Odysseus
I am the king of the Greek island of Ithaca, famed for my cleverness. I fought for ten
years in the Trojan War. I devised an awesome plan to infiltrate Troy with a gigantic
wooden horse (our warriors hid inside it). My cleverness helped the Greeks to win the
war. Then I spent another ten years trying to get home to my wife, Penelope, and my
son, Telemachus. I had a lot of adventures on the way home, some pleasant and some
terrible.
Telemachus
I was an infant when my father left home to fight in the war. I’m almost twenty years
old now and I haven’t seen my father since he left. I don’t even know if he is still alive.
My mother, Penelope, is being courted by all of these awful men who want to marry
her. They are always at our house, eating our food and partying. I wish I could drive
the suitors away, and I wish my father would return.
Penelope
My beloved husband, Odysseus, has been gone for nearly twenty years. He left to fight
the Trojans – but the war has been over for nearly 10 years! Where is he? My house is
swarming with men who want to marry me and take Odysseus’ place – and all of his
riches! I can’t stand any of them. I’ve been pretty clever at holding them off, but I
don’t know how much longer I can do it. My son is really too young to be of any help!
Athena
I am the goddess of wisdom, and a daughter of the great Zeus. I have divine powers and
am very interested in the affairs of mortals – especially anything having to do with
Odysseus and his son. I have helped Odysseus many times in his adventures, although I
usually appear disguised as a mortal myself.
Poseidon
I am the powerful god of the sea. I despise that mortal Odysseus because he tricked my
son, the one-eyed giant Cyclops Polyphemus, and blinded him. I’m pretty mad at
Athena, too, because she helps Odysseus to survive everytime I try to destroy him! If I
had my way, Odysseus would never get back home alive!
Antinous - I am one of Penelope’s most ruthless suitors. Penelope is beautiful and rich
– and I want her, and all of the land and wealth Odysseus left behind when he went to
fight in the Trojan War. Penelope says she is waiting for him to return, but after almost
20 years, I’m sure he’s dead. Right now, my biggest obstacle is her son, Telemachus,
and I think it is time we suitors banded together and got rid of him. Then Penelope will
have to choose one of us, and since I’m hot stuff, I’m sure it will be me.
Eurycleia - I’m the old servant who nursed Odysseus when he was a baby. I also
nursed his son Telemachus. I love this family I hope that Penelope will stay faithful to
Odysseus, and I hope Telemachus will be able to find out some information about his
missing father. I hope Odysseus will return home one day – and when he does, I’m sure
I will recognize him immediately, even though almost twenty years have passed since I
last saw him.
Calypso
I am a beautiful nymph. I fell madly in love with that mortal Odysseus when he landed
on my island, Ogygia, on his way home from the Trojan War. I kept him here with me
for seven years – and I enjoyed every moment I had with him! Then Hermes, the
messenger god, came to Ogygia, and told me that I had to let Odysseus go home, on
orders from the gods. I wish that Odysseus was still here with me!
Polyphemus –
I am a one-eyed giant Cyclops. Those so-called heroes, Odysseus and his crew, make me
so angry! Odysseus stopped on my island after leaving Troy and I imprisoned him and
his men in my cave. I was all set for a tasty meal of mortal flesh, but Odysseus played a
trick on me. He blinded me and managed to escape. He thinks he is so clever, but I’ll
have my revenge. My father is Poseidon, the sea god, and he prevent Odysseus from
returning home because of what Odysseus did to me.
Circe
I am a beautiful witch-goddess. Odysseus landed on my island on his way home from
the Trojan War. I transformed his crew into swine! Clever Odysseus resisted my
powers and retained his mortal shape. Then he became my lover! He lived at my side
for a year -- in comfort and luxury, with his every need fulfilled. I don’t know why he
ever left. I would have kept him with me forever.
Eumaeus - I am Odysseus’ faithful servant and shepherd back home in Ithaca. I’ve
remained a loyal to my master, even though he has been gone from home for almost
twenty years! I am kind and hospitable to strangers, so when a poor wanderer
appeared at my hut, I gave the man food and shelter. You’ll never guess who that poor
wanderer really was! I’m proud to say that I helped Odysseus reclaim his throne when
he finally returned to Ithaca.
Laertes – I am the father of Odysseus. I am now an old man, in despair and decline. I
yearn for my son, who went to war nearly twenty years ago and never returned. Each
year, I get older and weaker and sadder – especially as I see what is happening to my
daughter-in-law, Penelope, who is fighting to keep off the suitors, and to my grandson,
Telemachus, who has grown up without a father and is now almost a man himself.
Tiresias - I am the famous blind prophet from the city of Thebes. I am dead now, but
when I was alive, many sought me out for my wisdom, advice, and prophecy of the
future. On his way home from Troy, Odysseus came to find me for advice in the
Underworld. I told him how to get back to Ithaca, and I helped him to communicate
with the other dead souls in Hades.
Nestor - I am the King of Pylos. I fought in the Trojan War and returned back home
to my kingdom and family. Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, came to visit me. He hoped I
could tell him about his father and his father’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, I don’t have
any idea where Odysseus is. It has been nearly ten years since the war ended, and
everyone left alive has long since returned home.
Menelaus - I am the King of Sparta and the husband of Helen, the most beautiful
woman in the world. My wife was stolen away from me by a man named Paris from the
city of Troy. To get her back, my brother (Agammenon) and I led the Greeks in an
attack on Troy. The war lasted nearly ten years, and many men were killed so that I
could get my beautiful wife back home with me.
Helen - I’ve been called the most beautiful woman in the world. One poet referred to
me as “the face that launched a thousand ships.” I am the wife of Menelaus and the
queen of Sparta. Paris kidnapped me from Sparta and my husband came after me with
all the Greeks armies. That’s how the Trojan War began. Some people talk badly of me,
saying that I wasn’t really kidnapped, that I left my husband and went to Troy willingly
with Paris.
Agamemnon – I was a great King, and a commander of Greek forces during the Trojan
War. We went to Troy to recapture my brother’s stolen wife, Helen. Also, Helen is the
sister of my own wife, Clytaemnestra. When we left Greece for Troy, I had to sacrifice
(kill) my own daughter to the gods so they would allow our ships to set sail. The war
was rough, but what happened to me afterward was even worse. I was murdered by my
wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover when I returned from the war.
Nausicaa - I am a beautiful Phaecian princess. One day, I was walking on the beach
with my handmaidens. Suddenly, I saw this handsome, shipwrecked man on the beach,
with no clothes! His name was Odysseus, and I really liked him. I brought him home
with me to the palace, and my parents gave him a warm reception. He told us the story
of how me fought in the Trojan War and was on his way home, and we gave him a ship
to get there!