Mythology Names

island home of Circe

King of the winds; father of Cretheus

former King of Mycenae, commander at Troy.

Murdered Agamemnon, lover of his wife, Clytemnestra.

avenges his father, Agamemnon.

One of the top warriors in the Trojan War. He was noted more for his strength than intellect. Lost contest for Achilles honor to Odysseus. Impaled himself with a spear. In the underworld, would not speak to Odysseus.

Violated Athena by taking the Palladium and possibly raping one of her priestesses Cassandra inside Athena's temple. Athena gets revenge by thrusting one of Zeus's lightning bolts into Ajax's chest while he sailed away

King of the Phaecians, offers hospitality to Odysseus and safe passage back to Ithaca.

wife of Laertes, mother of Odysseus

an arrogant suitor of Penelope. He leads the campaign for Telemechus's death and is first to be killed when Odysseus returns.

Hera's hundred eyed monster who watches and toments Io the cow until his defeat by Hermes

public beggar that runs errands for food, wrestles Odysseus and loses.

goddess who helps Odysseus; one of the few who is in favor of him. Speaks for him at Olympus. Often appears in disguise as Mentor/Mentes (an old friend of Odysseus)

Son of Hermes, father of Anticleia (Odysseus' mother)

beautiful nymph who falls in love with Odysseus on the island of Ogygia and keeps him there for seven years until Hermes convinces her to let him go.

A tribe from the city Ismara. When Odysseus and his men landed there they killed most of the men and kept the women as slaves until the Cicones brought more men and drove Odysseus and what was left of his men back to the sea.

A beautiful goddess, Odysseus becomes her lover after he resists her powers when she turns his crew into swine.

Wife of Agamemnon whom she kills on his return from Troy. One of Leda's daughters along with Helen.

A poet who performs in the court of King Alcinous. He performs during Odysseus' stay. He brings Odysseus to tears with his tales.

One of Odysseus' comrades. He drunkly fell asleep on a roof and fell to his death. In the underworld he begged Odysseus to return and give him a proper burial.

Loyal shepherd who helps Odysseus reclaim throne after his return. Odysseus appears at his hut as a vagabond, this man lets him in and gives him food and shelter without knowing his true identity. Lowest of jobs, but loves what he does.

loyal servant who keeps Telemachus' journey a secret from Penelope.

The messenger for the gods. He is the liminal god (boundary crosser). Known for his talaria (winged sandles), caducceus (staff) and petasus (winged hat). Sent by Athena to Calypso's island to tell her that Odysseus must be allowed to leave.

The sun god father of Helios who owns the cattle of the Sun that were attacked by Odysseus and his crew.

Daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. Nursed Dionysus as a baby. An extreme Maenad. Saved Odysseus from being swallowed by Poseidon's storm.

Home to Odysseus

Odysseus' father, lives at a farm in Ithaca, he regains his spirit when Odysseus returns home and this man kills Antinuous's father.

A group of man eating giants that Odysseus and his men encountered along their journey

Causes you to forget where you came from and the desire to return home.

The faithful herald of Odysseus. Following the advice of his son Telemachus, Odysseus spares this man's life after murdering the suitors who had been plaguing his halls in Ithaca.

goatherd who supports the suitors and mistreats the beggar who comes. Melantho's brother.

Maidservant in Odysseus' palace having an affair with Eurymachus.

King and Queen of Sparta. Her abduction started the Trojan War. He helped lead the Greeks to the Trojan war and offers to help Telemachus find his father.

Son of Anchialus, king of Taphians, whose form Athene habitually adopts as a disguise.

the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts

beautiful daughter of the King and Queen of the Phaecians. Finds Odysseus on beach and likes him, gives him oils to wash and clothing--because of her, Odysseus receives a warm reception at her parents Palace.

King of Pylos, former warrior of Trojan war, Telemachus asks him about his Father Odysseus but he doesn't know a lot.

meaning "nobody" and "cleverness" a name Odysseus gives himself when he is fighting the Clyclops

Wife of Odysseus, faithful, steadfastly waits for her husband for 20 years.

People living on the island Scheria whose king was Alcinuous. Odysseus was shipwrecked here after leaving Calypso's island Ogygia.

A bard who entertained the suitors unwillingly is rewarded for his honesty when Telemachus intercedes with Odysseus to spare his and Medon's lives.

One of the Cyclopes whose island Odysseus comes to soon after leaving Troy. Polyphemus imprisons Odysseus and his crew and tries to eat them, but Odysseus blinds him and manages to escape. Angers Poseidon.

island where Odysseus ends up after his raft is wrecked. Found by Nausicaa and brought to her father, Alcinous.

Theban prophet of the underworld. Shows Odysseus how to get back and communicate with other souls in the underworld.