| A | B |
|---|
| Athena | Goddess of wisdom who comes to aid Odysseus by intervening with the gods to keep Poseidon in line. |
| Hermes | Messnger to the gods, sent by zeus to order Calypso to release Odysseus. He guides the souls of the suitors to Hades. |
| Zeus | King of all the Greek gods, the keeper of Fate, he permits Athena to assist Odysseus. |
| Aeolus | Keeper of the winds, he places all of the bad winds into a bag and gives them to Odysseus which blow him far from Ithaca when he was almost home. |
| Calypso | a beautiful sea goddess who tries to make Odysseus her husband and holds him captive for 9 years. She bribes him with immortality. |
| Charybdis | A violent whirlpool (sea monster) that destroys all ships that get caught in it. |
| Circe | She turns Odysseus' crew into animals and Odysseus into her lover. She later helps him on his journey. |
| Helios | God of the sun who becomes angry at Odysseus when his crew eats Helios' sacred cattle. |
| Lotus Eaters | People who eat a narcotic plant. |
| Polyphemus | Son of Poseidon he is one of the Cyclops. Odysseus blinds him. |
| Poseidon | God of the Sea, he seeks revenge for his son's (Polyphemus')injury |
| Scylla | A six-headed monster that eats 6 of Odysseus' men as they are forced to pass by the monster. |
| Sirens | Beautiful maidens that lure sailors to their deaths with irresistible song. Odysseus fills the ears of his crew with wax to save them from temptation. |
| King Alcinous | King of Phaeacians; he gives a ship and sailors to get Odysseus home. |
| Antinous | The most arrogant suitor; he tries to kill Telemachus. |
| Eurymachus | Suitor who intrudes into Penelope's bedroom and reveals her secret about the shroud. |
| Laestrygonians | Giant cannibals who eat 597 men. |
| Anticlea | Mother of Odysseus; she drowns herself due to her grief. |
| Menelaus | King of Sparta; he convinces Telemachus that Odysseus is dead. |
