Historical Characters
The Greeks Leaders at Troy and their Circle
Odysseus – Lord of the kingdom of Ithaka and the leader of the Kephallenians
Agamemnon – King of Mykenai and overlord of the Greek forces at Troy
Menelaos – King of Sparta and brother to Agamemnon, whose wife Helen’s elopement with a Trojan prince sparks the Trojan Wars
Achilles – The leader of the Myrmidons from northern Greece and the Greeks’ most able warrior
Ajax, son of Telemon – Nicknamed “The Big One” due to his huge towering size
Ajax, son of Oileus – Is known as “The Lesser one” to distinguish him from the son of Telemon. Is known for his ruthlessness in battle.
Diomedes – a Greek leader from Argos, a kindred spirit to Odysseus and often accompanies him on missions
Nestor – King of Pylos and a generation older than the other Greek leaders
Idomeneus- Ruler of Krete and one of the Greek leaders
Neoptolemos – Achilles’ son, who is brought to Troy later in the war to fight on the Greek side
Iphigeneia – The eldest daughter of Agamemnon and Klytaimnestra, sacrificed at Sacrificed at Aulis so the Greek fleet can sail to Troy
Kalchas – Summoned by Agamemnon from Megara to act as the chief priest to the Greeks
Klytaimnestra- Queen of Mykenai and wife of Agamemnon, the chief leader. She rules Mykenai in her husband’s absence
Epeios – a carpenter
The Trojans
Priam – King of the Trojans
Hekabe – Queen of the Trojans and Priam’s wife
Antenor – A Trojan noble and counsellor to Priam, the Trojan King
Hector – A Trojan Prince and older son of Priam. Regarded as the Trojans’ best warrior
Alexandros –Priam’s son, known for his striking looks, who seduces Helen while a guest in Sparta and brings her back to his home city of Troy
Helen of Troy – Queen of Sparta and married to Menelaos, but she embarks on an affair with the Trojan Prince Alexandros and is persuaded to leave her husband
Andromache – wife of the Trojan Prince Hector
Astyanax – The young son of Hector and Andromache
Kassandra – Daughter of Priam and Hekabe, who serves as a priestess to Apollo and is gifted with the second sight
The Kephallenian Contingency
Eurylochos – Odysseus’ captain and second in command. He is a boyhood friend from Ithaka
Neritides – a Kephallenian warrior from Same
Elpenor – a Kephallenian warrior and one of the youngest fighters present at Troy
At Aiaia
Kirke – priestess to the nature goddess Feronia and believed to be a witch
Tiresias- a blind priest, gifted with the sight of prophecy
Odysseus’ Household and Extended Family on Ithaka
Telemachos – Odysseus’ son with Penelope and still an infant child when his father departs for Troy
Penelope – Odysseus’ wife and Queen of the Kingdom of Ithaka
Eumaios – a lowly herdsman, who first encounters Odysseus on his return to Ithaka
Epicaste- The daughter of Nestor, who marries Telemachos and bears him two sons and a daughter
Peisistratos – Epicaste’s brother and therefore brother-in-law to Telemachos. The two men form a close friendship after Telemachos travels to Pylos for news of his father.
Persepolis – The son of Telemachos and the eldest of Odysseus’ two grandsons
Laertes – Odysseus’ father and King of Ithaka.
Antikleia – Odysseus’ mother and former queen of Ithaka
Autolykos – Odysseus’ maternal grandfather, whose name means “like a wolf” and is known for his wiliness