Chistan Daniel Diaz Restor

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I.

Characters of Iliad
ACHILLES
The son of the military man Peleus and the sea-nymph Thetis. The most powerful
warrior in The Iliad, Achilles commands the Myrmidons, soldiers from his homeland of
Phthia in Greece. Proud and headstrong, he takes offense easily and reacts with
blistering indignation when he perceives that his honor has been slighted. Achilles
wrath at Agamemnon for taking his war prize, the maiden Briseis, forms the main
subject of The Iliad.
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AGAMEMNON
Son of Atreus, king of Mykenai, brother of Menelaos and most powerful Greek king. His
quarrel with Achilleus (bk. 1) sparks Achilleus anger and sets in motion the plot of the Iliad.
Achilleus spurns his offer of compensation in book nine.
HELEN
Daughter of Zeus and Leda, step-daughter of Tyndareus; wife of Menelaus who eloped with
Paris, causing the Trojan war; through the gifts of the goddess, Aphrodite, she was said to be the
most beautiful of all women. She reflects on her actions in books three and six, and she
concludes the lament for Hektor at the end of the Iliad.
MENELAUS
King of Sparta; the younger brother of Agamemnon. While it is the abduction of his
wife, Helen, by the Trojan prince Paris that sparks the Trojan War, Menelaus proves
quieter, less imposing, and less arrogant than Agamemnon. Though he has a stout
heart, Menelaus is not among the mightiest Achaean warriors.
NESTOR
Aged king of Pylos and a wise counselor who often uses stories from the past to advise and
instruct the Greek warriors. He tries unsuccessfully to make peace between Achilleus and
Agamemnon in book one and he helps persuade Agamemnon to offer compensation to Achilleus
in book nine. In book eleven, he urges Patroklos to ask Achilleus to let him lead his men into
battle, the plan that leads to Patroklos death.
ODYSSEUS
Son of Laertes, lord of Ithaka, famed for his wisdom and trickery; he rallies the troops in book
two, forms part of the embassy to Achilleus in book nine, and urges Achilleus to put aside his
grief in book nineteen.
PATROKLOS

Son of Menoitios and companion of Achilleus. He was raised in Achilleus household (23.8490), and accompanied Achilleus to Troy (bk 11, lines 764ff). He enters the battle in Achilleus
place in book sixteen and his death at the hands of Hektor provokes Achilleus return to the
battle. After his ghost visits Achilleus, Achilleus holds splendid funeral games in his honor in
book twenty-three.
ANDROMACHE
Wife of Hektor; she describes how her father and brothers were killed by Achilleus in a raid
(6.413-38), and tries to persuade Hektor to be more cautious.
BRISEIS
Woman captured by the Greeks in a raid and given to Achilleus as a slave; Agamemnon took her
from him by force (bk. 1), sparking their quarrel. She is returned to Achilleus in book nineteen,
but Achilleus says then that it would have been better if she had died.
CHRYSEIS
Daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo (at a place called Chryse!); she was captured by the
Greeks in a raid and given to Agamemnon as a slave; Agamemnon's refusal to return her to her
father led Apollo to send a plague on the Greeks (bk. 1)
HECUBA
queen of Troy, wife of king Priam and mother of Hektor. She leads the Trojan women in their
(vain) prayers to Athena (bk. 6), and, later (bk. 22), she begs her son, Hektor, not to confront
Achilleus.
HEKTOR
Son of Priam and Hecuba and leading warrior of the Trojans. He duels with Aias in book seven,
and leads the Trojan onslaught against the Greek ships in book fifteen. With Apollos help, he
kills Patroklos in book sixteen. In book twenty-two, he is slain by Achilleus outside the walls of
Troy before his parents eyes, and his body is brutally abused by Achilleus.
Hera
Queen of the gods and Zeuss wife, Hera is a conniving, headstrong woman. She often
goes behind Zeuss back in matters on which they disagree, working with Athena to
crush the Trojans, whom she passionately hates.
PARIS
A son of Priam; according to later legend, he had been asked to judge which of the three
goddesses, Hera, Athene or Aphrodite, was the most beautiful; each goddess tried to bribe him
and he accepted Aphrodite's offer of Helen, the most beautiful mortal woman. In book three, he
challenges Menelaos to a duel, but is rescued from the fight by Aphrodite.
PRIAM
King of Troy and husband of Hecuba, Priam is the father of fifty Trojan warriors,
including Hector and Paris. Though too old to fight, he has earned the respect of both
the Trojans and the Achaeans by virtue of his level-headed, wise, and benevolent rule.

He treats Helen kindly, though he laments the war that her beauty has sparked.

Characters in Odyssey
Odysseus
The protagonist of the Odyssey.Odysseus fought among the other Greek heroes at Troy
and now struggles to return to his kingdom in Ithaca. Odysseus is the husband of Queen
Penelope and the father of Prince Telemachus. Though a strong and courageous
warrior, he is most renowned for his cunning. He is a favorite of the goddess Athena,
who often sends him divine aid, but a bitter enemy of Poseidon, who frustrates his
journey at every turn.
Telemachus
Odysseuss son. An infant when Odysseus left for Troy, Telemachus is about twenty at
the beginning of the story. He is a natural obstacle to the suitors desperately courting his
mother, but despite his courage and good heart, he initially lacks the poise and
confidence to oppose them. His maturation, especially during his trip to Pylos and
Athena often assists him.
Penelope
Wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus. Penelope spends her days in the palace
pining for the husband who left for Troy twenty years earlier and never returned.
Homer portrays her as sometimes flighty and excitable but also clever and steadfastly
true to her husband.
Athena
Daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle, and the womanly arts.
Athena assists Odysseus and Telemachus with divine powers throughout the epic, and
she speaks up for them in the councils of the gods on Mount Olympus. She often appears
in disguise as Mentor, an old friend of Odysseus.
Poseidon
God of the sea. As the suitors are Odysseuss mortal antagonists, Poseidon is his divine
antagonist. He despises Odysseus for blinding his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus, and
constantly hampers his journey home. Ironically, Poseidon is the patron of the seafaring
Phaeacians, who ultimately help to return Odysseus to Ithaca.
Zeus
King of gods and men, who mediates the disputes of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus
is occasionally depicted as weighing mens fates in his scales. He sometimes helps
Odysseus or permits Athena to do the same.
Antinous
The most arrogant of Penelopes suitors. Antinous leads the campaign to have

Telemachus killed. Unlike the other suitors, he is never portrayed sympathetically, and
he is the first to die when Odysseus returns.
Eurymachus
A manipulative, deceitful suitor. Eurymachuss charisma and duplicity allow him to
exert some influence over the other suitors.
Amphinomus
Among the dozens of suitors, the only decent man seeking Penelopes hand in
marriage. Amphinomus sometimes speaks up for Odysseus and Telemachus, but he is
killed like the rest of the suitors in the final fight.
Eumaeus
The loyal shepherd who, along with the cowherd Philoetius, helps Odysseus reclaim his
throne after his return to Ithaca. Even though he does not know that the vagabond who
appears at his hut is Odysseus, Eumaeus gives the man food and shelter.
Eurycleia
The aged and loyal servant who nursed Odysseus and Telemachus when they were
babies. Eurycleia is well informed about palace intrigues and serves as confidante to her
masters. She keeps Telemachuss journey secret from Penelope, and she later keeps
Odysseuss identity a secret after she recognizes a scar on his leg.
Calypso
The beautiful nymph who falls in love with Odysseus when he lands on her island home
of Ogygia. Calypso holds him prisoner there for seven years until Hermes, the
messenger god, persuades her to let him go.
Polyphemus
One of the Cyclopes (uncivilized one-eyed giants) whose island Odysseus comes to soon
after leaving Troy. Polyphemus imprisons Odysseus and his crew and tries to eat them,
but Odysseus blinds him through a clever ruse and manages to escape. In doing so,
however, Odysseus angers Polyphemuss father, Poseidon.
Circe
The beautiful witch-goddess who transforms Odysseuss crew into swine when he lands
on her island. With Hermes help, Odysseus resists Circes powers and then becomes her
lover, living in luxury at her side for a year.
Laertes
Odysseuss aging father, who resides on a farm in Ithaca. In despair and physical decline,
Laertes regains his spirit when Odysseus returns and eventually kills Antinouss father.
Menelaus
King of Sparta, brother of Agamemnon, and husband of Helen, he helped lead the
Greeks in the Trojan War. He offers Telemachus assistance in his quest to find Odysseus
when Telemachus visits him in Book 4.

II. Who do you think is the cause of the Trojan War?

The cause of the Trojan War can be traced all the way back to the courtship of Helen. Helen was
stunningly beautiful. Many Greek princes courted her for marriage. Her step father feared that
trouble from rejected suitors would follow Helen and her groom. To insure Helens safety, her
step father made all the men who wanted to be her husband, swear an oath to protect Helen and
her chosen groom. Helen chose King Menelaus of Sparta but Paris abducted Helen, which causes
the desire of King Agamemnon to get Helen back and kill Paris.
III. Why is it that the Trojan War happens?
The Trojan War happens because of the reckless action of Paris for his love to Helen even
though Helen is married to the king of Sparta named King Menelaus and a brother to King
Agamemnon who is a great conqueror of Greece and the most powerful Greek king. For the first
reason is King Agamemnon wish to kill Paris for what he did to him and the second reason is
King Agamemnon has a long term goal in conquering the City of Troy.