the iliad characters Flashcards
1
Q
Achilles
A
- Son of Peleus + Thetis
- Most powerful warrior
- Commands the Myrmidons (Greek soldiers)
- Proud + headstrong
- Takes offence when he thinks his honour has been slighted
- Achilles’ wrath at Agamemnon for taking his war prize, Briseis forms the plot of the epic
2
Q
Agamemnon
A
- King of Mycenae, leader of the Achaean army + brother of Menelaus
- Arrogant + selfish
- Strong, sometimes reckless leadership
- Lacks consideration + forethought
- Tactless appropriation of Briseis, creates crisis for Achaeans when Achilles withdraws from war
3
Q
Patroclus
A
- Achilles’ beloved friend, companion + advisor
- Grew alongside Achilles, under Peleus’ guardianship
- Stands by Achilles but dons his armour in attempt to hold Trojans back
4
Q
Odysseus
A
- Fine warrior + the cleverest of Achaean commanders
- One of the Achaeans’ best public speakers
- Helps mediate bet Agamemnon + Achilles during their quarrel
5
Q
Diomedes
A
- Youngest Achaean commanders
- Bold + sometimes impetuous
6
Q
Great Ajax
A
- Achaean commander
- 2nd mightiest Achaean warrior after Achilles
- Extraordinary size + strength helps him wound Hector twice w boulders
- Often fights w little Ajax
7
Q
Little Ajax
A
- Achaean commander
- Often fights w Great Ajax
- Swift speed
8
Q
Nestor
A
- Oldest Achaean commander
- Age has taken much of his strength
- Has great wisdom
- Acts as an advisor to military commanders
- Persuasive orators
9
Q
Menelaus
A
- King of Sparta, younger brother of Agamemnon
- His wife, Helen was abducted by Trojan prince, Paris - sparks Trojan War
- Quieter, less imposing + less arrogant than Agamemnon
10
Q
Idomeneus
A
- King of Crete + respected commander
11
Q
Machaon
A
- Healer
- Wounded by Paris, book 11
12
Q
Calchas
A
- Important soothsayer
- Identifies the cause of plague ravaging the Achaean army in book 1
13
Q
Peleus
A
- Achilles’ father; grandson of Zeus
- Only mentioned in the epic
14
Q
Phoenix
A
- Kind, old warrior
- Helped raise Achilles while he was a young man
- Deeply loved + trusted by Achilles
15
Q
The Myrmidons
A
- Soldiers under Achilles’ command
16
Q
Hector
A
- Son of King Priam + Queen Hecuba
- Mightiest Trojan warrior
- Mirrors Achilles in his flaws
- Bloodlust isn’t as much as Achilles
- Devoted to his wife, Andromache + son, Astynax
- Resents his brother, Paris for bringing war
17
Q
Priam
A
- King of Troy + husband of Hecuba
- Father of 50 Trojan warriors
- Too old to fight but earned respect of both the Trojans + Achaeans
- Level-headed, wise + benevolent
- Treats Helen kindly
18
Q
Hecuba
A
- Queen of Troy, wife of Priam
- Mother of Hector + Paris
19
Q
Paris
A
- Son of Priam + Hecuba; brother of Hector
- Abducts Helen, wife of Menelaus + starts the Trojan War
- Self-centred, unmanly
- Fights well w bow+arrow
- Lacks spirit of battle + prefers to stay w Helen while the others fight for him
- Not liked by Helen
20
Q
Helen
A
- Most beautiful woman in the Ancient World
- Stolen from her husband, Menelaus by Paris
- Loathes herself for the misery she caused
- Disliked Paris
21
Q
Aeneas
A
- Trojan nobleman, son of Aphrodite
- Mighty warrior
- Romans believed Aeneas later founded their city, Rome
22
Q
Andromache
A
- Hector’s wife
- Begs Hector to withdraw from the war before the Achaeans kill him
23
Q
Astynax
A
- Hector + Andromache’s son
24
Q
Polydamus
A
- Young Trojan commander
- Cool headed + prudent
- Gives Trojans advice but Hector rarely acts on it
25
Glaucus
- Powerful Trojan warrior
- Nearly fights a duel w Diomedes
26
Dolon
- Trojan sent to spy on the Achaean camp in book 10
27
Pandarus
- Trojan archer
- Shot Menelaus in book 4 breaks the temporary truce bet two sides
28
Antenor
- Trojan nobleman, advisor to King Priam
- Argues Helen should be returned to Menelaus to end the war, Paris refuses to give her up
29
Sarpedon
- One of zeus's sons
- Fate is intertwined w the Gods
30
Chryseis
- Chryses' daughter
31
Zeus
- King of Gods, husband of Hera
- Claims neutrality in the mortals' conflict + tries to keep the other gods from taking part
- Throws his weight behind the Trojan side for most
32
Hera
- Queen of Gods + Zeus' wife
- Conniving, headstrong
- Goes behind Zeus' back when stye disagree
- Works w Athena to crush Trojans
33
Athena/Athene
- Goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle + arts
- Zeus' daughter
- Passionately hates trojans
34
Thetis
- Sea nymph, Achilles' mother
- Gets Zeus to help the Trojans + punish Achaeans
- Commissions Hephaestus to lend Achilles new armour
35
Apollo
- Son of Zeus + twin brother of goddess Artemis
- God of sun + the arts
- Supports Trojans
36
Aphrodite
- Goddess of love + daughter of Zeus
- Married to Hephaestus
- Supportes Paris + Trojans in war
37
Poseidon
- Brother of Zeus + god of sea
- Holds a long-standing grudge against trojans bc they never paid him for helping them build their city
- Supports Achaeans
38
Hephaestus
- God of fire + Aphrodite's husband
- Gods metalsmith + known as the lame/crippled god
- Helps Achaeans by forging new armour for Achilles
39
Artemis
- Goddess of the Hunt, daughter of Zeus
- Twin sister of Apollo
- Supports Trojans
40
Ares
- God of war
- Supports Trojans
41
Hermes
- The messenger of the Gods
- Escorts Priam to Achilles in book 24
42
Iris
- Zeus' messenger
