This is a list of principal characters in
Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.
Greeks in the Trojan War
Achilles (Ἀχιλλεύς), the leader of the
Myrmidons (Μυρμιδόνες), son of
Peleus and
Thetis, and the principal Greek champion whose
anger is one of the main elements of the story.
Agamemnon (Ἀγαμέμνων), King of
Mycenae, supreme commander of the
Achaean armies whose actions provoke the feud with Achilles; elder brother of King
Menelaus.
Ajax or Aias (Αίας), also known as Telamonian Ajax (he was the son of
Telamon) and Greater Ajax, was the tallest and strongest warrior (after Achilles) to fight for the
Achaeans.
Ajax the Lesser, an Achaean commander, son of
Oileus often fights alongside Great Ajax; the two together are sometimes called the "Ajaxes" (Αἴαντε, Aiante).
Antilochus (Ἀντίλοχος), son of
Nestor sacrificed himself to save his father in the Trojan War along with other deeds of valor
Calchas (Κάλχας), a powerful Greek
prophet and
omen reader, who guided the Greeks through the war with his predictions.
Diomedes (Διομήδης, also called "Tydides"), the youngest of the Achaean commanders, famous for wounding two gods,
Aphrodite and
Ares.
Helen (Ἑλένη) the wife of Menelaus, the King of Sparta. Paris visits Menelaus in Sparta. With the assistance of Aphrodite, Paris and Helen fall in love and elope back to Troy, but in Sparta her elopement is considered an abduction.
Idomeneus (Ιδομενέας), King of
Crete and Achaean commander. Leads a charge against the Trojans in Book 13.
Menelaus (Μενέλαος), King of Sparta and the abandoned husband of Helen. He is the younger brother of
Agamemnon.
Nestor (Νέστωρ), of Gerênia and the son of Neleus. He was said to be the only one of his brothers to survive an assault from
Heracles. Oldest member of the entire Greek army at Troy.
Odysseus (Ὀδυσσεύς), another warrior-king, famed for his cunning, who is the main character of another (roughly equally ancient) epic, the Odyssey.
Patroclus (Πάτροκλος), beloved companion of Achilles.
Phoenix (Φοῖνιξ), an old Achaean warrior, greatly trusted by Achilles, who acts as mediator between Achilles and Agamemnon.
Teucer (Τεῦκρος), Achaean archer, half-brother of Ajax.[1][2][3]
Trojans in the siege of Troy
Aeneas (Αἰνείας), son of
Aphrodite; cousin of Hector; Hector's principal lieutenant; the only major Trojan figure to survive the war. Held by later tradition to be the forefather of the founders of Rome. See the Aeneid.
Agenor (Ἀγήνωρ), a Trojan warrior who attempts to fight Achilles in Book 21.
Andromache (Ἀνδρομάχη), wife of Hector and later slave of Achilles' son,
Neoptolemus after the war.
Antenor (Ἀντήνωρ), a Trojan nobleman who argues that Helen should be returned to Menelaus in order to end the war. In some versions he ends up betraying Troy by helping the Greeks unseal the city gates.
Cassandra (Κασσάνδρα), a daughter of King Priam and Queen
Hecuba; Cassandra's
prophecies are ignored as a result of displeasing
Apollo.
Glaucus (Γλαῦκος), co-leader, with his cousin
Sarpedon, of the
Lycian forces allied to the Trojan cause.
Hector (Ἕκτωρ), firstborn son of King Priam, husband of
Andromache, father of
Astyanax; leader of the Trojan and allied armies, and
heir apparent to the throne of Troy.
Laodice (Λαοδίκη), was the most beautiful of daughter of
Priam who fell in love with Acamas, son of Theseus.
Pandarus (Πάνδαρος), archer who shoots and wounds
Menelaus with an arrow, sabotaging an attempt to reclaim Helen.
Paris (Πάρις), Trojan prince and Hector's brother; also called Alexander. His abduction of
Helen is the casus belli of the
Trojan War. He was supposed to have been killed as a baby because his sister
Cassandra foresaw that he would cause the destruction of Troy; he was, however, raised by a shepherd.
Polydamas (Πολυδάμας), a young Trojan commander, a lieutenant and friend of Hector.
Priam (Πρίαμος), king of the Trojans, son and successor of
Laomedon; husband of Queen
Hecuba, father of Hector and Paris; too old to take part in the fighting; many of his fifty sons are counted among the Trojan commanders.
Penelope, Odysseus' faithful wife. She uses her quick wits to put off her many suitors and remain loyal to her errant husband.
Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope, who matures during his travels to Sparta and Pylos and then fights Penelope's suitors with Odysseus.[3]
Eurycleia, Odysseus' former wet nurse, the first person to recognize him upon his return to
Ithaca.
Eumaeus, a loyal old friend and swineherd of Odysseus, who helps him retake his palace.
Melantho, a favorite slave of Penelope's, though undeserving. She works against her mistress, sleeps with
Eurymachus, and is rude to guests. After Odysseus kills the suitors, Telemachus hangs her for her disloyalty.
Aethra, the principal slave in Helen's household at Troy. She was the mother of Theseus, stolen many years before the Trojan War by the
Dioscuri as revenge for her son's kidnapping of their sister Helen.
Briseis, a woman captured in the sack of Lyrnessus, a small town in the territory of Troy, and awarded to Achilles as a prize. Agamemnon takes her from Achilles in Book 1 and Achilles withdraws from battle as a result.
Chryseis,
Chryses’ daughter, taken as a war prize by Agamemnon.
Clymene, servant of
Helen along with her mother Aethra.
Diomede, a slave woman of Achilles' whom he took from
Lesbos.
Hecamede, a woman taken from
Tenedos and given to Nestor. She mixes his medicinal wines.
Aphrodite, goddess of love, beauty, and sexual pleasure. Wife of Hephaestus, and lover of Ares.
Apollo, god of the sun, light, knowledge, healing, plague and darkness, the arts, music, poetry, prophecy, archery. Son of Zeus and Leto, twin of Artemis.
Ares, god of war. Lover of Aphrodite. Driven from the field of battle by Diomedes (aided by Athena).
Athena, goddess of crafts, domestic arts, strategic warfare, and wisdom. Daughter of Zeus.
This is a list of principal characters in
Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.
Greeks in the Trojan War
Achilles (Ἀχιλλεύς), the leader of the
Myrmidons (Μυρμιδόνες), son of
Peleus and
Thetis, and the principal Greek champion whose
anger is one of the main elements of the story.
Agamemnon (Ἀγαμέμνων), King of
Mycenae, supreme commander of the
Achaean armies whose actions provoke the feud with Achilles; elder brother of King
Menelaus.
Ajax or Aias (Αίας), also known as Telamonian Ajax (he was the son of
Telamon) and Greater Ajax, was the tallest and strongest warrior (after Achilles) to fight for the
Achaeans.
Ajax the Lesser, an Achaean commander, son of
Oileus often fights alongside Great Ajax; the two together are sometimes called the "Ajaxes" (Αἴαντε, Aiante).
Antilochus (Ἀντίλοχος), son of
Nestor sacrificed himself to save his father in the Trojan War along with other deeds of valor
Calchas (Κάλχας), a powerful Greek
prophet and
omen reader, who guided the Greeks through the war with his predictions.
Diomedes (Διομήδης, also called "Tydides"), the youngest of the Achaean commanders, famous for wounding two gods,
Aphrodite and
Ares.
Helen (Ἑλένη) the wife of Menelaus, the King of Sparta. Paris visits Menelaus in Sparta. With the assistance of Aphrodite, Paris and Helen fall in love and elope back to Troy, but in Sparta her elopement is considered an abduction.
Idomeneus (Ιδομενέας), King of
Crete and Achaean commander. Leads a charge against the Trojans in Book 13.
Menelaus (Μενέλαος), King of Sparta and the abandoned husband of Helen. He is the younger brother of
Agamemnon.
Nestor (Νέστωρ), of Gerênia and the son of Neleus. He was said to be the only one of his brothers to survive an assault from
Heracles. Oldest member of the entire Greek army at Troy.
Odysseus (Ὀδυσσεύς), another warrior-king, famed for his cunning, who is the main character of another (roughly equally ancient) epic, the Odyssey.
Patroclus (Πάτροκλος), beloved companion of Achilles.
Phoenix (Φοῖνιξ), an old Achaean warrior, greatly trusted by Achilles, who acts as mediator between Achilles and Agamemnon.
Teucer (Τεῦκρος), Achaean archer, half-brother of Ajax.[1][2][3]
Trojans in the siege of Troy
Aeneas (Αἰνείας), son of
Aphrodite; cousin of Hector; Hector's principal lieutenant; the only major Trojan figure to survive the war. Held by later tradition to be the forefather of the founders of Rome. See the Aeneid.
Agenor (Ἀγήνωρ), a Trojan warrior who attempts to fight Achilles in Book 21.
Andromache (Ἀνδρομάχη), wife of Hector and later slave of Achilles' son,
Neoptolemus after the war.
Antenor (Ἀντήνωρ), a Trojan nobleman who argues that Helen should be returned to Menelaus in order to end the war. In some versions he ends up betraying Troy by helping the Greeks unseal the city gates.
Cassandra (Κασσάνδρα), a daughter of King Priam and Queen
Hecuba; Cassandra's
prophecies are ignored as a result of displeasing
Apollo.
Glaucus (Γλαῦκος), co-leader, with his cousin
Sarpedon, of the
Lycian forces allied to the Trojan cause.
Hector (Ἕκτωρ), firstborn son of King Priam, husband of
Andromache, father of
Astyanax; leader of the Trojan and allied armies, and
heir apparent to the throne of Troy.
Laodice (Λαοδίκη), was the most beautiful of daughter of
Priam who fell in love with Acamas, son of Theseus.
Pandarus (Πάνδαρος), archer who shoots and wounds
Menelaus with an arrow, sabotaging an attempt to reclaim Helen.
Paris (Πάρις), Trojan prince and Hector's brother; also called Alexander. His abduction of
Helen is the casus belli of the
Trojan War. He was supposed to have been killed as a baby because his sister
Cassandra foresaw that he would cause the destruction of Troy; he was, however, raised by a shepherd.
Polydamas (Πολυδάμας), a young Trojan commander, a lieutenant and friend of Hector.
Priam (Πρίαμος), king of the Trojans, son and successor of
Laomedon; husband of Queen
Hecuba, father of Hector and Paris; too old to take part in the fighting; many of his fifty sons are counted among the Trojan commanders.
Penelope, Odysseus' faithful wife. She uses her quick wits to put off her many suitors and remain loyal to her errant husband.
Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope, who matures during his travels to Sparta and Pylos and then fights Penelope's suitors with Odysseus.[3]
Eurycleia, Odysseus' former wet nurse, the first person to recognize him upon his return to
Ithaca.
Eumaeus, a loyal old friend and swineherd of Odysseus, who helps him retake his palace.
Melantho, a favorite slave of Penelope's, though undeserving. She works against her mistress, sleeps with
Eurymachus, and is rude to guests. After Odysseus kills the suitors, Telemachus hangs her for her disloyalty.
Aethra, the principal slave in Helen's household at Troy. She was the mother of Theseus, stolen many years before the Trojan War by the
Dioscuri as revenge for her son's kidnapping of their sister Helen.
Briseis, a woman captured in the sack of Lyrnessus, a small town in the territory of Troy, and awarded to Achilles as a prize. Agamemnon takes her from Achilles in Book 1 and Achilles withdraws from battle as a result.
Chryseis,
Chryses’ daughter, taken as a war prize by Agamemnon.
Clymene, servant of
Helen along with her mother Aethra.
Diomede, a slave woman of Achilles' whom he took from
Lesbos.
Hecamede, a woman taken from
Tenedos and given to Nestor. She mixes his medicinal wines.
Aphrodite, goddess of love, beauty, and sexual pleasure. Wife of Hephaestus, and lover of Ares.
Apollo, god of the sun, light, knowledge, healing, plague and darkness, the arts, music, poetry, prophecy, archery. Son of Zeus and Leto, twin of Artemis.
Ares, god of war. Lover of Aphrodite. Driven from the field of battle by Diomedes (aided by Athena).
Athena, goddess of crafts, domestic arts, strategic warfare, and wisdom. Daughter of Zeus.