characters in the odyssey

Odysseus

Clever, brave, proud, loyal; Hero of the story who spends 10 years trying to return to Ithaca after the Trojan War, facing gods, monsters, and temptations.

Telemachus

Loyal, maturing, brave; Son of Odysseus who searches for his father and later helps him defeat the suitors.

Penelope

Intelligent, faithful, patient; Odysseus’s wife who cleverly avoids choosing a new husband while waiting for his return.

Athena

Wise, protective, clever; Odysseus’s main divine supporter who guides him and Telemachus through their journeys.

Poseidon

Vengeful, powerful; God of the sea who makes Odysseus’s journey home difficult after his son, Polyphemus, is blinded.

Zeus

Powerful, just; King of the gods who balances justice—sometimes helps Odysseus, sometimes punishes wrongdoers.

Hermes

Swift, helpful; Messenger god who tells Calypso to free Odysseus and gives him advice to resist Circe.

Calypso

Passionate, possessive; Nymph who keeps Odysseus on her island for 7 years and offers him immortality.

Circe

Mysterious, magical; Turns Odysseus’s men into pigs but later becomes an ally and prepares him for the Underworld.

Polyphemus

Cruel, monstrous; Cyclops blinded by Odysseus whose curse triggers Poseidon's wrath.

Scylla

Deadly, monstrous; Eats six of Odysseus’s men as they sail past her cliff.

Charybdis

Destructive, relentless; A giant whirlpool that nearly sinks Odysseus’s ship.

Sirens

Hypnotic, dangerous; Lure sailors with their song, but Odysseus survives by being tied to the mast.

Eumaeus

Kind, loyal; Loyal swineherd who gives Odysseus shelter in disguise and fights with him against the suitors.

Philoetius

Brave, trustworthy; Loyal cowherd who helps Odysseus and Telemachus fight the suitors.

Laertes

Grieving, noble; Odysseus’s father who reunites with him in the final book and helps restore peace.

Antinous

Arrogant, violent; The worst suitor who insults Odysseus and is the first to die.

Eurymachus

Deceitful, cowardly; Tries to avoid punishment after Antinous dies but is also killed.

Melanthius

Disloyal, rude; Goat herder who betrays Odysseus and is brutally punished.

Nausicaa

Respectful, kind; Phaeacian princess who helps Odysseus reach the palace.

King Alcinous

Generous, noble; King of Phaeacia who hosts Odysseus and sends him home.

Queen Arete

Wise, respected; Queen of Phaeacia who Odysseus appeals to for help.

Tiresias

Wise, prophetic; Blind prophet in the Underworld who tells Odysseus how to reach home safely.

Elpenor

Foolish, unlucky; Crew member who dies on Circe’s roof and asks for a proper burial in the Underworld.

Anticleia

Loving, sorrowful; Odysseus’s mother who tells him she died of grief during his absence.

Agamemnon

Bitter, cautious; Killed by his wife after returning from Troy and warns Odysseus to test Penelope’s loyalty.