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Details

The Odyssey-characters
characters and their descriptions
35
Literature
9th Grade
01/11/2011

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Cards

Term
Agamemnon
Definition

murdered by his wife(Clytemnestra) and her lover

later avenged by his  son Orestes

 

Agamemnon's story is repeated to show an inverted image of the fortunes of O and his son Telemachchus  

 

 

Term
Alcinous
Definition

King of Phaeacians

listens to Odysseus' stories

provides O with safe passage back to Ithica

Term
Amphinomus
Definition
only decent suitor
Term
Antinous
Definition

a suitor who is rude to beggars

the most arrogant suitor

leads campaign to have Telemachus killed

first to die when O returns

Term
Argos
Definition
Odysseus' faithful dog
Term
Athene
Definition

a goddess who changes O's appearance

she likes disguises

spurs O on to kill all suitors

has a bad relationship with Poseidon

daughter of  Zeus

 

Term
Calypso
Definition

goddess holds O captive on her island for 7 years

"bewitching nymph"

Term
Charybdis
Definition
a deadly whirlpool
Term
Circe
Definition

witch-goddess

transforms O's crew into swine

O cannot resist her powers

Term
Eumaeus
Definition

the kidnapped son of a king

helps O reclaim the throne

gives vagabond(O) food and shelter

Term
Eurycleia
Definition

nursemaid of O and Telemachus

loyal servant

keeps Telemachus' journey a secret

keeps O's identity a secret after recognizing scar on O' leg

Term
Eurymachus
Definition

a manipulative, deceitful suitor

has some influence over other suitors 

Term
Eurynome
Definition
Penelope's housemaid
Term
Helen
Definition

gives Telemachus a prophecy and robe

helps Telemachus find his father

 

Term
Irus
Definition
the town beggar
Term
Laertes
Definition
O's aging father
Term
Melanthlus
Definition

goatherd

abuses the beggar(Odysseus)

Term
Melantho
Definition

sister of Malanthius

maidservant in O's palace

also abuses beggar(Odysseus)

Term
Menelaus
Definition

married to Helen

king of Sparta

offers Telemachus assistance to find father 

Term
Nestor
Definition

visited by Telemachus in search of O's whereabouts

knows little of O's whereabouts

king of Pylos

Term
Odysseus
Definition

sometimes looks like a weak beggar

"man of twists and turns"

Hero of story

Term
Penelope
Definition

attracts many suitors

loyal wife

a strong woman

Term
Piraeus
Definition

shelters a prophet at Telemachus' request

 

Term
Pisistratus
Definition

Telemachus' traveling companion

 

Term
Poseidon
Definition

turns a ship into stone

god of the sea

the divine antagonist

despises O for blinding his son(cyclops)

Term
Scylla
Definition
six headed monster
Term
Telemachus
Definition

only mortal who knows O's true identity

 

Term
Theoclymenus
Definition
prophet on the run for murder
Term
Tiresias
Definition

prophet of underworld

shows O haw to get back to Ithica

allows O to communicate with underworld

Term
polyphemus
Definition
one-eyed monster(cyclops)
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