Download Major Characters: Gods and Goddesses

Major Characters: Gods and Goddesses, Greeks, and Trojans
Gods and Goddesses
Aphrodite (A-fro-deye'-tee): Goddess of love and beauty. Daughter of Zeus and Dione in the Iliad. Aphrodite is
pro-Trojan, due in part to her affinity for Paris Alexander, who in other versions awarded her the prize of the
Golden Apple for being the most beautiful of the goddesses.
Apollo (A-pol'-oh): Patron god of many areas, including music and the arts. Son of Zeus and Leto; brother of
Artemis. Also known as Phoebus Apollo, Lord of the Silver Bow, and the Far-Shooter (for his role in bringing
death by natural causes to men). Apollo is pro-Trojan in the Iliad.
Ares (Ai’-reez): God of war. Son of Zeus and Hera. Ares is pro-Trojan in the Iliad, although at times he appears as
an impartial representative of bloodshed and the cruelties of war.
Artemis (Ar-te-mis): Goddess of the hunt and the moon. Daughter of Zeus and Leto; sister of Apollo. Like her
brother, Artemis brings natural death to mortals, although she is the slaughterer of female mortals in particular. She
is pro-Trojan in the Iliad.
Athena (A-thee-na): Goddess of wisdom, crafts, and battle. Daughter of Zeus, usually said to have sprung from his
head. Also called Pallas Athena. Athena is powerfully pro-Achaean in the Iliad and has particular favorite heroes on
that side.
Charis (Ka-ris): One of the Graces, goddesses of beauty and grace. Wife of Hephaestus in the Iliad.
Cronion (Kro'-nee-on): Son of Cronus. See Zeus. Cypris (Si-pris): See Aphrodite.
Dione (Deye-oh'-nee): A goddess of the early generation, either a Titan or an Oceanid. Mother of Aphrodite in the
Iliad.
Hades (Hay-deez): God of the Underworld, sometimes synonymous with death. Son of Cronus and Rhea; brother of
Zeus, Poseidon, and Hera; husband of Persephone. Wades shows no partiality to the Achaeans or the Trojans.
Hebe (Hee-bee): Goddess of youth and beauty. Daughter of Zeus and Hera. She serves as a palace helper to the
gods on Olympus.
Hephaestus (He-fees-tus): God of fire and patron of metalworkers. Son of Zeus and Hera; husband of Charis in the
Illiad. Hephaestus is pro-Achaean, although his major roles are to make peace between his parents and to create
magically endowed objects, in particular Achilles’ armor.
Hera (Heer'-a): Queen of the Olympian gods. Daughter of Cronus and Rhea; wife of Zeus; mother of Ares,
Hephaestus, and Hebe. Hera is powerfully pro-Achaean in the Iliad, to the extent that she is at war with her
husband.
Hermes (Hur’-meez): God who serves as messenger for the Olympians. Son of Zeus and Maia. Hermes is
technically pro-Achacan, but has a larger role as a messenger and guide, including guiding Priam, the Trojan king,
to the Achaean camp.
Iris (Eye'-ris): Goddess of the rainbow and a messenger for the Olympians. Daughter of the Titan Thaumas and the
Oceanid Electra.
Leto (Lee'-toh): A Titan goddess. Daughter of Coeus and Phoebe; mother of the twins Apollo arid Artemis, sired by
Zeus. Leto is pro-Trojan, given that her beloved children are strong allies of the Trojans.
Poseidon (Po-seye'-don): God of the sea. Son of Cronus and Rhea; brother of Zeus, Hades, and Hera. In the Iliad,
Poseidon is generally pro-Achaean, although at times he favors certain Trojans.
Themis (The-mis): Titan goddess of law and order. Daughter of Uranus and Gaia.
Thetis (The -tis): A sea goddess, one of the Nereids. Daughter of Nereus and Doris; wife of Peleus mother of
Achilles. Thetis’ main concern in the Iliad is wa tching out for her mighty son and securing his desires.
Xanthus (Xan'-thus): Gad of the river near Tiny, called by men Scamander. In the battla of the gods, Xanthus
fittingly takes his place on the Trojan side.
Zeus (Zyoos): The supreme god of Olympus, known as the father of gods and men. Son of Cronus and Rhea;
husband of Hera father of Athena, Aphrodite, Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, and others. Zeus’ position in the
Iliad is generally impartial except when he is influenced by special requests.
The Greeks (Achaeans, Argives, and Danaans)
Achilles (A-kil’-eez): Son of Peleus, King of Phthia, and Thetis, a sea goddess. Leader of the Myrmidons, the
contingent from Phthia, and their fifty ships. Central character whose actions determine the course of the epic.
Agamemnon (A-ga-mem'-non). Son of Atreus and Aerope; brother of Menelaus; husband of Clytemnestra.
Commander in chief of the Greek forces and leader of the contingent from Argos and Mycenae and their hundred
ships. His quarrel with Achilles sets the plot in motion.
Ajax (Ay'- jax)(1): Son of Telamon and Periboea; half-brother of Teucer. Leader of the contingent from Salamis
and their twelve ships. Also called Great Ajax and Telamonian Ajax. Since he is known as the greatest in battle
next to Achilles, his ships guard the flank Opposite that guarded by Achilles. To be distinguished from the lesser
Ajax (2).
Ajax (2): Son of Oileus and Eriopis. Leader of the contingent from Locris and their forty ships. He is called Little
Ajax, Oilean Ajax, or Locrian Ajax to distinguish him from Great Ajax (1).
Antilochus (An-ti’-lo-kus) Son of Nestor and Eurydice or Anaxibia. Brother of Thrasymedes and co-leader with
him and their father of the contingent from Pylos and its ninety ships. Antilochus contributes significantly in
combat throughout the epic.
Automedon (Aw-to'-me-don): Son of Diores. Charioteer of Achilles’ immortal horses
Calchas (Kal’-kas): Son of Thestor. The foremost Greek seer, consulted by the Greeks at key moments of the
expedition to Troy.
Diomedes (Deye-o-m ee’-deez): Son of Tydeus and Deipyle. Leader with Sthenelus of the contingent from Argos
and Tiryns and their eighty ships. Known as one of the greatest Greek fighters and sometimes paired with Odysseus
in exploits.
Epeius (E-pee'-us): Son of Panopeus. A Phocian fighter who participates in the funeral games as a boxing champion
and is known elsewhere as the builder of the Trojan Horse, the war machine that eventually conquers Troy.
Helen (He'-len): Daughter of Zeus and Leda. Originally the wife of Menelaus of Sparta; in the Iliad, wife of Paris of
Troy. According to ancient mythology, she was the most beautiful woman in the world. In spite of her married
status, she was offered as a bride to Paris Alexander by the goddess Aphrodite, on the condition that he would
award the Golden Apple of Discord to her. Helen then became known as the cause of the Trojan War, although
other reasons for the war are mentioned in Homer and other versions of Helen’s story exist in other sources.
Menelaus (Me-ne-lay-us): Son of Atreus and Aerope; brother of Agamemnon, the commander in chief; husband of
Helen, who was taken from his home by Paris. Leader of the Lacedaemonian contingent from the Peloponnese and
its sixty ships. A prominent Greek warrior.
Nestor (Nes-tor): Son of Neleus and Chloris. Leader with his two sons, Antilochus and Thrasymedes, of the
contingent from Pylos and its ninety ships. Although known principally as a wise counsellor to the Greeks and as
the oldest among their warriors, Nestor still participates in battle to some degree.
Odysseus (O-dis’-yoos): Son of Laertes and Anticleia. Leader of the contingent from the island of Ithaca and its
twelve ships. Odysseus serves as a prominent fighter, orator, and general troubleshooter for the Greeks. He is the
hero of Homer’s Odyssey, which tells of his return home.
Patroclus (Pa-tro’-klus): Son of Menoetius. Greek warrior with the Myrmidon contingent and best friend of
Achilles, its leader. Patroclus is a key figure in the Iliad because of his decision to fight in Achilles’ place.
Phoenix (Fee-nix): Son of Amyntor. Greek warrior with the Myrmidons and friend and mentor of Achilles, whose
father Peleus made Phoenix king of the Dolopians.
The Trojans (Dardanians) and Allies
Aeneas (Fe-nee-as): Son of Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite. A Trojan fighter of repute who would survive to
establish the ruling line of Rome.
Andrornache (An-dro'-ma-kee): Daughter of Eetion; wife of H leetor; mother of Scamandrius, who was also called
Astyanax (‘city lord") for his father’s glory.. She lost her birth family. to Achilles earlier in the war and fears losing
her husband and child as well.
Astyanax (A-steye'-a-nax): Infant son of the Trojan hero Hector and his wife Andrornache. His given name is
Scamandrius, but he is called Astyanax ("city lord") to honor his father. The child is the most likely heir to the
Trojan realm and the subject of much concern on the part of his parents.
Briseis (Breye-see'-is): Daughter of Briseus. A war prize awarded to Achilles after he sacked Lymessus, she was
subsequently taken away by Agamemnon.
Cassandra (Ka-san’-dra): Daughter of King Priam and Hecuba; sister of Hector, Paris, Helenus, and Deiphobus.
Known elsewhere for her prophetic abilities and as an oracle who is never believed.
Chryseis (Kreye-see’-is): Daughter of Chryses. War prize awarded to Agamemnon as his share of the looting and
subsequently ransomed by her father.
Chryses (Kreye'-seez): Priest of Apollo who comes to the Achaean camp to ransom his daughter Chryseis, war
prize of Agamemnon
Deiphobus (Dee-i'-fo-bus): Son of King Priam and Hecuba; brother of Hector, Paris, Helenus, and Cassandra.
Trojan warrior who consults with Hector on strategy
Dolon (Doh'-lon): Son of Eumedes. A Trojan sent to spy on the Achaean force
Euphorbus (Yoo-for’-bus): Son of Panthous and Phrontis. Trojan warrior who wounds Patroclus.
Glaucus (Glaw'-kus): Son of Hippolochus. Co-leader with his cousin Sarpedon of the Lycians, Trojan allies.
Glaucus is notable as well for his descent from Bellerophon, one of the great heroes of Greek mythology, who in
other mythological versions performed glorious feats riding the winged horse Pegasus.
Hector (Hek-tor): Oldest son of King Priam and Hecuba; brother of Paris, Helenus, Deiphobus, and Cassandra;
husband of Andromache. Leader of the Trojans in battle and their foremost fighter; known as the defense of the city
of Tiny.
Hecuba (He-kew-ba): Daughter of Dymas, King of Phrygia, and Eunoe. Official consort of King Priam of Tiny and
mother of many of his children, including Hector, Paris, Helenus, Deiphobus, Cassandra, and Laodice. Known as a
prototype of the grieving mother who must face tragic losses in war.
Helenus (He’-le-nus): Son of King Priam and Hecuba; brother of Hector, Paris, Deiphobus, and Cassandra, A
Trojan fighter and seer, he was awarded the gift of prophecy by. Apollo
Pandarus (Pan-da-rus): Son of King Lycaon of Lycia. Leader of the Troes and a bowman whose role in the Iliad is
limited mainly. to that of peacebreaker.
Paris (Pa’-ris): Son of King Priam and Hecuba; brother of Hector, Helenus, Deiphobus, and Cassandra. Also called
Alexander. A leading Trojan fighter, Paris is better known as the cause of the Trojan War through his seduction of
Flelen, wife of Menelaus of Sparta.
Priam (Preye'-am): Son of Laomedon; husband of Hecuba; father of Hector, Paris, Helenus, Deiphobus, Cassandra,
Laodice, and many others. The wealthy. and aged ruler of Tiny.
Rhesus (Ree-sus): Son of Eioneus. A Thracian king and ally of the Trojans who arrives late in the war with his
famous snow-white horses to do battle with the Achaeans.
Sarpedon (Sar-pee-don): Son of Zeus and Laodamia. Co-leader with his cousin Glaucus of the Lycians, allies of the
Trojans. A notable warrior on the Trojan side and famous as progeny of Zeus.