| Muses | 9 goddesses of inspiration in literature, science, and the arts. Daughters of Zeus. |
| Zeus | God of the sky and lightening; king of the gods |
| Helios | God of the Sun ; The personification of the Sun. He is one of the Titans. Odysseus killed some of his cattle and he was extremely angry |
| Aeolus | Keeper of the winds, son of Hippotes. In the Odyssey, he gives Odysseus a bag of winds that could take them home . But when Odysseus men think the bag is full of riches, they open it and the ship is blown crazily. |
| Athena | Goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle, and womanly arts. Favors Odysseus. She is the daughter of Zeus and helps both Odysseus and Telemachus |
| Poseidon | god of the sea. He is Odysseus antagonist, and tries to keep him from getting home |
| Laertes | Odysseus’ father |
| Odysseus | The protagonist of the Odyssey. He fought in Troy and is returning home to his kingdom is Ithaca. Known for his cleverness |
| Penelope | Wife of Odysseus; mother of Telemachus. She is known for her faithfulness |
| Telemachus | Son of Odysseus and Penelope; lacks confidence, but has a good heart |
| Tiresias | Theban prophet in the Underworld, He shows Odysseys how to return to Ithaca |
| Calypso | Beautiful nymph who captures and falls in love with Odysseus |
| Circe | Beautiful enchantress who holds Odysseus and his men captive |
| Cyclops | One-eyed monster wounded by Odysseus |
| Sirens | Beauties who seduce men with their singing |
| Scylla | Man-eating, six-headed monster |
| Charybdis | Whirlpool that sinks ships |
| Ithaca | Odysseus’ home island (Greek island) |
| Underworld | Place where souls go after death (afterlife) |
| Epic Poem | Long, serious narrative about a hero |
| Epic Hero | Brave, noble character in an epic poem |
| Hubris | Excessive pride or self confidence (arrogance) |
| Apollo | god of music. He is also known for his task of moving the sun across the sky. He tried to help Odysseus get home |
| Antinous | The most arrogant of Penelope’s suitors. He wants Telemachus killed. |
| Eumaeus | First mortal that Odysseus meets after returning to Ithaca. He is a shepherd and helps Odysseus reclaim his throne |
| Eurylochus | Second in command of Odysseus ship, very cautios |
| Nausicaa | Daughter of King Alcinous and Queen Arete of the Phaeacians. She finds Odysseus on the beach and ensures his safety and amenity at her parents palace |
| Melanthius | Treacherous and opportunistic goatherd, supports the suitors, abuses the Odysseus when he disguises as a beggar |
| Argos | Odysseus faithful dog |
| Cyclops/Polyphemus | Was the giant son of Poseidon, one of the Cyclopes described in the Odyssey. |
| Lotus Eaters | Were a race of people living on an island dominated by lotus plants |
| Aeaea | mythological island was the home of the sorceress Circe |
| Olympus – | The dwelling of the Olympian Gods |
| Troy | Setting for Homer’s Iliad in which he recounts the final year of the Trojan War |
The Odyssey: Webquest
April 19, 2020