THE ACHAEANS

1. THEACHAEANS

2. ACHILLES • The most powerful warrior in The Iliad • Commands the Myrmidons • Soldiers from his homeland • Proud and headstrong • Takes offense easily • His anger at Agememnon for taking his war prize (the maiden, Briseis) forms the main subject of The Iliad

3. AGAMEMNON • King of Mycenae and leader of the Achaean army • Arrogant and selfish • Lacks consideration and forethought

4. PATROCLUS • Beloved friend of Achilles: a companion and advisor • Devoted to both Achilles and the Achaean army • Proves this dedication by taking both sides

5. ODYSSEUS • A fine warrior and the cleverest of the Achaean commanders • Excellent public speaker • Helps mediate the argument between Achilles and Agamemnon and often prevents them from making rash decisions

6. DIOMEDES • Also called “Tydides” • The youngest Achaean commander • Bold and impetuous • After Achilles withdraws from combat, Diomedes (with the help of Athena) actually wounds two gods: Aphrodite and Ares

7. GREAT AJAX • An Achaean commander • Second mightiest warrior after Achilles • His extraordinary size and strength help him wound Hector twice by hitting him with boulders • Often fights alongside Little Ajax • These two are referred to as the “Aeantes”

8. LITTLE AJAX • An Achaean commander • Often fights alongside Great Ajax • Little Ajax’s small size and swift speed complement Great Ajax’s size and strength

9. NESTOR • The oldest Achaean commander • Age has taken much of his physical strength, but has left him with great wisdom • Often acts as advisor to the military commanders, especially Agamemnon

10. MENELAUS • The King of Sparta • Younger brother of Agememnon • His wife Helen ran away with Paris and this started the Trojan War • He is quieter and less arrogant than Agememnon

11. IDOMENEUS • King of Crete • Respected commander • Leads a charge against the Trojans in Book 13

12. MACHAON • A healer • Wounded by Paris in Book 11

13. CALCHAS • An important soothsayer (fortune-teller) • He identifies the “plague” ravaging the Achaean army and this inadvertently leads to the rift between Agamemnon and Achilles that lasts for the first 19 books of The Iliad

14. PELEUS • Achilles’ father and the grandson of Zeus • Peleus never appears in person throughout the epic

15. PHOENIX • A kind old warrior • Helped raised Achilles when he himself was still a young man • Achilles deeply loves and trusts him • Phoenix mediates between him and Agamemnon during their fight

16. THE MYRMIDONS • The soldiers under Achilles’ command • They come from Achilles’ homeland, Phthia

17. THETROJANS

18. HECTOR • Son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba • The mightiest warrior in the Trojan army • He is devoted to his wife and son • He resents his brother, Paris for bringing this war on their family and city

19. PRIAM • King of Troy • Father of 50 Trojan warriors • He is too old to fight, but has the respect of both the Trojans and the Achaeans because he is: • Level-headed, Wise, and Kind • He treats Helen kindly, even though he hates the war her beauty has started

20. HECUBA • Queen of Troy • Wife of King Priam • Mother of Hector and Paris

21. PARIS • Also known as “Alexander” • His abduction of Menelaus’ wife Helen sparked the Trojan War • He is self-centered and often unmanly • He fights well with a bow and arrow but lacks the spirit for battle • He prefers to stay in his room and make love to Helen while others fight for him

22. HELEN • The most beautiful woman in the ancient world • Left her husband Menelaus to run away with Paris • She hates herself for the misery she has caused to the Trojan and Achaean men • She hates Paris as well, but continues to stay with him

23. AENEAS • A Trojan nobleman and the son of Aphrodite • A mighty warrior • The Romans believed that Aeneas later founded their city

24. ANDROMACHE • Hector’s loving wife • Begs Hector to withdraw from the war and save himself before the Achaeans kill him

25. ASTYANAX • Hector and Andromache’s infant son

26. POLYDAMAS • A young Trojan commander • Serves as a “foil” for Hector • Is cool-headed and wise when Hector charges ahead • He gives the Trojans good advice, but Hector rarely acts on it

27. GLAUCUS • A powerful Trojan warrior • Nearly fights a duel with Diomedes • Their exchange of armor after they realize that their families are friends shows the value that the ancient people placed on kinship and camaraderie

28. AGENOR • A Trojan warrior who attempts to fight Achilles in book 21 • He delays Achilles long enough for the Trojan army to flee inside Troy’s walls

29. DOLON • A Trojan sent to spy on the Achaean camp in book 10

30. PANDARUS • A Trojan archer • His shot at Menelaus in book 4 breaks the temporary truce between the two sides

31. ANTENOR • Advisor to King Priam and the father of many Trojan warriors • He argues that Helen should be returned to Menelaus in order to end the war, but Paris refuses to give her up

32. SARPEDON • One of Zeus’s sons • His fate seems intertwined with the gods’ arguments • This calls attention to the unclear nature of the gods’ relationship to Fate

33. CHRYSEIS • Chryses’ daughter • A priest of Apollo in a Trojan-allied town

34. BRISEIS • A war prize of Achilles • When Agememnon is forced to return Chryseis to her father, he takes Briseis as compensation. • This action sparks Achilles’ great rage

35. CHRYSES • A priest of Apollo in a Trojan-allied town • Father of Chryseis whom Agememnon takes as a war prize

36. THE GODSANDTHE IMMORTALS

37. ZEUS • King of the gods and husband of Hera • He claims neutrality in the mortal’s conflict and often tries to keep the other gods from participating in it • At one point though, he throws his weight behind the Trojan army after Achilles has his mom ask Zeus to do so

38. HERA • Queen of the gods and wife of Zeus • Manipulative and headstrong • She often goes behind Zeus’ back when they disagree • She works with Athena to crush the Trojans, whom she hates passionately

39. ATHENA • The goddess of wisdom and Zeus’ daughter • She hates the Trojans and often gives the Achaeans valuable aid

40. THETIS • A sea-nymph and the devoted mother of Achilles • She gets Zeus to help the Trojans and punish the Achaeans at the request of her angry son • When Achilles finally rejoins the battle, she gets him a new suit of armor

41. APOLLO • The god of the arts and archery • He supports the Trojans and often intervenes in the war on their behalf

42. APHRODITE • Goddess of love and daughter of Zeus • She supports Paris and the Trojans throughout the war

43. POSEIDON • God of the sea and brother of Zeus • He holds a longstanding grudge against the Trojans because they never paid him for helping them to build their city • Therefore, he supports the Achaeans

44. HEPHAESTUS • God of fire and husband of Aphrodite • He helps the Achaeans by building new armor for Achilles and rescuing Achilles during his fight with a river god

45. ARTEMIS • Goddess of the hunt and daughter of Zeus • Artemis supports the Trojans in the war

46. ARES • God of war and lover of Aphrodite • He generally supports the Trojans in the war

47. HERMES • The messenger of the gods • He escorts Priam to Achilles’ tent in book 24

48. IRIS • Zeus’s messenger