Characters: The Odyssey Flashcards
1
Q
Zeus
A
all-powerful ruler of gods
2
Q
Poseidon
A
- god of the seas
- disliked Oysseus for blinding his son
3
Q
Athena
A
- goddess of wisdom
- helped Odysseus
4
Q
Hermes
A
- messenger of gods
- son of Zeus and Maia
- giant killer
- guide of dead souls to underworld
5
Q
Aphrodite
A
- goddess of love/beauty
- daughter of Zeus
- wife of Hephaestus
6
Q
Hephaestus
A
- god of fire
- great artificer
- son of Hera
- husband of Aphrodite
7
Q
Ares
A
- god of war
- lover of Aphrodite
- son of Zeus and Hera
8
Q
Artemis
A
- goddess of the hunt
- daughter of Zeus and Leto
- sister of Apollo
- goddess of childbirth
9
Q
Apollo
A
- god of the sun
- patron of the arts
- god of archery
- arrows are metaphor for plague
10
Q
Odysseus
A
- king of Ithaca
- hero of story
- Greek warrior at Troy
- Telemachus’ father
- husband of Penelope
11
Q
Penelope
A
- Odysseus’ wife
- loyal, clever
- outwits suitors
12
Q
Telemachus
A
- Odysseus’ son
- grows up during father’s journey
13
Q
Laertes
A
- Odysseus’ father
- loyal
- son of Arcesius
- husband of Anticleia
14
Q
Eurycleia
A
- Odysseus’ old nurse
- loyal
- trustworthy
- attendant of Penelope
15
Q
Eumaeus
A
- Odysseus’ swineherd
- loyal
16
Q
Philoetius
A
- Odysseus’ cowherd
- loyal
17
Q
Mentor
A
- Odysseus’ friend
- son of Alcimus
- impersonated by Athena
18
Q
Antinous
A
- leader of the suitors
- son of Eupithes
19
Q
Eurymachus
A
- another suitor
- son of Polybus
- killed by Odysseus
20
Q
Melanthius
A
- Odysseus’ goatherd
- disloyal
21
Q
Melantho
A
- Penelope’s servant
- disloyal
22
Q
Nestor
A
- King of Messenia
- son of Neleus
- oldest of Achaean chieftains
23
Q
Peisistratus
A
- Nestor’s son
- accompanies Telemachus to Sparta
24
Q
Menelaus
A
- King of Lacedaemon
- son of Atreus
- husband of Helen of Troy
25
Helen
- Helen of Troy
| - wife of Menelaus
26
Circe
- woman on island
| - changed Odysseus' men into swine
27
Calypso
- goddess/temptress on island
| - kept Odysseus for 7 years
28
Polyphemus (Cyclops)
- one eyed giant
- blinded by Odysseus
- son of Poseidon
29
Teiresias
- seer (can see in the future) in Hades
| - spoke to Odysseus about his future
