Odyssey background notes and main characters from Trojan war
The Big three of our epic
Odysseus: hero from Trojan war known for his eloquence. Has been gone from home for 19 years.
Penelope: his faithful wife who is besieged by suitors
Telemachus: his son, left fatherless as an infant, now coming into his own over the course of the epic as
a man.
Other major players
Athena: goddess of wisdom, justice, and war. Takes special care of Odysseus and his family.
Nestor: Comrade of Odysseus from Trojan war, prince of charioteers.
Menelaus: Husband of Helen (twice), known by red hair. Brother of Agammemnon.
Agammemnon: Greek commander in Trojan war. Married to Clytemnestra (Helen’s sister), brings
home concubine Cassandra and then is murdered by his wife and her lover, Aigisthos (Agammemnon’s
cousin).
Achilles: best of the Greek fighters, killed by Paris in Trojan war.
Helen: Most beautiful woman on earth, cause of Trojan war due to abduction by Paris (some say she
went willingly). Wife of Menelaus. Reviled by Greeks.
Clytemnestra: Sister to Helen—married to Agammemnon but murders him. She and Aigisthos are
killed by her son with Agammemnon, Orestes.
Leda: Mother to Helen and Clytemnestra, raped by Zeus.
Aphrodite: Goddess of love and beauty. Helped cause Trojan war by promising Helen to Paris. Married
to Hephaestus but has affair with Ares and is caught.
Poseidon: God of the sea, wreaks havoc with Odysseus and his men—father of Polyphemous the
Cyclops.
Zeus: King of gods, sky god. Married to Hera but is a famous adulterer.
Sides in Trojan war
Greeks: Hera, Athena, Poseidon, Hermes (messenger god, small role in Odyssey), Hephaestus
Trojans: Apollo, Artemis (Apollo’s virgin sister), Ares, Aphrodite