| A | B |
|---|
| Penelope | ever-faithful wife of Odysseus |
| Argus | Odysseus' dog |
| Telemachus | son of Odysseus |
| Eurycleia | faithful and devoted old nurse of Odysseus |
| Eumaeus | faithful swineherd of Odysseus |
| Philoetius | faithful cowherd of Odysseus |
| Melanthius | unfaithful goatherd of Odysseus;helps the suitors |
| Medon | the herald of Ithaca; spared by Odysseus |
| Phemius | minstrel; spared by Odysseus |
| Laertes | old father of Odysseus |
| Antinous | evil suitor; first suitor slain by Odysseus |
| Eurymachus | second suitor killed |
| Mentor | faithful friend Of Odysseus and Telemachus; often Athene in disguise |
| Odysseus | epic hero known for his brain as well as his courage and strength |
| Irus | cowardly beggar beaten by Odysseus |
| Menelaus | King of Sparta |
| Nausicaa | Princess who finds Odysseus washed ashore |
| King Alcinous | listens to Odysseus' tales; provides Odysseus with a ship |
| Eurylochus | one of Odysseus' crew; advocates slaughtering the cattle |
| Agamemnon | his shade warns Odysseus to return home in secret |
| Elpenor | young crew member who asks for a proper burial |
| Tiresias | blind prophet of the Underworld who warns Odysseus of awaiting dangers |
| Anticleia | mother of Odysseus; her shade encounters him in Hades |
| Melantho | disloyal and rude serving maid in Odysseus' palace |
| Aeolus | mortal keeper of the winds |
| Athene | goddess who favors Odysseus because of his intellect |
| Calypso | sea nymph who keeps Odysseus prisoner on her island for seven years |
| Circe | enchantress who transforms Odysseus' crew into pigs |
| Hermes | messanger god who finds Odysseus crying on Calypso's island |
| Polyphemus | one-eyed giant who holds Odysseus and men captive in his cave |
| Poseidon | angry god who wants to punish Odysseus for blinding his son, Polyphemus |
| Helios (Hyperion) | god of the sun; keeps sacred cattle on his island |
| Scylla | sea monster with six ugly heads, each with three rows of teeth |
| The Sirens | beautiful maidens who tempt passing mariners with their tantalizing singing |
| Zeus | the supreme god and king of Olympus |
| Charybdis | violent , female whirlpool monster |
