Download Odyssey Terms and Character List

Odyssey Terms and Character List
The following is an alphabetized list of important terms and major characters in the Odyssey
as well as an explanation of their importance in the epic. (First appearance noted by book
and line number in the Stanley Lombardo translation.)
Achaeans (A-keeʹ-unz): One of the three general terms Homer uses to refer to the Greeks.
The other terms are Argives and Danaans. 2.139
Achilles (A-kilʹ-eez): Son of Peleus and Thetis; the heroic leader of the Myrmidons in the
Trojan War who is killed by Paris. Odysseus seeks advice from him in the Underworld. His
name might mean “pain.” 3.117
Aegisthus (Ee-jisʹ-thus): Son of Thyestes and Pelopia; he seduces Clytemnestra (wife of
Agamemnon) while Agamemnon is away fighting the Trojan War and helps her murder
Agamemnon upon his return. Orestes, Agamemnon‟s and Clytemnestra‟s son, avenges this
action years later by murdering both Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. 1.35
Aeolus (Eeʹ-ohʹ-lus): King of the island Aeolia; keeper of the winds. His name means
“quick moving, nimble.” 10.2
Agamemnon (Aʹ-ga-memʹ-non): Son of Atreus and Aerope; brother of Menelaus; husband
of Clytemnestra. He leads the Greek forces in the Trojan War. He is killed by Clytemnestra
(his wife) and Aegisthus (Clytemnestra‟s lover) when he returns home; Orestes, his son,
avenges this murder. This story is repeated throughout the epic as the antithesis of the
relationship among Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus. His names perhaps means “very
steadfast.” 1.36
Alcinous (Al-siʹ-noʹ-us): Grandson of Poseidon (patron god of the Phaeacians); king of the
Phaeacians; husband of Arete and father of Nausicaa. He graciously hosts Odysseus and
generously furnishes him with many fine treasures; and, ironically, Alcinous provides safe
transport to Ithaca. 6.12
Anticleia (Anʹ-ti-klayʹ-a): Daughter of Autolycus; wife of Laertes and mother of Odysseus.
Odysseus speaks to her when he visits the Underworld. His name means “the wolf himself.”
11.82
Antinous (An-tiʹ-noʹ-us): Son of Eupeithes; an Ithacan noble and the primary leader—and
most arrogant—of Penelope‟s suitors; the driving force behind the plot to kill Telemachus.
In the slaughter of the suitors, Odysseus kills him first. 1.404
Aphrodite (Aʹ-fro-deyeʹ-tee): Goddess of love and beauty. Daughter of Zeus and Dione;
wife of Hephaestus. Ares‟s lover. Her name possibly comes from the Greek work aphros,
which means “foam,” from the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. 4.17
Apollo (Aʹ-pawlʹ-oh): Patron god of music and the arts. Son of Zeus and Leto; brother of
Artemis. Phoebus Apollo is an epithet for him. Archery and the lyre are his symbols.
Paradoxically, the suitors are murdered on Apollo‟s festival day. His name comes from the
Greek verb apollymi, meaning “to destroy.” 3.309
Ares (Aiʹ-reez): God of war. Son of Zeus and Hera. Aphrodite‟s lover. His name perhaps
comes from either the Greek word ar, which means “ruin or bane” or arsen, which means
“male.” 3.120
Arete (Aʹ-reeʹ-tee): Wife of Alcinous; mother of Nausicaa. Phaeacian queen, to whom
Odysseus kneels as a suppliant. 7.57
Argives (Arʹ-geyvz): One of the three general terms Homer uses to refer to the Greeks. The
other terms are Achaeans and Danaans. The Argives are the contingent of Greeks who
fought at Troy under the leadership of Agamemnon. 1.228
Athena (A-theeʹ-na): Goddess of wisdom, crafts, and battle. Daughter of Zeus, purportedly
having sprung from his head. Her epithets include: Owl-eyed, Grey-eyed One, Mystic
Daughter of Zeus, Daughter, and Pallas. She repeatedly appears to Odysseus (and a few
times to Telemachus), is his advocate on Mt. Olympus, and is the reason for his successful
return home. She is the matron goddess of the city of Athens, Greece, for whom the city is
named. Her name derives from Greek ather, which means “sharp” and aine, which means
“praise.” 1.49
Calypso (Ka-lipʹ-soh): Goddess and sea nymph. Daughter of Atlas. She represents the
light aspects of the Great Goddess, juxtaposed to Circe. She detains Odysseus for seven
years on Ogygia, her island, offering him immortality if he stays, but Odysseus spends his
days weeping, longing for Ithaca and his wife and son. Under duress from Zeus, she releases
him. Her name comes from the Greek name Kalypso, which means “the concealer.” 1.17
Circe (Sirʹ-see): Goddess and sorceress. Daughter of Helios and Perse. She represents the
dark aspects of the Great Goddess, juxtaposed to Calypso. When Odysseus lands on Aeaea,
her island, she turns many of his men into pigs, but, because of the moly given to him by
Hermes, Odysseus is impervious to her magic charms and persuades her to undo her spell
on his men. He and his men stay on her island for one year. Her name comes from the
Greek name Kirke, which means “bird.” 8.485
Clytemnestra (Kleyeʹ-tem-nesʹ-tra): Daughter of Tyndareus and Leda; married to
Agamemnon, to whom she bore—among others—Orestes. Clytemnestra killed her husband
and his lover (Cassandra) with the aid of her lover (Aegisthus). Later, Orestes avenged his
father‟s, Agamemnon‟s, death by murdering his mother, Clytemnestra. Her name comes
from the Greek name Klytaimnestra, from klytos, which means “famous noble” and
mnestria, which means “wooer.” 3.293
Danaans (Da-nayʹ-unz): One of the three general names Homer calls the Greeks. The
other two terms are Achaeans and Argives. 1.371
Eumaeus (Yoo-mayʹ-us): Descended from noble blood himself, he is Odysseus‟s loyal
swineherd. He kindly hosts the disguised Odysseus upon his return to Ithaca. Later,
Eumaeus helps Odysseus slaughter the suitors. 14.63
Eurycleia (Yooʹ-ri-klayʹ-a): Daughter of Ops; nurse to Odysseus and, later, to Telemachus.
When the disguised Odysseus returns to his palace, she bathes the stranger and recognizes
the scar on his thigh. Odysseus promises death to her if she reveals his identity, but she
loyally keeps his identity a secret. 1.452
Eurymachus (Yoo-riʹ-maʹ-kus): One of Penelope‟s suitors, he is manipulative and
deceitful and wields some influence over the other suitors. He takes Melantho as his
mistress. 1.421
Hades (Hayʹ-deez): God of the Underworld. Son of Chronus and Rhea. Hades is one of
three brothers (Zeus and Poseidon are the other two) who overthrew the Titans; Hades
gained dominion over the underworld. The dwelling place of the dead is named for its ruler.
His name comes from the Greek Haides, derived from aides, which means “unseen.” 3.450
Helen (Heʹ-len): Daughter of Leda and Zeus, foster daughter of Tyndareus; wife of
Menelaus. Her beauty is behind the legendary phrase “The face that launched a thousand
ships.” Aphrodite gave Helen to Paris, a Trojan, and Menelaus‟s efforts to regain her are the
underpinnings of the Trojan War, the subject of Homer‟s Iliad. In the Odyssey, she offers to
help Telemachus find his father. Her name comes from Greek helene, which means “torch.”
4.15
Hephaestus (He-feeʹ-stuss): God of fire and patron of metalworkers and crafts. Son of
Zeus and Hera. He marries Aphrodite, who is not always faithful. He forges Achilles‟s
armor. His name is from the Greek word Hephaistos, which means “unknown.” 4.652
Hera (Heeʹ-ra): Queen of the Olympians. Daughter of Chronus and Rhea; Zeus‟s wife and
sister. Goddess of marriage and childbirth. Her name comes from the Greek word haire,
which means “to be chosen.” 4.538
Hermes (Hurʹ-meez): The god of roads, hospitality, trade, thievery, guide to mortal
travelers, and personal herald of Zeus. Son of Zeus and Maia. He carries the herald‟s wand,
has winged boots, and sometimes wore a winged traveler‟s cap and chlamys. His name
means “pile of stones.” 1.43
Ithaca (Ithʹ-aʹ-ka): Odysseus‟s rocky island home. 1.22
Laertes (Lay-erʹ-teez): Son of Arcesius; husband of Anticleia and father of Odysseus and
his sister, Ctimene. He regains his vigor upon Odysseus‟s return and eventually slays
Antinous‟s father, Eupeithes. 1.204
Melanthius (Me-lanʹ-thiʹ-us): Odysseus‟s disloyal goatherd; son of Dolius. Opportunistic
and treacherous, he joins the suitors in dishonoring the household of Odysseus while
Odysseus is away and insults the disguised Odysseus upon his return. He is killed for his
treachery. 17.229
Melantho (Me-lanʹ-thoh): Daughter of Dolius; sister of Melanthius; personal servant of
Penelope. She becomes Eurymachus‟s mistress during Odysseus‟s absence and a duplicitous
enemy. She is hanged by Telemachus along with the 11 other disloyal maidservants. 18.350
Menelaus (Meʹ-ne-layʹ-us): Son of Atreus and Aerope; brother of Agamemnon; ruler of
Lacedaemon; Helen‟s husband. When Telemachus (looking for his father), visits him in
Book 4, Menelaus offers his assistance. His name comes from the Greek Menelaos, which
means “withstanding the people.” 1.303
Mentor (Menʹ-tor): Odysseus‟s close friend who is responsible for looking after Odysseus‟s
household. Athena often appears in his form. His name comes from the Greek word menos,
which means “spirit.” 2.244
Muses (Muʹ-zez): The nine goddesses of the arts who inspire musicians and poets.
Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the Titan goddess of memory. 8.67
Nausicaa (Naw-siʹ-kayʹ-a): Beautiful Phaeacian princess; daughter of Alcinous and Arete.
She discovers Odysseus on the beach and suggests that he appeal to her mother, Arete, for
help. She then offers him hospitality at her parents‟ palace. 6.17
Nestor (Nesʹ-tor): Son of Neleus and Chloris; king of Pylos. Although already an old man,
he fights in the Trojan War and is known for his indispensable advice. In Book 3, he is
visited by Telemachus, inquiring about the whereabouts of his father, but has little
information to offer. His name means “homecoming” in Greek. 1.302
Odysseus (O-disʹ-yoos): Son of Laertes and Anticleia; husband of Penelope; father of
Telemachus. The protagonist of the Odyssey most renowned for his cunning; is aided by
Athena and plagued by Poseidon. His name means either “giver of woe” or “woeful one,”
derived from the Greek word odyssomai, which means “to hate.” 1.15
Pallas (Palʹ-as): Epithet of the goddess Athena that may mean “maiden” or
“weaponbrandishing,”
probably derived from a Greek word. In Greek mythology, Pallas was the
name of a friend of Athena‟s, whom the goddess accidentally killed. Athena took the name
in honor of her friend. 1.134
Penelope (Pe-neʹ-loʹ-pee): Daughter of Icarius and Periboea; wife of Odysseus; mother of
Telemachus. A clever and unwaveringly devoted wife, she misses her husband deeply since
he left for Troy twenty years earlier. Her name is derived from the Greek word penelops,
which is a type of duck, and it is related to pene, which means “threads or yarn,” which is
fitting since she and the other female characters weave. If it were not for her spinning—of
tales to the suitors and of a fabric of fidelity and strength—the house of Odysseus would have
been in tatters upon his return. 1.240
Phoebus (Feeʹ-bus): An epithet of Apollo that comes from the Greek name Phoibos, which
means “pure, bright,” putting him in the same category as the sun. 3.309
Polyphemus (Poʹ-li-feeʹ-musʹ): One of the Cyclopes (uncivilized one-eyed giants), son of
Poseidon and Thoösa. He consumes some of Odysseus‟s men after trapping them in his
cave. Odysseus devises a plan to escape from the cave: they will sharpen and heat a pole,
then drive it into the Cylops‟s only eye. Odysseus would have been on his way home if his
hubris had not asserted itself: he bragged that he had been the clever one to blind
Polyphemus, who then asks his father, Poseidon, to punish Odysseus. Poseidon does so with
a fury. 1.76
Poseidon (Po-seyeʹ-don): God of the sea. Son of Chronus and Rhea; father of Polyphemus.
Odysseus‟s divine antagonist. Poseidon is one of three brothers (Zeus and Hades are the
other two) who overthrew the Titans; Poseidon gained dominion over the sea. His name
might be derived from the Greek word posis, which means “lord, husband” and de, which
means “earth.” 1.25
Telemachus (Te-lemʹ-aʹ-kus): Son of Odysseus and Penelope. An infant when Odysseus
left for Troy, he is about twenty at the beginning of the epic. His trip to Sparta and Pylos in
Books 3 and 4 is the conduit for his maturation and provides a subplot to the story. Athena
also assists him. His name is significant because Telemachus is the physical extension of
Odysseus, battling on the home front where Odysseus, because of his absence, cannot.
Telemachus is derived from the Greek elements tele, which means “far, across” and mache,
which means “battle.” 1.121
Tiresias (Teye-reeʹ-siʹ-us): The blind seer from Thebes whom Odysseus visits in the
Underworld; he tells Odysseus how to get home. 10.514
Zeus (Zyoos): The supreme god of Olympus. Son of Chronus and Rhea; husband and
brother of Hera. His symbols are the thunderbolt, bull, eagle, and oak. He is known for his
erotic exploits that produced many offspring: Aphrodite, Apollo and Artemis, Athena,
Dionysus, Helen, Heracles, Hermes, the Muses, Persephone, and Perseus. By Hera, he
fathered Ares, Hebe, and Hephaestus. Zeus is one of three brothers (Poseidon and Hades
are the other two) who overthrew the Titans; Zeus gained dominion over the sky. His name
is related to Dios; Zeupater, which means “Father Zeus;” theos, which means “god;” endios,
which means “among day;” and zoo, which means “animal.” 1.33