Hyperion • The Sun God • Warns Jove that if he does not punish Odysseus’ crew for eating his cattle, he will shine his sun only in Hades and not in the Heavens

21. Aeolus • God/King of Winds • Ruler on Aiolia Island • Offers Odysseus a bag of winds to return to Ithaca but Odysseus’ crew open bag and return to Aiolia. • Says Odysseus’ journey is cursed by the Gods and refuses to help a second time

22. Akhilleus • A comrade of Odysseus • A great hero of Troy who fought Hector and was victorious • Died by a stray arrow hitting him in his heel • Talks to Odysseus in the Underworld and asks about his son, Neopolatemos.

23. Aias • A comrade of Odysseus at Troy • Is angry with Odysseus when seeing him in Hades for receiving the arms of Akhilleus from Helen at Troy • At first thought to have been killed by Poseidon but was found out he cursed the gods.

24. Agamemnon • A comrade of Odysseus and a General • Father to Orestes • He returned home to his homeland to only found to be betrayed by his wife Klynamestra and her suitor Aigisthos • He warns Odysseus in Hades of how to be careful how he returns to Ithaca and to beware of suitors.