The Odyssey

Who's who

Terms and Conventions Poetics Figurative Language Structure Who's who Places Themes Overview

Image source: http://www.beloit.edu/~classics/main/courses/classics100/museum2/art_museum2.html

Note: This site is designed to be used with Robert Fagles' translation of the Odyssey, published by Penguin USA. It was prepared for a 9th grade English class.

Principals | Supporting Cast | Extras

Principals

Athena - The goddess responsible for rescuing Odysseus from exile becomes the only Olympian we can imagine as a dinner guest (but at the head of the table whatever her disguise). After getting her father to agree to her "plan," she appears to Telemachus disguised as Odysseus faithful friend Mentor and begins the process of bringing Odysseus' son to manhood. In dreams and in various disguises she consoles Penelope, arranges for Nausicaa to find Odysseus in Scheria, and hides Odysseus in mist. In the second half of the book during her interactions with her favorite mortal ("you are so winning, so worldly wise, so self-possessed"), she encourages, cajoles, and berates Odysseus into restoring his place in Ithaca. She also gives him a plan, helps him disguise himself, and leads him both to victory and peace. The scenes with Odysseus in Book 13 give us a picture of a gods in direct contrast to what we have seen earlier in that book (Zeus and Poseidon collaborate to destroy the Phaeacian ship that took Odysseus to Ithaca) and in general. Even though we have had a glimpse of her fearsome power (Menelaus describes her rage after the Achaean desecrate the temples of Troy), she is the sole Olympian who appears sensitive to the plights of mortals. (Zeus seems concerned, but only distractedly.) Her "values" seem closest to those of the Greeks themselves.

Odysseus - The hero of the Odyssey has little in common with Homer's other hero, Achilles. The latter is a symbol of the power of rage and is as hot as Odysseus is "clear-headed." When we first meet this legendary hero he is weeping. In some ways the epic is the story of the restoration of his legendary powers. Even at the end, Athena has to goad him, reminding that his enemies now are mere "suitors". After leaving Calypso, he appears to be constantly aware of his dependence on the gods, especially Athena. This is no doubt the result of knowing the dispenser of much of his hardship is the god Poseidon. Unlike other mortals, including Telemachus, he immediately senses the presence of a God. Experience has taught him to accept the power of the gods without reservation.. Because of this, Odysseus never is "broken" by his "life of pain." Odysseus; is a good listener, trying to follow the advice of both Tiresias and Circe, attending to the words of others. After making the mistake of boasting to Polyphemus, he maintains self-control in all his encounters - rising only to the bait when mocked by the Phaeacians. His shows great diplomacy with Calypso when he leaves Ogygia, with Nausicaa when he awakes in Scheria, with Arête when he enters her palace. When he returns to Ithaca, he trusts no one unless he "tests" the person first. He is guarded even when he senses the shepherd he is talking to is Athena. Transformed into a beautiful woman, the goddess chides, "You terrible man,/ foxy, ingenious, never tired of twists and tricks." In then end, age and hardship do not seem to have hindered his qualities as a warrior and dispatches the suitors with a ruthless efficiency. Always thinking, he does not repeat mistake he had made with Polyphemus of glorying in victory. He is fully aware that the suitors' relatives will want to avenge his death and he orders the hall cleaned and calls for his followers to create a festive air so that those outside the walls that Penelope has chosen her suitor at last.

Penelope - Odysseus’ wife embodies all the qualities of the loyal, patient, devoted wife, even practicing duplicity to stay the suitors. She seems the exception among women, of whom, Eumaeus notes, "a long, deep embrace . . . can break [the] will [of] even the best alive." She stands in stark contrast to Helen (who Penelope sees as a victim of the gods) and starker contrast to Clytemnestra. When we meet her, she seems ready for her son to assert his manhood, but is chagrined when he sails to Pylos. She does seem to waver at moments, and in her dream of the eagle killing her geese she "weeps and wails" when the geese are killed, but she shows remarkable strength, facing down the suitors when called to, and even testing Odysseus when he has told her who he is. Throughout her ordeal, she has been faithful to her husband and will no doubt condone his duplicity, by accepting the "powers' of Calypso and Circe.

Telemachus - Telemachus (cool-headed) learns who he is in the Odyssey. In the beginning he seems unaware of what it means to be Odysseus' son. By the end of Book 24 his grandfather Laertes delights that he is "vying over courage" with his father. Through the tutelage first of Mentor (Athena) and then successively Nestor, Pisistratus, Menelaus and finally Odysseus, he becomes a man. In the late books, after Athena prods him from sleep, he acts decisively, making a number of intelligent decisions as he returns to Ithaca from Sparta. After reuniting with his father, he faces down the suitors a number of times before he joins Odysseus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius in battle. Of course, he is somewhat handicapped as he can never be his father.

Supporting cast

Achilles - The hero of the Iliad tells Odysseus he would rather be some "dirt-poor tenant farmer" than "rule the breathless dead."

Aeolus - Odysseus' crew thinks his gift to Odysseus is treasure so they open it. It turns out to be a bag of wind. Blown back to Aeolus, Odysseus is told by the king he and his men must be cursed.

Agamemnon - Leader of the Achaeans at Troy and brother of Menelaus. When he returns from Troy, he is killed by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus (who was warned by Hermes that killing Agamemnon would lead to his own death at the hands of Orestes, Agamemnon and Clytemnestra's son). This story is told and retold numerous times, twice by Agamemnon himself from the underworld. He says that as a consequence of his fate, women can never be trusted again.

Alcinous -The king of the Phaeacians, husband of Arête, father of Nausicaa, he shows Odysseus great hospitality - too much for Poseidon's liking.

Arête - The queen of the Phaeacians and wife of Alcinous; Odysseus embraces her as a suppliant.

Argos - Odysseus’ ancient dog who dies just after recognizing his master has returned.

Calypso - A nymph/goddess who offers Odysseus immortality if he will only stay with her and make love to her forever; instead, he feels imprisoned and for seven years seems to spend much of the time when he is not "with her" weeping. She complains to Hermes that the Olympians, notably Zeus, have a double standard when it comes to relationships between mortals and immortals.

Charybdis - A monster in the guise of a whirlpool, or a whirlpool in the guise of a monster, who is the greater of two evils - the lesser being Scylla who can only eat six at a time.

Circe - After Odysseus, with the help of Hermes' advice, has her turn his back from swine into crew, this bewitching goddess proves an excellent entertainer of and a valuable advisor to Odysseus. In many ways she has proved to be the most intriguing of the "women" of the Odyssey, a kind of promiscuous alter-Penelope, who like Penelope lives endlessly lonely on an island, surrounded by men who are "pigs" and spending most of her days at her loom.

Demodocus - Like the Homer of legend, a blind bard. He entertains Odysseus and the Phaeacians in the hall of Alcinous with his tale of Hephaestus' trapping of Ares, but only after making Odysseus weep with tales of Troy. Perhaps we can glimpse Homer at work in him.

Elpenor - One of Odysseus crew who, drunk, falls off Circe's roof; he later meets Odysseus on the outskirts of the Underworld and places a curse on Odysseus if he does not return to Aeaea and give him a proper burial.

Eumaeus - Odysseus’ swineherd whom Odysseus first visits in disguise upon his return to Ithaca. Eumaeus proves his loyalty more than once. He and Eurycleia are perhaps the only "middle class" figures we come to know.

Eurycleia - The aged nurse of both Odysseus and Telemachus is loyal to both. She is the only person who recognizes Odysseus on her own.

Eurylochus - Odysseus’ second in command leads the first expedition to Circe’s hall and escapes unharmed; later he spearheads a "mutiny" on Helios that leads to the death of the entire crew.

Eurymachus - A suitor who is generally as offensive as Antinous although occasionally he is seen as a considerably lesser evil. After Antinous is slain, he tries to bargain with Odysseus.

Helen - Although her departure with Paris began the Trojan War, She seems completely at ease back at home with Menelaus and entertaining Telemachus. Perhaps the beautiful daughter of Zeus manages to get away with almost anything.

Helios - The God of the Sun whose cattle are eaten by Odysseus’ men demands Zeus render justice. Zeus instantly complies.

Hermes - The busy messenger of the gods tells Aegisthus to avoid killing Agamemnon, and Calypso to release Odysseus; he also gives Odysseus a potion to ward off Circe's brew.

Laertes - Odysseus' father has retreated to his farm during his son’s absence. He is a pathetic figure, but with some assistance from Athena transformed by Odysseus' return.

Menelaus - Reconciled with Helen, the King of Sparta welcomes Telemachus and entertains him for a year, sending him and Nestor's son Pisistratus home with riches.

Mentor - An old friend of Odysseus whose identify Athena frequently assumes.

Nausicaa - The beautiful Princess of Scheria and daughter of Alcinous and Arête has been ordained by Athena to be the first person Odysseus meets after his storm tossed journey from Ogygia.

Nestor - The senior captain amongst the Greeks from the Trojan War; he is the first man Telemachus meets who knew his father at Troy. Extremely respectful of the gods, he serves, albeit briefly, as a kind of father figure to Telemachus. Later, Telemachus decides not to visit Nestor on his return home because he thinks that he will have to hang around out of politeness; it has become time for him to meet his father.

Pisistratus - The son of Nestor guides Telemachus to Menelaus’ palace in Sparta and serves as a kind of brotherly role model. Athena approves of his manners when he offers her (disguised as Mentor) a libation before he offers one to the younger Telemachus.

Polyphemus - The inhospitable Cyclops is blinded by a "Nobody" who later makes the mistake of boasting that he is Odysseus. The son of Poseidon calls upon his father to "grant that Odysseus . . . never reaches home . . . or let him come home late . . . a broken man."

Poseidon - The "Earthshaker" becomes Odysseus' nemesis because of Odysseus’ blinding of Polyphemus. He is outraged when his "people" - the Phaeacians - help Odysseus. Odysseus will only appease him when he journeys inland to a place where no one knows salt and plants an oar that is mistaken for a fan that winnows weep.

Proteus - "The Old Man of the Sea" who is wrestled down by Menelaus. He can see the future and tells Menelaus what he must do to return home. He also tells him where Odysseus is (on Ogygia with Calypso) - something Menelaus tells Telemachus.

Scylla - Charybdis' alter ego uses her six elongated necks to reach down and snatch six of Odysseus’ men. Later, when Odysseus is adrift and being blown to Ogygia, she is mercifully asleep.

Tiresias - The blind prophet of Thebes to whom Odysseus is sent by Circe. He is the first person Odysseus speaks to in the underworld. Tiresias details Odysseus' future with complete accuracy.

Theoclymenus - A prophet who Telemachus "rescues" on the shores of Pylos, In Ithaca he is mocked by the suitors when he warns of Odysseus' return.

Zeus - All powerful, he seems to like to rule by consent. He is usually pictured acceding to the wishes of another god (Athena in relation to Odysseus; Helios in relation to Odysseus' crew; Poseidon in relation to the Phaeacians), sometimes suggesting an especially clever way for the god to obtain a desired result. He also sends signs (thunderbolts and eagles) that gain the attention of mortals. The other gods are exceedingly respectful of him, and he, in turn, does not abuse their respect. Only one figure, Calypso, seems to resent his "double standard" when it comes to the nature of his relationship with beautiful mortals.

Extras (there are no small parts . . .)

Ajax Telamonius - Like Odysseus, a Greek captain. He committed suicide after Odysseus was Achilles’ armor (Athena was one of the judges); he shuns Odysseus in the Underworld.

Amphinomus - Probably the most considerate of the suitors; Odysseus suggests he would be wise to leave the palace, but he is fated to die at the hands of Telemachus..

Anticleia - Odysseus’ mother, whom he meets in the Hades, and speaks to after he speaks to Teiresias.

Antinous - The leader of the suitors who even oversteps himself in their eyes when he thows a footstool at the "beggar" Odysseus. He will be the first to die.

Aphrodite- A kind of comic relief for Odysseus, the goddess appears in Demodocus’ story in a compromising position. Less comically, she can be seen as one of the root causes of the Trojan War when in exchange for the golden apple, she offers Helen to Paris. Twice Penelope is described as "looking for all the world like Artemis or Aphrodite."

Apollo - The God of Archery is called on by Odysseus just before he shoots the bow on his (Apollo's) festival day. Earlier, Penelope has asked "the god of the archer" to "strike [Antinous] hard."

Ares -The god of war is compromised with Aphrodite in Demodocus' story.

Artemis - Odysseus tells Nausicaa that she resembles the goddess of childbirth and archery "to the life"; Twice Penelope is described as "looking for all the world like Artemis or Aphrodite."; she is paired with Apollo in Eumaeus' story of the island of Syrie an idyllic ( ?) place where no one grows old or suffers from hunger because at the appropriate time Artemis and Apollo shoot them "all to death with gentle arrows"

Broadsea - a Phaeacian who goads Odysseus into competing in the "games."

Dolius - An old servant who remains loyal to Odysseus, though he is the father of the traitorous Melanthius and Melantho.

Eidothea - This daughter of Proteus tells Menelaus how to trick her father in to helping him return home.

Eupeithes - Antinous' father, enraged after the slaying of his son, leads the suitors’ relatives in the attack against Odysseus. He is slain by the reinvigorated Laertes.

Eurynome - A faithful housekeeper of Penelope.

Halitherses - An expert "reader of signs" who is countered by Eurylochus when he interprets two eagles "wings thrashing, wild onslaught of wings . . . banking down on the crowds head" dove as indicating Odysseus' immanent and bloody return.

Hephaestus - The Firegod who is the great artificer (he makes the shield of Achilles in the Iliad); at the Phaeacian festival, Demodocus sings of how he traps the adulterous Aphrodite with her lover Ares in a chain net that he has forged.

Irus - The beggar with seniority who comes to regret challenging the new beggar in town (Odysseus).

Laodamas - Among the greatest of the Phaeacian athletes, he helps goad Odysseus into accepting the challenge to participate. But, because he is the son of his host Alcinous, Laodamas is the one athlete with whom Odysseus will not compete.

Lastrygonians - a race of giants that sinks most of Odysseus' fleet.

Leucothea - (also called Ino) "a mortal once" this sea goddess "with lovely ankles" takes pity on Odysseus when he is in peril on his way from Ogygia to Scheria and lends him her "immortal" scarf.

Medon – The herald of Odysseus remains loyal to Penelope and Telemachus in his master’s absence and is rewarded when Telemachus intercedes with Odysseus to spare his life. Later he convinces some of the suitors' relatives not to seek revenge.

Melanthius - The goatherd both abuses Odysseus while he is in disguise and opens the armory for the suitors during the battle; he meets a most unpleasant end.

Phemius - A bard who entertained the suitors unwillingly is rewarded for his honesty when Telemachus intercedes with Odysseus to spare his and Medon's lives.

Philoetius - The loyal oxherd of Odysseus who respects him as a beggar and joins him, Telemachus and Eumaeus in the slaughter of the suitors.

Odyssey Overview