Odyssey Characters

Question 1

Odysseus

Answer 1

I should hope you know this already

Question 2

Telemachus

Answer 2

Odysseus’ son

Question 3

Penelope

Answer 3

Odysseus’ wife

Question 4

Athene

Answer 4

Goddess of wisdom and strategy

Question 5

Nestor

Answer 5

King of Pylos, first king Telemachus visits (book 3). Tells Telemachus nothing about Odysseus but about other Greeks’ returns from Troy.

Question 6

Menelaus

Answer 6

King of Sparta, husband of Helen, and second king Telemachus visits (book 4). Tells Telemachus that Odysseus is alive.

Question 7

Helen

Answer 7

Wife of Menelaus, and trigger for the Trojan war. Speaks to Telemachus in book 4.

Question 8

Calypso

Answer 8

Nymph who imprisons Odysseus on Ogygia for 7 years.

Question 9

Hermes

Answer 9

Messenger of the Gods, god of travellers and hospitality.

Question 10

Phaecians

Answer 10

Nautical society on Scherie who show good xenia to Odysseus.

Question 11

Nausicaa

Answer 11

Phaecian princess, daughter of Alcinous and Arete

Question 12

Alcinous

Answer 12

King of the Phaecians

Question 13

Arete

Answer 13

Queen of the Phaecians

Question 14

Echeneus

Answer 14

Book 7 - A Phaecian elder who reminds Alcinous of the rules of xenia.

Question 15

Laodamas

Answer 15

Phaecian prince & Alcinous’ favourite son

Question 16

Pontonous

Answer 16

Alcinous’ squire

Question 17

Demodocus

Answer 17

Blind bard, sings songs at the Phaecian games in book 8. Possibly a self-insert for Homer?

Question 18

The Cicones

Answer 18

The people of Ismarus, whom Odysseus and his men sack and “destroy” on their way home from Troy (book 9)

Question 19

Laertes

Answer 19

Odysseus’ father

Question 20

Lotus-Eaters

Answer 20

Temptation personified, try to trap Odysseus’ men on their island in book 9.

Question 21

The Cyclopes

Answer 21

An agricultural race less developed than the Acheans, with no fear of the Gods. (book 9)

Question 22

Polyphemus

Answer 22

The cyclops from whom Odysseus and his men steal, and a son of Poseidon. Blinded by Odysseus in book 9.

Question 23

Poseidon

Answer 23

God of the seas, antagonist for most of the epic. Father of Polyphemus.

Question 24

Laestrygonians

Answer 24

Evil parallel to the Phaecians, destroy all of Odysseus’ ships except one in book 10.

Question 25

Circe

Answer 25

A witch from Aeaea, who turns Odysseus’ men into pigs and gives him advice (book 10), as well as a prophecy in book 12.

Question 26

Teiresias

Answer 26

A seer whom Odysseus meets in the underworld, who tells him what to do when he gets back to Ithaca (book 11).

Question 27

Elpenor

Answer 27

A member of Odysseus’ crew who drunkenly falls off a roof and breaks his neck on Aeaea, who appears to Odysseus in the underworld (book 11). Source of pathos.

Question 28

Anticleia

Answer 28

Odysseus’ mother (book 11).

Question 29

Hades & Persephone

Answer 29

King & queen of the underworld

Question 30

Epicaste/Jocasta

Answer 30

Oedipus’ mother, appears to Odysseus in the underworld (book 11)

Question 31

Tyro

Answer 31

A ghost who appears to Odysseus in book 11, r🫶ped by Poseidon and gave birth to a lot of kids who all became super important ig.

Question 32

Antiope

Answer 32

Mother of the founders of Thebes, a ghost seen in book 11.

Question 33

Alcmene

Answer 33

Heracles’ mother, appears as a ghost in book 11.

Question 34

Chloris

Answer 34

Nestor’s mother, another book 11 ghost

Question 35

Ariadne

Answer 35

King Minos’ daughter & wife of Theseus, appears as a ghost in book 11

Question 36

Agamemnon